What We do

Moving Beyond Shelter
The Homeless Need Solutions

One of the most effective solutions to homelessness is to help homeless individuals gain independence through education, employment, life skills development, and permanent housing. This is especially true for the increasing number of younger homeless individuals. However, the solution is not as simple as building houses, schools and businesses. Nor is simply providing a bed, shower and a hot meal for the night sufficient for a permanent move beyond homelessness.

Many of the homeless have long histories in the Boston community: they have cycled for years between foster homes, DYS, DSS (as youths) and shelters, correctional facilities, marginal housing and low-income neighborhoods. Many have also experienced abusive family lives and relationships, and as a result they often lack role models and have difficulty sustaining motivation. Most have never in their lives known opportunity or stability. All have known repeated failure.

The homeless also often have inadequate education and lack the basic job skills, work experience, social supports and life and coping skills necessary to succeed independently in the community. Lasting success for the homeless is difficult without first receiving assistance in addressing these issues.