St. Francis Friends of the Poor offers permanent supportive housing services to homeless men and women with histories of serious mental illness. Founded in the 1970s by three Franciscan Friars seeking a solution to New York City's homeless crisis, they pioneered the concept of permanent supportive housing for the homeless with mental illness when they opened the first of their three residences in Chelsea, Manhattan in 1980. Today, they provide affordable, permanent housing coupled with on-site medical, psychiatric, wellness, and social services designed to help nearly 300 residents thrive.