NPP Spotlight: Face to Face

Established in 1984 as a meals program by members of St. Vincent DePaul Church, Face to Face has grown steadily over the years to include a range of critical health and human services.  They provide a welcoming meeting place for low-income residents who need assistance in their day to day lives. 5 days a week (Thursday through Sunday) they prepare meals made with organic ingredients and served in a community dining room setting.

The Face to Face motto is Hospitality, Mutuality, and Transformation and speaks to the belief that people experiencing poverty and homelessness should be treated with dignity and respect. They have created a safe and engaging space for its guests by offering practical tools to confront personal challenges, reduce the suffering of living in poverty, empower lives, and fulfill potential. Support from Face to Face enables guests to pursue positive, sustainable change in their lives. The legal services center opened in 1991. Health services were added in 1992, when a volunteer who was a nurse provided first aid to guests. Social services followed in 1994 responding to the increasing complexity and interconnected nature of guests’ challenges. These services have expanded over the years as residents from throughout the city began to utilize its resources.

The Face to Face Legal Center assists individuals with a range of issues including landlord/tenant disputes, home ownership and tangled title issues, disability, special education, veteran issues, consumer issues, and birth certificates. Access to these legal services provides a voice to those who have long been ignored and denied their rights and benefits. Attorney Michael LiPuma began at Face to Face in June 2022 as the Legal Center Director and focuses primarily on housing issues. Attorney John Winicov also serves in the Center and has been with the organization for two years.