Causes:
Homeless & Housing,
Homeless Centers,
Homeless Shelters,
Human Services
Mission: The Sundari Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit, non-denominational public charity, dedicated to the education, advancement and social inclusion of poor, disadvantanged and homeless women and children. The first initiative of the Foundation was the establishment of the Lotus House Women’s Shelter in the heart of Overtown, Miami, an area suffering from profound poverty and urban blight in one of the poorest large cities in the United States. Lotus House is a unique women's resource center and residential facility serving women who are homeless or at risk of being homeless, whether due to domestic violence, untreated medical or mental illness, disability, loss of employment, or other economic reasons. For many women, it is the shelter of last resort, as time spent in temporary shelters does not afford them an opportunity to address untreated medical and mental health issues, obtain employment, and save the funds needed to secure affordable housing. This is not a typical short term shelter, but a place where the minds, bodies and spirits of women most in need are nurtured and supported to empower them to improve the quality of their lives on every level, achieve greater self sufficiency, and transition to permanent homes off the streets.
Geographic areas served: Miami Dade County, Florida
Programs: Operation of residential facility and resource center, known as lotus house women's shelter, providing free shelter, holistic support services and access to wide range of community resources for homeless women and children, including: food, clothing, counseling, job readiness training and educational workshops, access to medical and mental health treatment, pre-natal care, birthing and parenting classes, infant supplies, and a host of enrichment of activities. Facility serves approximately 350+ homeless women and children each year. After its initial formation, the foundation concentrated its efforts on providing relief to homeless, poor, distressed and disadvantaged women and children. It established lotus house as a prototype women's resource center and transitional housing facility, providing basic human services and resources to homeless, poor, distressed and disadvantaged women in miami-dade county. It elected not to further pursue assistance to the school project of the theodore gibson foundation, which was in the planning stages.
through its wholly owned subsidiary lotus house thrift, llc, the foundation has established a work program and community outreach thrift shop benefiting lotus house women's shelter, providing job training, clothing and furnishings for homeless, poor, distressed and disadvantaged women in furtherance of the foundation's charitable and educational purposes.
through its wholly owned subsidiary lotus wellness center, llc, the foundation established a free, volunteer, health and wellness clinic in furtherance of the foundation's charitable and educational purposes.
