People Incorporated got its start in 1969 when a St. Paul minister, Rev. Harry Maghakian, noticed that a residence next to his church was sheltering a number of otherwise homeless men.
Many were veterans from World War II and Korea, and it was clear that many were masking symptoms of a mental illness with alcohol or drugs. Maghakian’s congregation began to offer these men a place in their church to come for coffee and snacks, and soon this grew to Thanksgiving and holiday meals and other special occasions.
At the time there were few organizations in the Twin Cities serving people with mental illness, and Maghakian’s church soon joined with five other congregations to found an organization that eventually became known as People Incorporated.
Now serving over 5,800 clients per year through 39 programs at 37 sites throughout the five metro-county region, People Incorporated is well-recognized for its leadership and innovation in the provision of services for persons with mental illness (see our Awards and Recognition).
People Incorporated is governed by a 14-member Board of Directors and employs over 220 full-time and 200 part-time employees. Our annual budget is $18 million. |
