May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and at Magdala House Tiny Homes in St. Louis, community is becoming one of the most powerful forms of healing for women experiencing homelessness.
At Magdala House Tiny Homes, something beautiful is growing.
Last fall, our team started checking in with the women to see what extra support they needed. Those simple conversations planted an idea, a space just for them. By the end of November, the Women’s Group at Tiny Homes officially began.
Now, every Tuesday and Thursday at 1 p.m., the women come together in the conference room above the office. It’s becoming a place to breathe, laugh, learn, and remind each other they’re not alone. The goal is simple: help each woman relieve stress, build confidence, and grow toward self-sufficiency, together.
And the impact is already real.
One tenant, a recovering addict, shared that she’s spent most of her life surrounded by negativity. This group, she said, is the positive reinforcement she never knew she needed, a space that helps her become the woman she wants to be.
Another tenant, who used to stay to herself, now shows up smiling, laughing, and painting with everyone else. Around Valentine’s Day, the women made body butters and sand jars, shared lunch, and sang karaoke together. The last session was a “sip and paint,” and next week they’re gearing up for trivia. Soon, they’ll welcome a Zumba instructor and a women’s health specialist to talk about wellness and self-care for women in transitional housing.
They’re even learning punctuality in a playful way. The first three women who arrive get a prize, and yes, they love it.
Staff members Carmen and Antranise cook for the women at every session, creating a warm, home-like atmosphere. They’re also inviting the women to join in because many haven’t cooked for themselves or others in a long time, and they miss that feeling. Preparing meals together is becoming another step toward rebuilding confidence, independence, and joy.
This group is becoming more than a class. Not spectacle. Not performance. Just women having space to be human — and finding each other in the process.
Support the Women’s Group
If you’d like to pour into this growing community, you can help.
• Arts & crafts supplies for one session cost about $35–$50.
• Groceries for a home-style meal cost about $40–$60.
• A month of sessions can be supported with a gift of $100–$150.
Your generosity helps the women rediscover joy, connection, and confidence — one class at a time.
At Tiny Homes St. Louis, staff members Carmen Woodson and Antranise Smith are helping create space for women to reconnect, heal, and grow together.
