Need a bed tonight? Walk in 9am–4pm or call 215-917-7474 · 2418 Kensington Ave, Philadelphia
Start your journey

The door is open. Walk in, call, or fill out a form.

Whichever path you came here for — needing a bed, referring someone, volunteering, or partnering — this page is where it starts. Everything below goes to a real person on our team.

For yourself or a loved one

Apply for a bed.

If you can come in person, do that — it’s the fastest path. If you can’t, fill out this form or call us.

  • Walk in — 2418 Kensington Ave, Mon–Fri 9am–4pm.
  • Call215-917-7474, Mon–Fri 9am–4pm.
  • EmailFirstStopKensington@gmail.com.
  • Form — fill out the intake to the right and we’ll call you back.

We don’t require ID, insurance, or proof of income to start. Bring what you have. We’ll sort the rest.

For caseworkers, hospitals, parole, courts

Refer someone to us.

If you work with people who need a bed, we want to hear from you. We work with caseworkers, parole officers, hospital discharge teams, and community partners across Philadelphia.

  1. Complete the referral questionnaire to the left.
  2. Tell us if you need a callback — provide a number.
  3. We’ll get back to you the same business day, usually within hours.

Urgent? Call 215-917-7474 first; the form is for non-urgent referrals.

Volunteer

We’re always short on hands.

There’s a role here for almost anyone. We need help with meals, transport, paperwork, fundraising, social media, and just sitting in the kitchen with somebody on their first day.

Weekly hands

A few hours, same day each week. The most useful kind of help we get.

Skills you bring

Counseling, legal aid, accounting, IT, photography, design — tell us what you do.

Special events

Fundraisers, holidays, neighborhood drives. Come help us pull off a Saturday.

Graduates

If you went through the program, the door is always open. Come back and pay it forward.

Volunteer with us

Tell us your name, what you’d like to help with, and when you’re available. We’ll be in touch within a day.

Go to contact form

Or email us — FirstStopKensington@gmail.com

Partner with us

Hire a graduate. Open a door.

We work with a network of clinical, employer, and re-entry organizations across Philadelphia. If your work overlaps ours, let’s talk.

  • Employers — we have residents ready for shifts in kitchens, construction, warehouse, retail, and more.
  • Clinical partners — counseling and therapy organizations looking to serve our residents.
  • Re-entry & legal — organizations serving people returning from incarceration.
  • Community groups, churches, mutual aid — if you’re working this neighborhood, we should know each other.

Coming soon

Partner inquiry form

Our online partnership form is on its way. Until then, reach us directly and we’ll respond same day.

Email us to partner