THE STORY OF OPENING DOORS

The story of Opening Doors began in 1997, when Deacon Tim LoBianco, then with St. Patrick’s Church, answered an unexpected knock on his rectory door. A homeless woman had been found in Jackson Park with her dog. While the dog could find refuge at the local humane society, there was no safe place for the woman to turn.

This event sparked action. In the fall of 1997, Ann Michalski, a member of the Dubuque City Council, recognized the urgent need for emergency and transitional housing for women and children. Determined to make a change, Ann reached out to six Catholic women’s religious communities in the Dubuque area—Sinsinawa Dominicans, Sisters of the Presentation, Sisters of Charity-BVM, Sisters of Visitation, Dubuque Franciscans, and Sisters of Mercy-Farmington Hills.

Together, these women’s religious communities acknowledged the pressing need for such services and united their efforts. They committed seed funding to bring this vision to life, laying the foundation for what would become Opening Doors, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women and children in need.

UNLOCKING A DOORWAY

MARIA HOUSE

After recognizing the critical need for supportive housing, the congregations involved in the project began developing a plan for action. In June 1999, they formed a nonprofit charitable corporation—Opening Doors. With tax-exempt status obtained, Opening Doors became a collaborative effort involving religious organizations, the city of Dubuque, and the private sector, all working together to address homelessness in the community.

An unused convent, part of St. Mary’s Parish in Dubuque, was identified as the ideal location for the new program. Through the support of grants and private donations, nearly $600,000 was raised for the renovation. In September 2000, the renovated facility, now known as Maria House, officially opened its doors to serve homeless and near-homeless women and children from the greater tri-state area.

Maria House provides a safe and supportive environment, with the capacity to house up to 18 women and children, offering them the resources and assistance needed to rebuild their lives and work toward stability and independence.

TERESA SHELTER

Shortly after the opening of Maria House, staff quickly recognized the challenge of serving both emergency and transitional populations under the same roof. The emergency population needed immediate assistance with basic needs, such as food and shelter, but often struggled to follow the more structured rules of the transitional housing program. Additionally, Maria House frequently had a waiting list and received many calls from women seeking temporary shelter who were not always suited for a transitional housing setting.

In response to the growing need for emergency shelter for homeless women and children, Opening Doors identified the need to expand its services.

Fortunately, the same group of women religious who had committed seed funding for Maria House approached Opening Doors with a shared vision to collaborate once again on a project to support some of the most vulnerable individuals in the tri-state area. Through conversations with community leaders and organizations, it became clear that an emergency shelter for women and children was a critical need in the Dubuque area.

This vision became a reality when Teresa Shelter opened its doors on May 23, 2006. Teresa Shelter provides emergency housing for up to 32 women and children from the greater tri-state area. To date, Maria House and Teresa Shelter have served over 4,300 homeless women and children. Teresa Shelter remains the only emergency shelter in the tri-states that accepts women with children.

FRANCIS APARTMENTS

In August 2017, through a collaboration with Steeple Square, Opening Doors launched a third doorway of hope at the Francis Apartments, and in 2023, we proudly assumed full ownership of the property. The former St. Mary’s school, located at 1501 Jackson Street, was transformed into 12 two- and three-bedroom apartments. Eight of these apartments are designated for graduates of Maria House and Teresa Shelter through our Permanent Supportive Housing program, completing our continuum of housing services for homeless women and their children in our community.

The federal government defines affordable housing as spending no more than 30% of one’s income on housing. However, many families who leave our shelters end up paying twice that amount or more, leading to repeat admissions. Research has shown that pairing affordable housing with supportive services is highly effective in preventing homelessness.

At the Francis Apartments, Opening Doors provides both housing and ongoing support services to the families selected to move in. We also subsidize their rent until they secure a living-wage job, helping them establish long-term stability.

In January 2023, Opening Doors took full ownership of the Francis Apartments building, allowing us to expand our Permanent Supportive Housing program and serve even more women and children in need.