Flagstaff Shelter Services

Flagstaff Shelter Services is the largest emergency shelter in Northern Arizona. We believe that everyone should have access to shelter and housing services, regardless of faith, sobriety, ethnicity or mental illness. We are the last stop. but we aren't the end of the road - through our housing programs we push for each and every one of our clients to overcome barriers and get back to permanent housing.

In addition to emergency, low-barrier shelter for all, we have a system of coordinated entry (called Front Door) to connect our clients with the behavioral, medical, substance abuse, and housing services that they need. Thanks to robust community partnerships with medical and behavioral health services agencies, we are able to provide onsite healthcare support for our clients, to ease stress and barriers surrounding transportation, etc.

We believe that housing has to come first, before any other real and lasting change can be made in other areas of recovery, financial stability, job security, education, etc. If a client enrolls in one of our housing programs, they will meet with our Housing Case Managers who provide wrap-around support that meets them where they are, and assists to get them to where they want to be. And it works. 86% of the individuals and families that we rehouse do not return to homelessness.

COVID-19 has changed so much for us. You see, we're the end of the road for many, who for one reason or another, have no where to go. We turn no one away, regardless of faith, mental health, sobriety - or COVID-19. It hasn't been easy. At the beginning of COVID-19 we moved most individuals out of our congregate shelter into separate rooms in three different hotels. That meant that we staffed and oversaw the workings of four different locations (including our primary shelter) 24/7. Since April of 2021, and thanks to an 84% vaccination rate in our clients, we have been back in our congregate shelter space.

Throughout everything that we have learned in this pandemic, one this has continued to be clear - housing IS healthcare. While we provide essential and life-saving emergency shelter, our goal is to move our clients out of homelessness and into permanent housing. This is the surest and most effective way to end homelessness in our region.

Testimonials

"We are so blessed! We want to thank the landlord for giving us a chance and Flagstaff Shelter Services for everything they've done for us. I can't believe we have a place to call home. We never thought this would happen again. We've been through so much and this feels like a dream." - FSS rehoused client

"They go beyond the band-aid." Carol Dykes, United Way

"We are so excited. It is such a big relief and it feels like a heavy weight has been lifted off our shoulders. We have our own space, something to look forward to, work towards and come home to. I can't wait to spend the night here." - FSS rehoused client