History

Samaritan House was founded on 1988 by a group of citizens concerned with a growing number of families experiencing homelessness.

Local churches led the charge to take action and create a safe space for families to spend the night. Run entirely by volunteers, Samaritan House sheltered its first family in December of that year. We acknowledge and appreciate those very dedicated volunteers who operated our night-by-night shelter program for nearly 10 years.

In the late 1990’s, Samaritan House established a long-term residency program that would be more responsive to the needs of the families: personal development, case management, mentorship and education.

In the early 2000’s, Samaritan House was gifted the Tides Motel property on Bay Street in Newport. With the help of the City of Newport, Samaritan House secured a community development block grant to rehab the Tides Motel facility and create apartments where once there were motel rooms. Today, Samaritan House carries out their transitional housing program in the 11-unit complex.