Rachel Evans
Covenant House is a charitable organization that was founded in 1968 by two Catholic priests, Bruce Ritter and James Fitzgibbon, in New York City. The organization provides safe housing and holistic care to youth facing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking. Despite its Catholic roots, Covenant House is not religiously affiliated and welcomes young people from all religious backgrounds. The organization has since expanded to 34 cities across six countries and offers a range of services, including healthcare, education, job readiness programs, and mental health services.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religious Affiliation | Covenant House was founded by Catholic priests and was originally affiliated with the Catholic Church. However, it is not currently religiously affiliated and does not receive funding from the Catholic Church. |
| Services | Covenant House provides safe housing, food, clothing, medical and mental healthcare, education, job readiness programs, substance use treatment, legal aid, and other support services to homeless and at-risk youth. |
| LGBTQ+ Support | Covenant House has worked to improve its services and image for LGBTQ+ youth and has partnered with LGBTQ+ groups. It has support from LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations and has openly gay people on its international board of directors. |
| Spiritual Wellbeing | Covenant House focuses on spiritual wellbeing and provides voluntary worship services and programs that encourage dialogue about religious and spiritual growth. It welcomes all forms of religious practice as long as they promote respect, compassion, and humanity. |
| Leadership | Covenant House was founded by Father Bruce Ritter, a Catholic priest, and has been led by several Catholic nuns and lay leaders. |
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What You'll Learn
Covenant House's roots are in the social justice traditions of the Roman Catholic faith
Covenant House was founded in 1968 by two Catholic priests, Bruce Ritter and James Fitzgibbon. They resigned from their jobs as professors at Manhattan College and moved into a tenement building in New York City's East Village to establish a ministry for helping runaway and troubled youth. Their ministry, which they called Covenant House, provided a mix of counselling, shelter, food, and safety services to vulnerable youngsters.
Originally, much of the group's funding came from contracts with New York City agencies. However, disagreements with city officials led Covenant House to seek other sources of funding. Catholic philanthropists like Peter Grace and Bill Simon became loyal donors, with Simon often volunteering at the group's homes with his children. When they grew up, Simon's children became important donors and volunteers at Covenant House chapters.
Despite its Catholic roots, Covenant House is not religiously affiliated and does not receive funding from the Catholic Church. The organisation welcomes young people regardless of their religious beliefs and provides safe spaces for youth to tap into their faith as they choose. Pastoral ministers of different faiths and denominations offer voluntary worship services and supervise programs that encourage dialogue about religious and spiritual growth. All forms of religious practice are welcome as long as they further principles of respect, compassion, and the oneness of humanity.
Covenant House has been criticised for its historical use of religious language and the ambiguity surrounding the optional nature of its spiritual guidance. However, the organisation appears to have shed much of its religious language and now operates as a secular organisation. Under the leadership of Kevin Ryan, the first lay president of Covenant House International, the organisation has sought to improve its services and image for LGBTQ+ youth. Ryan believes that the Catholic background of Covenant House has helped it to be more inclusive of LGBTQ+ youth, providing the agency with a mission of social justice and helping the poor.
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The organisation is no longer religiously affiliated
Covenant House was founded by Catholic priests Bruce Ritter and James Fitzgibbon in 1968. The organisation was officially incorporated in 1972 with its first intake centre established at 504 LaGuardia Place.
Despite its Catholic roots, Covenant House is no longer religiously affiliated. The organisation welcomes young people regardless of their religious beliefs. Their houses provide safe spaces for youth to tap into their faith as they choose, and no faith practice is mandated. Pastoral ministers of different faiths and denominations offer voluntary worship services and supervise programs that encourage dialogue about religious and spiritual growth. All forms of religious practice are welcome as long as they further principles of respect, compassion, and the oneness of humanity.
Covenant House's programs are informed by the True Colors Inclusion Assessment and certified by Praesidium. The organisation's doors are always open to all young people who need housing and help, regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.
While Covenant House is not an LGBTQ organisation, its president, Kevin Ryan, has stated that anywhere from 20 to 40 percent of their clients are LGBTQ. Ryan, who has a gay brother, has helped the organisation move beyond its past and become more inclusive of LGBTQ individuals. The True Colors Fund, founded by pop star Cyndi Lauper to help homeless LGBTQ youth, has also begun working with Covenant House to make it a safe space for this population.
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It was founded by Catholic priests
Covenant House is a charitable organization that aims to provide safe housing and holistic care to homeless youth aged 16-21 and survivors of human trafficking. It was founded in 1968 by two Catholic priests, Bruce Ritter and James Fitzgibbon, who resigned from their professional college work and moved into a tenement building in New York City's East Village to establish a ministry for helping runaway and troubled youths. They provided a mix of counselling and practical services, including shelter, food, and safety, to vulnerable teenagers.
Covenant House was officially incorporated in 1972, with its first intake centre established at 504 LaGuardia Place in New York. The organization began to expand its social service programs in New York City throughout the late 1970s and started branching out to other cities in 1980. By 1990, Covenant House had opened centres in 21 locations, serving 62,000 youths per year.
While Covenant House was founded by Catholic priests and has been described as a Catholic organization, it is not religiously affiliated. The organization welcomes young people regardless of their religious beliefs and provides safe spaces for them to explore their faith or spirituality as they choose. Pastoral ministers of different faiths offer voluntary worship services and supervise programs that encourage dialogue about religious and spiritual growth, with all forms of religious practice being welcome as long as they further principles of respect, compassion, and the oneness of humanity.
Today, Covenant House operates in 34 cities across six countries, including the United States, Canada, and Latin America. The organization's programs are designed to empower young people to overcome adversity and achieve independence, providing a range of services such as healthcare, educational support, job readiness, substance use treatment, legal services, and mental health support.
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It is an agency of Catholic Charities of New York
Covenant House was founded in 1968 by two Catholic priests, Bruce Ritter and James Fitzgibbon, who resigned from their professional college work and moved into a tenement building in New York City's East Village to establish a ministry for helping runaway teenagers and other troubled youths. They provided a mix of counselling and practical services such as shelter, food, and safety to vulnerable youngsters, drawing many clients and volunteers.
Covenant House was officially incorporated in 1972, and its first intake centre was established at 504 LaGuardia Place. It began as a nonprofit organisation, fundraising to shelter youth facing homelessness in Lower Manhattan and on Staten Island. Over the years, it expanded its social services programs in New York City and other cities, and today it operates shelters in 34 cities across six countries, serving 62,000 youths per year.
Despite its Catholic roots, Covenant House is not currently religiously affiliated and receives virtually no funding from the Catholic Church. The organisation welcomes young people regardless of their religious beliefs and provides safe spaces for them to tap into their faith as they choose, with no mandated faith practice. Pastoral ministers of different faiths offer voluntary worship services and supervise programs that encourage dialogue about religious and spiritual growth, as long as they further principles of respect, compassion, and the oneness of humanity.
As an agency of Catholic Charities of New York, Covenant House is committed to providing a reliable, stable environment for youth facing homelessness, trauma, and other challenges. They strive to ensure that young people have access to the services they need, including social workers, food, shelter, clothing, medical and mental healthcare, education, job readiness programs, and more.
Covenant House has worked to improve its services and image for LGBTQ+ youth, partnering with LGBTQ+ groups and seeking to create a safe and inclusive space for all. The organisation's Catholic background has been cited as providing a mission of social justice and helping the poor, with a focus on celebrating young people for who they are and connecting them to their authentic selves.
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It has been accused of sexual abuse and mistreatment
Covenant House is a large, charitable nonprofit organization in the Americas that provides safe housing and holistic care to youth aged 16–21 experiencing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking. It was founded by Reverend Bruce Ritter, a Franciscan priest, in 1968.
Despite the good work done by Covenant House, it has been accused of sexual abuse and mistreatment. The scandal involved its founder, Father Bruce Ritter, who was forced to resign from Covenant House in 1990 after allegations of sexual and financial misconduct. Kevin Kite accused Ritter of having sexual relations with him after meeting him in New Orleans and flying him to New York City to live at Ritter's expense. Kite also alleged that Ritter diverted up to $25,000 in Covenant House money to finance the affair. Ritter denied the allegations, but soon after, more accusations surfaced. Four men came forward publicly, claiming to have been in sexual relationships with Ritter for years, including multiple individuals who stated the relationships started when they were minors receiving services through Covenant House. A report later prepared for Covenant House counted a total of 15 reported cases of sexual acts between Ritter and youth and young adults who were living or volunteering at the shelter.
The scandal caused donations to collapse, and the organization was in peril. However, aggressive intervention by the board of directors, with help from Cardinal O’Connor, resulted in a thorough investigation and airing of all findings, changes in staff and internal governance, and a new director in the person of Sister Mary Rose McGeady. The investigation by private investigative firm Kroll Associates and the law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore found that none of the allegations, when viewed individually, could be proved beyond any question, but the cumulative evidence against Father Ritter was extensive. The report also cited minor financial irregularities but added that fundraising was professionally and efficiently managed.
It is important to note that sexual violence is a prevalent issue among vulnerable populations, including those experiencing homelessness. Covenant House New Orleans recognizes this increased risk and works to address it. Studies have shown that sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes, and the rate of sexual violence is even higher among homeless individuals. Providing access to safe and affordable housing can help protect vulnerable communities from sexual violence and mitigate homelessness rates.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Covenant House was founded by Catholic priests and has been described as a Catholic organization. However, it is not religiously affiliated and welcomes young people regardless of their religious beliefs.
Covenant House is a charitable organization that aims to provide safe housing and holistic care to youth facing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking. They offer a range of services including healthcare, education, job readiness programs, substance use treatment, and legal services.
Covenant House has expanded to 34 cities across six countries, including the United States, Canada, and Latin America. They have shelters in cities such as New York, New Orleans, St. Louis, and Vancouver.
In FY22, Covenant House residential programs cared for 7,700 young people, providing a total of 730,000 nights of housing for an average of 2,000 youth each night. They serve approximately 62,000 youths per year.
