Early every morning, when our second floor opens John Doherty is there to greet and assist guests and maintain safety. Our second floor is home to the Fresh Threads clothing program, the Carolyn Connors Women’s Center, the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Medical Clinic, and our shower facilities. Especially in the mornings, the floor is […]
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3 Ways to Help People Experiencing Homelessness During a Heat Emergency
1. Check in with those who appear to be struggling If you suspect that there is a medical emergency – someone is sweating profusely, their skin appears clammy or pale, they appear disoriented or dizzy, or have fainted – please call 911. If a situation does not appear to be an emergency, but you believe […]
Guests Find Confidence and Self-Expression in the Margaret Stewart Lindsay Art Studio
When St. Francis House guests come to the Margaret Stewart Lindsay Art Studio, they often don’t know what they are looking for or what they will find. When they get there, our art therapist Gurleen Anand warmly welcomes each guest and encourages their open self-expression through a variety of art forms. Serving roughly 16-20 people […]
The Many Ways to Celebrate Pride in Boston
June is Pride Month, and in Boston there are so many ways to observe and celebrate the occasion! From block parties, to marches, to religious observances, here are some of the many Boston events happening in honor of Pride this June. Boston’s first “A Very Proud City” series, Every Wednesday throughout June At the beginning […]
Recognizing Women’s Day at St. Francis House
Each year on Women’s Day, we strive to bring women together, amplify our efforts to provide healing, and help women find their inner strength to use for their recovery. Women represent roughly 25% of the individuals we serve. While this is a smaller population, the needs of women who are experiencing homelessness are unique and […]
Mental Health Awareness Month: What Awareness Means to our Behavioral Health Team
At St. Francis House, supporting mental health is an important focus of our behavioral health department and the care they provide to guests. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we spoke to Associate Director of Behavioral Health Molly Dugan about the importance of normalizing conversations around mental health and acknowledging that mental health struggles […]
Meet Jose Rodriguez, our May Staff Spotlight
Jose Rodriguez joined the St. Francis House team in 2019 and serves as the Operations Coordinator in our Recovery Support Center. Jose values the connections he makes with the people coming through the RSC and brings his incredible empathy and understanding to those relationships. As a graduate of the Moving Ahead Program, Jose says he […]
Celebrating Service, this April, and Always
The impacts of COVID-19 on volunteerism here at St. Francis House, but really across the City of Boston, remain prominent. But as our Associate Director of Day Shelter Services said in passing this past January during the spike in cases due to Omicron: “we can only do the best we can do”. Thankfully, for us […]
Meet Frede Reais, our April Staff Spotlight
Frede started at St. Francis House five years ago as a member of our Community Engagement & Safety team. Since then, he has transitioned into a Guest Engagement Liaison and now into the role of Bilingual Case Manager. Co-workers in his department call him the “unofficial ambassador for immigrants” at St. Francis House, since his […]
Finding Resilience & Hope at the Willows
The willow tree has a special place in many cultural traditions. With a strong well-rooted trunk, and drooping, swaying branches, the willow is both strong in the face of adversity and resilient when weathering the inevitable storms. And, if you cut off a branch and replant it, it will grow a new tree. Resilience. Hope. […]
