About - Shephard's Heart Fellowship and Veteran's Home

Shepherd's Heart Veterans' Home

Transitional Housing for our Homeless Veterans

Restoring Honor and Dignity to those veterans who have served our country!

Approximately 33% of individuals experiencing
homelessness in Pittsburgh are US Veterans.

When Veteran's Administration Chaplain Mike Wurschmidt left the US Air Force to begin his ministry among the poor and broken, he never knew that so many of the unhoused residents in our nation's cities were combat veterans from the Vietnam War.

Over the next 22 years, Chaplain Mike and his wife, Tina, have been reaching out to unsheltered individuals, including our veterans, in cities across our nation. Since June 1993, they have been on the streets of Pittsburgh helping those with the greatest needs and least resources.

About Shepherd's Heart Veterans' Home

Shepherd's Heart Veteran's Home (SHVH), also known as the House of Hope (HoH), is a transitional housing program for veterans experiencing homelessness. The Veteran's Home is a collaboration between Pittsburgh Veterans Affair's Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV), Comprehensive Homeless Center (CHC), and Shepherd's Heart Fellowship, a parish of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh.

The collaboration aims to achieve a continuum of care that ensures veterans experiencing homelessness are met where they are and rapidly connected with the support and permanent housing they need.

In 2006, Shepherd's Heart Fellowship was awarded a grant from the VA to renovate the second floor of the church and turn it into an "Engagement Center". The program aims to service unsheltered male veterans who may have a disability and/or have unmet needs for behavioral health services (mental health and/or substance use disorder). The aim of SHVH is to restore honor and dignity to those who have served our country.

Support Our Veterans

House of Hope Provides

Employment & Life Skills

Employment assistance and life skill training to build independence and self-sufficiency

Street Outreach

Outreach to those veterans living on the streets who otherwise would not seek assistance

Transitional & Acute Care

12 long-term sheltered transitional bedrooms, 3 acute care bedrooms, case management, and rehabilitation

Permanent Housing Support

Supported permanent housing assistance to ensure successful transition to independence

Clinical Assessment & Referral

Clinical assessment and referral to needed medical treatment for physical and psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorder, by partnering with the Homeless Veteran Health Care (HVHC) team

Our Partners

Pittsburgh VA Healthcare System

Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)

Comprehensive Homeless Center

CHC Partnership

Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh

Shepherd's Heart Fellowship

FAQS

Who may I contact for more information about SHVH?

Michelle Helba, VA Pittsburgh HealthCare System
Phone: 412-822-1296
Email: michelle.helba@va.gov

Donna Gardner, Shepherd's Heart Fellowship
Phone: 412-281-1305
Email: info@shepheart.org

What are the requirements to be accepted into SHVH?

You must be eligible for VA services.
You must be able to pass a drug and alcohol urine screen.
You must be willing to adhere to the living agreement and the guidelines for maintaining residency at HoH.

What if all the beds are full? Is there a waiting list?

Yes. There is a waiting list to which you can be added. Unfortunately, we are unable to give you an approximate time frame as to when a bed will become available.

What all is provided for me while I stay at hOh?

Three meals a day will be provided for you. Furniture, bed linens, and curtains are provided. On site laundry facility. Bus tickets are available for those with no income.

Could I have my own room?

All veterans are first assigned to the double-occupancy room, and can move to a single-occupancy room when one becomes available.

How much does this cost?

There are no income requirements to enter HoH. The cost varies per person's individual income. If you have an income, your rent will range between $80-$120/month