Women of Hope is a faith-based organization who provides safe housing and programs that serve women experiencing homelessness. Our goal is to empower women towards a healthy and self-sufficient lifestyle.
Our Founder
Women of Hope’s founder, Sheila Locatelli, realized her passion to minister to underserved women several years ago while serving in her church, New Community Bible Fellowship. Sheila had a desire to serve women who had challenges transitioning back into society after “life situations” left them feeling hopeless.
Women transitioning from incarceration, homeless veterans, and women who have experienced various forms of trauma has been her focus. These experiences often result in homelessness, substance use, low self-esteem, unemployment, and lack of emotional stability.
Sheila knows that hope is a “commodity” in many lives of the homeless but believes that having “Hope” that change can and will happen in their lives is necessary and possible.
OUR TEAM
Theresa Medsker, Board President
Nakia Bess, Board Secretary, McGregor Pace
Sterile Jones III, Retired Accountant
Tunisia Herbin, Board Treasurer, Veteran AT&T
Gina Velez, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
OUR ADVISORY BOARD
Dr. Denise McCray – City of Cleveland Director of Department of Public Works and Professor of Cleveland State University – Retired
Dr. Marilyn Sanders Mobley – Vice President of Office for Inclusion, Diversity and Equal Opportunity Case Western University – Retired
Vatreisha Nyemba – Director of Leadership and Community Development, Building Hope in the City
become a friend of women of hope
A Friend of Women of Hope is any person or organization who cares about seeing the vision of Women of Hope advanced. Friends of Women of Hope support our work in ways which may include: praying, serving and giving of time or financial resources.