A Welcoming Place
On October 29, 2008, Poverello House 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 a healthy meal in a home-like environment. Steeped in the Franciscan tradition, the idea was to create a welcoming place where all men would be treated equally with the God-given dignity each was born with. Each guest has a reserved spot one day a week to relax and socialize in a house they can all their own.
‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me — you did it to me.’
– Matthew 25:40
Our Services
Rest Up
We want our guests to feel at home. Guests are encouraged to kick up their feet, read a book, watch TV, or catch up on some sleep.
Eat Up
As soon as guests enter the door, they are greeted with a delicious, home-cooked breakfast, and later enjoy a hot lunch made with care.
Wash Up
Washing machines and shower facilities are available throughout the day so guests can shower while they do a load of laundry.
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 8 am to 4 pm
Il Poverello - The Little Poor Man
Eight hundred years ago, Francis Bernadone and a small group of rag tag brothers of penance wandered the Umbrian Valley north of Rome. At first, the local population looked scornfully at these young men from Assisi who gave up wealth and prestigious careers to follow Francis. Over time, scorn turned into respect as the small group tended to the needs of those people, including lepers excluded from society. Humbly and joyfully, the brothers led lives of solidarity with the poor. When villagers saw Francis and his brothers walking toward them, they would say, “Here comes ‘Il Poverello,’ the little poor man.” Poverello House in Tucson, Arizona stands proudly in that Franciscan tradition of helping those in need who struggle to maintain their dignity on the fringe of society.
How You Can Help
We encourage you to come and visit during normal business hours to see exactly what we do. There are four primary ways you can support the Tucson Poverello House:
- Food: You can prepare a delicious lunch for our 12 guests. Contact Anne at (520) 908-7239 or aereissner@comcast.net to get on the schedule.
- Time: You can volunteer for a 4-hour shift during normal hours.
- Men's Clothing: We are always in need of used or new clothing. The items most frequently requested are socks, t-shirts, jeans, hats and underwear. Stop by Wednesday to Sunday, 8:30 am to 3:00 pm with your clothing donations, or call 520.624.0589 to schedule a drop-off.
- Money: Poverello House requires approximately $4,000 each month to operate. All donations go directly to pay for rent, utilities, supplies and food. For more detailed information contact Jeanette Arnquist at jeanette@tucsonpoverello.com. To mail a check, please make checks out to “Tucson Poverello House” and mail to: Poverello House, PO BOX 50782, Tucson AZ 85703