St. Francis Friends of the Poor

St. Francis Friends of the Poor The St.

📍Chelsea since 1980
We provide permanent supportive housing to formerly homeless people living with chronic mental illness 🏘️
Across our three residences, we are home to 255+ people 🩵
🔽Link to sign up to run on our charity bib in the Brooklyn Half🔽 Francis Residences serve adults living with serious mental illness, primarily schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders, who have a history of chroni

c homelessness. Our services include:
- affordable, low-barrier housing
- deeply subsidized meals
- on-site psychiatric and medical care
- medication management
- money management
- a robust arts program
- socialization, recreation, life skills, and health & wellness groups

Happy Feast Day of St. Anthony from our family to yours! May you always make your way to joy, peace, and kindness
06/13/2026

Happy Feast Day of St. Anthony from our family to yours! May you always make your way to joy, peace, and kindness

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re reminded that mental wellness is deeply connected to feeling safe, supported, ...
05/31/2026

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re reminded that mental wellness is deeply connected to feeling safe, supported, and surrounded by people who care. For many of our tenants, our residences are more than a place to sleep. This is their forever home and we become their family. Neighbors who become lifelong friends, staff who become trusted support systems, and spaces filled with care, dignity, and belonging.
Here’s to 45 years of building community and continuing to create spaces where everyone belongs 🩵

On June 2nd, St. Francis Friends of the Poor will honor the individuals whose vision and leadership have shaped 45 years...
05/29/2026

On June 2nd, St. Francis Friends of the Poor will honor the individuals whose vision and leadership have shaped 45 years of impact at The Founders Awards.
As we look toward Building Our Future, Katie Devine of Devine & Co. has played a transformative role in strengthening and expanding the impact of St. Francis Friends of the Poor.
Over the past three years, Katie helped secure $22 million to rehabilitate our three residences while bringing in $600,000 in new annual funding to strengthen SFFP’s long-term sustainability.
Katie also played a key role in advancing the vision for a future St. Francis Residence IV. Through her leadership, strategic insight, and tireless advocacy, SFFP recently acquired the future home of our fourth residence, helping position our organization for its next chapter of growth.
A valued partner and trusted advisor, Katie’s commitment to our mission continues to help turn vision into action and expand what is possible for the communities we serve.

On June 2nd, St. Francis Friends of the Poor will honor the individuals whose vision and leadership have shaped 45 years...
05/28/2026

On June 2nd, St. Francis Friends of the Poor will honor the individuals whose vision and leadership have shaped 45 years of impact at The Founders Awards.
We are proud to recognize the Franciscan Friars, whose compassion, presence, and commitment to human dignity laid the foundation for SFFP and helped pioneer supportive housing in the United States.
Rooted in the Franciscan tradition of walking alongside those most in need, the Friars created a model of care centered on community, accompaniment, and the inherent worth of every person — values that continue to guide our work today.
Fr. Kevin Mullen, O.F.M., will accept this award on behalf of the Franciscan Friars as we celebrate their remarkable legacy and lasting impact on our community.

On June 2nd, St. Francis Friends of the Poor will honor the individuals whose vision and leadership have shaped 45 years...
05/27/2026

On June 2nd, St. Francis Friends of the Poor will honor the individuals whose vision and leadership have shaped 45 years of impact at The Founders Awards.
For more than 40 years, Mark D. Lebow has guided SFFP with compassion, dedication, and an unwavering belief that every person deserves the safety and dignity of a home and caring community. His leadership has helped advance permanent supportive housing as a globally recognized best-practice model, transforming countless lives.
Today, his vision continues to inspire our work, including the development of our fourth residence to serve even more individuals experiencing homelessness and serious mental illness.
We are proud to celebrate Mark’s extraordinary leadership, advocacy, and lasting impact on our community.

POV: you just checked your mailbox, and you find postcards based in healing, connection, and adventure🌿This Mental Healt...
05/26/2026

POV: you just checked your mailbox, and you find postcards based in healing, connection, and adventure🌿
This Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re reflecting on the meaningful moments our tenants have shared in nature, from Bear Mountain and Allaire State Parks to Alpine and Spruce Run Recreation Areas, even Coney Island🌲🌊
These outings are more than just trips. They are opportunities to, as the kids say, “touch grass”. To recharge, to connect, to explore, and to support mental wellness through community and the outdoors.
Because sometimes the best remedy is fresh air, community, and a change of scenery ✨

For 45 years, St. Francis Friends of the Poor has been creating more than housing, we’ve been creating home, healing and...
05/15/2026

For 45 years, St. Francis Friends of the Poor has been creating more than housing, we’ve been creating home, healing and hope.
On June 2nd, we’ll celebrate the leaders and advocates who have helped sustain that mission and help us deliver some exciting news about our future at The Founders Awards.
Honoring:
• Mark Lebow Esq.
• The Franciscan Friars, O.F.M.
• Katie Devine
Special Guest: Michael R. Bloomberg
📍 Upstairs at The Kimberly Hotel
📅 Tuesday, June 2, 2026
🕕 6:00–8:00 PM
We’re currently welcoming sponsors and supporters who want to invest in stronger communities and lasting impact across NYC.
🎟️ Follow link in bio tickets & sponsorships

Celebrating National Nurses Week 💙As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, we would like to introduce you to Diane B., ...
05/08/2026

Celebrating National Nurses Week 💙

As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, we would like to introduce you to Diane B., one of our incredible nurses creating a warm, family-like environment where every tenant feels valued, cared for, and connected.
But her care goes beyond clinical work. She brings her love of music into the community by co-leading a bi-weekly music group and using her background in professional singing to lift spirits and bring people together.
Learn more in the interview below and share your love in the comments.

“Our model emphasizes choice-based medication support.  What does that look like in practice from your perspective?” 

Choice-based medication support means individuals always have a say, and their choices are respected. Medication is encouraged for stability, but it’s a collaborative process, and finding the right fit takes time to support long-term mental health.
 
“How do you take care of your own mental health while doing such meaningful (and often challenging) work?”
I take care of my mental health by staying active with the gym and running, especially in nice weather—I love being in nature, unwinding with NBA games, watch streaming tv series, I also practice meditation, listen to music and sing, pray, get enough rest, read, and spend quality time with friends and family. 
 
“What is something you wish more people understood about the connection between housing, healthcare, and mental health?”
One thing I wish more people understood is how deeply housing, healthcare, and mental health are connected. Stable housing provides safety and routine, which are essential for mental health and consistent care. When someone knows they are safe and that people genuinely care about them, it creates an added layer of support that can be just as important as treatment itself. With that foundation, people are far more able to heal, stabilize, and thrive.

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! At St. Francis Friends of the Poor, centering mental health isn’t just something we...
05/01/2026

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month!
At St. Francis Friends of the Poor, centering mental health isn’t just something we talk about, it’s something we practice every day in meaningful, intentional ways.
🎨 Through art therapy, creating space for expression, healing, and creativity
🌿 Prioritizing time in nature while embracing the powerful impact of relaxed, peer-to-peer connection on well-being
💊 Offering choice-based medication support, where care is collaborative and participation is always voluntary
🤝 Partnering with NYU Community Medicine to enable access to quality healthcare right at home
❤️ And most importantly, by building a true sense of family, because for many of our tenants, we are their only community and support system
Throughout May’s Mental Health Awareness Month, we’ll be sharing more about each of these and what they look like in practice. Stay tuned as we highlight the people, partnerships, and approaches that make this work possible

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