What We Provide
We provide a variety of services depending on our guest’s needs. Our main ones include access to food, shelter, care/aid, and social work/counseling services.
Admission
Little Portion Friary is now a DSS partner shelter. Referrals MUST come from the Department of Social Services. We can no longer accept walk-ins or self-referrals or referrals from other agencies/organizations. A referral is obtained from DSS, a potential guest is interviewed by a volunteer and asked a variety of questions regarding past history, current needs, and future concerns. This interview determines the eligibility of a guest. If you are seeking immediate shelter, you must go to the Erie County Department of Social Services Homeless Unit, 158 Pearl St., Buffalo, 1st floor.
An individual must be:
- Homeless
- at least 18 years of age
- 24 hours free of drugs and alcohol
- have no sexual offense record
- be capable of doing chores and be able to follow house rules
Eligibility of Guests:
Guests must be out of the house daily from 9 am to 4 pm, and they must return no later than 10:00 pm. The guests must be linked with services, as directed or referred to by a counselor.
Resources
Depending on the state of a guest’s situation, they may be required to attend outside programs.
Outside sources may include (but not limited to):
- Hearts Harvest Food Pantry
- Commercial Kitchen
- Mobile Soup Kitchen Lunch Service
- Mobile Soup Kitchen Evenings Service
- Mobile Food Pantry
- Food Pantry Express
- Clothing Closet and Discount Clothing Store
LPF is a member of the Continuum of Care. Guests are required to meet with guest services regularly to work towards their goals.
Weekly Interviews
To further help our guests, every Friday a representative of LPF meets weekly to review their plan. This meeting is to get an update on their progress and an understanding of what is expected of them to continue staying at LPF. This is where education, prevention and/or treatment programs are introduced for those individuals having problems moving forward. Although housing is the first concern, this is not possible without some type of financial means. This can be in the form of a job or applying for some type of benefits such as Medicaid or cash assistance.
Little Portion Friary Nondiscrimination Statement
It is the policy of the Little Portion Friary a temporary shelter to house adult men and women to comply fully with all Federal, State, and local non-discrimination laws and regulations governing Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity in housing.
The Friary will not deny any adult men and women an equal opportunity to reside at the Friary on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, familial status, or a mental or physical disability (unless the disability cannot be reasonably accommodated in a manner that enables the individual to qualify for residence at the shelter).
It is the policy of the Little Portion Friary to provide reasonable accommodations for limitations or modifications needed by a disabled guest or applicant for residence at the shelter due to a mental or physical disability of the individual. Requests for reasonable accommodations should be made to the Director if present. If the Director is not present, requests for reasonable accommodation should be made to staff in Guest Services.