The Gabriel Project, a ministry of the Office of Respect Life of the Diocese of Austin, is the Good Samaritan approach toward helping women in crisis pregnancies. It was piloted in the Diocese of Austin at St. William's Parish, Round Rock, in February of 1993. To date over 30 churches have joined to offer assistance to pregnant women in need. Through the Gabriel Project, the church community responds to the woman's needs with love and concern. The one request that is the most difficult to meet is the need for immediate shelter.

To respond to this need, the Gabriel Project espoused the idea of Shepherding Homes, where the woman would be welcomed into the home of a family. Unfortunately, there are not enough shepherding homes to meet the need. Recognizing the importance of providing shelter and other basic needs for homeless pregnant women, the Office of Respect Life researched what was available in other dioceses. On December 5, 1995, a meeting of concerned Catholics in the Austin area took place. In response to this group, a Task Force was commissioned and charged with determining the estent of the need and making a recommendation. Chaired by Jill Potemski, the other members contributing to the Task Force were: Regine Chambard, Chris Danze, Elizabeth Danze, Sheri Danze, Amber Mitchell, Carl Monnin, Vic Neshyba, Ron Parks, John Posey, Ted Scardamalia, Charlotte Sharp, Laurence Serhus, Brad Toups, Evelyn Tybor and Mary Worley. The Task Force met for four months from January 1996 to April 1996 and through a survey determined the real and actual needs. Their recommendation was that a shelter be established and included a set of criteria for the shelter.

After clarifying that a shelter was not in any way duplicating services offered through other agencies in the Austin Diocese, a Board of Directors was appointed, incorporation papers were written, non-profit 501(c)3 status was obtained, and an application for grant monies was submited to the Daughters of Charity West Central Region Foundation. The matching fund grant provided through the Caughters of Charity assisted the Board in raising the needed monies to purchase the prsent residence located in Temple, Texas, renovate the structure to be in compliance with licensing requirements of the State of Texas and contract the Cordi-Marian Sisters of San Antonio to staff the residence.