PAUSE. Reflect. Act. 

At our core are three values: 

• Unity: The New Haven PAUSE Project fosters a sense of belonging and compassion by bringing together volunteers and marginalized community members through meaningful outreach activities, such as foot washing. These connections break down social barriers and encourage mutual respect and dignity, humanizing community members facing homelessness and poverty.

• Sustainability: Addressing homelessness and poverty requires long-term, community-driven solutions. By promoting sustainable practices and offering consistent, reliable support, PAUSE seeks to build lasting relationships and solutions for vulnerable populations.

• Empowerment: Through services like foot washing and outreach, PAUSE not only meets immediate physical needs but also uplifts individuals by treating them with care, humanity, and respect. This compassionate engagement fosters a sense of dignity and self-worth, encouraging individuals to seek greater stability and growth in their lives.

For this reason, we are rebranding to better capture these core values! The New Haven PAUSE Project (Poverty Alleviation through Unity, Sustainability, and Empowerment), formerly the New Haven PAWS Project, seeks to provide footwear and podiatric care to those experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty in New Haven. The PAUSE Project engages the greater Yale community in events centered around foot health, including foot washing services and shoe, sock, and hygiene kit giveaways. 

As a sister organization of the Neighborhood Health Project, with a proven track record of community engagement since 2003, we have decided to share our leadership board with this organization to ensure continuity of care. The Executive Director of PAUSE for 2025 is Ryan Sutherland, NHP’s Community Outreach Director, and former Executive Director of PAWS during 2019-2020, and 2022-2023. 

PAUSE conducts frequent foot washing and hygiene giveaways at The Episcopal Church of St. Paul and St. James (57 Olive St.) during Sunrise Café’s morning hours (a food kitchen coordinated in collaboration with Liberty Community Services) between 7:00am - 8:00am, and in collaboration with Loaves and Fishes/Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK) (8:30am, Saturdays).

PAUSE has partnered with a diverse array of national and local organizations such as Bombas, Noir Et Ivoire, Soles4Souls, Macy’s, and Coats4Souls to provide those in need with new shoes, socks and foot hygiene products. The PAUSE Project is presently seeking community volunteers and donations of new, unused socks and shoes. Over our history, PAUSE has given out thousands of pairs of socks and hundreds of new shoes to members of the New Haven community. 

For more information about our organization, please contact us via email at ryan.sutherland@yale.edu or send us a message on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NHPAUSEProject/. 

Thank you for your support! 

2025 Executive Board: