Free Women & Children Community + Peer Support — Miami, FL | Lotus House
Lotus House is the largest women’s shelter in the country and a national model for trauma-informed, peer-grounded care — serving women and children in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood. Beyond emergency shelter, Lotus House runs free peer support groups for women and children, the Children’s Village programming, grief support for kids and teens, life skills programming, and an extensive community of women supporting women through one of life’s hardest transitions.
What to Expect
Lotus House’s peer programming includes women’s support groups (covering trauma, recovery, parenting, relationships, employment, and the work of rebuilding life after homelessness), free grief support groups for children, teens, and adults, art therapy and creative expression programs, life skills and education classes, mentor matching, and ongoing community events. Children’s Village programming gives kids age-appropriate peer support and play-based programming alongside their mothers’ adult groups. The Children’s Village playground and community events bring Lotus House women and kids together with broader Miami community members.
Who This Group Is For
Lotus House serves women and children experiencing homelessness in Miami — and the broader community of women in Miami navigating poverty, domestic violence, mental health, substance use, grief, and the work of rebuilding stability. Many program offerings extend beyond shelter residents to community women. Lotus House serves women of all ages, race/ethnicity, and family situations; children programming serves kids from infancy through teen years.
Why Peer Support Works
Lotus House’s peer-grounded model is part of what has made it a national leader in women’s shelter care. Women who have been through the experience of homelessness, trauma, and rebuilding support newer arrivals — a peer dynamic that strengthens both the women providing support and those receiving it. The integrated children’s programming means whole families heal together rather than in isolated services.
How to Join
Lotus House programs are free for residents and broader community members. Visit lotushouse.org to learn about programs, request shelter, get involved as a volunteer or community supporter, and access Children’s Village resources. The shelter campus is in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood.