Welcome to St. James Haven

Restoring Hope and Offering Dignity to Men in Need

St. James Haven — Responding to a Need

St. James Haven in Meadville, PA is an outreach ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania. In keeping with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania’s mission of “unity of neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God without distinction”, St. James Haven provides a place of welcome, refuge, food and comfort for homeless men each night.

Join us for our September Drive-Thru Fundraiser Dinner!

September 17, 2026

3pm – 6pm

Come and enjoy penne with meat sauce, salad, a roll, and a sweet treat.

Cost: Your meal is available for a donation amount of your choice.
 ($5 minimum donation)
 
Thank you to our sponsor, Armstrong!
 
St. James September Dinner
St. James Haven Location

St. James Haven

  • Accommodates up to 14 men each night.
  • Provides a clean, dry shelter and comfortable bed.
  • Offers a nutritious meal each evening, provided by local donors.
  • Works closely with local police, housing and mental health agencies.
  • Is staffed by two resident managers.
  • Is open 365 days/year from 6pm—7am.
  • Is financially supported primarily by public and private donations.

Generous Community Support has been the key to continuing our Mission.

Nights of shelter provided to men each year.
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Men served annually.
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Our Mission

In keeping with the Sisters of St Joseph mission, “Unity of neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God without distinction,” St. James Haven, established by the Associates, provides a place of welcome, nightly refuge, food, and comfort for homeless men in the Meadville, PA area.

Keep up with the Latest News

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The Haven's monthly Community Drive-Thru Dinner fundraisers are consistently one of our favorite opportunities to work closely with community partners.

In addition to supporting the Haven's operational expenses, our sponsor partners have the opportunity to serve the community side-by-side with Haven staff and volunteers. We get to see many familiar faces (some furry!) and it's always a pleasure to meet the new.

Our friends at Financial Care Partners served up a "double-header" of support this summer, and we can't thank them enough! What a dynamite team!

We hope to see YOU at the September Fundraiser Drive-Thru Dinner sponsored by Armstrong!
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Welcome to this week's HEARTS BEHIND THE HAVEN!

Through these posts, you'll meet the volunteer Board members who are behind-the-scenes of the Haven's Community Drive-Thru Dinners, special events, and many of the daily operations. With the support of our community, the mission of St. James Haven is not only possible, it's happening.

👉This week we'll meet Kathy Spadafore. Kathy is the sweetest! She meets every task with a smile and team spirit. Need something accomplished? Kathy's probably already on it, ready to learn something new or share some tips along the way. Thank you for all you do, Kathy!

Please join us in saying hello to Kathy below.

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"I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the oldest of a large, loving Irish family that was, unfortunately, impacted by alcohol and drug abuse and mental health issues. I was inspired by the dedicated counselors and social workers who worked to help my family along the way.

My husband Emil and I married young and moved to Meadville with our first daughter when he graduated from law school. While he was building his practice my desire to pursue a career in social work was put on hold as I raised our four children and volunteered at our church and their school.

For the last 23 years I have worked at our family’s law firm as a real estate administrator. Recently I had been looking for a way to give back, as those social workers did for my family so many years ago. I had been particularly interested in St. James Haven because of my experiences growing up in a family affected by addiction and mental health issues, which inspired my interest in social work. When I was asked to serve on the board, it seemed to be the ideal way to give back to my community.

I have always valued the mission of St. James Haven, but the way it is organized and run is truly impressive. The guests are shown a comprehensive path towards healthy, independent living, supported along the way with access to the resources necessary to reach that goal.

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute in a small way to this effort."
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A big thank you to Meadville Medical Center!

We’re grateful to have community partners - like MMC - who believe that when we care for one another, our whole community is stronger. Thank you for your sponsorship and support!

For more Sound Off for St. James Haven Concert Fundraiser information, including sponsorship opportunities, visit: stjameshaven.org/events/sound-off-for-st-james/
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A big thank you to M

We Believe that We can Best Serve With Your Help

Help us continue to provide our guests with love, respect, and kindness as they get back on their feet. Find out how you can help with a donation or as a volunteer.

Hear What Our Guests Have to Say…

I had it all at one time. A wonderful wife, great job, and friends - we had a lot of fun together. We camped, went for car rides, and lived life together. My life changed instantly when I lost my wife, granddaughter, and mother in a 21-day period. I spiraled into depression and began drinking. I lost everything to alcohol. Instead of paying bills, I paid for alcohol. On the verge of discontent and homelessness, I found St. James Haven. They welcomed me with warm, open arms. They've given me a roof over my head, food, and clean clothes. The staff and everyone are great. They helped me get my life back together again.
Larry
When I had lost it all - my career, money, home and found myself completely out of hope - St. James Haven was there. It isn't just a shelter; it is a springboard to a real second chance at life. They have a staff who truly cares about their guests and fosters independence, discipline, and overall individual growth. I would not be where I am today without St. James Haven, and owe my second chance at a bright future with a professional career to the people who make St. James possible. They helped me find hope, as well as myself, again.
Frank
St. James Haven saved my life. They provided delicious food every night, washed my clothes, and helped me get connected with other agencies to find housing.This taught me structure and I learned how to take care of things. They made me feel like someone does care about me. I was allowed to stay until I felt I could successfully live on my own. I have two daughters that I hope to have move back in with me so we can be a happy family again.
Todd

St. James and the Scallop Shell

Having been a fisherman and having taken the road that helped him discover his spirit, the scallop shell is the symbol of St. James and it relates to two layers of the human condition; the physical and the spiritual. St. James was an ordinary pilgrim like the rest of us. He walked a long difficult road with Jesus; he was imprisoned by his raging emotions, and he went through metaphoric fires to free himself and discover the vastness of his spirit. He learned how to live an authentic, peaceful life and he shared his personal lessons with others.

Source: http://www.theroadtosantiago.com

Financial Contribution

You can easily donate using our secure online form. If you prefer to donate by mail please make your check payable to St. James Haven and send it to

St. James Haven
P.O. Box 15
Meadville, PA 16335

If you have questions, please feel free to call us at 814-337-6082.

Meal Donation

At St. James Haven, we serve a hot, nutritious meal to our guests every evening—and it’s all made possible by the kindness and generosity of our community.
 
If you’d like to donate a meal, we’d be so grateful! Just use the easy-to-access calendar below to pick a day that works best for you.
 
We ask that meals be able to feed up to 16 men, as we can accommodate 15 guests and two resident managers, and our numbers may vary from day to day. Donating a meal is a wonderful way to serve together—with friends, family, church groups, life groups, or co-workers.
 
You’re welcome to prepare a home-cooked meal or order from one of our fantastic local restaurants. Meals may be dropped off between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM on the day you’ve selected. If that time doesn’t work for you or if you have any questions about preparing or dropping off a meal, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Samantha at Samantha.stump@ssjerie.org.
 
Thank you for being a part of this mission and for helping us care for our guests with love and dignity.

Volunteer & Inspire

We regularly need volunteers to help maintain the Haven.

  • Serving nightly meals.
  • Helping with our Third Thursday “Drive-Thru” Community Dinners.
  • Cleaning
  • Yardwork – mowing, weeding
  • Answering Phones

If you have questions, please feel free to call us at 814-337-6082.

Personal Care Items

Our guests come to us with very little. If you would like to help provide personal care and household items, please see our suggested items below. You can also download a printable shopping list.

At this time we are not accepting any clothing donations due to storage constraints.

St. James Haven does accept new unused socks and underwear.