Hope for the Journey Home

November 7, 2025

Dear Hope for the Journey Home Partners:

In the spring of 2024, Home for the Journey Home lost our partnership with the Community Resource Center at St. Andrews Church. In the months that followed, Guardian Angels Church made plans to use their parish house for another program. Thus, the decision was made to end Hope for the Journey Home. 

Hope for the Journey Home served families for 12 years because of you, a collaboration of faith communities in Washington County.  Parents and their children found a warm and welcoming environment to move forward. We gave families a much-needed respite to gather the support and financial resources they needed to find a home. There is much to be deeply grateful for over the years: amazing volunteers, generous donors, and committed staff. 
 
Our Advisory Board has worked together to distribute the furniture, household items, gift cards, and cash reserves to organizations that were serving families who are temporarily homeless in Washington and Ramsey Counties. These organizations are: Solid Ground, Emma Norton, Theresa Living Center, and Catholic Charities Family Service Center in Maplewood. Bridging also took furniture that will be given to families setting up their household. Lots of toys were donated to Joseph’s Coat.

As we say a profound “thank you” and final goodbye, it is with a heartfelt prayer that we all work to advocate for families without a home until homelessness ends. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

HJH Advisory Board:
 
Marla Simmet 
Sally Krupich
John Riehle
Denny Farrell
Richard Osborn
Jan Hogan-Schiltgen

If you would like more information or have questions please email us here.

Hope for the Journey Home - Status Update November 2024

Hope for the Journey Home shelter is now officially closed. The last families left in March 2024. Over the summer months, the Parish and Advisory Board explored options for use of the shelter/parish house. Options included looking for a partner to continue the ministry to serve families experiencing homelessness. At the end of the process, the decision was made by the Parish not to partner with a third party to operate a shelter and to pursue a different use for the parish house. 

Currently, members of the HJH Advisory Board are coordinating an effort to identify organizations serving families and individuals experiencing homeless to donate the shelter’s tangible items to, including supplies, toys, linens, bedding, furniture, appliances, etc.  

Once all tangible items have been donated, and all shelter expenses have been met, the Advisory Board and Parish will identify appropriate organizations to donate any remaining funds. A summary outlining the distribution of the shelter property and funds will be prepared and shared once all affairs are completed. 

Please watch this webpage for updates. 

The following letter was sent to the supporting faith communities and their coordinators: HJH Closing Letter