Shelter for Women Moves to Larger Quarters
Dedication ceremonies were held in Orange Sunday for the new facility of Martha House, a shelter for women who are able to support themselves but are temporarily homeless.
The shelter, which had been in a smaller building in Santa Ana, is expanding to a 24-hour-a-day schedule, said the Rev. Douglas Edwards, pastor of Trinity Episcopal Church in Orange and a member of the advisory board for the shelter, at 275 S. Glassell St.
“It’s not intended to be a home for bag ladies, but for people with all the skills capable of going out and making it on their own,” Edwards said.
“The type of person we take allows our counselors to assist them to get back into the job market and the housing market. It’s tomfoolery to put a bag lady in touch with the job market or a landlord.”
Martha House is operated by paid and volunteer staff members on behalf of the Episcopal Service Alliance of Orange County, an ecumenical service agency, Edwards said. The home can serve as temporary living quarters for up to 10 women at a time. It is expected to serve women referred by churches and offices of the Episcopal Service Alliance, he said.
The new shelter, funded by a grant from the county and by private and church donations, will be open by the end of the week, he said.
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