Our History

In 1982, an emergency shelter opened its doors in the form of a makeshift shelter in the basement of the First Congregational Church in Stamford. In the ensuing years, homelessness continued to grow and become increasingly undeniable. That small oasis of warmth and safety from the cold and deadly nights in the basement of the church began a concerted community effort to address homelessness in the greater Stamford area.

The visionaries: Co-founders Leslie Furst, Maureen Hughes, Pat Phillips, Nancy Stoetzer, and Reverend Gary P. Brown helped shape what is today the Pacific House Emergency Shelter.

1983-1989

Under the sponsorship of The Council of Churches and Synagogues, the basement shelter served 60 people a night. In July of 1985, a Board of Directors was formed, and Shelter for the Homeless became an independent nonprofit service agency. The shelter began offering overnight emergency shelter, showers, and limited case management services. In 1988, over $2M was raised to purchase and renovate the building at 597 Pacific Street.

1990's

In 1990, Pacific House opened its doors thanks to a dedicated Board and caring and committed community members. In 1995, an onsite health care program was launched, and a recovery program began the following year. The first Pacific House-supported home, named "Berkley House," was acquired in 1996 and opened in 1999.

2000's

A second Pacific House property was purchased in 2004 and later opened in 2008 as "Beacon I." In 2005, the first gala event was held to benefit Pacific House and recognize donors who make the shelter possible. Our Meal-a-Month program launched in 2008.

2010's

In 2012, our Beacon II property was acquired, and the Adopt-a-Day program was launched. A re-dedication ceremony was held in 2013 to honor co-founder Patricia Phillips for her many years of dedication, whereby Berkley House, the first permanent supportive housing property owned and managed by Pacific House, was renamed the "Patricia C. Phillips House." The Beacon II home opened in 2014, and another property, "Parkview South," in Norwalk. Our fourth home, "Gateway House," opened in 2016, and that same year, Shelter For The Homeless officially changed its name to "Pacific House," which better reflects our ongoing commitment to the emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing initiatives.

In Stamford, Lighthouse I opened in 2018, and Janie Wilson House was completed in 2019. By the end of 2019, the organization provided homes for 81 people, saving Fairfield County almost $6M.

2020

Renovations have begun at Parkview North in Norwalk, which will be home to 11 formerly homeless individuals.

Additional properties in Stamford are under contract, with plans to house even more residents and give more people access to much-needed permanent supportive housing in our community.