Our Mission & Story
Believing in the dignity of every person, at Poverello House we work to enrich the lives and spirits of all who pass our way by stewarding the resources made available to us through Providential and community support.
Our Story
Poverello House follows Papa Mike’s philosophy: Listen with compassion; give with a warm heart and a smile.
In the
turbulence of the 1960s, a young man named Mike McGarvin was on the fast track to
becoming one of the many casualties of the decade. Drugs, alcohol, violence and
hopelessness were his daily companions, until he found a place in San Francisco
called Poverello. The priest who ran the coffee house asked Mike to volunteer,
and the experience changed his life. The San Francisco Poverello served people
who were characterized by poverty and despair. It was a place where they could
come to find acceptance, a smile, and unconditional love. There, Mike found the
answer to his problem: Service to others.
Several
years later, Mike married a wonderful woman, Mary and they moved to Fresno. He
worked as a photographer, but was searching for a way to repay God for saving
his life. The answer came when he noticed homeless people on the streets of
Fresno. Mike knew what to do; he would hand out peanut butter sandwiches, talk
to people, and let them know someone cared about them. Mike’s small ministry
soon grew, and other began to join and help. A storefront building was obtained,
and he named it after the place that had saved him in San Francisco: Poverello
House.
It
was a simple storefront, but within those humble walls, "Papa Mike" offered
coffee, food, and a brief respite from the streets. Despite the building burning down, evictions
and financial insecurity, Poverello House continued to grow and provide
essential services to the needy and homeless.
In the 1990s Poverello House expanded to a larger building at its current
location on 412 F Street, which allowed it to expand its services to meet
the needs of the community.
Poverello
House provides three meals a day, 365 days a year to men, women and families along
with services that improve people’s quality of life. These services include clothing distribution,
emergency food bags, a medical clinic, the Men’s Resident Rehabilitation
program, temporary overnight shelter for men and women, and social services for individuals seeking to end their homelessness situation. Poverello House follows Papa Mike’s philosophy: Listen with compassion, give with a warm
heart and a smile.