ARCH - Basic Needs

At the ARCH, homeless men and women are able access a number of basic needs services, including showers, hygiene items, clothing, laundry, lockers, phones, mail, and messaging. For specific details about the services offered at the ARCH, including the times various services are available, click here.

Front Steps' Basic Needs services include a Day Resource Center, an Identification Program, a Document Bank, and a Discretionary Funds Program.

ARCH Day Resource Center

The ARCH Day Resource Center is a hub of activity seven days a week, with hundreds of men and women accessing various services each day.

Information and referral about both Front Steps and other community resources is offered informally by Client Service Specialists at the Front Desk or by phone 24/7 and 365 days a year. For individuals and families facing the crisis of homelessness, simply sorting through multiple needs and making a plan for how to begin to address these needs can be overwhelming. Front Steps serves as a central point of assessment and referral, helping provide guidance through this challenging time. Printed up-to-date resource listings on a range of topics are available, and Front Steps’ staff members assist clients in mapping transportation to other agencies.

1. Program Calendar– This is a monthly schedule of program events and various services. Check out the July Program Calendar.

2.Showers/Restrooms – Showers are available to all clients, men and women, from 7:00 am until 3:45 pm daily. Restrooms are available to all clients, men and women, from 6:30 am until 5:30 pm. Basic hygiene items are provided based on availability. Soap and shampoo are always available. Front Steps is unable to provide towels.

3. Laundry – Laundry facilities are available seven days per week, from 7:00 am-1:00 pm.  You can sign up as early as 6:45 am and the last load must be started by 1:00 pm. ARCH clients are allowed to do one load of laundry per day based on availability. Detergent is provided.  Rules for laundry can be explained by a staff member, but are also posted in the laundry room.

4. The Clothing Closet - The Clothing Closet distributes clothing to homeless men on Monday mornings between 10:00 and 11:00 am. Please sign up at 9:30 am at the ARCH front desk with one of the Clothing Closet Volunteers or Front Steps’ staff member. The first group heads to Central Presbyterian Church with a volunteer or staff member at 9:50 am.

If you did not make it into the first group, please wait at the ARCH and a volunteer or staff member will return to take a second group at 10:30 am. The last client is served at 11:00 am. Clients can visit the clothing closet once a month. The Clothing Closet is capable of distributing clothes to up to 30 men each Monday morning. For a schedule of the Clothing Closet, please check the monthly calendar as it is usually closed on National Holidays that fall on a Monday.

5. Phones and Messaging – Phones are available during hours of operations for local calls only.  Client phones are located on the south side of the building. Phone calls are limited to 1 call at a time and for 5 minutes at a time. You must dial 9 first to make an outgoing call, and phones will not take incoming calls. For long distance calls, please refer to Intake and Referral times. (link to intake and referral)

Important - You can have potential employers call the confidential Job Related message line at 512-305-4175.

6. Mail - Homeless individuals needing an address to have personal, business, or other mail sent to can use the following address:
(your name)
P.O. Box 2509
Austin, Texas 78768
Mail is delivered Monday through Friday only, but can be checked daily at the soap desk on the second floor. You must provide an i.d. to receive mail.

7. Lockers – The ARCH has both inside and outside lockers available for client’s use. Inside lockers are available during hours of operations, while outside lockers have limited access times. Inside lockers are issued on the 11th (or the following Monday if the 11th is a Saturday or Sunday) of each month, while outside lockers are issued the following 2 or 3 days. Lockers must be re-registered each month between the 1st and 10th and can be kept indefinitely, as long as the locker is being used properly.

8. Computer Lab – The Computer Lab is available to be open from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm seven days a week, given a volunteer is present. The first two computers near the volunteer desk are reserved for job searches and resume writing. The remaining computers can be used for recreational purposes. There is a 30 minute time limit if there are others waiting to use the computers. Computer and computer lab rules are posted in the lab.

9. Town Hall Meetings: Town Hall Meeting are held on the first Wednesday of every month for clients to express concerns, suggestions, and comments. They are also a time for Front Steps staff to discuss changes and issues.

10. The Document Bank - The Document Bank is a secure filing cabinet designed to keep your most important documents safe. You can keep the originals, or copies, of documents such as passports, driver’s licenses, birth certificates, court orders, and marriage licenses at the Document Bank for as long as you need. However, you must resign the consent form at least once every two years to continue storing your documents.

The Document Bank is located on-site and is open to clients during staff availability. If you are working with a Case Manager, they can assist you with your documents during your Case Management appointments.

The ARCH Document Bank provides a safe and secure place to store the documents most people would store in a lock box or safety deposit box. At this time, the Bank accepts the following documents: driver licenses, passports, citizenship certificates, naturalization certificates, Dept. of Homeland Security documents, military identification cards, birth certificates, court orders, school records, insurance policies, vehicle titles, military records, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, voter registration cards, pilot licenses, concealed handgun licenses, Texas inmate ID card, and consular documents.