Organization
Founded in 2009, Depaul USA, an outreach of the Jesuits, takes an innovative approach to ending homelessness and ensuring that everyone has a place to call home and a stake in the community. They have developed a deep array of core competencies across homeless services, built on best practices and experience. supports people experiencing homelessness to ensure that everyone has a place to call home and a stake in the community. The organization is one of six subsidiaries of Depaul International, all of which operate on the values and wisdom of St. Vincent de Paul.
Partnership
After conducting a comprehensive needs assessment of services for the people who are homeless in the St. Louis area, Depaul identified two critical gaps its was qualified to fill: permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals, and a home for homeless youth. The agency approached Brown Sisters Foundation for a 2:1 challenge grant to attract new and increased donations to help purchase a facility and launch permanent supporting housing services for homeless youth in St. Louis City. Once the challenge is met, the Foundation’s grant will become capital needed to secure the property, and money secured from new donors will provide the ongoing operating capital needed to sustain the program. When finished, St. Lazare House will offer 15 fully-furnished one-bedroom apartments for homeless young people, aged 18-24. Residents will receive wrap-around physical and behavioral health services, participate in education and training, and gain the life skills necessary to become independent and productive community members.