Clare Guest House

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Clare Guest House located in Sioux City, IA is a place where motivated women can find a supportive community to assist their reentry into society after having been incarcerated.

Clare’s began their guest house and their first year in September 2005 with remarkable success. Clare’s is a project of the Sioux City Multicultural Neighborhood Project of the Sisters of St. Francis of Dubuque. They receive their major funding from the Franciscans of Dubuque, Iowa. HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding with a special one-time fund entitled, ‘CDBG Opportunity Fund’ pays 40% of their monthly rent. This funding makes it possible for the residents to live in a safe and secure community with the ability to grow and receive support in her development.

• Support in the transition toward fully responsible citizenship
• A mentor who will facilitate this transition
• The opportunity to experience respectful community living
• Assistance in finding employment and housing

Tonya’s story is not unique to Clare’s House, it is one of many.

Tonya’s Story
One of the first guests arrived January 15, 2006, at Clare Guest House and stayed seven months. Soon after her arrival she was employed at a local flower shop. At this first employment, she found confidence in her artistic ability as well as the confidence she received from her employers when they entrusted her to open, close and the run the shop alone. She became a dependable employee.

She had the opportunity to work overtime and with the overtime pay she received, she was able to pay her back bills and obtain a small basement apartment nearby. She continues to walk to and from work.

During this entire transition, she was going through a divorce and worked to get visitation rights with her teenage son. Whenever possible, her son joined the group at Clare Guest House for their evening meal.

This is an ongoing success story of the determination of one person who found a safe home after incarceration and was able to get on her feet. Tonya stops or calls and still comes to meetings and dinner with her friends at Clare’s. Often she brings a thank you gift of a small arrangement of flowers.

HUD’s CDBG program funding for the monthly rental payment on Clare’s Guest House made it possible for Tonya’s successful reentry into society while feeling safe in her new home. This funding helped Tonya regain her dignity, confidence and self-respect so that she could become a responsible citizen once again.