Eddie Gloria: Camillus House shelter CEO looks to develop vital housing

Eddie Gloria’s path to public service was shaped long before he ever stepped into a boardroom. Now the CEO of Camillus House, one of Miami-Dade’s largest and most established homeless service providers, Mr. Gloria leads with a blend of lived experience and deep-rooted expertise. His upbringing in Miami, marked by early hardship and a brief period of homelessness, instilled in him a lasting empathy for people on the margins and a drive to help change their trajectories.

Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, Mr. Gloria immigrated to South Florida as a child after his father’s sudden death upended his family’s stability. His mother worked multiple jobs to raise three children on her own, and Mr. Gloria grew up moving between neighborhoods across Miami-Dade. 

He found early inspiration in books and history, drawn to stories of resilience and leadership. After college, a service trip to Peru exposed him to grassroots humanitarian work, setting up dental clinics, engaging with orphans and seniors and staging children’s theater. 

The experience solidified his calling not just to serve, but to help solve complex social problems on the ground. He went on to earn a master’s in public administration from Florida International University and entered the nonprofit sector with a mission to address those systemic issues head-on.

Over the past two decades, Mr. Gloria has built a career doing just that, leading organizations through moments of growth, crisis and transformation. He returned to Camillus House in September 2024 as CEO after holding key leadership roles both inside the organization and across Florida, including serving as CEO of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Venice and as COO of the Alpha-1 Foundation. 

At Camillus, he’s overseen operations across 10 residential sites, directed strategic planning and housing development, and strengthened the agency’s capacity to provide holistic care.

Founded in 1960, Camillus House today offers a continuum of services including emergency shelter, permanent housing, behavioral health treatment, job training and street outreach. The organization housed more than 3,700 people in 2024 and operates Miami-Dade’s only day center of its kind, providing showers, clean clothes, meals and access to critical resources. 

Under Mr. Gloria’s leadership, Camillus has deepened its focus on solutions that go beyond temporary aid, addressing root causes like untreated trauma, literacy gaps and employment barriers while working to prevent homelessness before it starts.

As housing costs rise and the need continues to grow, Mr. Gloria is focused on strengthening partnerships, expanding capacity, and advocating for policy and investment that supports truly affordable housing. His vision is grounded in both data and lived truth: that homelessness isn’t inevitable, and with compassion, strategy and systemic support, lives can change.

Mr. Gloria spoke with Miami Today reporter Genevieve Bowen.

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