Our History

In 401 AD, Saint Augustine urged the Council of Carthage to call on the Emperor to reestablish the office of defender of the rights of the poor. In this tradition, A.D.R.O.P. continues to work as defenders of the most vulnerable members of society.

A.D.R.O.P. was founded in 2004 by Jack Deegan, O.S.A.  Fr. Deegan brought leaders, service providers, and volunteers together to assess the needs of the poor in South Philadelphia and began to match those needs with known resources.  Since that time our over 150 volunteers and leaders have affected the lives of over 1,000 families living in the South Philadelphia Area and beyond.

Poverty is rampant today and the gulf between the rich and the poor is widening. We, as Augustinians and laypeople, must make poverty the center of our ministry and devote a major portion of our time, talents and resources to fostering systemic change in the way poverty is addressed.

We must join with educational institutions, parish ministries, and other grassroots organizations to use their expertise to understand the causes of poverty and what can be done to effect real, sustainable change.

““We recommit ourselves…
to the work of reforming policies and changing structures that impede freedom, justice, peace and opportunity for all.”
-Fr. Michael Di Gregorio, O.S.A., Prior Provincial
”

What We've Achieved in fiscal 2017

  • Unity Clinic Visits: 1268

  • Saint Anthony Students Served: 225

  • Articles on Social Justice Distributed: 14

  • Voices From the Edge Newsletters Distributed: 10,000

  • Support Meeting Attendance of Returning Citizens: 300

  • Mary Mother of Captives Prison Writers: 370

  • Prisoners Involved in Writing Program: 700

  • Communications with Legislators Regarding Justice & Peace Issues: 192