Cherie Blair has met with staff and residents at a homeless charity in Brighton.
Her visit coincided with the 10th anniversary of Emmaus, which has 13 sites across the UK.
The Prime Minister's wife is a supporter of the national Catholic Emmaus movement, which offers shelter and work to long-term homeless and unemployed people.
Mrs Blair said: "It's not just about providing them with a roof over their head and a place to work it's about allowing them to make a contribution to the community."
During her visit she looked around the charity's second-hand superstore, the largest second-hand shop in the south east.
Opened in 1997, Emmaus Brighton and Hove has helped more than 300 people. It operates a recycling and re-use business, sells donated furniture, electrical goods and bric-a-brac, and runs an on-site cafe and garden centre.
The work provides an opportunity for residents to rebuild their confidence, develop skills, and support themselves and their families.
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