Who We Are & What We Do
Camp Haven Sanctuary is a nonprofit homeless shelter rooted in the belief that everyone deserves more than just a roof—they deserve dignity, opportunity, and hope. We provide emergency and transitional housing, nutritious meals, hygiene resources, and access to healthcare and job placement services. But beyond that, we offer humanitarian aid that treats every individual as a whole person, not just a case number.
We operate in Bastrop County, Texas, serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness through comprehensive, trauma-informed support. Our team works closely with community partners to ensure that each person we serve receives the care and resources they need to move forward.
At Camp Haven, we don't just provide shelter—we build pathways out of homelessness through compassion, community, and practical solutions.
Located within a 36-minute drive from downtown Austin, TX, Camp Haven Homeless Sanctuary is located in Cedar Creek about 27 miles southeast of downtown Austin. It's a former private campground that has been turned into a safe space for unhoused people who have been displaced by new laws against public camping.
Mission
At Camp Haven Sanctuary, our mission is to provide compassionate and comprehensive humanitarian aid to individuals experiencing homelessness. We offer safe shelter, nourishing food, access to hygiene facilities, healthcare support, and job placement assistance. More than just a shelter, we are a sanctuary dedicated to restoring dignity, hope and opportunity – because every human being deserves a haven and a path forward.
Vision
Camp Haven Sanctuary envisions a future where no one is left to suffer homelessness alone. Our goal is to create a replicable model of a humane, data-informed, and community-powered shelter system that transforms lives and strengthens local economies.
We aim to be more than a shelter—we strive to be a sanctuary for healing, empowerment, and renewal. As Bastrop County continues to grow, our work ensures that economic development includes space for everyone—especially our most vulnerable neighbors.
By blending practical assistance with personal connection, our vision is to end the cycle of homelessness one life at a time—restoring hope and building stronger communities for all.
Values
"Through kindness and caring to our self and others, we seek to improve ourselves and the lives of others."
-Josiah
"Together we can do anything
Stop the madness
Feed the people
House the homeless
Never quit
Never stop caring
Love
Compassion
Giving"
-Brittany
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?"
- The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Imagine all the people sharing all the world"
_Lennon
"Be the change you are trying to create."
_Gandhi
Meet the Team
Executive Director
Tel: 512-987-8871
Email: help@camphavensanctuary.org
Janet Ingalls
Chief of Operations
Tel:(737) 278-0293
Email: help@camphavensanctuary.org
Tabitha Hoffstatter
Director of Programs and Services
Tel: 210-887-7308
Email: taithahoffstatter@gmail.com
Colleen Mulvey
Director of Community Services
Kelly Ingalls
Board Member
Heather Ingalls
Board Member
.
Dan McGowan
Chief Financial Officer
Alexandra Valadez
Director of Fundraising
How we got started
On June 13, 2021 work began on preparing the property for transitional residents, and on July 12, 2021 we welcomed our first residents. Our efforts attracted media attention, which engendered donations of food, clothing, materials, and tools, including a used but serviceable nine passenger van.
Offers of support and labor continue to arrive, while we do all in our power to ensure this initial momentum keeps growing.
Camp Haven is the invention of Josiah Ingalls, who spent 2 1/2 years as a homeless youth in San Antonio, until the generosity of others helped him find his footing in life. Today he is married and a father of two who works in landscaping business, while pursuing side vocations as a homeless advocate and occasional candidate for public office. Josiah will never forget what it was like to be homeless, and he offers us this story:
"Twenty-four years ago, when I was 17, I found myself homeless and on the streets, where I lived for about 2 1/2 years. That experience transformed me into an advocate for homeless individuals. In my life since then, I have often found myself speaking out and being the voice for the homeless population of Austin and surrounding areas. My real advocacy work for them started back when I ran for Mayor of Austin in 2009. I found myself defending them and fighting to maintain social programs that were on the chopping block at that time due to the downturn in the economy. Now I am standing as an advocate for the homeless once again, as a direct response to the Austin, Texas Proposition B and the new Texas camping ban that went into effect in October 2021. These camping bans will do little more than criminalize the existence of individuals who are homeless and have nowhere else to go. So now I'm doing the only logical thing I can do at this time, and that is turning the 10 acres that have been my home for more than six years into a place where homeless individuals can come. I am also working to use another piece of land that my company owns for the same purpose.
My Camp Haven supporters and I are asking that you help us help others. We have the drive and experience to help homeless individuals in need, but we cannot do it by ourselves. Together we can accomplish Camp Haven's goals and begin to change the structure of a society that is so stacked against the homeless population here in Texas.