House of Bread and Peace

Giving women and children a comfortable safe place to begin healing the wounds of homelessness and building foundations for successful lives.

From Sr. Joanna Trainer, O.S.B., founder of the House of Bread and Peace:

At a Christmas dinner in Evansville, Indiana in 1979 I was shocked by the hunger of the poor. I was moved to do something about this issue and found motivation from the Catholic Worker Houses started by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin. Dorothy Day showed love and compassion to the homeless.

Her philosophy was built on the Gospels, especially that of Matthew 25: Feed the Hungry, Shelter the Homeless, Clothe the Naked, Visit the Sick, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit those in Prison

And Jesus said: "Whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sister you do it to me!"

The Women They Work With

They come from every walk of life, every financial background, every race, and religion. They share the desire and the hope that they will be independent again.

House of Bread and Peace helps

• the mother and child who have been asked to leave a shared residence
• the woman who has worked for 30 years and now finds herself homeless with a permanent disability
• the young woman who dropped out of high school and had a child, whom social service has taken away