It’s hard to believe all the services Shade Tree offers to the ladies. When I think of shelter, I imagine cots lined up on the floor and people sitting around just to get off of the sidewalk. I volunteered for about a month for school and I have learned that this place is so much more. Shade Tree is not just a shelter. It is a place to get what you need to start again. They have a variety of services available. When you are hungry, you are fed. And not just soup and sandwiches. You can have cereal and milk for breakfast or oatmeal and coffee. I was there during lunch time and saw once they served pizza and another time they had turkey. If you want to take classes to learn about finances they have a bank come in to teach it, if you want to exercise they have yoga (Yoga at a homeless shelter is amazing!), you want to learn computers, they have a class for that. If you want to get a job, they have a program to help you do that, too. It seems as if anything you might need to help you get back on your feet, Shade Tree has is for you. In regards to one of the other comments, while I volunteered there I did see one altercation between some of the ladies there and I think the staff handled it well (I couldn’t do there job) but I would think that when you get that many people living in the same place together stuff like that is bound to happen once in a while.
As a returning client to the Shade Tree, After returning a year ago form out of town. My experince with this nonprofit is now way better then my last time. I feel that I have gotten more help since my last time here, I came back to Las Vegas to live with family and things where not wtat they seems, therefore I want back to The Shade Tree. Again I must say it is much better then before, I see that staff are more willing to help u now, help in getting u a place to live, a job, to also help in getting u medical help, help in provide u with help for u pets/ and or your love ones. Staff try as best as they can to help,and provide for u as well as others. Last time I was here to me and this is for me, where not as friendly, they where into helping who they wanted to help. Most ladies have to realize that in order to better yourself u must make the first step in helping yourself, therefore others will see this and help u more. You need to stay focus towards your goals. Now I could go on and say things are not perfect here, but why when I and my child are not out in the streets, and are living off family and friends.
Shade Tree should be the last place you ever want to go if you're fleeing domestic violence. Security is shabby, getting paid minimum wage. You can't pay security minimum wage and expect them to actually want and be motivated to secure the premises. Staff has a very "brush-off" approach, especially administrative staff. The only ones that seem to actually care are the younger staff. Client advocates are outnumbered and short staffed. Overworked and underpaid as many of them say. Shade Tree continues to receive millions in funding and grants but I see nothing done to use up those funds wisely, such as healthier and more adequate food. Sanitation is also another miss. Lastly, I'm familiar with government funding and from the notices on the wall, Shade Tree is abusing HUD and HIP funding. The government should pull their funding so that way they can actually use the external funding they receive rather than dispensing it amongst the higher ups.
i dont know how any one can write a good review on this place but there are a lot of good staff members but ive stayed a shade tree and i can honestly say its nasty and bug ridden bed bug roaches, theres a fight every other night there are people stealing ,while staff have there pick of who to help 3rd floor is for dv. and transtional and second floor is for single woman and familys ,ive been there for 2 weeks i havnt talked to a counslor yet and im not sure what the programs are they give you resources im told ,wake up time is 6.00 ,2 nd floor have to leave the floor at 8 am ,,,they only give you a bus pass if you have an appointment but not to look for housing and jobs ,the food is nasty most time and this morning the sausage was spolied ,,ive watched more then 8 woman get put out and i saw 10 woman whos time wasnt extended and had no place to go there are woman there that has been there 18 months -2 years ,,and some there leaving wth housing due to shade trees help,, but it seems like it depends on if your liked ,,because there are no programs there only class like relaxation ,resume writing orintation and housing on and two ,k,,some of the woman are really beautiful just feel on hard times ,but most are nasdty and crazy the bathrooms are nadty and the rules are dum ive been calling the health department since ive came ,and i wish i coulod get help to leave and get on my feet cause im at my wits end all day the woman smoke ciggaretes back to back ,they sell pills and cigareetes ,people coe back high and drunk ,,all this i swear is true ,,im sure this will fall on death ears but its a shame that ,,outside people come tour the place in the day time see it empty clean and a fe woman there and not no its like a womans prison with children in it ,,but because that the only real shelter in las vegas nevada and woman ,mossstly need a place like this they will always have funding and supporters ,,but if you ask me an out side agency should look at how many times the las vegas police has been there and then you might get the real story
