The New Orleans Women & Children’s Shelter’s mission is to enable women and their children to transition from a life of homelessness and poverty to one of stability and self-sufficiency.
Homelessness is devastating—especially for children. No child should ever have to wonder where they will sleep or where their next meal will come from. The New Orleans Women & Children’s Shelter (NOWCS) works every day to ensure that families facing homelessness have a safe place to turn.
Childhood homelessness can have lasting consequences, including poor physical and mental health, developmental delays, and disruptions in education. Each year, NOWCS serves 250–300 individuals, nearly two-thirds of whom are children under 18.
As one of the largest family-centered shelters in Greater New Orleans, NOWCS provides a critical safety net for families experiencing homelessness. The shelter is unique in its ability to serve intact families, including those with fathers present, and is the only shelter in the region that accepts mothers beyond their first trimester of pregnancy.
After moving into a new Mid-City facility in 2024, NOWCS has doubled its capacity, allowing the organization to serve more families and provide the shelter, meals, and supportive programs they need to rebuild their lives.
NOWCS.ORG
