St. Francis Friends of the Poor, Inc.

St. Francis Friends of the Poor was established to offer permanent housing with supportive services to homeless men and women with histories of chronic mental illness.

We transform the lives of the most vulnerable of the homeless population, those with severe mental illness that challenges their ability to stay healthy and housed.

Founded in the 1970’s by three Franciscan Friars seeking a solution to the city’s homeless crisis, we pioneered the concept of permanent supportive housing for the homeless mentally ill when we opened the first of our three residences in Chelsea in 1980.

Today, we provide affordable, permanent housing coupled with on-site medical, psychiatric, wellness and social services designed to help our nearly 300 residents thrive.