Spearheaded by Msgr. Vincent E. Puma and other concerned priests, sisters, and lay people, Eva's Village began as a direct response to the growing crisis of hunger and homelessness on the streets of Paterson.
When it was first opened in 1982, what was then known as Eva's Kitchen was located in the basement of the old St. John's convent on Hamilton Street. Eva's Kitchen served its first meal to about 30 homeless people in April 1982. Residential recovery programs for both men and women followed, as did shelters for homeless men and women and the Eva's Village Primary Care Clinic . By 1996, when it moved to its new 50,000 square-foot facility on Main Street, Eva's Village had grown into an extensive supportive community to meet the needs of the poor.
Currently, Eva's Village comprises 12 programs housing more than 300 people on the premises and serving approximately 1,000 meals a day, 365 days a year among all programs. The primary care clinic handles about 5,000 patient visits a year for medical, dental, and podiatric services supplied by a dedicated volunteer medical staff.
CHRONOLOGY
April 1982 - Eva's Kitchen opens on Hamilton Street
1984 - Shelter for Men
1985 - Shelter for Mothers and Children
1986 - Shelter for Women
1986 - Recovery Center for Men
1990 - Recovery Center for Women
1994 - Primary Care Clinic
1996 - Eva's Village opens at 393 Main Street housing the Recovery Center for Men, Kitchen, Clinic and Administration
2000 - The Msgr. Vincent E. Puma Center for Mothers and Children opens at 16 Spring Street
2001 - Transitional Apartments for Mothers and Children open at 17 Jackson Street
2001 - Podiatric Care added to Primary Care Clinic
2001 - Relocation and Expansion of Women's Shelter at 31 Jackson Street
2001 - Relocation and Expansion of Men's Shelter in the Sister Cathy Center at 389 Main Street
2002 - Dental Care added to Primary Care Clinic
2004 - Intensive Outpatient Program begins at 393 Main Street
2006 - Men's Permanent Supportive Housing at 22 Jackson Street
2008 - Relocation and Expansion of Hope Residence of St. Frances for Mothers and Children at 25 Jackson Street
Projected in 2009 - Expansion of Intensive Outpatient Services, Job Readiness and Recovery Center at 16 Spring Street
Projected in 2010 - Permanent affordable housing at 75 Spring Street
