About Us
Empowering Lives
Opening Doors is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting women and children experiencing homelessness. We empower individuals by providing goal-setting and life skills training, enabling them to achieve their full potential. Our approach offers a hand up, not a handout.
Since 2000, Opening Doors has served thousands of women and children through a comprehensive continuum of services.
- Teresa Shelter offers emergency and extended stay programs.
- Maria House provides transitional housing for up to two years.
- Francis Apartments offers income-based affordable housing with supportive services, a proven combination that helps break the cycle of homelessness.
Mission Statement
Empowering women and their children by providing shelter and personalized support to find healing, hope, and home.
Vision
Help all unhoused women and their children achieve independence and confidence.
Our Values
- Empowerment: We believe in the innate strength and capabilities of every woman. Through our structured programming and supportive services, we empower women to realize their potential and become confident, contributing members of society.
- Compassion: Our team approach and welcoming atmosphere create a safe space where women and their children are treated with dignity and respect. We meet them where they are, providing a listening ear, accountability, and tailored support.
- Opportunity: Opening Doors is committed to offering opportunities that go beyond shelter. We provide life skills education, case management, and resources that allow women to overcome homelessness and establish a foundation for a brighter future.
- Community: We are deeply connected to our community and collaborate with partners to provide comprehensive support. Through these partnerships, we equip women with the tools needed to break free from homelessness and create stable lives.
- Inclusiveness: At Opening Doors, we celebrate diversity and recognize that every woman’s journey is unique. We foster an environment that embraces individuals from all backgrounds, cultures, and walks of life. Our commitment to inclusiveness ensures that all women have equal access to our services, regardless of their circumstances, and that they feel valued and understood as they work towards stability and independence.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
We are committed to fostering an inclusive, supportive, and welcoming environment for all individuals seeking shelter and stability. Teresa Shelter serves women, individuals who identify as women, and non-binary individuals experiencing homelessness, ensuring that everyone has access to safe housing and essential services regardless of background or identity. We embrace diversity in age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, and lived experience. Our programs are designed to remove barriers, promote equity, and provide individualized support tailored to the unique needs of each resident. By cultivating a culture of respect, dignity, and empowerment, we help individuals build pathways to self-sufficiency and long-term stability. Through continuous learning, community partnerships, and inclusive policies, we reaffirm our dedication to serving all individuals ages 18 and +, ensuring that everyone feels seen, heard, and valued on their journey toward independence.
Opening Doors Dubuque
Empowering women and children experiencing homelessness through compassionate care & comprehensive programs. We provide shelter, support, and a path toward stability and independence. Services: Teresa Shelter, Maria House, and Francis Apt
Why Sponsorships Matter at Attitude of Gratitude
At Opening Doors, sponsorships are more than logos on a screen or names in a program — they are a direct investment in healing, hope, and home for women and their children in our community.
Because of the generosity of our Attitude of Gratitude sponsors, $141,900 was raised through sponsorships alone, providing hundreds of nights of safe shelter and critical support for women and children experiencing homelessness in Dubuque.
These dollars help sustain what happens inside our walls every single day:
• Safe, stable shelter
• Trauma-informed case management
• Support toward sobriety, mental health, and employment
• Pathways to long-term, sustainable housing
Sponsorships allow us to focus agency dollars where they matter most — on our programs, our staff, and the women and children we serve — while ensuring this annual event remains accessible, impactful, and mission-driven.
To our sponsors: Thank You for standing with Opening Doors. Your partnership doesn’t just support an event, it changes lives and strengthens futures.
#AttitudeOfGratitude #OpeningDoorsDBQ #HealingHopeHome #CommunityImpact #ThankYouSponsors
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We have a few residents getting ready to move into their new spaces — an exciting step toward independence! 🏡
As they transition, we’re in need of gently used furniture to help them get started. If you have any of the following items in a smoke-free and pet-free home, we would love to take them off your hands:
🛋️ Couches
🪑 Chairs or loveseats
🛏️ Dressers
🖼️ End tables
📺 TV stands
Your donation can make a house feel like home for a woman or family beginning a new chapter.
If you’re able to donate, please reach out to Ashley or Audrey at 563-690-0086 or email her at aehrlich@openingdoorsdbq.org — thank you for helping us support our residents on their journey to stability and self-sufficiency!
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Yesterday, we had the privilege of hosting another tour at our shelter, and it was so much more than a walk-through.
At Opening Doors, education is advocacy. When community members step inside our walls, they see beyond the surface. They witness the compassion of our staff, the dignity we strive to uphold, and the courageous journeys women and their children take every single day.
Tours give us the opportunity to share the why behind our mission:
• Why safe shelter matters.
• Why personalized support changes lives.
• Why stability, healing, and sustainable living require community partnership.
These moments remind us that understanding creates empathy and empathy drives action.
Thank you to everyone who steps inside - Your curiosity, your questions, and your willingness to learn help us continue breaking down barriers and building a stronger Dubuque.
If your business, church group, or organization would like to schedule a tour and learn more about how we empower women and their children, we’d love to welcome you in. Let’s keep opening doors—together. 💛Giese Manufacturing team & family (Stephanie Meyers) thanks for coming down!
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✨ Attitude of Gratitude 2025: Recap + Impact ✨
With so many exciting things happening at Opening Doors, we’re thrilled to finally share a full recap of this year’s Attitude of Gratitude- and what an unforgettable evening it was.
Thanks to the compassion and generosity of our community, over $300,000 was raised to support women and children experiencing homelessness in Dubuque. Your presence, your energy, and your belief in our mission created a night filled with hope, connection, and life-changing impact. 💛🏠
Here’s what YOU made possible:
495 guests joined us in celebration and solidarity.
$141,900 in Sponsorships = 959 nights of hope
$24,384 in Silent Auction (with 100+ community partners!) = 164 nights of safety
$41,600 in Live Auction = 281 nights of shelter
$51,500 through Empower-A-Life = 348 nights of healing
Where Your Support Goes
Your gifts directly fuel the mission of Opening Doors by:
🏠 Providing safe, warm shelter at Teresa Shelter and Maria House
🤝 Offering case management, advocacy, and personalized stability plans
🚍 Ensuring access to transportation, childcare, employment resources, and brain health support
🌱 Creating a community where women and their children can rebuild their lives with dignity and hope
Thank You for Making a Difference
Every raised paddle.
Every sponsorship.
Every silent auction bid.
Every volunteer hour.
Every act of kindness.
Because of you, families in our community have hope, stability, and the opportunity to build a brighter future.
From all of us at Opening Doors… thank you for being part of this powerful night and this mission.
With gratitude,
The Opening Doors Team
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🎄 Help Us Make This Year’s Resident Holiday Party Extra Special!
We’re gearing up for our resident holiday party and we could use your help to make it unforgettable for the women and children spending the holidays with us this year.
This celebration means more than just decorations and dinner—it’s a night filled with warmth, joy, and memories for families who have been working hard to rebuild stability and create new beginnings.
👉 Click here to sign up for a donation or volunteer slot: www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044FADA62DA2F9C43-60904695-resident#/
Big or small, your kindness makes the season brighter for every mom and child who walks through our doors.
Drop off items December 18th and 19th (8:30am-4pm) at the Maria House - 1561 Jackson Street. Contact shauna@openingdoorsdbq.org with any additional questions. Thank you!
www.signupgenius.com
Thank you for helping us put together a festive Christmas Party for all of our wonderful residents. This year we are requesting that all items be brought in disposable containers and that items be dro...1 CommentsComment on Facebook
A Season of Transition at Opening Doors
After many incredible years of leadership, dedication, and heart, Carol Gebhart has retired as Executive Director. Carol has guided Opening Doors through tremendous growth, strengthened our programs, and championed the women and their children who walk through our doors every day. Her legacy is woven into every corner of our mission.
As we honor Carol’s impact, we are equally excited to welcome Jessica Schlader as our new Executive Director. Jessica brings deep experience in nonprofit leadership, a passion for community partnerships, and a strong commitment to empowering women and families. She steps into this role ready to build upon the solid foundation Carol created.
Transitions can be emotional, but they are also full of possibility. With Carol’s steady groundwork and Jessica’s fresh leadership, Opening Doors is positioned to continue:
- Providing safe, compassionate shelter
- Expanding access to transformative programs
- Supporting sustainable living for women and their children
Thank you for standing with us through every chapter. Your support makes growth, stability, and continuity of care possible.
Here’s to honoring Carol, welcoming Jessica, and continuing the mission—together. ❤️
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With the guidance and support of the transitional program and Teresa Shelter staff, I am working hard at moving forward and reaching goals to transition into a better life.