Homelessness

We serve the survivor, significant other, and family members who are experiencing, escaping or suffering the long-term affects of violence as well as children who have witnessed such violence. Our services include:
A 24 hour a day, seven day a week emergency response hotline with counselors available to accompany victims to hospitals, police stations and safety;
A confidential and secure residential shelter with in-house support services;
Individual counseling, and safety planning at EFC sites and off site;
Support groups;
Economic, housing and general advocacy and assistance;
Legal advocacy on-site in the county courts who assist victims to obtain 209A restraining orders and other necessary services;

The Crescent Building Transitional Residence Program (CWT/TR), located in Lowell, MA, is a unique rehabilitation program which is designed to intervene in the cycle of homelessness and institutionalization by providing an environment in which veterans can acquire skills and supports needed to function productively and independently in competitive employment and community based housing.

Our Friends' House is a family shelter facility that provides emergency shelter services for 30-35 families in central Berkshire County. Shelter ser­vices include GED preparation, ie: work readiness, college preparatory training, adult literacy, par­enting skills, housekeeping, budgeting and nutrition education services. The program also provides approximately 400 referrals for additional support services.

Berkshire Housing Development Corporation (BHDC) was established in 1971 as a non-profit corporation by a group of community and business leaders who were concerned about the shortage of affordable housing in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. They believed that an adequate supply of housing for all income groups was essential to the economic well being of the County and that a private but public-oriented organization could play an important role by utilizing available government housing programs. The founders sold $255,000 of bonds, an organization was started that has produced more than 2,000 new and rehabilitated housing units in Berkshire County over the last 34 years plus carried out a wide variety of community and economic development projects.

Birthday Wishes brings the magic of a birthday party to thousands of homeless children each year. Birthday Wishes was founded on the belief that all children, regardless of their living situation, should celebrate their birthdays joyfully, surrounded by family, friends, and others who care. Started in 2002 as a volunteer organization serving one local shelter, Birthday Wishes has expanded its program to serve more than 165 shelters and transitional living facilities in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Long Island, New York.

The BCYF supports children, youth and families through a wide range of programs and services. The BCYF Streetworker Program has been hailed as one of the most effective youth prevention and early intervention services provided to Boston's youth. The goal of the program is to connect "hard-to-reach" youth to needed services and resources through direct, targeted street outreach.

Boston College Legal Assistance Bureau (BCLAB) is a community legal services office founded by Boston College law students in 1968 and funded by Boston College Law School and through grants from Greater Boston Legal Services, the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, and Springwell Corporation. We advise and represent clients with a variety of legal problems, including primarily domestic violence prevention, family law, landlord-tenant disputes, Social Security disability appeals. Pursuant to the Massachusetts student practice rule (SJC 3:03), students supervised by a faculty of supervising attorneys and a clinical social worker are certified to represent clients in every aspect of litigation, including appearing in court and at federal and state administrative hearings. Our services are free for low income residents of Waltham, Watertown and Newton.

BHCHP is the face of health care for Boston's homeless individuals and families. Last year alone, we delivered services to more than 11,000 homeless men, women, and children.
Over the last 24 years, BHCHP has evolved into the largest and most comprehensive health care for the homeless program in the country. Our success as a national model results from: the commitment of talented professionals and clinicians; a strong record of responsible financial stewardship; a network of public and private community partnerships; and a willingness to take reasonable risks to pursue our mission.

Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Inc., serves runaway, homeless, and other seriously at-risk youths. It has been a forerunner in the movement to create alternative services separate from the courts and criminal justice system. Bridge was founded by a group of educators and health care professionals to assist the growing number of youths living on the streets of Boston.
Bridge's Street Outreach Program visits areas where street youths gather each day, intervenes in the lives of runaways and homeless youths, and offers alternatives to street life and substance abuse. The program's runaway services attempt to reconcile families of runaways by facilitating stronger family relationships or arranging stable alternative living situations when family reunification is not an option. The family life center promotes successful parenting skills to pregnant and parenting teenagers; offers counseling to parents on educational, employment, and child care needs; and helps mothers to earn their GED. Child care is also provided. The residential component provides homeless youths and single parents with affordable, supportive housing; counseling; stress and time management skills; support for completing a high school education; and experience in performing daily housekeeping as well as working at a paying job.
Additional services include a free medical van, a medical/dental program, licensed outpatient substance abuse counseling, an education/preemployment program, and an AIDS/HIV program.

BRIK (Building Resilience in Kids) is a non-profit that runs programs in schools combining arts, education, and social skills.

The Center for Family Assistance (CFA) is a comprehensive resource for low income individuals and families. By combining a case management model and access to short-term financial assistance, CFA seeks to promote financial self-sufficiency. To help clients achieve their goals, CFA provides education on financial literacy and links clients to benefit programs and services available at JF&CS and in the community, including health care, housing, nutrition, legal, employment, educational, and job-training programs.

Mission: CTI's Mission is to assist low-income people to become self-sufficient, to alleviate the effects of poverty, and to assist low-income people to participate in the decisions that affect their lives.
Vision: CTI will be an advocate and catalyst for systemic change on issues that affect low-income people, including education, workforce training, housing, economic development, and civic engagement.

COMPASS prepares homeless families to be successful in communities going forward -- preventing future family homelessness one family at a time. COMPASS addresses issues that families bring into shelter as well as serving to prevent the well documented, deleterious impacts associated with shelter life.
The COMPASS for homeless families Community College Collaborative helps single mothers in family shelters develop their abilities to reach individualized, self-sufficiency goals for work, community and home, via a coordinated program of Community College based education and support services, critical information and long-term coaching.

We are dedicated to helping those in need to rebuild their lives. We provide not only the basics of food, shelter and emergency financial assistance but also adult education and counseling for life skills, employment and housing so people can make the successful transition to lead self-sufficient lives.

Education: CWU is dedicated to helping at-risk youth achieve self-sufficiency through education. Our CHANCES program is an alternative high school education program for pregnant teens in danger of dropping out of school.
Family Support Services: Our Early Education, FLASH, and Healthy Families programs support at-risk families as they move towards self-sufficiency through parenting education, early literacy, and health and wellness support.
Housing: We offer emergency and transitional housing as well as permanent housing search and placement to homeless families.

The Division of Housing & Homeless Services is the combination of numerous programs that help low and moderate income families establish or maintain safe and permanent housing.
As a member of the Mass Non-Profit Housing Association and one of nine regional non-profit housing agencies in the state, CTI offers rental assistance programs, homeless prevention programs, transitional housing for domestic violence victims, shelters for homeless families, home-ownership opportunities, housing advocacy and self-sufficiency initiatives throughout 43 cities and towns in Massachusetts so that families are able to live in safe and affordable housing.

Projects helping the needy, community meals, food pantry, clothing; online promotion of volunteering and caregiving; senior independent housing

HomeBASE is a new housing program for homeless families with children and for pregnant women. The Home BASE program started on August 1, 2011. HomeBASE can help pay for rent or other housing costs for up to 3 years.

The Homeless Shelter Directory provides Homeless Shelters and Homeless Service Organizations. The Homeless Shelter Directory was created for people who want to find and donate food and/or supplies to their local shelter. Volunteer Opportunities are available at most shelters. Contact information for volunteering at these shelters is included on the website.

Horizons for Homeless Children improves the lives of homeless children by providing early care and education in our Community Children's Centers, creating Playspaces (recreational spaces) in shelters throughout Massachusetts and recruiting thousands of volunteers to help us in our efforts. Horizons for Homeless Children is a leader in advocating for homeless children and their families.

House of Hope continuously expands and enriches our community by creating additional housing and support resources, while helping our current residents build self-esteem and regain financial viability. We appreciate your support to fulfill this ever-challenging mission.
Services provided by House of Hope, Lowell:
Emergency food, shelter and clothing for 23 families.
Case Managers work with HOH residents to assess their circumstances and plan for their futures.
Health services are provided by a nurse practitioner who conducts a well-family clinic. Medications are monitored, immunization records initiated, diagnosis explained; and the nurse acts as a liaison/advocate between the family and the doctor.
On-site mental health and substance abuse programming for all mothers.
Employment internship positions are available on-site for adult residents who have little prior success with employment.
Children's services at the House of Hope cover a wide spectrum of outreach and support. Intervention, engagement and love are the operative words when it comes to the kids of House of Hope.

Housing authority for the town of Lenox.

The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless was the first advocacy organization in the Commonwealth with a mission dedicated exclusively to ending homelessness. The Coalition was founded by a group of concerned citizens who recognized that homelessness was a complex and wide-spread problem that was affecting men, women and children across the state. Realizing that emergency services alone could not solve homelessness, the Coalition's mission is to address the broader factors that contribute to homelessness. Since our inception in 1981, the Coalition has realized our mission through litigation, legislative advocacy and public policy, public education, and direct services.

The mission of Middlesex Human Service Agency, Inc. is to improve the quality of life and independent functioning of a wide variety of clients through the delivery of an extensive system of community-based substance abuse and social service programs.
Programs include substance abuse recovery homes, inpatient alcohol education & treatment for adults convicted of two or more OUI offenses, shelter, food, & housing search assistance for the homeless.

The Needham Health Department offers a range of mental health services for citizens of the town. Public Health Nurses provide confidential counseling and referrals to all ages. Short-term home-based services for at-risk teenagers and their families are provided through Riverside Community Care's Alternative Youth Services program. The program includes family counseling, advocacy, information, and referral. Call the Health Department for more information on these free services. The town's Substance Abuse Prevention and Education program provides informational programs, educational resources, and confidential substance abuse support services for Needham youth, adults, and seniors. Contact Carol Read at the Health Department to find out more about inpatient and outpatient treatment, individual and group counseling, and peer support resources regarding substance abuse, addiction and chemical dependency.

The mission of Pine Street Inn is to be a community of respect and hope for each guest it serves, to be a resource through which neighbors and friends can help to meet the basic needs of others, and to serve as a national leader in the fight to end homelessness.

Transitional Housing is a supportive housing program intended to facilitate the movement of homeless individuals to permanent housing. Depending on the program, individuals may live in transitional housing for 18-24 months.
In addition to housing, participants receive a range of supportive services designed to promote participant self-sufficiency through skill building, permanency planning and supportive relationships.
Our mission is based on the premise that every young person deserves a safe and supportive place to live in order to develop his or her potential as an individual and member of the greater community.

St. Mary's Center offers women and children a comprehensive range of emotional, educational, and economic life-changing services through six results-oriented programs. Working with one family at a time, St. Mary's Center help families break the generational cycle of poverty and homelessness and transcend barriers to self-sufficiency and stability.

Stockbridge Housing Authority administers 41 Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in southern Berkshire County. SHA belongs to the Massachusetts Centralized Waiting List along with 80+ other housing authorities, and gives preference on the waiting list to applicants that live or work in southern Berkshire County (towns south of Pittsfield), are of very low income, are working or disabled, or are 62 years of age or older. Preference is also given to the homeless of southern Berkshire County and residents of southern Berkshire County with a terminal illness. For more information on the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and to download a pre-application, go to www.section8listmass.org. For more information about federally-assisted housing, go to www.hud.gov.
Business hours: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

We are the federally-designated national communication system (hotline and website) for runaway and homeless youth. Kids and family members - parents, siblings, other relatives - call at all times to work through problems and to find local help - agencies, organizations. Some callers just need someone to talk to, others need help finding a shelter, food, medical assistance, or counseling. Some callers are on the streets, others are struggling with other issues and we work with them to identify options to prevent them from leaving their home, when possible and if appropriate.

Covenant House Nineline is for kids who need to talk. Crisis counselors are available 24/7 to discuss issues around family, relationships, feelings, suicide, basic needs, abuse, health, sex, drugs and alcohol, and running away. The hotline is free and confidential. The Nineline website has information for young people on a wide range of physical and mental health topics.