Our Mission
The Siena Francis House welcomes, shelters and empowers individuals experiencing homelessness to navigate their path to housing.
Our History
Siena Francis House is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, founded in 1975 as an emergency overnight shelter for women at 19th and Burt Street in Omaha, Nebraska. About two years later, an emergency shelter for men — along with a dining room and kitchen — was added nearby at 19th and Cuming Street.
In 1994, the women’s and men’s shelters were consolidated under one roof at 1702 Nicholas Street. Around that time, Siena Francis House began operating our in-house, residential addiction recovery program, now renamed the Miracles Addiction Treatment & Recovery Program, which includes transitional housing.
Due to the overwhelming increase in homeless individuals requesting services, Siena Francis House opened the Baright Shelter in 2005, located directly across the street (east) from our main facility, located at 1111 North 17th Street. The Baright shelter housed our men’s emergency overnight shelter, kitchen, pantry, dining room, clinic space, storage areas, and shipping and receiving dock.
In late 2012 and early 2013, Siena Francis House expanded its campus with 48 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for chronically homeless and disabled individuals. Two buildings—each containing 24 efficiency apartments—were designed to provide safe, stable homes and support services for formerly homeless individuals with disabling conditions that contributed to their homelessness. Each apartment houses one resident. Residents under lease in the PSH program work with an on-site case manager to maintain housing stability. The connected Services Center, located adjacent to the PSH, includes a reception area, staff offices, classrooms, and meeting spaces. Together, the Permanent Supportive Housing and Services Center facilities complement our emergency shelters and the transitional housing provided through the Miracles Program.
In December 2019, Siena Francis House opened a new 43,000-square-foot emergency shelter designed to serve up to 100 women and 350 men each night. The facility includes a commercial-grade kitchen and dining room, a centralized clothing room for providing material assistance to guests, a heat room for sanitation purposes, and an easily accessible loading dock for in-kind donations. The building also includes centrally located offices for case managers, shelter staff, and community partners who assist guests in developing their housing plans.
Shortly after moving our homeless services operations into the new emergency shelter facility, renovation began on the former Baright Shelter. In November 2020, the updated facility reopened as the permanent home of the Miracles Addiction Treatment and Recovery Program. Today, Miracles provides welcoming residential, counseling, and meeting spaces for individuals on their recovery journey. In 2024, the Miracles program earned the highest level of CARF accreditation—recognition that reflects our commitment to delivering high-quality, measurable, and accountable care.
In 2023, we expanded our housing portfolio with The Cottages, a first-of-its-kind development in Omaha featuring 50 single-occupant tiny homes. These thoughtfully designed units offer green space and privacy — amenities rarely found in affordable housing. The Cottages serve as a “step-down” option for individuals who no longer require the intensive services offered on our main campus, but still benefit from a supportive, community-focused environment.
In August 2022, Siena Francis House launched Medical Respite Services within our Emergency Shelter. To date, we have provided care to 185 individuals recovering from illness or injury who had no safe place to heal. In October 2025, the program achieved certification from the National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC), meeting an outstanding 98% of standards. Siena Francis House is one of only 16 organizations nationwide to earn this distinction—underscoring the exceptional quality of our evidence-based medical respite services.
