Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania (VOAPA) is a nonprofit organization whose ministry of service is to empower vulnerable communities, families, and individuals through support and resources that lead to health and stability. In Wilkes-Barre, VOAPA operates Ruth’s Place, the only 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week emergency shelter serving women in Luzerne County. Ruth’s Place not only offers emergency shelter, but an environment where women are supported and encouraged. It provides the bricks and mortar for well-being: a safe home, social relationships, healthy food, access to personal hygiene equipment and supplies, and connections to jobs and opportunities to build life skills.

VOAPA is hosting the 16th Annual Walk for Hope, our largest fundraising event to support Ruth’s Place! This year, the festivities will take place on Saturday, June 1, 2024, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre. During the Walk for Hope, each person “walks in the shoes” of people who are experiencing homelessness in our community and empathizes with the challenges they face when seeking help and regaining housing, independence, and hope!

In 2023, Ruth’s Place provided 207 women with nearly 6,500 nights in our shelter. While the nation experienced a 12% rise in homelessness from 2022 to 2023, Ruth’s Place experienced a 32% increase in women seeking shelter locally. As a result, the women who rely on Ruth’s Place need your support more than ever and your help is critical. Your contributions will directly feed, clothe, keep safe, and uplift those we serve during their greatest time of need. Make a donation today!