MISSION:

Friendship Shelter helps homeless adults achieve self-sufficiency and become more productive members of our community.

VISION: 

Ending the burden of homelessness in Southern Orange County, one person at a time.

HISTORY:

Friendship Shelter was incorporated in 1987 to provide year-round shelter and rehabilitation to homeless adults. Today we provide a full complement of rehabilitative services to those most in need and address the many interrelated problems of homelessness, including mental and physical health, drug and alcohol addiction, personal responsibility, education, and employment opportunity. To date, more than 10,000 people have participated in a Friendship Shelter program, and each night nearly 100 homeless people sleep safe, warm, and cared for.

Our Programs 

Located on Laguna Canyon Road near the entrance to Laguna Beach, the Friendship Shelter operates the City of Laguna Beach's ASL Emergency Shelter. There we provide safe shelter for 45 homeless adults each night, meals for anyone who needs one, showers, laundry, and resources to connect guests to housing, health care, and mental health care. The shelter is open year-round and the program operates from 5 PM to 10 AM daily.

Friendship Shelter's housing program is its newest and fastest growing program, and is intended for clients who are chronically homeless and are unable to work due to a disability including physical or mental health conditions. Clients are housed in scattered-site apartments and receive ongoing supportive services from Friendship Shelter staff to ensure they remain safely and stably housed. There are currently more than 80 formerly homeless men and women in our housing program throughout southern Orange County.