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.

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

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

Our Members

Map of NWSN Members in the USA.

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!