What We Do

Since 1954, Open Door Mission has been committed to reaching out a
helping hand to as many as possible through the following programs:

Safe Shelter

Each day, Open Door Mission’s campus offers 917 safe shelter beds to people experiencing homelessness. Nutritious meals, safe shelter, and quality care are provided for men, women, and families in need of immediate assistance at Lydia House and the Garland Thompson Men’s Center. Finding safe shelter and a warm bed could mean the difference between life and death for many experiencing homelessness.

Safe Shelter

Lydia House building, providing a second chances and long-term solutions to those in need.

Lydia House / Women & Families

For more than 70 years, Open Door Mission has welcomed the hungry and homeless when all other doors were closed. As the face of homelessness transformed from a scruffy, middle-aged man into the unblemished face of a 9-year-old child, Open Door Mission’s Lydia House expanded programs and services to meet people in need and swing wide the door to a better place. Nationally, about half of all homeless women and children are fleeing domestic abuse and violence.

The Lydia House provides emergency services for women and families in need of immediate assistance. We provide food, shelter, clothing, and other basic needs. The Lydia House also offers life-changing programs to address the causes of homelessness such as—abuse, addiction, or the inability to obtain and maintain steady employment.

The Open Door Mission building entrance offers second chances through its diverse programs.

Garland Thompson Men’s Center

The reality is that when a person walks through our doors, they are not initially seeking a complete life change. They are coming in off the streets, leaving the cars or cardboard boxes they’ve called home, and seeking two simple things—shelter and food. Open Door Mission’s Garland Thompson Men’s Center provides emergency services for men in need of immediate assistance. Food, shelter, clothing, and other basic needs are provided, and each man is given case management, which provides the first steps toward preventing future homelessness.

Rebuilding Lives Center

The Rebuilding Lives Center is committed to empowering men with the tools they need to become self-sufficient, contributing members of the community. This center has 96 units for life-changing programs. The New Life Recovery Program is a Bible-based 12-step residential program focused on personal development. The Journey to Work Program provides money management, job training, and education skills. The Veterans Housing First Program focuses on supportive services, crisis intervention, educational screening, and assessment in areas of mental health, chemical dependency, job skills, and life skills. The top floor is the Permanent Supportive Housing for those who may benefit from living in a stable environment while working or attending school full-time.

Permanent Supportive Housing

Supportive housing is offered to men, women, and families who may benefit from living in a stable environment for an extended period of time. Residents can live in a supportive housing environment while working or attending school part-time or full-time. This is a safe, affordable, supportive, sober living environment with two- and three-bedroom apartments available.

Case management and training is available for residents. Metro bus line and shuttle services are available daily.

Feeding the Hungry

Hope begins with a meal. Each day, Open Door Mission serves 5,366 meals to men, women, and families experiencing hunger. Meeting the basic needs of people who are hurting and experiencing hunger, opens the door to empower individuals to create lasting change.

Homeless Prevention

Every day, Open Door Mission’s Outreach Centers provide more than 1,270 people with homeless prevention resources through consumer choice food pantries, diapers, clothes, household items and furniture at no cost, empowering them to remain in their own homes.

Transformational Programs

Open Door Mission offers over 40 life-changing programs, including the New Life Recovery Program and Journey to Work. Open Door Mission is committed to empowering men, women, and families with the tools they need to become self-sufficient, contributing members of the community.

Health and Wellness

Open Door Mission is committed to making high-quality, professional healthcare accessible in our community. Our free Health and Wellness Clinic provides guests with medical visits, diverting hundreds of patients from hospital visits. Our expanded Behavioral Health Department works with men, women, and children, helping to relieve mental health challenges.

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