Dorothy Day House

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

In order to apply for a residential unit at Dorothy Day House, an individual must understand that it is resident-managed. This means that there will be tasks that each individual is responsible for completing on a weekly basis. An individual must be able to independently perform these tasks. Staff is only in the building during office hours.

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.

View our Application FAQ

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.

Do you need financial assistance?

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?

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.

“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

Contact

Laqurisha Russ
Resident Services Manager
Phone: (206) 374-4364 x103

Starla Reece
Program Manager
Phone: (206) 374 -4364 Ext. 101
Fax: (206) 374 – 8611

Apply

Apply today!
Dorothy Day House Application

Community Partners and Volunteers
Moonshine Barbecue
Nancy Burtenshaw – Yoga Instructor