About SAMMinistries

Mission Statement:
SAMMinistries is an interfaith ministry whose mission is to help the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless attain self-sufficiency by offering, with diginity and compassion, shelter, housing and services.

SAMMinistries also provides volunteers opportunities to be renewed and fulfilled as they serve.

History:
During a cold winter morning in 1981, the problems of the homeless were brought into stark perspective for the members of First Presbyterian Church in downtown San Antonio. A homeless man, froze to death, was found on the church grounds. In response, volunteers started a ministry in the church gymnasium to shelter and care for the growing number of homeless individuals. By 1983 this program, having gained financial assistance of several downtown churches, was incorporated into San Antonio Metropolitan Ministry, Inc. (better known as SAMMinistries). Today SAMMinistries has a staff of more than 70 and is supported by more than 4,500 trained volunteers who support families and individuals on their path to self-sufficiency throughout San Antonio (contributing an average of 70,000 service hours annually).

In June of 2010, SAMMinistries finished transitioning our program guests from the downtown SAMM Shelter into our new facility buildings on the Haven for Hope Campus. We will be serving almost three times more people we served at SAMM Shelter on Commerce.

SAMMinistries occupies over 45% of the new campus. The funds needed to operate our emergency services on the campus have increased our budget by $1.2 million.

The Haven for Hope Campus offers a place where many agencies that care for the homeless can provide their services in a unified manner. Although programs will be geared towards the homeless, anyone in need within the community will be able to access the partner services. Some of these services include medical and dental clinics, counseling, job training and childcare. Each agency will remain independent and will work in a collaborative manner to help those we are serving

Transitional Living and Learning Center Program Facts:

• A family may live at the Center for up to two years.
• Upon entrance into the program, the head of household must either be working, going to school or a combination of both a minimum of 30 hours per week.
• Families are not required to pay rent, but must pay 30% of their adjusted gross income toward debt reduction.
• Families are offered classes in life-skills building, money management, nurturing parent, resume writing, and GED exam readiness.
• In 2006, over 75 percent of the families that left our Transitional Living and Learning Center have entered permanent housing.

SAMMinistries has developed a Homeless Prevention Program to provide hope to families and individuals by preventing them from entering homelessness. SAMMinistries Homeless Prevention Services Program provides rental assistance, utility assistance and supportive services to enable individuals and families who are in imminent danger of eviction, or are currently homeless. SAMMinistries works with the homeless by cutting the amount of time a family experiences homelessness and rapidly re-housing families into permanent homes.

Supportive services must directly relate to the prevention of homelessness and rapid re-housing. These services are provided in an effort to stabilize families in their existing homes, shorten the amount of time that individuals and families stay in shelters, and assist individuals and families with securing affordable housing. The households must document a temporary economic crisis beyond their control, by giving evidence of at least one of the following conditions: