Degage Ministries

A place to brush your teeth, do your laundry, iron your clothes, comb your hair, go the restroom, wash your hands—all simple tasks but tasks that can be challenging to access if you are homeless and don’t have a place of your own. To combat this situation, Dégagé Ministries offers access to basic hygiene facilities in its Life Enrichment Center. Private shower facilities and bathrooms are offered at no cost. A laundromat and hair salon allows patrons the opportunity to wash their clothing and get a haircut for a minimal fee. At least 45 bags of personal care products are distributed weekly with items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotion, razors and deodorant. Patrons can purchase underwear and socks at a reduced cost. Over 70 lockers are available to rent. These provide a safe place for patrons to store their personal belongings while living in the mission or on the street. Additionally, hundreds of individuals use Dégagé as their mailing address. They can also participate in its phone message system, allowing a central location to receive messages. Bible studies, AA meetings, and other support groups are offered throughout the week. Twice weekly, pro-bono legal services are available.

The Open Door provides overnight emergency shelter and supportive services to women requesting assistance. Once at the Open Door, they are provided showers, laundry facilities, lockers, meal vouchers, linens, basic hygiene items, and a place to sleep. In addition to affording overnight accommodations, a main goal of the Open Door is to assist women in becoming more stable and able to move into permanent housing of their own.

In 2000, Dégagé opened the Life Enrichment Center. Serving approximately 100-150 individuals daily, the Life Enrichment Center offers a variety of services to the Heartside residents. One of the main components of the Life Enrichment Center is its Resource Office. Here, patrons receive assistance with immediate and long-term needs
such as securing funding for medical care, receiving references for rehabilitation, obtaining employment, and completing paperwork. Staff also walks alongside individuals through the steps of attaining and maintaining permanent housing.

Without proper identification, many individuals are being turned away from possible employment opportunities and housing; ultimately inhibiting the individual’s ability to achieve a level of self-reliance. They are also unable to cash a check, receive a Social Security card or open a bank account. Dégagé started a State ID Program in October 2002 and has since helped over 5,000 individuals obtain identification.

The "Dégagé Dollars” program allows patrons to earn bus tickets or vouchers towards Dégagé’s meal services and Life Enrichment Center programs. Over 60 jobs are filled each day as patrons perform routine custodial jobs throughout the facility.