Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri (CCSOMO) opened its new LifeHouse Crisis
Maternity Home in Cape Girardeau.
The LifeHouse Crisis Maternity Home in Cape Girardeau will soon satisfy various needs of pregnant women and new mothers experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The local Little Flower Campus is the second such facility operated by Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri in the state. The other, known as St. Anne’s Campus, is in Springfield.
“The mission of LifeHouse is to provide a safe, nurturing home and supportive services for women who have chosen life for their unborn child,”
Describing the mission of LifeHouse, Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri the website states, “LifeHouse is not just a shelter, but a comprehensive program with the goal of creating a better life for mother and child.” The LifeHouse’s program serves pregnant women experiencing homelessness and offers them resources such as counseling, case management, and material support
Those accepted into the home can live there with their child and another child up to age 5, if necessary, for up to a year after giving birth. Women are eligible from the moment they learn they are pregnant.
Each mother, after filling out an application, will be able to live in one of 15 small suites with their newborn and up to one additional child younger than 5 years old. They can come any time during their pregnancy, and while there, the women learn how to access education or employment and care for their child, as well as other skills to put them on their way to a successful and healthy life with their little one once they leave the facility.
The LifeHouse program has a proven track record of aiding women in need, as evidenced by the 141 babies welcomed at the Springfield facility to date. The construction of the Cape Girardeau facility, which began in January 2023, was made possible through a capital campaign that raised over $9 million for the facility and its ongoing operations.
Volunteers play a vital role in supporting the operations of facilities like LifeHouse and the Cape Girardeau facility will be no exception.. They contribute through child care, food preparation, transportation, tutoring, maintenance, security, and clerical work, ensuring a holistic and supportive environment for residents.
The opening of the LifeHouse Crisis Maternity Home in Cape Girardeau represents a significant step towards fulfilling the mission of Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri in providing compassionate care and essential services to vulnerable women and children in the region.
