A nun and two friars opened the doors to a dilapidated building on Eighth Street in Troy in 1971. They weren’t sure exactly how they would help the community—only that they would. The organization grew by its founders saying “yes” to everyone who walked through the door—yes, they could help you get housing; yes, they could help you access food; yes, they could help you navigate financial hardship.
Thousands of yeses later, Unity House is one of the most robust human service agencies in the area, providing a wide range of services to meet every person exactly where they are.
“Many people are not aware of the vast range of services we have,” says Erin Vickers, director of development and communications. “If someone is in need within our region and they come to Unity House, we likely can help that person within one of our program areas.”
The services that Unity House provides range from short-term assistance to long-term support. Programs include Community Resources, which provides access to food, clothing, and meals; A Child’s Place, which offers early childhood education and special education services; Housing Support Services, which offers supportive housing and case management for adults with mental health and chronic conditions; Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, which provides shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and crisis support to victims of violence; Northeast Career Planning, which connects individuals with disabilities to employment and training; and Behavioral Health Services, which provides outpatient behavioral health care.
Food assistance, Vickers says, is in particularly high demand. As of June, Unity House had served more than 184,000 meals from its food pantry and mobile food pantry this year.
“The impact is not only on the unhoused or those without income,” Vickers says. “It stretches into households where individuals are working but still cannot afford to pay for all their basic, essential needs.”
One recipient of Unity House’s services is a man who came to the organization hoping to rebuild his life so he could be there for his children. Thanks to Unity House’s behavioral health and recovery support services, he’s on a path of healing and growth, and hopes to one day gain full custody of his kids.
“His journey as a devoted father,” Vickers says, “is a powerful reminder that true stability is built not only through housing, but through meaningful partnerships, unwavering persistence, and a steadfast belief in what’s possible.”
Community support of Unity House is more important than ever: Earlier this year, the organization lost the Kathryn Allen Center, home of its non-residential Domestic and Sexual Violence Services Program, to a fire. To learn more about donating or volunteering, contact Unity House’s Development Office at 518.687.1584 or evickers@unityhouseny.org, or visit unityhouseny.org.
