St. Francis Friends of the Poor: Creating Home and Community
for 45 Years

For 45 years, St. Francis Friends of the Poor has provided permanent supportive housing and compassionate care for New Yorkers living with serious mental illness. What began as a bold vision in 1980 has grown into three residences that hundreds of individuals call home, providing stability, dignity, and healing.

Celebrate the 45th Anniversary With Us

Your support makes it possible for our residents to live with the dignity they deserve and the community they need.

As we mark this milestone year, we invite you to honor our past and invest in the future of permanent supportive housing.

45 Years of Milestones

From the late 1970s, when Fathers John McVean and John Felice first saw the possibility of piloting their own “Aberdeen Hotel”, to today’s three thriving St. Francis Residences that have changed the lives of countless vulnerable New Yorkers, our story is one of commitment and the common good. Now, as we look toward adding a fourth residence and the future of permanent supportive housing, our mission continues.

2016 - 2020

A New Era of Leadership

  • Frs. John McVean and John Felice retire from day-to-day operations and move into governance roles. The Frs. begin mentoring the first secular Executive Director, Christina M. Byrne, MSW.

St. Francis Friends of the Poor tenants wearing masks and waiting to be vaccinated

2020

Resilience Through the Pandemic

  • When COVID-19 devastated densely populated dwellings across the world, SFFP endured thanks to its model of care, which had fostered deep trust between staff and tenants. Drawing on that foundation, staff and residents worked together to adapt long-standing programs, resulting in no COVID-related deaths and a 90% tenant vaccination rate.

Fr. Thomas Walters

May 2025

Honoring a Lifetime of Service

  • Fr. Thomas Walters officially retires from St. Francis Friends of the Poor as Director of Tenant Services after 45 years of serving hundreds of clients.

An architectural rendering of the soon to be fourth residence of St. Francis Friends of the Poor

2025

Fourth Residence in East Harlem

  • After 45 years of pioneering supportive housing, St. Francis Friends of the Poor is expanding its mission with the creation of a St. Francis Residence IV in East Harlem. Building on a unique model of care that has helped thousands of New Yorkers with serious mental illness live with dignity and stability, this new residence will welcome more than 100 neighbors into safe, permanent, and supportive homes. Thus, extending our legacy of compassion and community into the future.

Late 1970s

The Friars' Inception Of Our Vision

  • At St. Francis of Assisi Church in midtown Manhattan, Fathers John McVean and John Felice first met growing numbers of hungry and homeless New Yorkers on the church's breadline. Many lived at the nearby Aberdeen Hotel, where the friars partnered with social workers and psychiatrists to provide on-site support for residents struggling through deinstitutionalization. When the hotel was sold for redevelopment and 150 vulnerable tenants faced eviction, the friars recognized that true change would require creating a permanent residence of their own.

November 24, 1980

The Birth Of Permanent Supportive Housing

  • To provide lasting stability, the friars ambitiously raised funds to purchase the Beechwood Hotel at 125 East 24th Street. In 1980, they officially founded St. Francis Friends of the Poor. They created New York City's first nonprofit-owned permanent supportive housing residence, dedicated to the care of people living with serious mental illness. It is at this time that Fr. Thomas Walters joined the Frs. John on his journey of serving the tenants.

1982

Expansion to Residence II

  • The success of the first residence—measured in tenants getting healthy and staying housed—drew support from the community and captured the attention of the city's government as it proved to be a highly cost-effective model that saved taxpayer dollars and improved the quality of life for all New Yorkers. With growing financial stability, the Fathers boldly expanded their mission by purchasing and renovating the former Stanford Hotel at 155 West 22nd Street, now fondly known as St. Francis Residence II.

1984

Presidential Honor for Community Service

  • In recognition of their pioneering work, St. Francis Friends of the Poor received the Private Sector Initiative Commendation from President Ronald Reagan, honoring their exemplary community service in providing housing and support to New York’s most vulnerable neighbors.

1985

Our Third Building Purchased

  • When the city fined a developer for illegally demolishing affordable housing, the proceeds were directed to SFFP. This brought them close to securing a third residence at 148 Eighth Avenue, but they were still $700,000 short. With time running out, Fr. Felice made a heartfelt public appeal on the steps of City Hall on the eve of Thanksgiving. The next day, a New York Times editorial helped rally community support, and the community raised the necessary remaining funds to purchase what became St. Francis Residence III, extending permanent supportive housing to 80 more homeless New Yorkers living with serious mental illness.

August 22, 1990

SFFP's Housing Model Backed By the State and City

  • In a historic moment outside St. Francis Residence III, Governor Mario M. Cuomo and Mayor David N. Dinkins signed the NY/NY I Agreement, launching the first large-scale, government-backed investment in supportive housing. Choosing SFFP as the site of the ceremony recognized their leadership and the proven success of their model.

Catholic New York article featuring a St. Francis Residence.

1990 - 2012

Supportive Housing in New York On the Rise

  • In the 1980s, a sharp increase in shelter populations, growing media attention, and the launch of federal and state initiatives—such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, the McKinney Homeless Housing Assistance Program, and the SRO Support Subsidy Program—spurred the creation of a wide array of supportive housing options in New York. By 2012, these efforts had resulted in more than 45,000 supportive housing units across the state.

October 13, 2016

Supportive Housing Network of NY Tribute

  • The Supportive Housing Network of New York honored its pioneers, including Fr. John Felice and Fr. John McVean. Addressing more than 600 attendees, Fr. Felice spoke movingly about his experience — creating a community of acceptance where people living with serious mental illness could find stability and dignity — and received a standing ovation. Recognition of their the extraordinary achievements in originating the movement.

An image of the three Friars who founded St. Francis Friends of the Poor
An image of the Executive Director of St. Francis Friends of the Poor, Christina M. Byrne, MSW

A Legacy of Healing and Hope

For nearly half a century, St. Francis Friends of the Poor has stood alongside formerly homeless New Yorkers with serious mental illness, offering housing, healthcare, and hope.

Our impact is measured not only in the number of lives touched but in the words of those who believe in this mission:

  • “By establishing the first permanent supportive housing for individuals living with mental illness, St. Francis Friends of the Poor provided an opportunity for many people to begin their recovery journey. Their continued advocacy resulted in system change.”

    - Dr. Ann Sullivan, Commissioner, New York State Office of Mental Health

  • “What St. Francis Friends of the Poor has accomplished is extraordinary. They have shown us how permanent supportive housing can transform lives.”

    - Christine Quinn, Former Speaker, New York City Council

  • “For their valiant efforts to house the homeless all those years ago, we are forever grateful.”

    - Senator Charles Schumer, U.S. Senate Majority Leader

  • “St. Francis Friends of the Poor was the start of what is now called supportive housing. Their compassion and vision created a respectful way of providing care and dignity to individuals without a home struggling with severe mental illness. The city and society owe them an immeasurable debt of gratitude.”

    - Cynthia Stuart, COO, Supportive Housing Network of NY

  • “St. Francis Friends of the Poor took a simple, direct, and pragmatic approach—offering housing and help with whatever was needed. The humanity and dignity it extends is a model every NYC neighborhood can embrace.”

    - Ellen Baxter, Founder of Broadway Housing Communities and Vice Chair of the SFFP Board of Directors

  • “St. Francis Friends of the Poor gives people not just a roof over their heads, but the chance to rebuild their lives with dignity.”

    - Most Rev. Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York

  • “Thanks to the friars and employees of St. Francis Friends of the Poor, residents of every background have been treated with dignity and respect for 45 years. We have saved taxpayers millions by keeping residents out of shelters and prisons, while our team works tirelessly to improve lives and community safety.”

    - Mark Lebow, Esq. Board Chair, Partner Lebow & Sokolow, LLP

  • "I'm proud to be one of the first five employees of St. Francis Friends of the Poor. Over the years, it's been an incredible journey working alongside visionary leaders and dedicated coworkers. I am sure that with the help of our generous benefactors, St. Francis Friends of the Poor will be here not 45 more years but 200 more!"

    - Jose Marrufo, St. Francis Office Manager/Gift Processor

  • “St. Francis Friends of the Poor has created something truly remarkable. Their work is a model of compassion and care for those most in need.”

    - Dr. Herbert Pardes, Former President and CEO, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

Together with our supporters, partners, and residents, we’ve built a legacy that proves Permanent Supportive Housing transforms lives—and strengthens New York City.

Our Residents on Life at the St. Francis Residences

“I am grateful for the time I spend with the people in St. Francis. We share our life experiences, speak about the news, and talk about recent basketball, hockey, and baseball games.”
- Rafael, St. Francis Resident

“I feel at peace in my home when I listen to my radio. From one tune to another, it makes me feel so soothing, and the flow of feelings mixes into one wave of joy and peace. This makes me feel good at home.”
- Michael, St. Francis Resident

“I love this place, I miss the Fathers, if it wasn't for them I don't know where I'd be living. It's changed a hell of a lot over the years, but what's stayed the same is it's safe, staff are nice and tenants are nice, wonderful people. My life is beautiful now. I wish this place will still be here in the next 45 years.”
- Jean, St. Francis Resident

“Time passes. Morning. Afternoon. Evening. Night. We are not able to see the future; no one can. Life can sometimes bring surprises that we truly did not suspect or want. The Friars, Felice, McVean, and Tom made my life so much better for me and for us. They answered the call to serve the poor, the unwanted, and the forgotten. Only Friar Tom is still with us in this life, but because of their help and support, I can continue on in this life. The love that they showed me and others will always be with me. There is always hope, even in mass confusion.”
- Gloria, St. Francis Resident

“I always liked it here in St. Francis. Every day I go to church, and it changes my mood to a happy one.”
- Raul, St. Francis Resident

Imagining A Future of Support, Together

Your support makes it possible for our residents to live with the dignity they deserve and the community they need. As we mark this milestone year, we invite you to honor our past and invest in the future of Permanent Supportive Housing.

Your generosity for our 45th anniversary will help us continue creating a home and community for the vulnerable New Yorkers who need it most.

Want to explore more ways to make an impact? Visit our Ways to Give page to learn more.