St. Raymond’s in Philadelphia provides 27 units of permanent supportive housing to some of the city’s neediest men and women. The project was made possible by a coalition of generous foundations and individuals as well as the Department of Housing and Urban Development Supportive Housing Program/Philadelphia Office of Supportive Housing, Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York.
The project represents two new milestones for Depaul USA in Philadelphia. It is their first permanent supportive housing project in the city and it is the first time they will house women.
As part of the ceremony, Depaul USA board member Dr. Bon Ku spoke of his frustration in treating patients in his emergency room at the hospital who then return to the streets and never get better. St. Raymond’s House was a place, he noted, where these men and women could really heal. Board Chair, Kay Gerhardt, cut the red ribbon and St. Raymond’s House was declared open! We were also very pleased to be able to thank Depaul ambassador and long term supporter, Loralee West, by naming the community room at the project in her honour.
Congratulations are very much due to our dedicated staff: Sandra Guillory, who has been with Depaul USA’s Depaul House program in Philadelphia since the outset in 2009, conceived the idea for St Raymond’s project five years ago and shepherded it every step of the way to its 2015 opening. Great work, Sandra!
