History
Food For Life (FFL) was established in 1983 with the goal to help solve
the dual problems of homelessness and hunger in the City of
Philadelphia. The organization initially functioned as a soup
kitchen serving hundreds of free meals daily. Its mission
was to create complete environments for rehabilitation that would
mutually benefit its clients and society by moving individuals to
self-sufficiency and independent living.
- 1983: Food For Life opened its first "housing" facility for
homeless men. An open-door policy granted shelter to anyone in
need, regardless of mental health or drug problems.
- 1987: The purchase of a Welfare office building, and its
subsequent renovation, paved the way for the opening of a second
shelter. This became a residence for women and children.
- 1988: Food For Life redirected its activities and leased a second building to relocate its shelter.
- 1990: The Food For Life opened Philadelphia's first shelter
for recovering drug and alcohol addicts. The success of this
experimental "clean and sober" shelter made it the model for other
substance-free residences set up through the City's shelter system.
- 1990 - 1993: Transitional housing was a natural outgrowth for
Food For Life. The organization currently operates 34
single-family homes in cooperation with the Department of Public
Welfare, the Department of Housing & Urban Development and the City
of Philadelphia.
- 1991: 918 North Broad Street became the site for the Food For
Life "Halfway Back" program (established in cooperation with the PA
Department of Probation and Parole) which provided residency to
individuals who had committed minor offenses. Its goal was to keep
parolees from being returned to correctional institutions and help them
successfully complete the terms of their parole.
- 1991: FFL became computerized, and began development of the
Client System database program to more precisely track its services and
residents.
- 1991-2003: In cooperation with the Department of Corrections, Food For Life ran halfway homes.
- 1992: The purhcase of the former Drospie College uildings
signed a new focus for FFL, i.e., reaching out to the city's homeless
veterans.
- 1993: The Food For Life "Pre-Release" program was
geared to incarcerated individuals close to completing their
sentences. Residency at this site, and participation in its
educational and rehabilitative services, prepared them for a successful
return to the community at large.
- 1996: Food For Life incorporated a community corrections population at its former Dropsie University site.
Senior Care
In 1998, FFL expanded its services and its mission with Southcare
Nursing Center, Inc., providing services to low-income elderly
persons. FFL purchased the InTown Retirement Personal
Care Home and renovated it. Services provided at the InTown facility to
its elderly residents included:
- Health exercise programs
- Social and recreational activities
- Daily living assistance in eating, dressing, mobility, hygiene
- Weekly laundry service
- Medical care through the Visiting Nurse Association
- Medication management
Southcare is in the planning stages of additional projects in Alachua,
Florida including the development of a 65-unit independent living
complex and the construction of a senior center.
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Solutions 
