Shelter websites carry a weight most business sites never do. Someone may be reading on a borrowed screen with little battery, deciding whether tonight is safe. A donor may be reading the same page to decide on a monthly gift. The page needs to be honest and calm for the first reader and clear for the second, and it should not confuse them.
Put intake information where it can be found fast
Intake details, hours, what to bring and what you cannot offer sit near the top, in large type with short sentences. We do not hide them behind a donate banner. Keep an "updated on" date and a note for weather or capacity changes, because people plan a night around that line.
Donor content sits in a separate section further down the page and under its own give page. That separation lets each visitor find their path without feeling they are in the wrong place.
What the give page should cover
- ✓Monthly giving explained simply — in your wording, not slogans
- ✓Current needs list — kept up to date, so donated items are useful
- ✓What not to donate — saves your staff sorting time
- ✓Drop-off hours and place — so goods arrive when someone can receive them
- ✓Corporate and group giving — a short route for workplaces
Safety and dignity are design choices
Do not publish photos of residents. Do not describe individual stories in ways that could identify someone. Use general imagery, such as your building exterior, your volunteers at work (with permission) and illustrations. These choices protect the people you serve and tell donors you take that seriously.
For caseworkers, a short referral page with what you need to know and how a referral reaches you speeds up placements. A form that sends the details to your intake team is better than a general contact email.
Pages to build
- ✓Get help — intake, hours, what to bring
- ✓Services — shelter, meals, case management
- ✓Refer a client — a short form for caseworkers
- ✓Give — monthly, one-time and goods
- ✓Volunteer — roles, training and how to start
What to expect, honestly
- ✓We do not handle private resident data — referral forms follow your own intake practices
- ✓Wish lists need a keeper — a staff member updates them
- ✓No promises on giving results — the page explains, your supporters decide
One example of what your site could look like
This is one sample we designed. Yours is built around your business, your photos and your words, and we have more examples if you want to compare directions.
What it costs
Websites are priced one-time by size, plus Website Care at $30/month for hosting, HTTPS, backups, weekly checks and A/B testing. Every package includes a consultation, mobile-friendly design, copy we write for you, a contact form, essential search setup and 10 revision rounds. Monthly SEO is an optional add-on when you are ready for it.
Optional add-ons, billed separately
The prices above are for your website. These two are separate monthly products you can add now or later. Neither is part of the website price.
Monthly SEO, from $50/month: new pages published on your site every month. See Monthly SEO →
Business Spotlight, from $30/month: articles about your business, labeled as paid, published on The Company Chronicle. See Business Spotlight →
How it works
1. Consultation
We learn your services, customers and goals, in English or Spanish.
2. We write and design
We draft the words and build the site around your business.
3. 10 revision rounds
You review and request changes until it is right.
4. Launch and care
We launch, then Website Care keeps it hosted, backed up, checked weekly and A/B tested.
Keep reading
Recurring donation websites · Websites for homeless shelters · Volunteer signup websites · Giving pages for food banks
