1952
House of Charity is founded
House of Charity was founded in July of 1952 by Brother de Paul to feed and house the men he saw begging on or around Nicollet Island.
1954
50,000+ meals
By spring of 1954, House of Charity had fed more than 50,000 meals on a fewtables in a tiny warehouse on Nicollet Island.
1954
1955: HoC’s AA 2-year anniversary
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House of Charity’s A.A. group held its second anniversary banquet. Members who had been sober for a year were given their one-year pins.
1957: Two more buildings added!
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House of Charity bought two more buildings across the street, 21 and 23 East Hennepin Avenue, which became the new dormitory. The old dormitory was remodeled to make another dining room. H.O.C. could now feed 160 at a time.
1957: Two more buildings added!
1960
Holiday dinner for 500
500 people were served holiday dinner and given a small gift. Parents who couldn’t afford gifts for their children were given toys and books.
1969: Court Screening Committee
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Rev. Leo Vetvick, Brother de Paul and others began the Court Screening Committee for Alcoholics, a voluntary group representing organizations involved in work with alcoholics. They made recommendations to the judges of what was the best for the man or woman. This was the beginning for getting alcoholics out of the drunk court and into treatment. In the past, they would be sent to the workhouse for two weeks to “dry out” and then to the Old Pioneer House, a Union City Mission center that kept them off the streets.
Feels a lot like “Housing First”, doesn’t it?
1969: Court Screening Committee
1972
Food Centre open!
Just months after celebrating 20 years, the first meal in the new Food Centre on Park Avenue was served on Thanksgiving Day.
1976: Field Hotel becomes housing!
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May 14, 1976– The House of Charity bought it its fourth home, the Field Hotel on 510 South 8th Street, for $300,000. It had been used as a residence for blind people, but the number living there had dwindled since the blind had become more independent.
1976: Field Hotel becomes housing!
1982
30th Anniversary
Brother de Paul and 300 friends celebrated House of Charity’s 30th anniversary by paying “a loving tribute to the handicapped.”
2020
Park7 is completed!
In summer of 2020, our Park7 affordable housing project was completed, furnished and occupied. Park7 is a life-saving facility in the heart of downtown.
2020
2021
House of Charity and St. Stephen’s merge
On January 1, 2021, House of Charity and St. Stephen’s Human Services merged and became one organization. Choosing a name for our merged organization is ongoing.
The merging of our two organizations will expand and improve existing programs and allow us to better serve our most vulnerable neighbors.