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St. Francis House History

The St. Francis House is a homeless shelter in Sioux Falls SD, showing the love of Jesus Christ through its ecumenical ministry to the homeless. People of all races, genders and creeds are welcome at the St. Francis House for emergency and transitional housing.

The St. Francis House opened its doors to serve the homeless on March 15, 1987. The late Bishop Paul Dudley of the Catholic Diocese provided the building, which is now owned by the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls, and Pastor David Holm of the Lutheran Church, through a fund established by First Lutheran Church, provided the original financial support. Six months after opening, the St. Francis House was left to stand on its own through assistance from local churches of all denominations, civic groups and businesses and individual volunteers serving meals, providing financial support, clothing and other personal needs for the guests.

Now, 24 years later, the St. Francis House still stands strong. This ministry for the homeless holds a “hands up” approach rather than a “hand out.” The main shelter at 1301 E. Austin houses 34 men and 5 women and is consistently full throughout the year. With the “hands up” approach, the St. Francis House offers three different program options to its guests. The Seven Day Program allows the guests shelter, food, clothing and an opportunity to seek employment. The Genesis Program entails a three-month stay and is a program that helps guests maintain employment and save money. And the Hope Program, a six to seven month stay, allows the guests more responsibility within the St. Francis House and encourages guests to continue working and saving their money.

The St. Francis House continues its mission of moving people from homelessness to hope, and in 2002, the programs expanded to include a family duplex. The duplex, located next to the main shelter, houses our six females.  We have observed that women are more successful in smaller settings, instead of a larger dorm setting.

The challenges the homeless face are great, but the St. Francis House is a place where homeless individuals can find not only shelter and meals but also encouragement during rough times. Various organizations and individuals throughout Sioux Falls have helped the St. Francis House become the strong, valuable home. As the ministry continues to grow, our hope is that the St. Francis House will continue to lend a helping hand those in need.

Our Mission statement: “St. Francis House – An ecumenical ministry moving people from homelessness to hope.”