Delancey Street Foundation

Self help organization for substance abusers.

Overview

Delancey was founded in 1971 and has grown to serve thousands of residents in five locations throughout the United States.It began with 4 residents a thousand dollar loan and a dream to develop a new model to turn around the lives of people in poverty substance abusers former felons and others who have hit bottom by empowering the people with the problems to become the solution.They said they were going to take ex convicts and ex addicts and teach them to be teachers general contractors and truck drivers. They said it couldn t be done. theysaid they were going to take 250 people who had never worked and had no skills and teach them to build a 400000 square foot complex as our new home on the waterfront. They said it couldn t be done They said they were going to partner with colleges and get people who started out functionally illiterate to achieve bachelor of arts degrees. They said it couldn t be done. They said They were going to run successful restaurants moving companies furniture making and cafes and bookstores without any professional help. They said it couldn t be done. They said they were going to do all this with no staff no government funding and no professionals. They laughed and said it couldn t be done. They struggle a lot but they have been doing it. For over 40 years they have been developing a model of social entrepreneurship of education of rehabilitation and change that is exciting and full of hope. If you need help or want to help please contact us. Most of all they hope you can feel as inspired by ordinary people s abilities to achieve extraordinary accomplishments as they been.