Saint John’s Hospice (SJH), a ministry of Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and one of Philadelphia’s leading providers of residential and day services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, is celebrating 60 years of serving the community.

The celebration will culminate in a special 60th anniversary gala on Thursday, Apr. 18, at the American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia.

“I extend prayerful congratulations to Catholic Social Services and Saint John’s Hospice on this milestone,” said Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez. “For 60 years, this vital ministry has been a beacon of hope for those experiencing homelessness. I reflect on this anniversary with prayerful gratitude for the countless good works accomplished by the staff of Saint John’s Hospice. All those working in this ministry have been the hands of Christ for those who needed His love and support the most.”

At the gala, five organizations will be recognized for supporting Saint John’s Hospice with its Partner in Mission Award: the Connelly Foundation, the Riley Family Foundation, the Philadelphia Phillies & Aramark, the St. Anastasia Roman Catholic Church, and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church.

The organizations have provided generous support in helping SJH provide life-sustaining services to some of the most vulnerable, at-risk, and in-need people in the City of Philadelphia.

Barry Martin, Program Director at SJH, said, “Saint John’s Hospice would not be able to reach the hundreds of thousands of neighbors experiencing homelessness if it weren’t for the support of our volunteers and the organizations we will be honoring at our gala. The Partner in Mission Award is our way of simply and humbly saying, ‘thank you.'”

“Saint John’s Hospice has always believed in serving those experiencing homelessness with dignity, compassion, and respect. When an individual comes to Saint John’s, they know they will come to a safe, clean, drug, and alcohol-free environment and be cared for by a team of compassionate, dedicated professionals who see the dignity in every person. Those absolutes have not changed and will never change about Saint John’s Hospice.”

Learn more about Saint John’s Hospice, an outreach ministry to serve and assist those experiencing homelessness and poverty in Philadelphia. Today, SJH has residences that serve approximately 150 individuals transitioning from homelessness to independent living annually, meal services for more than 325 community members each day, mailroom services for more than 1,700 individuals, as well as case management and medical and behavioral healthcare services.