Sister Grace Miller, founder of the House of Mercy homeless shelter, has died following several months in hospice care. She was 90.
Miller founded the House of Mercy in 1985. At the time, it was a fledgling operation in a one-bedroom house on Central Park funded by $20,000 from the Sisters of Mercy, the progressive Catholic congregation Miller belonged to.
“I had never done any fundraising in my life, but I didn't tell them that,” she said during a June interview with WXXI from her hospice bed. “I just took the money they gave me and ran before they had a chance to change their minds.”
From then on, Miller became the city’s fiercest advocate for the homeless. She would be arrested six times during protests and demonstrations for the homeless. Among those was a 1996 rally against the fingerprinting of social service recipients, a 2014 protest of homeless residents being locked out of the Civic Center Garage, and a 2018 protest in support of low-income residents at the Hotel Cadillac.
“I would fight with them over whatever, whatever the people needed,” Miller said, referring to the county and city administrations she often tangled with over the years. “I would fight for the people.
“I thought, I'm going to help the people no matter what,” she continued. “Because they have a right to shelter, they have a right to housing, they have a right to food. They have all these rights.”
Through that time, the House of Mercy grew into what is today a 76-bed shelter on Ormond Street.
“Our City is poorer in spirit and compassion today after the passing of Sister Grace Miller," City Council President Miguel Meléndez said in a statement. "Sister Grace served those who others would not, and she served them with unconditional love, understanding and anything else she could find to provide. She spoke her truth to power without fear and she truly did Gods work on Rochester’s streets for decades.
"On behalf of Rochester City Council, I convey the sympathy and condolences of our city to the Miller Family and to the Sisters of Mercy on this great loss," the statement continued. "Rest in peace and power Sister — and Godspeed on your journey home.”
Miller’s vision was uncompromising — everyone was welcome at the House of Mercy, making it one of the only low-barrier shelters in the city. In 2022, after the homicide of a shelter resident, Miller’s vision of a place that welcomed anyone would lead to her ousting from the shelter she founded.
Miller, though, set out the next year to build a new shelter, La Madonna Della Strada.
Last month, it became a reality. The Open Door Mission offered up a space on West Main Street to serve as a new low-barrier shelter. Its signage bears Sister Grace’s name. The project received support via $100,000 from the Presbyterian Church of the Genesee Valley.
Miller’s condition did not impede the development of the new shelter. If anything, it emboldened her.
“It was a push,” said Mercedes Vazquez-Simmons, president of La Madonna Della Strada. “We got to make sure we do this, we have to make sure that the shelter is up and running.”
Vazquez-Simmons said Miller had continued her work from her hospice bed, with monthly, then weekly, then daily meetings up until Thursday morning. Miller had taken a noticeable turn Wednesday night, however. In a brief notice titled "end of an era," Simmons emailed media and others on Thursday: "Sister Grace Miller passed away peacefully among family and friends at 3pm today."
Sister Rita Lewis, Miller’s longtime partner in shelter work, looked at the new shelter as a means of keeping Miller’s legacy alive.
“I learned so much from Sister Grace,” Lewis said, at the shelter’s opening. “She taught me so much over the years ... and I was just amazed at watching her with the people, and I'm going to do my best to imitate her and all she stood for.”
Miller was too sick to attend the ribbon-cutting in person. In what would be among her final acts of advocacy for the homeless and those who support them, she spoke through a video call.
“I’m glad I had the opportunity to say hello,” Miller said. “I’m glad to be with you, and happy to be a part of all of you, and I hope it’s likewise for all of you. I love you all.”
Funeral arrangements for Miller will be announced in coming days.
"Sister Grace, to me, was a saint, and I really hope they consider her for sainthood," Vazquez-Simmons said, adding that Miller had a bedside visit with Bishop Salvatore R. Matano earlier this week. "I feel as if we had Mother Teresa, we just had her here in Rochester."
Includes reporting from Brian Sharp.
