Our History

A COMMUNITY HOUSE IN HELL'S KITCHEN SINCE THE 1930s. St. Paul’s House began in the 1930s, when a small brownstone in Hell’s Kitchen was opened as a space of welcome, faith, and service. What started as a modest effort to meet practical needs in the neighborhood has grown into a lasting community house where generations of neighbors have found food, friendship, and hope.

HELL'S KITCHEN: THEN & NOW. In the 1930s, Hell’s Kitchen was known for its tenements, immigrant families, and working-class grit. The neighborhood has changed dramatically over the decades, but St. Paul’s House has remained a steady presence - rooted in hospitality and Christ’s love, adapting with the times while staying faithful to our call to serve.

MILESTONES ALONG THE WAY.

• 1930s – Rev. J.J.D. “Dad” Hall, an Episcopal evangelist, and his assistant Creighton Dunlap establish a mission presence in Hell’s Kitchen, preaching in open-air settings and investing in creative forms of outreach.

• 1939 – During his recovery from illness, Dad Hall begins what became known as the Marvelous Telephone Ministry. A “wrong number” phone call sparks a movement of daily conversations where he shared the Gospel, eventually growing to dozens of calls each day.
   
• Late 1930s – St. Paul’s House is formally established when Dad Hall acquires the brownstone at 335 W. 51st Street. It becomes a haven for missionaries, a hub for tract distribution, prayer meetings, and a place where neighbors could find welcome, food, and the love of Christ.
   
• 1940s–50s – Ministries expand with regular meal and pantry programs to meet the needs of struggling families in Hell’s Kitchen. Volunteers, often recruited through Bible schools, help sustain the daily work of service and hospitality.
   
• 1960s–70s – Youth discipleship and neighborhood outreach deepen as SPH becomes a multigenerational ministry presence in the city. The spirit of open-air evangelism and personal witness remains central.
   
• 1990s–early 2000s – SPH operates a transitional housing program for formerly incarcerated men, providing shelter, structure, and community as they reintegrated into society.
   
• 2000s – Programs like Creighton’s Café and the Neighborhood Pantry continue the long tradition of hospitality, now with a renewed focus on meals, dignity, and relational connection.
   
• Today – Heartbeat Youth, the SPH Fellowship, and seasonal community events extend the founders’ vision into new generations. SPH remains a house of hospitality, formation, and neighborly love in the heart of New York City.
  

A LEGACY OF NEIGHBORS. For nearly a century, SPH NYC has been a gathering place for people from all walks of life: neighbors in need, volunteers, missionaries, and friends. Along the way, we’ve had the joy of welcoming remarkable individuals such as Corrie Ten Boom, who carried her testimony of faith and forgiveness after surviving the Holocaust, and countless others who have brought encouragement, wisdom, and hope.

But the heart of our story is not only in well-known names. It is in the everyday friendships formed at the table, the prayers whispered in community, and the small acts of kindness shared between neighbors. From the famous to the familiar, SPH has always been a home where lives are interwoven and generations are shaped by Christ’s love.

LOOKING AHEAD, Our story is still being written. As we continue to serve, mentor, and welcome, we remain rooted in the vision of our founders and committed to being a house of hospitality and hope for generations to come.