Shelter for the Homeless P.O. Box 1252 Stamford, CT 06902 E: info@shelterforhomeless.org P: 203-406-0017
About Us
Our History
1982
In the winter of 1982 Smitty froze to death as he slept in the shadows of downtown Stamford. Smitty’s silent tragedy haunted and moved a small group of Stamford citizens to give voice to the countless human tragedies that go unheard in our community. Their response was modest and personal: a tiny homeless shelter to give warmth and safety, but it spoke loudly in the face of those who denied the existence of homelessness in our community.
In the ensuing twenty-one years, homelessness continued to grow and become increasingly undeniable. But it was that small oasis of warmth and safety from the cold and deadly nights in the basement of Stamford’s First Congregational Church that began a concerted community effort to address homelessness in the Greater Stamford area.
1985
By March of 1985, under the sponsorship of The Council of Churches and Synagogues, Shelter was serving 60 people a night. In July of 1985 a Board of Directors was formed and Shelter for the Homeless became an independent nonprofit service agency.
1989
The Shelter operated temporarily out of two locations provided by the City of Stamford, offering overnight shelter, showers, and limited case management services until 1988, when the Board of Directors agreed to purchase and to renovate the building at 597 South Pacific Street for use as a shelter. They conducted a tireless and successful capital campaign raising, over $2 million dollars from public and private sources, and construction began in July of 1989.
1990
Pacific House opened its doors a year later.
TODAY
Shelter for the Homeless has grown into a premier social services and human development agency that both serves and advocates for the homeless in our area. It is the only regional shelter in the four-town area with overnight emergency beds for men and a drop-in day program for men and women.
We still remember Smitty, and so our doors never close; 24/7, each and every day of the year, our dedicated staff and volunteers are here to help with a warm bed or a hot meal and the best professional services to help our clients get their lives back on track.
Photograph by Marc Zaref
Website by: Webs For Good LLC
