The impact of our network in vulnerable lives touched
654,648+
Shelter Bed Nights Annually
1,690,352+
Nourishing Meals Served Annually
48,794+
Women & children sheltered or housed annually
43,654+
Counseling sessions annually
National Women's Shelter Network
United For Women, Children and Families
Who we are
Shelters and Safe Havens United For Women, children and families
The National Women’s Shelter Network is a growing network of women’s and family shelters and safe havens and national, regional, state and local networks, associations and coalitions and allies across the country serving women, children and families who are amongst the most vulnerable in our country. Our shared mission is to advance the status of women, children and families experiencing homelessness and bring an end to homelessness. We help our members save and change lives. Many of the women, children and families we serve have suffered gender-based violence and other serious trauma histories. Most have unmet medical and mental health needs. All are struggling to survive, heal, learn, grow and thrive, keep their families intact and alive, and too often fleeing domestic or intimate partner violence.
No woman or child should ever be forced to live on the streets or remain in abusive circumstances because they lack safe, supportive shelter.
Women’s and family homeless shelters and safe havens are the last resort and final safety net for millions of women, children and families in transition every year with little to no means. With enriched supportive services and resources, the NWSN and its members transform the trauma of homelessness into windows of opportunity for women, children and families to build safer, brighter futures. Join us in our movement to end and prevent homelessness. You can make a difference!
Mission
Our mission is to help women, children and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and the women’s and family shelters and safe haven programs that serve them, build safer, brighter futures and bring an end to and prevent homelessness in our country. We save and change lives, transforming the trauma of homelessness into windows of opportunity.
Vision
A world of racial, social and gender equity, free of violence against women and children, where every woman and child will have a safe home and in times of transition, trauma informed shelter and safe havens with deep protective factors, to assure they can heal, grow, thrive and blossom into who they are meant to be.
We help women, children and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness find shelter, supportive services and resources via our network; elevating the voices of women with lived experience and the shelters and safe havens that serve them across the nation; sharing information, innovation, best practices and research; providing education, trainings, and capacity building; identifying gaps and needs and developing informed public and social policies; raising public awareness of the special needs of women, children and families experiencing homelessness and the shelters and safe haven programs that serve them; advocating for more resources; and advancing meaningful solutions to end and prevent homelessness. We recognize the solutions to ending and preventing homelessness are founded on equity for women and their children and an engine of social and economic prosperity for all.
How we help
Saving and Changing Lives of the Most Vulnerable
The National Women’s Shelter Network is focused on saving and changing the lives of the women, children and families experiencing homelessness in our country and the women’s and family shelters and safe haven programs that serve them. NWSN programs provide a wide range of support to our members and in turn the women, children and families they serve through resources, information sharing, education, training, advancing standards of care, and advocacy.
Supporting Shelters and Safe Havens in Local Communities Across the Country
Advancing Standards of Care: Education, Training & Capacity Building
Funding and Resources to End and Prevent Homelessness
Free/Discounted Goods & Services
Building Shared Community
Disaster Relief
Public Policy, Infographics & Reports
The Women’s Equity Project
Comprehensive Resource Library
Latest News and Advocacy Alerts
Our Members
Need help?
Find a Network shelter near you with the NWSN Shelter Directory.
Become a Member
Interested in joining the National Women’s Shelter Network? Become a member for free today.
2025 National Conference sponsors
Heartfelt Thanks to Our NWSN Partners and Providers
Together We Change Our World!
Our Partners work closely with the NWSN to advance our mission, sharing their treasure, time, expertise, services and resources with the NWSN and its members.
The NWSN thanks its Partners and Providers working together with us in our shared mission!
