As the world leader in volunteerism we feel a responsibility to unite our broader community, and to use this moment to learn from one another, to grow, and to become stronger.
See below to access our COVID-19 Resource Hub, and to explore our growing directory of both COVID-19-specific and virtual volunteering opportunities.
Help feed hungry bodies, minds and spirits by providing hot nutritious meals to our community's homeless men and women. Just get together a group of co-workers, colleagues, school mates or friends and family to serve a meal at the Woods Mullen Women's Shelter or Southampton Men's Shelter, both in Boston's South End. You pick the night you'd like to serve.
Although it's not a requirement, you can also sponsor all or part of the meal you're serving and help support the shelter's vital services.
Either way though, the shelter greatly appreciates your donation of your time and energy, and most important, your presence means a lot to people you serve. Kids must be 17+.
For more info, contact Mariann Bucina Roca at (617) 942-8671 or mariannbucina@fobh.org.
Friends of Boston's Homeless develops and funds innovative, solution-oriented programs to help homeless men, women, and their children move beyond shelter to lead independent lives. In addition, through advocacy and education, Friends seeks to increase the public's awareness and understanding of the homeless. Friends serves to bridge the gap between public sector funding and the current needs of the homeless by providing a vehicle for individuals, businesses, foundations and charitable organizations to be a part of the solution to homelessness. Programs include basic shelter (bed, shower, food), comprehensive supportive services (health and mental health care, case management, substance abuse treatment and counseling), job training and employment services, adult education and literacy, life skills development, and transitional and permanent affordable housing. Shelters associated are Long Island Shelter (located in Boston Harbor) and Woods Mullen Shelter in the South End.
Description
Helping the Homeless Move Beyond Shelter
One of the most effective solutions to homelessness is to help homeless individuals gain independence through education, employment, life skills development, and permanent housing. 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, shelters, marginal housing and low-income neighborhoods. Many have also experienced abusive family lives and relationships, and as a result often lack role models. 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. Lasting success for the homeless is difficult without first receiving assistance in addressing these issues.
Friends addresses these issues with each and every individual we serve, provding them the support and opprtunities to move beyond homelessness
