"Charity Unlimited"

1955: Br. Mathias Barrett, an Irish-born Catholic with a passion for serving the poor, founds The Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This congregation of men grows, founding missions in England, Ireland, Haiti and Canada.

1963: Archbishop Pocock invites the Little Brothers to open a refuge to serve the homeless and destitute poor. The new Good Shepherd Refuge is located on Queen Street East, in an historically poor area of Toronto.

1986: AIDS takes hold in Toronto. There is no treatment and few services for people whose lives have been devastated. Barrett House, Toronto's first supportive housing residence for people living with HIV and AIDS, opens as a compassionate response to the crisis.

1996: As part of its mission to help people regain freedom from homelessness, Good Shepherd Refuge launches the Resettlement/Housing Program.

1997: Good Shepherd Refuge changes its name to Good Shepherd Centre. Good Shepherd Centre launches the Transition Program, now the DARE (Drug and Alcohol Recovery Enrichment) Program, an innovative response to the vicious cycle of homelessness and addictions.

1999: In response to the growing number of elderly homeless individuals, the Brothers open St. Joseph’s Residence, a supportive residence for frail seniors with a history of homelessness.

2004: Executive Director Brother David Lynch receives "Power of Humanity" award from the Red Cross for "creativity and vision in serving the homeless."

2009: Good Shepherd Centre undergoes major kitchen and dining room renovation.