Ending Family Homelessness
Each year, Housing Families serves more than 1,009 homeless families, including more than 1,169 children.
We believe in a holistic approach to ending family homelessness. We address the concrete housing needs as well as the complex circumstances that lead to housing loss and the continuing negative effects that result from homelessness.
Housing Families’ case managers and program staff provide one-on-one care and advocacy for all family members. This care begins with each family’s arrival to our Emergency Shelter and continues throughout their journey toward stable, permanent housing.
Serving Boston Area Families
Housing Families serves very low-income Greater Boston families who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, or newly-housed in affordable housing. We mainly serve families in the Massachusetts cities of Malden, Medford, Everett, and Revere as well as Boston and surrounding communities. Children make up the majority of the individuals we serve. 87% of the households served are single parent and female-headed and family sizes average between 2 and 3 members.
The Problem
The causes of family homelessness are many and often many causes pile up on individual families. Homeless families face the collective effects of lack of affordable housing, severe poverty, broken social supports, decreasing government supports, domestic violence, and the challenges of raising children as a single parent. This past year in Massachusetts, over 9,000 families asked the state for emergency shelter or housing assistance.
The Solution
Despite the overwhelming nature of this issue, Housing Families offers individual families a way out. Our model protects and heals families at all stages of homelessness – during, after, and even before families become homeless at all. Learn more about our unique holistic approach to ending family homelessness.
Housing Families cannot overcome the housing crisis alone. We need your help in order to increase the number of evictions prevented, families housed and stabilized, and children making improvements. Donations of any size make an important difference.
Our Services
Children and Parent Services – We provide unique and holistic programs to homeless children and parents. Homeless children receive after-school tutoring, individual and group counseling, and summer enrichment activities. Parents receive individual counseling and group therapy, and can participate in Parenting Skills Group, and a Women’s Group.
Keeping Families Housed – Whether a family is facing eviction from their home, or is newly housed after being homeless, Housing Families offers individualized supportive services helping families keep their housing.
Pro Bono Legal Services – We provide no-cost legal representation, advocacy, advice, information, outreach, and referrals to low-income people who would otherwise struggle to access legal services.
Emergency Shelter & Affordable Housing – Housing Families shelters are part of the state family shelter system. We help families who have been surviving in extremely stressful and unsafe conditions. Housing Families also strongly believes that increasing the amount of affordable housing is part of the solution to ending family homelessness. As such, we have developed and maintained a number of low income housing opportunities in the Greater Boston area.
