Poverello House of Tucson

The Poverello House of Tucson is temporarily closed while we transition to our new location. We plan to open the new house as soon as the renovations are complete. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Poverello House of Tucson is a homelike place of welcome and a safe environment providing daytime rest, food, laundry facilities, showers, and companionship for homeless men. We are a registered 501(c)(3) charity.

Annual Dinner

Annual Dinner

Join us at our Annual Dinner and Celebration of the Feast of St. Francis.
When: Saturday, October 7, 6:00 pm
Where: Most Holy Trinity Parish – Map

Sculpture

Dear Loving God,

At this important moment of transition for our Poverello House, we give you thanks for the many graces you have bestowed on us these first 15 years. We ask your blessings upon each guest who has come for hospitality. We ask your blessings upon each supporter, each board member, each live-in staff person, each volunteer who has provided a meal, who has done the shopping, who has volunteered a shift or who has supported us spiritually or financially over these last 15 years. And we also pray for those few guests who have had a hard time respecting our Franciscan spirit.

We ask you Lord for Your Wisdom and guidance, as we press forward to re-opening in a new house. And we ask your blessing upon the Blacklidge house and all who will cross its threshold in the months and years ahead. –AMEN

News and Events

Board of Directors

Br. David Buer, ofm
Jeanette Arnquist
Jerry Ledesma
Lawrence (Pat) Long
Kyle McDermott
Vicki Myers
Anne Reissner
Conrad Wall

Our History

Eight hundred years ago in the Umbrian Valley north of Rome, wandered Francis Bernadone and a small group of rag tag brothers of penance. At first, the local population looked with scorn at these young men from Assisi, who gave up wealth and prestigious future careers to follow Francis. Over time, the brothers won over the hearts of many as they tended to the needs of the lepers and led lives of solidarity with the poor with humility and joy. When villagers saw Francis and his brothers walking toward them, they would say: “Here comes ‘Il Pov-erello’ (the little poor man.)” Over the centuries “Poverello” has been a name used in ministries with the poor in the Franciscan tradition.

On October 29, 2008, Poverello House of Tucson opened its doors and invited homeless men to come in off the street for a day to sit down, decompress, get cleaned up and have healthy meals in a homelike environment. Poverello House of Tuson was founded by Br. David Buer, ofm, a Franciscan Brother who for many years ministered to the homeless and those living in poverty. Br. David was first introduced to the concept of a Poverello House in The Tenderloin of San Francisco, California in the early 90’s. Having establishing two Poverello Houses in Nevada, it was not surprising that that when in 2005, he was assigned to Tucson, Br. David envisioned a Poverello House here.

Br. David Buer, ofm