A Safe Space For Vulnerable Women In Kansas City

True Light Ministries provides a critical lifeline for women experiencing homelessness in Kansas City. Through its women-only day shelter and emergency overnight shelter, True Light offers safety, dignity, and the essential services needed to support women on their path to stability. Unlike many shelters that require a diagnosis of substance use disorder or serve both men and women, True Light is designed specifically to meet the unique needs of women—regardless of their addiction status—who are often overlooked by traditional housing programs.

Women experiencing homelessness face a heightened risk of violence, trauma, and exploitation. Many have already endured domestic violence, and for some, fleeing abuse is the very reason they became homeless. True Light responds to these realities with a trauma-informed, barrier-free model that prioritizes safety, respect, and support.

Day Shelter Services: Meeting Immediate Needs With Dignity

Open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., True Light’s Day Shelter for Women welcomes up to 60 guests per day. No addiction diagnosis is required, making it one of the few accessible options for the estimated two-thirds of homeless women who are drug-free and seeking help.

Services offered through the day shelter include:

• Nutritious Meals: Guests receive breakfast and a hot lunch daily, addressing a basic but essential need for nourishment.
• Showers and Laundry: Access to clean water, personal hygiene, and laundry services ensures women can maintain dignity and health while navigating the challenges of homelessness.
• Hygiene and Diaper Supplies: True Light provides hygiene kits, feminine hygiene products, and a diaper program to assist mothers and caregivers.
• Case Management: Staff work with women individually to address barriers to housing, employment, and safety. Case managers also offer guidance in navigating public systems and services.
• Domestic Violence Prevention Classes: True Light offers education and support for survivors, many of whom are rebuilding their lives after fleeing abusive relationships.
• Computer Lab and Documentation Support: Guests can access computers for job searches and communication, and receive help obtaining vital documents like state IDs and birth certificates.
• Emergency Assistance: Women may receive support for rent, utilities, and transportation—often the key to avoiding or exiting homelessness.
• Educational and Physical Health Classes: Health-focused activities and life skills education support women’s overall well-being and personal growth.
• Group Activities and Field Trips: These activities foster community, reduce isolation, and help rebuild confidence.

This holistic approach allows women to access everything they need under one roof—from meals and showers to counseling and career development—removing logistical and emotional barriers to recovery and long-term stability.

Cold Weather Emergency Overnight Shelter

From November through March, True Light opens its Emergency Cold Weather Overnight Shelter, providing refuge for women and children during Kansas City’s harsh winter months. Operating seven nights a week, the overnight shelter offers:

• 24 Warm Beds: A safe place to sleep protected from the elements.
• Dinner Each Evening: A hot meal helps stabilize health and restore dignity.
• Nightly Educational Programming: Women are encouraged to engage in learning opportunities and support groups that support long-term change and empowerment.

The overnight shelter not only saves lives during extreme weather—it provides a gateway to True Light’s full range of wraparound services, including day shelter programming, case management, and referrals to permanent housing resources.

Addressing A Critical Gap In Kansas City

True Light fills a vital service gap in the Kansas City metro. Most transitional living programs require women to have a substance use diagnosis. Yet, many homeless women do not struggle with addiction—they simply need a safe place to stay while they get back on their feet. Without True Light, these women would be forced to remain on the streets or enter mixed-gender shelters, where safety is a constant concern.

In fact, research consistently shows that homeless women are disproportionately impacted by violence. Nationally, between 22% and 57% of homeless women report domestic violence as the immediate cause of their homelessness. Among homeless mothers, over 80% report a history of intimate partner violence. These women often avoid traditional shelters out of fear of further victimization. By offering a women-only space, True Light eliminates a key barrier to accessing life-saving shelter and services.

Healing Through Connection & Care

True Light’s shelter is more than a place to rest—it’s a community rooted in compassion. Women often arrive at the shelter feeling isolated, afraid, and unsure of what lies ahead. Here, they find not only safety but also emotional support, peer connection, and the tools needed to reclaim their independence.

Healing is supported through long-standing partnerships, including with Truman Behavioral Health, to connect guests with needed mental health services. True Light’s programming is trauma-informed, recognizing the deep psychological wounds many women carry from years of abuse, poverty, or systemic neglect.

A Vision Of Permanent Safety

True Light’s vision is to provide a caring, welcoming channel to permanent safety for women experiencing homelessness. This vision is fulfilled in three stages:

1. Immediate Safety: Through shelter and basic services, women are removed from unsafe environments and given a foundation to rest and recover.
2. Emotional Healing: Through trauma-informed programming and supportive case management, women begin to rebuild self-worth and resilience.
3. Path to Stability: Through transitional support and partnerships, women receive the assistance they need to secure employment and permanent housing.

Every aspect of True Light’s work is rooted in the belief that all women—regardless of past experiences, addiction status, or income—deserve the chance to live in safety, stability, and hope.

A Shelter Without Conditions, A Future Without Fear

True Light is more than a shelter—it is a lifeline. In a city where women experiencing homelessness are too often left with no safe options, True Light stands as a beacon of compassion and practical support. By eliminating barriers to shelter, offering a women-only environment, and refusing to require an addiction diagnosis, True Light provides a rare and crucial service in Kansas City.

Through meals, showers, warmth, and respect, True Light offers immediate relief. Through classes, counseling, and case management, it creates long-term change. And through unwavering belief in every woman’s potential, it restores dignity and hope.

True Light is lighting the way to a safer, more compassionate Kansas City—one woman at a time.

Locations

Click on the window icon (upper right corner) of the map below to expand. List of all program locations is included with expanded view of map. Locations are also listed on this page below the map.