Depaul USA

Depaul USA - with its first project to be a hostel for 25 homeless men in the Germantown area of Philadelphia.

Depaul House opened in April 2009, offering 25 homeless men aged 18 upwards the opportunity to progress towards independent living. The City of Philadelphia has a 10-year strategy for tackling homelessness and Depaul House provides the move-on/resettlement link in that plan, taking referrals from other agencies in Philadelphia which already provide either emergency or short term accommodation for homeless people. One of our key partners is Project HOME, a well-established and highly respected agency working with homeless people in Philadelphia.

Depaul House aims to

Provide accommodation and support for 25 homeless men aged 18 and over for up to one year, who are ready to move on from emergency shelters into more settled accommodation and who have the motivation to seek employment.
To provide a homely environment with high standards of accommodation for the clients giving them respect and dignity.
To provide a high level of support and care through the development of professional and caring relationships with the clients.
To address health and emotional needs of clients through consultation and links with local health bodies.
To provide advice and support on areas such as budgeting, creative activity, and activities that promote self-esteem.
To support clients into the job market and encourage their progression through the job market, towards independent living.

Depaul House has already seen a number of successes for its residents, several have been able to move forward independently, or in some cases resume life with their family in relationships which had previously broken down.

There is a lively community program working with residents and the local community, which offers training and support in diverse areas such as fatherhood, yoga, financial management/budgeting. The building also offers meeting room space for local groups on a regular basis.

The start up funding for the project has come mainly from the Vincentian organizations we have worked so closely with in the past, along with a number of individual donations for which we are very grateful. Going into the future, we intend that it will come from a variety of sources, partly voluntary donations, and partly statutory funding. We are already receiving funding from the City of Philadelphia's Office of Supported Housing under their 10-year plan for tackling homelessness.