Key Takeaways
- • St. Vincent de Paul Bremerton has secured the full $22.4 million needed to build the first phase of its Star of Hope Campaign in Kitsap County, Washington, according to a November 2, 2026 press release distributed via PRNewswire-PRWeb.
- • A $3 million grant from the Medina Foundation, awarded in October 2026, closed the final funding gap; construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2027 and take about 12 months.
- • The first phase will add 38 deeply affordable homes (10 transitional and 28 permanent supportive units) and 17 emergency shelter beds, raising Birkenfeld-Stella Maris House capacity from 30 to 47 beds for women and children.
- • Kitsap County has only 12 affordable homes for every 100 very-low-income households needing one, per the Kitsap County Department of Human Services.
- • A second phase could add more than 70 affordable homes, childcare assistance, an early learning center, and a community gathering space, to be led by Beacon Development and the Bremerton Housing Authority.
Summary
St. Vincent de Paul Bremerton has secured all $22.4 million required to build the first phase of its Star of Hope Campaign, according to a press release dated November 2, 2026. The project will expand emergency shelter and add 38 deeply affordable homes for women and children in Kitsap County. A $3 million grant from the Medina Foundation, awarded in October 2026, closed the final funding gap. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2027 and is expected to take approximately 12 months.
The first phase will be built on the organization's property at North Callow Avenue and 13th Street. It includes 38 deeply affordable homes, comprising 10 transitional units and 28 permanent supportive housing units, including homes for women rebuilding their lives after incarceration. It also adds 17 emergency shelter beds at Birkenfeld-Stella Maris House, growing capacity from 30 to 47 beds for women and children. The campus will feature a renovated Neighborhood Market & Resource Center, where families shop for groceries and connect with case managers, along with wraparound services covering housing navigation, job assistance, mental health, health care, and education.
According to the Kitsap County Department of Human Services, the county has only 12 affordable homes for every 100 very-low-income households that need one. Many families cycle between shelters, cars, and couches, the organization said. Joseph Crain, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul Bremerton, credited a broad coalition of State and County funders, foundations, businesses, faith communities, and individual donors. Named funders include the State of Washington, Kitsap County, the Medina Foundation, the Ben B. Cheney Foundation, the Harnish Foundation, and the Norcliffe Foundation. The Kitsap County Affordable Housing Consortium, which includes the Bremerton Housing Authority, Kitsap Mental Health Services, Housing Kitsap, and Kitsap Community Resources, also provided critical support.
The first phase lays groundwork for a second phase that could add more than 70 affordable homes, childcare assistance, an early learning center, and a community gathering space. Beacon Development and the Bremerton Housing Authority will lead that effort. Operating the expanded shelter depends on ongoing community support, with each shelter bed costing $3,942 a year in donated funds. Donors can sponsor a bed or join the Vincentian Club monthly giving program. Details of a groundbreaking ceremony will be announced in the coming months.
The first phase will be built on the organization's property at North Callow Avenue and 13th Street. It includes 38 deeply affordable homes, comprising 10 transitional units and 28 permanent supportive housing units, including homes for women rebuilding their lives after incarceration. It also adds 17 emergency shelter beds at Birkenfeld-Stella Maris House, growing capacity from 30 to 47 beds for women and children. The campus will feature a renovated Neighborhood Market & Resource Center, where families shop for groceries and connect with case managers, along with wraparound services covering housing navigation, job assistance, mental health, health care, and education.
According to the Kitsap County Department of Human Services, the county has only 12 affordable homes for every 100 very-low-income households that need one. Many families cycle between shelters, cars, and couches, the organization said. Joseph Crain, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul Bremerton, credited a broad coalition of State and County funders, foundations, businesses, faith communities, and individual donors. Named funders include the State of Washington, Kitsap County, the Medina Foundation, the Ben B. Cheney Foundation, the Harnish Foundation, and the Norcliffe Foundation. The Kitsap County Affordable Housing Consortium, which includes the Bremerton Housing Authority, Kitsap Mental Health Services, Housing Kitsap, and Kitsap Community Resources, also provided critical support.
The first phase lays groundwork for a second phase that could add more than 70 affordable homes, childcare assistance, an early learning center, and a community gathering space. Beacon Development and the Bremerton Housing Authority will lead that effort. Operating the expanded shelter depends on ongoing community support, with each shelter bed costing $3,942 a year in donated funds. Donors can sponsor a bed or join the Vincentian Club monthly giving program. Details of a groundbreaking ceremony will be announced in the coming months.
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