Camillus House

Camillus House is a non-profit agency that provides humanitarian services to poor and homeless people in Miami-Dade County in southern Florida. Founded in 1960, Camillus House is one of the oldest and largest continuously operated charities in South Florida. Brother Mathias Barrett, founder of the Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd, founded Camillus House to help Cuban exiles arriving in Miami at that time. The Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd fused[1] with the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God who today sponsors Camillus House under the guidance of a lay president, board of directors, and staff.

Camillus House provides a variety of services including direct care for homeless individuals, treatment programs and job training for individuals with substance abuse and mental health issues, emergency, transitional, and permanent housing for individuals and families, and healthcare for the homeless and uninsured.

Aerial view of the Camillus House Main Campus in Miami's Health District

History

Camillus House was founded by Brother Mathais Barrett who arrived in Miami in the summer of 1960.

So in the summer of 1960 brother Mathias began his ministry serving a bowl of donated cornflakes to a hungry elderly, man. Brother Mathias would name his ministry Camillus House after St. Camillus de Lellis, an Italian monk and Patron Saint of Nursing, who devoted his life to the care of the poor and the sick and founded the Congregation of the Servants of the Sick and Poor.

By 1966 Camillus House had served its one-millionth meal. In 1970 Camillus House expanded to temporary housing with a 40-bed dormitory. In 1984, with the help of Dr. Pedro Jose Greer Jr., Camillus House founded Camillus Health Concern and began to provide healthcare to the poor and homeless. Also in 1984 Brother Harry Somerville began Camillus’ first substance abuse and treatment program that would eventually become the Camillus House Institute for Social and Personal Advancement (CH-ISPA.)In 1990, the psychological services unit began, with Dr. Greer and Dr. Robin Bartky who made sure that homeless individuals received services that they needed. Camillus House would continue to acquire housing to serve the needs of the community, including transforming a former crack cocaine den into the first Camillus House transitional Housing facility. Members of the organization's Board of Directors have included Joseph DaGrosa.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "A Change of Habits...but the work remains unchanged!". Camillus House. 2015-01-22.
  2. ↑ https://www.cubecare.com/wp-content/doc/Southflorida-Business-Journal-20160219.pdf
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