The Chico Community Shelter Partnership is a thriving, growing, effective and always improving non-profit organization dedicated to assisting a wide variety of people in their efforts to achieve self-sufficiency and a more stable lifestyle. We operate the Torres Community Shelter and for over 13 years, we’ve provided shelter and related social services to help people experiencing homelessness in our community.

We offer emergency shelter throughout the year at the Torres Community Shelter. Services are provided to our guests at no cost, and include case management, beds, showers, evening meals, laundry, basic personal necessities, message and mail service, storage of personal belongings, and transportation. Related social services provided on site include SSI counseling and filing assistance, basic educational tutoring, health screening, TB testing and education, veteran’s benefit assessment, behavioral health assessments, AA and NA meetings, legal services, and referrals to job preparedness programs and permanent and transitional housing.

The Torres Shelter is the only emergency shelter in the area that serves men, women and families with children. Approximately 75% of our guests are male and 25% are female, in part because we are the only emergency shelter in Chico for men. We also provide family accommodations, and our facility includes five private family rooms.

Lately we have been seeing a definite increase in people needing assistance.

• There has been an average of 80+ people staying at the Shelter each night. That’s a big increase over last year when our average for this same time period was 71 people per night. Due in part to the economy, the need for our services has really grown, and so have our expenses.
• As of the middle of December 2011, we've served more than 600 people! We are on track to far surpass our previous records, and we believe we will be close to or will exceed 30,000 nights of stay this year.
• More than half our guests move into a better situation when they leave the Shelter!

More people means a lot more expenses, greatly impacting our budget...higher PG&E bills, higher water bills, more shampoo, laundry soap, toilet paper, etc. If you can help us, please click here to donate!

The work that we do benefits the guests we serve, but also helps our broader community. The Torres Shelter is not only a humane alternative to leaving people to sleep on our streets, but it is also represents solid public policy. At the Shelter, we have the opportunity to affect people's lives and choices with support, counsel and guidance. Without the Shelter, we'd lose that connection and that opportunity to affect change in the course of the lives of the individuals we serve.  

Thank you for your interest and ongoing support. We can't do it without you!

12/12/11