About our Work
Sojourner House is committed to sustainable safety for survivors through stable housing.
Sojourner House is a victim service agency based in Rhode Island that has been providing safe shelter, housing, and life-saving supportive services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking since 1976. Our clients have access to emotional counseling, support groups, immigration advocacy, basic needs (such as groceries & hygiene products) and a variety of other trauma-informed resources.
In addition to our survivor-centered services, Sojourner House has programs that extend beyond the reactive. We firmly believe in relationship education as violence prevention and travel across the Ocean State and beyond giving talks about healthy relationships, consent, boundaries, and sexual health.
The Need to Expand
In 2020, with the demand for Sojourner House services steadily increasing, and the number of families on our waitlist for housing continuously exceeding 150, our team decided that the only way we could meet the needs of our community was to expand.
That’s why we purchased 1570 Westminster Street, a historic property on the West End of Providence which would go on to house our clinical, housing, immigration, and advocacy teams, and serve as the central Drop-In Center for our clients.
Fast forward to today, through the acquisition of this property we’re able to offer holistic support to more survivors than ever before. Where we provided 49,729 residential bed nights to survivors in 2019, we provided 99,068 in 2022. Now we’re looking to the future, and asking for your help to secure the longevity of this resource.
The Capital Campaign
Help to fund a house of hope and healing.
Sojourner House has launched a $1.5M Capital Campaign with the goal of eliminating the mortgage on our Westminster Street property, making necessary improvements throughout the facility, and creating an operational reserve fund for future building expenses. The Capital Campaign is led by a committee of volunteers who are engaging members of the community to support the work of Sojourner House. Donations will also support preservation and maintenance of this iconic, historic Mansard building that has been a cornerstone of the West End since 1876.
The first floor of the building has meeting space for staff and clients and a small conference room for support groups and staff meetings. The second floor has a suite of offices, and the third floor has two residential units which will become part of our affordable transitional housing portfolio.
This campaign helps support the infrastructure that saves lives
Counseling office 
Store room for in-kind donations 
Meeting room
Challenge Grant from The Champlin Foundation
If you donate now, you could potentially double your impact.
The campaign began its “quiet phase” in the fall of 2022 with an initial $250,000 grant from the Champlin Foundation. In February, Sojourner House received a second $250,000 grant for the Capital Campaign from The Champlin Foundation– this time with an asterisk. The grant they’ve given us is a challenge, meaning that if we can raise $250,000 for the campaign by October 31, 2023 they will match it dollar for dollar— expanding the impact of every donor involved.
As we strive to meet this challenge, it’s clearer than ever that every gift truly makes a difference. A one time donation of $500 could become $1,000, and a 3-year pledge of $1,000 a year could become a transformative gift of $6,000. Donors who contribute $1,000 or more will have their generosity commemorated on a permanently mounted plaque in our building.
Making a Contribution
Interested in contributing to Sojourner House’s Capital Campaign? Click the donation button below. If you have any questions about the campaign or about making a gift, please reach out to Deputy Director of Philanthropy, Joseph Sousa, at jsousa@sojournerri.org.
Help us fund this historic house of hope and healing! Gifts of any kind are appreciated.
Naming Opportunities
Interested in naming a room at Sojourner House?
Email Joseph Sousa, Deputy Director of Philanthropy at jsousa@sojournerri.org.
Conference Room – First Floor $50,000
Housing Offices $25,000
Counseling Services Office $25,000
Immigration Office $25,000
Foyer – Front Door $10,000
Staff Lunch Room $10,000
Foyer – Second Floor $10,000
“Sojourner House has been in an organizational growth mode these last several years in order to better meet the demand for our housing, supportive services, and crisis intervention programs. We are excited to expand our geographic footprint with the acquisition of this Westminster Street property, and we are grateful to the Champlin Foundation for their support of our work.”
Vanessa Volz, Executive Director