Project Renewal was founded in 1967 on the revolutionary principle that addiction was a health issue, not a crime. At the Third Street Men’s Shelter, we opened New York City’s first detoxification clinic, now called The Crisis Center, offering medical treatment and a bed, instead of a jail cell.

A year later at Third Street, realizing these men needed ongoing support, we launched The Recovery Center, the nation’s first outpatient clinic serving clients experiencing homelessness and struggling with addiction. At the same site in 2007 we started The Detox, New York City’s first non-hospital medical detox clinic for clients experiencing homelessness. 

Today the scope of services we provide under one roof is unmatched by any other agency in the city. Clients who complete their treatment at The Stephanie Cowles Treatment Center or Medically Supervised Outpatient Withdrawal services (MSOWS) – or elsewhere – can access group, individual, and occupational therapy at The Recovery Center to help them work towards their individual recovery goals and prepare for the next step on their path to renewal. These programs practice a harm reduction, client-centered approach to treatment, which also includes access to Medications for Addiction treatment (MAT).