The shelter is located in the Lower Queen Anne area of Seattle. The shelter is designed to house up to six families and six single women. Women who stay at SHS share a dormitory-style room with other women, and each family who comes to the shelter receives their own room.
Residents arrive with a variety of different issues and come from many different backgrounds.
Because of this, the staff tries to see each household as unique and develop a tailor-made plan for the issues that each family faces. The purpose of this meeting is to help the resident figure out their goals, and then to help them develop a plan to achieve those goals. After this initial meeting the residents begin working on their goals. Residents can stay at the shelter for up to ninety days. Some need clothing or employment, while others need education assistance or housing assistance.