About Us

Mission Statement
The Lord’s Place, Inc. is a nonprofit, non-sectarian, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness by providing innovative, compassionate, and effective services to men, woman, and children in our community.

History
The Lord’s Place was founded in 1979 by Joe Ranieri as a modest soup kitchen.  It expanded to include a homeless shelter when Joe decided that something had to be done about the homeless situation in Palm Beach County.   To bring attention to the plight of the homeless and raise funds, he lived in a dumpster until the community raised enough money to build a shelter.  In 1983, The Lord’s Place opened its first shelter in West Palm Beach.  From this humble beginning, The Lord’s Place has become one of South Florida’s most important voices for the homeless.

Throughout the 1980’s, The Lord’s Place grew in size and prominence.  As a result, The Lord’s Place was able to increase its number of shelters from one to three.  It opened two retail stores and created a retail job-training program.  All this took place under the guidance of a dedicated Board of Directors, volunteers and staff who gave time, money and their hearts to The Lord’s Place.

In order to better serve the community and expand its services, The Lord’s Place began collaborating with another homeless restoration agency, Cafe Joshua, in 1997.  The two organizations discovered their similar philosophies and missions.  Cafe Joshua was looking for a facility for Joshua House, a shelter for homeless men in recovery, and The Lord’s Place provided the site of its first shelter at a cost of $1 per year.  From that first collaborative effort came the incentive to work more closely, which resulted in a merger of the two agencies in April 2000.  The merger provided exciting possibilities for addressing the needs of those less fortunate and offering a “hand up” rather than a “hand out.” 

Today, The Lord’s Place is one of South Florida's most innovative, cost effective and successful shelter programs, making lasting changes in many lives. The Lord's Place is a unique organization that offers homeless families and individuals a new beginning.