Our Mission, History and Vision

st john 1980s — St. John Day Center, 1980s

St. John Center is on a mission to help homeless men address the barriers to housing and self-sufficiency so they can leave homelessness for good.

With the support of this community, we’ve been providing resources and services for homeless men in the Louisville area since 1986. We are located in a former Catholic church built in the 1850s as a safe haven for immigrants. Today, our staff and volunteers carry on that welcoming spirit to provide refuge to some of our community’s most vulnerable people.

Our vision is a city where all homeless men have the resources and support they need to leave homelessness for good.

Join us and become part of the place where homeless men seek help, find hope, and move home by applying to volunteer or supporting our mission.

Learn more about our Programs

Our Values

Dignity

We believe in the dignity of every human being. We strive to call each person by name. We recognize that homeless individuals have experienced a high level of trauma, so we strive to be a refuge and a safe haven.

Usefulness

We strive to be useful space, providing the best possible opportunities for homeless men to continue their path toward greater self-sufficiency.

Volunteers

Volunteers are valued as an integral part of St. John Center’s mission.

Partnerships

We value partnerships with other agencies in order to be useful to clients and resourceful with limited space and funds.

Housing as a Right

We believe housing is a right.

Learning

We strive to foster a workplace that supports continuous learning, applying new skills, research, and evidence-based practices to our work.

Advocacy

We operate with the understanding that people rarely become homeless because of just one issue or incident, but rather people become homeless because of both personal circumstances and systemic issues. We take seriously our role as advocates for the homeless and embrace opportunities to educate the community about the causes of, and solutions to, homelessness.