This is Unity House
Two abandoned
apartments and four thousand dollars are scant resources to launch
an ambitious venture to help the poor. But 1971 was a time of
idealism and hope, and the founders of Unity House saw too much
need all around them to be deterred.
In July,
1971 a nun, Mary Jane Smith, and two Franciscan friars,
Regis Obijiski and Peter Callaghan, opened the
doors of a dilapidated building on Eighth Street that was to be
the base of their effort to reach out to the community.
According to Mary
Jane Smith, "We tried to be everything to every man, woman
and child who walked through the door."
They worked with
people to cut through the red tape of the welfare system, prodded
landlords to maintain housing for poor people and sought jobs
for people with limited skills.
During those exciting
first years, Unity House grew simply by responding to whatever need
seemed to present itself, from collecting and distributing food
and furniture to providing shelter for victims of domestic violence.
Since its inception
in 1971, Unity House has grown to meet the increasing needs of
those living in Rensselaer County and surrounding communities.
Providing crisis intervention, advocacy, skills teaching, information,
resources, encouragement and support, Unity House continues to
help disadvantaged people lead productive and healthy lives.
Site Redesign,
Updates by:
Unity House of Troy,
Inc.
Comments:
Webmaster
Site Design
by: Excelsior Web Design
