Helping Unsheltered College Students

House of Prayer, located in the Ogontz neighborhood of Philadelphia, had a rectory building sitting vacant since water pipes burst in December 2018, and was planning to rent it out to bring in income once they managed to make the required repairs.

Depaul USA, a national homeless services nonprofit organization, was looking for housing in the Philadelphia area for college students who were experiencing homelessness at a time of rising college costs and a raging global pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Rev. Canon Toneh Smyth, Canon for Mission, was in discussions with Depaul concerning how the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania could partner with the organization, which currently operates five different programs, a medical respite, and a social enterprise in Philadelphia.

All of these elements coalesced, as the diocese played the role of matchmaker, bringing together House of Prayer leaders and Depaul. It was the start of what Tom McGill, who has been rector’s warden at the church for two decades, calls “a wonderful partnership.”

To learn more about Depaul USA or support their work to eradicate homelessness, visit https://depaulusa.org.