Who We Are
The Dorothy Day House is a residence for homeless women, managed by Catholic Housing Services. The Seattle residence provides 41 single units for low-income adult women, many of whom are disabled.
Each unit is furnished with a bed, table, microwave, sink, and toilet. Community baths and kitchens are located on each floor. Rents are based on income.
On site staffing supports each resident in achieving and maintaining a level of functioning that will enable each woman to live independently.
Applicants
How to Apply
The Dorothy Day House currently has a waiting list for new residents. In order to get onto our waiting list, fill out our simple, one page application. You can stop by to pick up an application, call and ask us to mail you one, or download the application here. You should then plan on calling in once a month to check on the status of your application. We will let you know when you get close to the top of the waiting list, and will help you prepare to come in for a screening interview.
Need more information?
Call (206) 374-4364 or stop by 106 Bell St in downtown Seattle. Thanks for your interest in living here! We look forward to meeting you!
Get Involved
There are several ways to get involved at Dorothy Day House. In addition to volunteer opportunities, we are also in need of donated household goods. We are also grateful for your generous financial support.
What type of volunteer opportunities do you have?
We are always interested in connecting with people who could teach classes at Dorothy Day House. In the past we have had successful arts and crafts classes, cooking classes, yoga classes, and computer skills classes. We welcome other creative ideas as well. If you’re interested, give us a call and we will be happy to discuss your ideas and see if they would be a good fit.
We also occasionally have the need for seasonal assistance with various activities. Feel free to call or email us to see what other options might be available. Thank you for your interest!
What types of donations do you need?
The residents at Dorothy Day House are in dire need of transportation. Dorothy Day House is located in the downtown Belltown area. Shopping for groceries and getting the residents to different events that may be available to them is a struggle for the staff. Some of the women are elderly and it is not always possible for them to get out because of weather and other factors. Having a van would definitely contribute to a better quality of life for these ladies at DDH.
We have a constant need for items to create “Welcome Home Baskets” for new residents. All of our residents are coming from homelessness, and most have very few possessions. We try to provide the bare necessities to help our tenants start their transition to stability on the right foot. Here is a list of greatly appreciated items:
- Twin-size sheets, blankets, pillows, bath towels, and socks
- Toiletries and personal care products
- Silverware, glasses, plates, bowls, Tupperware, and non-perishable snacks
- Liquid laundry detergent, dish soap, sponges, dish towels, brooms, dustpans, household cleaning supplies, and small garbage cans
- Small pots or pans and kitchen utensils
- Single burner hot plates, electric skillets, alarm clocks, and small radios
- Notebooks, journals, colored printer paper, coloring books, crayons, colored pencils, and markers
Note that while we provide only new items for these move in baskets, we also welcome donations of gently used items. We have a “donation room” where all residents are welcome to ‘shop’ for items that they need. Because most of our residents have an income between $300-$700 per month, your donations really help.
Do you need financial assistance as well?
We gladly welcome your financial assistance. Your donations help us to provide the services that keep 41 women in housing and out of shelters. Each year we face increasing costs, while our income remains mostly fixed. Your donations also help us to pay for enrichment and social activities for residents. This includes an annual trip to the tulip fields near La Conner, a picnic at Greenlake, a walk at Snoqualmie Falls, and camping at the Washington Coast. We would also like to take the ladies whale watching. Your support also helps us to pay for supplies for the numerous classes and groups that we offer each month. Support Dorothy Day House now!
If you do not wish to donate online, you can mail your check to Dorothy Day House at 106 Bell St, Seattle, WA 98121. If you are interested in learning more about where your money goes, or other ways that you can support the program, please give us a call!
Resident Testimonials:
From previous resident: “I was here for 4 years and at first I thought it was more like a shelter than a home, but now I can honestly say I am very glad that I came here. My life has changed for the better. I have a job and I am moving into another apartment with my daughters. I am grateful for my time and the staff at Dorothy Day House.”
———-
Who is Dorothy Day?
“What we would like to do is change the world – make it a little simpler for people to feed, clothe, and shelter themselves as God intended for them to do…We can, to a certain extent, change the world. “
-Dorothy Day
Dorothy Day was born November 8, 1897. She is perhaps most well known for co-founding the Catholic Worker movement. The movement focuses on the needs of the poor, and the dignity of every person. As with other Catholic workers, Dorothy lived in voluntary poverty for most of her life. She was deeply concerned with issues of social justice, and was involved in advocacy related to suffrage and labor issues. She is also well known as a pacifist, and protested many of the wars of the 20th century. Although Dorothy Day House is not connected to the Catholic Worker Movement, we are proud of our namesake.