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Nearly 35 years ago, Phillips, along with Leslie Furst, Maureen Hughes, Nancy Stoetzer, and the Rev. Gary P. Brown, founded the Pacific House emergency shelter, which still operates today, serving the communities of Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan and beyond.
Pacific House remains the area’s only dedicated men’s emergency shelter, operating 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Since its opening, the shelter has served an estimated 1 million meals, provided 800,000 bed-nights and secured housing for 1,500 people.
“The Rays of Hope Gala is an opportunity to inspire and inform those that are standing up for the needs of homeless individuals in our own community,” said Jim Bosek, the organization’s board chairman. “We are thrilled to honor Pat Phillips, and this recognition is well deserved.”
In 2013, Berkeley House was re-named the Patricia C. Phillips House in recognition of her vision, generosity and commitment to helping the community.
“I’m very proud of how the organization has progressed,” said Phillips. “The vision we had when we opened the shelter has continued. We thought, ‘where are these guys going to go, it’s so expensive to live here,’ so we opened a house for the men to go to. We knew we were taking a risk, but we had to do it. Today there are nine [houses] in the works, and I’m so proud that there are so many houses for these men to go to. They deserve respect and a safe place to live.”
The annual Rays of Hope Gala is the organization’s largest fundraiser, raising funds to help those that need it most. Tickets are still available for the event, which includes dining, dancing and competing for auction prizes, with former Major League Baseball player and manager Bobby Valentine serving as master of ceremonies.
Reservations begin at $250 per person. Click here to purchase tickets or call 203-406-0017.
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