St. John's Hospice

What Is Saint John’s Hospice?

Saint John’s Hospice is a Catholic Social Services shelter for men located in Center City Philadelphia. Established in 1963 by Monsignor Anthony J. O’Neill, Pastor of Saint John the Evangelist Church, and The Little Brothers of The Good Shepherd, Saint Johns was created as an outreach ministry to serve and assist the poor and homeless in the community. Saint John’s continues to provide crucial, life-sustaining services with dignity, respect and compassion to homeless men in Philadelphia.

Saint John’s Hospice is an independent 501c3 agency associated with the charitable work of Catholic Social Services.

Residence for over 250 homeless men each year in the St. John’s Hospice & Good Shepherd programs

Emergency shelter for 27 homeless men

Over 3,000 meals served weekly

160 showers with clean clothing, underwear & shoes every week

Mailroom services for over 1500 men

Case management, medical assistance and counseling for all residents and day services guests

Programs We Offer

Saint John’s continues to provide crucial, life-sustaining services with dignity, respect & compassion to homeless men in Philadelphia.

COFFEE HOUSE

Provides a safe resting and sleeping environment for 27 chronically homeless men who typically avoid shelter living.

RESIDENTIAL

Drug and alcohol-free, 40-bed residence for men who are in transition from homelessness to independent living in the community.

GOOD SHEPHERD

Drug and alcohol-free, 12-bed residence for medically fragile, homeless men who are focusing on transition from homelessness to independent living.

DAY SERVICES

Day services for homeless men and men in need; Saint John’s provides a nutritious and hot noon meal for more than 350 men each weekday.

Latest News

Boot-Up Philly Provides Winter Gear, Protects Needy from Chilly Temps

November 9, 2023

More than 700 people – including at least 100 children – attended the third annual “Boot-Up Philly” event Nov. 4 in the parking lot of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center.

‘It is Staggering’: Philly Catholic Human Services Reaches Nearly 7.6 Million Touchpoints of Service in One Year

June 30, 2023

The Archdiocese’s works of mercy have reached awe-striking levels through staff and volunteers’ incredible nimbleness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Homelessness ministry gets makeover, thanks to generous donors

November 4, 2022

St. John’s Hospice, part of Catholic Social Services, unveiled a newly remodeled dining hall with room at the table for a growing community, all made possible by the Connelly Foundation and other partners.

In Their Words

Hear the stories from the people who have experienced Saint John’s.

View Videos

Get Involved

Donate

Benefactors from all over the area have generously provided for the needs of our homeless men since we opened in 1963.

Volunteer

Saint John’s Hospice hosts over 40,000 volunteer hours each year. We could not survive without this generous outpouring of time and talent.

Cook

The Casseroles are the “Main Course” of a complete, hot meal that we serve to hundreds of God’s poor and homeless who come to us for their daily bread.