Our History
1800s
St. John’s Episcopal Church in Stamford begins an organized outreach program to immigrants living in South Stamford working for the Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company around 1879.
A Charter is granted by the State of Connecticut to “care for the aged, sick, infirm, homeless and orphans.” St. John’s Church House purchases the George A. Hoyt estate property at the corner of Pacific and Woodland Place to accommodate the exploding needs. The Chapel of St. Luke the Physician is dedicated.
Edward Day Ferguson Memorial Building on the Pacific/Woodland site is obtained to house services to meet the expanding health, recreational, and social service needs. It contains an auditorium, gymnasium, housing rooms, and hospital rooms. It is referred to as St. John’s Hospital and Home.
St. John’s Episcopal Church in Stamford begins an organized outreach program to immigrants living in South Stamford working for the Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company around 1879.
A Charter is granted by the State of Connecticut to “care for the aged, sick, infirm, homeless and orphans.” St. John’s Church House purchases the George A. Hoyt estate property at the corner of Pacific and Woodland Place to accommodate the exploding needs. The Chapel of St. Luke the Physician is dedicated.
Edward Day Ferguson Memorial Building on the Pacific/Woodland site is obtained to house services to meet the expanding health, recreational, and social service needs. It contains an auditorium, gymnasium, housing rooms, and hospital rooms. It is referred to as St. John’s Hospital and Home.
1900s
The Great Hurricane devastates the neighborhood, killing many persons and leaving others destitute and homeless. St. John’s Church House is the center of the relief efforts.
St. John’s Church House and its Ferguson Memorial Hall were used full-time during World War II by sailors stationed at nearby Luders’ Marine Construction (Brewer’s Marina) and for the air raid wardens.
St. Luke’s Community Center is established to serve the needs of children and families living in the neighborhood.
St. John’s Episcopal Church, in cooperation with other Episcopal churches and the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, forms the Community of St. Luke’s. The community takes over the work of the Community Center, which operates as an “intentional religious community. An emergency shelter opens. Food co-op and food distribution programs are developed.
The Community of St. Luke becomes St. Luke’s Community Services, a not-for-profit, non-sectarian organization.
The Rev. Richard Schuster, the Assistant Director of Episcopal Social Services, becomes the Executive Director. The Gilead House Residential Program opens, providing four three-bedroom apartment units for 13 persons with a history of psychiatric disabilities.
The McKinney Residence Program opens, providing two three-bedroom apartment units serving 10 persons with HIV/AIDS.
The Transitional Housing Program opens, providing six two-bedroom apartment units for 24 men and women in transition.
The city of Stamford asks St. Luke’s Community Services to provide overnight shelter to homeless women. Twenty-one women are accommodated.
St. Luke’s Community Services opens the Center for Families and Children at Franklin Common, bringing 11 other agencies under one roof in order to provide a seamless service system for homeless families. St. Luke’s Community Services opens.
- 58 single-room occupancy units for up to 128 persons in need of short-term and transitional housing.
- The Children’s Community, a childcare center for 100 children with infants through afterschool programming.
- 12 single-room occupancy units for 19 single women in need of short-term and transitional housing.
St. Luke’s Community Services changes its name to St. Luke’s LifeWorks. The Colony Apartments open comprising of 29 efficiency apartment units for persons with special needs and for low-income working persons. This is achieved through the Fairfield Community Development Corporation.
Atlantic Park Apartments opens containing 27 efficiency apartment units for persons with special needs and for low-income working persons.
2000s
Gilead House establishes a Jail Diversion Program for persons with a history of psychiatric disabilities who have become involved with the criminal justice system.
SLLW/B&R takes over the management of Metcalf House on a property owned by the Unitarian Church of Stamford. SLLW/B&R opens Rose Park Apartments in collaboration with the City of Stamford.
Significant improvements continue to be made to all the properties, with McKinney House being completely renovated. St. Luke’s LifeWorks officially changes its name to Inspirica, Inc. with the tagline, From Homelessness to Home, in March 2012.
Inspirica doubles the size of its family emergency shelter. The new Family Housing Emergency Shelter has 42 beds, expanding the size of the overall Family Housing Program by 25%. The total capacity of the Family Housing Program is now 105 beds, not including overflow space such as cribs.
Inspirica launches its innovative Early Childhood and Parenting Program. The center combines crucial early childhood learning/development and a pre-literacy program for the homeless children in our care with essential parenting skills classes for their parents.
Inspirica officially opens Summer Place (992 Summer Street) – in collaboration with Charter Oaks Communities - a 48-unit deeply affordable housing facility for seniors 55+ in the heart of downtown Stamford.
Inspirica officially opens Franklin Apartments – Class A affordable housing for Stamford’s workforce, which includes 53 apartments that can house up to 125 individuals.
Inspirica shares a new Mission:
- Inspirica strives to end homelessness and housing insecurity by helping individuals and families achieve independence through support services and affordable housing.
Inspirica implements its new strategic plan focused on six key opportunity areas: Housing, Support Services, Partnerships, Fundraising, Branding & Marketing, and Talent.
Inspirica’s Education, Employment, and Financial Empowerment Program is launched to provide support services to Inspirica’s clients.