SARA can help you with…

Housing + Shelter

If you are a woman in need of safe shelter and support, SARA offers several solutions tailored to different situations. If you are unsure which housing solution is right for you, transition housing is a great place to start. Call the number of the transition house in your city.

Transition Housing

We operate transition houses in Mission and Abbotsford with a total of 22 beds for women/children who are in crisis, escaping violence, or who are at great risk of being homeless.

SARA’s Abbotsford and Mission transition houses are safe, supportive emergency shelters that welcome women—alone or with children—and provide food, toiletries, and shelter for up to 30 days.

Our transition houses provide confidential environments, where women can gather legal and income-assistance information and explore crisis counselling options, with help from trained, professional staff.

SARA’s Abbotsford Transition House: 
Call 604-852-6008 (24-hour access)

SARA’s Mission Transition House:
Call 604-826-7800 (24-hour access)

Second-Stage Housing

We operate second stage houses in Abbotsford with a total of 53 units for Vulnerable women and children in the Fraser Valley can live safe and stable lives and have access to counselling, outreach supports, and many unique programs.

Length of stay at a second-stage housing unit is 18 months. Units are ranging in size from bachelor to four bedrooms to accommodate as many needs as we can.

Christine Lamb Residence
604-746-4200

The Christine Lamb Residence is a 41-unit second-stage program for single women and women with children who are fleeing domestic violence or abuse. The program runs for up to 18 months and includes one-on-one support as well as access to legal aid, counselling, community services, and housing support. We have different-sized suites ranging from bachelor to four bedrooms to accommodate as many needs as we can.

Read about Christine Lamb here: Christine Lamb story

Cheryl Smith Residence
236-818-1860

There are 12 units at the Cheryl Smith Residence, the length of stay is 18 months and includes one-on-one support as well as access to legal aid, counselling, community services and housing support. This building is for women with children only and is pet friendly.

Read about Cheryl Smith here: Cheryl Smith story

Housing Application

Penny’s Place (Emergency Shelter)

Location phone number: 236-668-2590 | Intakes: 604-746-3301 or 236-668-2590

Penny’s Place is a low-barrier first-stage housing program in Abbotsford for women 19+ who may be active in an addiction, experiencing mental health concerns, and /or be street engaged. Each resident either shares or has her own room and as well as shares common areas of the house. Outreach services and support are provided to the women who live at Penny's Place.

Penny’s place features:

  • a full bathroom, laundry facilities, and lockers

  • some clothing and personal-care items

  • advocacy

  • harm reduction supplies

  • internet and telephone (including long-distance)

  • a kitchen stocked with drinks and snacks, plus three served meals per day.

Extreme Weather Response

SARA for Women’s Extreme Weather Response Shelter provides temporary accommodation to those who are homeless when severe weather conditions make sleeping outdoors a risk to health and safety. The temporary shelter is put into service when the community’s Extreme Weather Response plan sparks notification to several agencies, in particular, is open during periods of life-challenging weather, which includes temperatures below zero, heavy rain, wind, or snow coverage.