About Our History

Right from the start, in the early 1950s, House of Charity has been about transforming lives…one person at a time. Our founder, Brother de Paul, responded to the need he saw around him by providing food and shelter to the poor in Minneapolis. Since its beginnings on Nicollet Island, House of Charity has been located at several sites in downtown Minneapolis, and moved to its current location at 510 South 8th Street in 1976. Once a hotel, the building now houses 116 men and women who have experienced homelessness.

The Food Centre, at 714 Park Avenue, feeds more than 350 people each day. After 60 years, the work begun by Brother De Paul continues. Because of his legacy, the hungry are fed and the homeless find shelter.

One of our primary goals is to help struggling individuals meet their basic human needs of food and shelter while reducing barriers to their long-term self-sufficiency.

As of January 1, 2021, St. Stephen’s Human Services and House of Charity have merged. Together, we will be able to serve more people and provide a more comprehensive continuum of services – from outreach, to shelter, food, treatment and mental health services, and ultimately, housing. We are still using both names for now, but will have a new look and new organization name later this year. 

We do this by providing:

• Daily Free Public Meals at our Food Centre
• Transitional Housing
• Permanent Supportive Housing
• Chemical and Mental Health Treatment
• Public Showers

Our Mission

Feed those in need, house those experiencing homelessness, and empower individuals to achieve independence.

Our Vision

Transforming lives…one person at a time.

Our Values

• Teamwork
  We strive to build strong and effective relationships.
• Respect
  We value the rights and views of others.
• Integrity
  We hold ourselves to the highest standards of professionalism, trust, and accountability.
• Excellence
  We aspire to deliver services of exceptional quality.