Saint John’s Program for Real Change provides a safe space for women and children to heal and develop the skills necessary to transform their lives. With the vision of ending the generational cycle of trauma and homelessness, Saint John’s has adapted and expanded services since its inception in 1985.
Homelessness is devastating for women and children. In California, nearly 20% of the homeless population is female, while 17% of those experiencing homelessness are parents with children, and these numbers continue to grow. As the state’s homelessness epidemic worsens, programs like Saint John’s offer more than a quick fix — they offer hope for families to become stable and independent.
At Saint John’s, the solution is clear: family-centered care that addresses the unique challenges faced by women and children. Primary services include behavioral health, family services including onsite childcare and counseling, substance use disorder counseling, onsite education classes, employment training, housing navigation and two social enterprises.
“To address the generational cycle of poverty, we’ve added children’s programming because so often women come to us with their children,” says Shahnaz Van Deventer, chief philanthropy and marketing officer. “We’re helping women to become better parents while addressing the needs of the entire family to break the cycle.”
Monica, a Saint John’s alumna and a mother of four, spent years living in her car with her children while struggling with addiction. With the support of Saint John’s, she overcame substance use, secured stable housing, found employment, rebuilt her family and is now looking forward to a brighter future. This success comes from a holistic and structured approach offered in the program.
“Since the 1980s, Saint John’s has proven able to learn and adapt to the environment of homelessness,” says CEO Scott Richards. “We are able, because of our expertise over decades, to recognize new avenues to serve women and children, keeping our core services but meeting the needs of the future.”
Saint John’s recognizes that women and children facing homelessness often come from complex, diverse backgrounds, each requiring tailored support to overcome barriers and rebuild their lives. For women transitioning out of incarceration, the challenges can be especially daunting. A new avenue for Saint John’s to serve women in need is their Female Community Reentry Program (FCRP), a voluntary initiative by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) that allows eligible incarcerated women to serve the final portion of their sentences — from 45 days to 32 months — in community-based facilities instead of state prisons. The program facilitates a smoother transition back into society by providing rehabilitative services.
Funded by the CDCR, Saint John’s launched the Sacramento FCRP in 2016. “We’re one of the highest performing FCRP programs of the six in the state,” says Van Deventer. “When women are released without any case work or support, there is a high recidivism rate and this program decreases that. We enable them to successfully return to society.”
Eligible women from state prisons volunteer to participate and reside at the FCRP facilities where they receive comprehensive support services, including therapy, substance use disorder counseling, vocational training and case management. By facilitating successful reintegration, FCRP reduces recidivism rates, enhancing public safety and reducing the societal costs of re-incarceration.
“FCRP feels like a community rather than an institution, complete with case managers, classes and a sense of hope and purpose,” says Richards. The campus features dormitory-style housing, community rooms, computer labs, a cafeteria and an outdoor area including a playground for when the children of participants come to visit.
“When these women reenter the community, they’re ready to be productive contributors to society, restoring relationships, paying off restitution, saving money and putting it toward goals,” says Richards. “If the CDCR expands the program in the future, we’re well positioned to grow this highly valuable program in Sacramento.”
Saint John’s is empowering women to create lasting, positive change in their lives and their communities.
