Below is a timeline of the history of Off The Streets.
2009-2013
Off The Streets was founded by Deacon Michael Oles, a long-term volunteer at Dorothy Day Hospitality House in Danbury CT. Like Off The Streets, Dorothy Day House is staffed completely by volunteers and provides meals to 80-120 people each day. When Deacon Mike was asked to speak about homelessness to a group of middle school religious education students, he brought along some homeless people to tell their stories. The students were so moved by the stories that they sent money to Deacon Mike to help a particular gentleman. However, Deacon Mike had no experience in getting people into housing (it’s a lot different than cooking meals in a soup kitchen or running an overnight shelter). After some procrastination, he succeeded in finding an apartment and paid the security deposit with the students’ funds.
Deacon Mike realized that the Off The Streets model could be applied to any community. When he relocated to Lancaster PA in 2013, he started an OTS chapter there. OTS chapters have also been started in Bridgeport CT, Columbia PA and Huntington Beach CA. Since every community in the United States has some homeless people who could be helped by Off The Streets, it is Deacon Mike’s vision to establish Off The Streets chapters throughout the US. Each of us can be part of the solution in our own cities and towns.
2014-2018
Deacon Kevin Moore founded the Bridgeport, CT chapter of Off The Streets. He had a passion for expanding Off The Streets Bridgeport to help the homeless and to-be-homeless throughout Fairfield County. Since Deacon Kevin founded our chapter, we have helped to place over 600 individuals into housing.
2019-Today
Upon the untimely death of Deacon Kevin Moore in June 2019, Gerard F. Agoglia, CPA volunteered to carry on this legacy as the Managing Director of our chapter.