About Us
Recovery Program...a Second Chance
Since 1987, St. Matthew's House and Immokalee Friendship House has provided housing, spiritual support and structured recovery programs for the homeless in Collier County, FL. St. Matthew's House can house 170 men, women and women with children in our combined facilities in Naples and Immokalee. In 2009, the Recovery Program was expanded to include Justin's Place Recovery Center. Based at the Old Firehouse Feeding Ministry building, 16 clients participate in an intensive 6-9 month program of motivation and accountability.
Homeless Children, a Sad Fact of Life
Sadly, there are always children living in our facilities, some of whom have graduated out of the foster care system with no place to go due to their mental health issues. These children, though they are still considered homeless, feel safer and more secure now that they have a home and a stable environment, which they had never had before.
Homelessness Facts
St. Matthew's House receives at least one call each week from the hospital with a patient who has no place to go once discharged. Homelessness continues to be a pervasive problem throughout this country and Naples is no different. The reality of homelessness in Collier County is measured each year through the Point in Time Homeless Count. It is expected that we actually have about 2,000 homeless in our county, as they work hard to be unseen.
Health and Life Expectancy of a Homeless Person
The life expectancy for a chronically homeless person is 44 years of age for men and 40 years for women. It is the only segment of the population where women are not expected to live as long as men. The chronically homeless often have one or more serious and disabling health conditions, including mental health and/or substance abuse disorders. Donate
St. Matthew's House Quick Facts:
- St. Matthew's House was founded as a non-profit transitional housing center and feeding ministry in 1988.
- Immokalee Friendship House was founded as a non-profit transitional housing center in 1987.
- We have been over capacity at our main facility since June of 2005.
- We average over 50,000 nights in our emergency housing each year.
- We are the ONLY emergency housing and food ministry in all of Collier County.
- Of those residents who have graduated from the Wolfe Apartments two-year program, we have a 90% success rate, as few have returned to us homeless again since its inception in 2003.
- Our food pantries provide over 8,000 packages of groceries to those in need annually.
- We serve over 180.000 meals annually to anyone who is hungry.
Links:
Justin's Place Recovery Program
St. Matthew's House was founded originally as a food ministry, and serves over 180,000 meals per year to the homeless, families on the verge of homelessness and anyone who is hungry. Justin's Place was completely remodeled and reopened in October 2008. Originally named the Old Firehouse, the building was renamed Justin's Place in December 2010. The Justin's Place substance-abuse Recovery program is housed here as well, serving classes of 16 single men.
Wolfe Apartments
St. Matthew's House operates a 46-unit, transitional housing facility to assist graduates of our program in their return to normal life. Wolfe residents are required to remain drug and alcohol-free, participate in a two-year program complete with counseling and group sessions and meet with a case manager on a regular basis.
Immokalee Friendship House
In late 2008, Immokalee Friendship House, a homeless shelter in Immokalee, FL, merged with St. Matthew's House to better serve the needs of those living in eastern Collier County. Significant upgrades to facilities and programs, as well as improved community relations have all resulted from this merger. Programs that have proven successful at St. Matthew's House have been put into place at the Friendship House.
Recovery Program
Of the population that we reach, 80% suffer from some sort of substance abuse and over 20% suffer from mental illness. Our mandatory substance abuse recovery program is part of all residential stays at St. Matthew's House facilities.
Commercial Enterprises:
As government or county funding is not available, St. Matthew's House has developed commercial enterprises to help raise operational funds and become as self-sufficient as possible:
Thrift Stores, which also provide over $250,000 annually in free household goods and clothing to those in need via a voucher system
SMH Catering, a full-service catering company run by our Executive Chef and staffed by St. Matthew's House residents, offering a full array of menus for private parties, events and functions