Shirley's Shelter

Shirley's Shelter is a 501 3(c) In 2007 Shirley's Shelter provided shelter to the homeless at two locations in Toccoa, Georgia.   With support from our community and generous hearts across the country, Shirley's Shelter compassionately addresses the needs of homeless individuals by providing safe shelter, basic necessities such as food, medicine, clothing, and transportation, as well as a structured opportunity to regain self-sufficiency. 

Read more about how Shirley's Shelter was started...
Shirley's Soul Food got its start in 2000 on very little money. Shirley is a woman who never wavers in her faith, therefore she didn't hesitate when faced with the difficulty of starting a new restaurant with only $100. Even though she knew no one had heard of her new company, she hoped for a strong turnout on her first day of business. When no customers arrived, it wasn't that shocking.

On that day, at around 2:00 PM, she noticed a man passing by her storefront who appeared to be homeless. She called him over she asked if he was hungry. When he confirmed, she asked him to find others in the same situation and return, and she would feed them. He soon came back with others, and Shirley hosted them for one of her excellent meals. A tradition of service began that day that has grown into something so much more.

Shirley's Shelter is Birthed

Each day at 2 PM, when lunch service at Shirley’s Soul Food Cafe has ended, the area’s homeless line up at the rear door and come inside for a free lunch. That itself shows the kindness that the owner possesses, but she doesn’t stop there. Everyone who is around Shirley is affected by her servant's heart and strong faith. She had a strong desire to start a shelter for the homeless, and in 2007 she succeeded in doing so. Again, she proceeded only on faith because she had no money. Soon after she opened, a client informed her that he felt moved to contribute to the rent. This help eventually led to the purchase and renovation of the house that now serves as Shirley's Shelter.

She witnesses to her prospective tenants gets them into the church and makes sure they are committed to improving their own lives. Many have been abandoned by their own family and are truly alone in the world. Shirley’s Shelter provides a home for up to eight men and an apartment that can house up to three women. Shirley says the shelter has helped over 250 people get back on their feet so far. 

Shirley's Mission is Introduced to the World

In 2020, a customer that had ridden her bus as a child set out to share her story. In Touch Ministry turned that into a feature. They produced a video showcasing her history and vision, introducing Shirley and her mission to the world. Lives were touched from day one as people from everywhere reached out to Shirley about the impact of her story.  Watch the video below.