The shelter, which opened in 1984, has a 43-bed capacity that serves families as well as individuals who are in need of emergency shelter. In addition to a warm place to sleep, shelter residents have access to hot showers, 3 meals a day and a laundry facility. All shelter residents have a Case Manager who works with every individual and household to establish a case plan, providing a road map back to independent living. The Case Manager will advocate for and connect shelter residents to the programs and services available to them to meet their specific needs. Compassionate staff make every effort to decrease the stress of homelessness by checking in new clients professionally, taking time to review rules and policies, and answering any questions while ensuring confidentiality at all times.
Our organization began when the late Sister Mary O’Donnell along with the St. Mary’s Social Action Committee spearheaded the effort to create a place for people who found themselves homeless. We were then called the Temporary Shelter for the Homeless, Inc. and in 1998 after her death, the name was changed to Sister Mary O’Donnell Homeless Shelter as a legacy for her selfless service to the people of the community.
We are the only emergency homeless shelter in Aroostook County, Maine, geographically the largest County east of the Mississippi and approximately the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined, serving a population count of around 72,000 from the 2010 census.
As a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we depend on the generosity of others to help keep our doors open. We’re grateful for all the working relationships we enjoy in the community, with partnering agencies such as the Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP), Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Aroostook Mental Health Center (AMHC), The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC), and many others, as we strive to end homelessness in our County.