As a former attorney who switched careers to pursue her creative passions, Antonia Nedder is a big believer in the power of music. “Music is what I do, and what I love,” she says. “It can be incredibly healing, and I thought that it might be something that the men and women who come through […]
Meet Nikki Funches, our September Staff Spotlight
How long have you been with St. Francis House? What do you do here? I’ve been at St. Francis House for a year permanently and a year as temporary staff, so all together it’s been around 2 years now. I’m a program assistant on the 4th floor for workforce development. My job is to provide […]
Sheila Zarba-Campbell Reflects on the Reward & Recovery Found in her Work

In a special guest blog post, our Campaign Director Sheila Zarba-Campbell writes about her experience losing her husband in the terrorist attack of 9/11 and how she is able to find comfort through her work at St. Francis House. One of the ironies of life is that our greatest happiness may come from loving […]
Wishing a Happy Retirement to Luis Fernandez-Castro!
We wish our congratulations and best wishes to Luis Fernandez-Castro who is retiring after more than 20 years of serving the guests at St. Francis House. Luis first arrived in Boston from Colombia in 1994. After a few years of acclimating to his new community and life, he joined the St. Francis House staff in […]
Provincetown II Sets Sail for the 18th Annual Shooze Cruise
The 18th Annual Shooze Cruise, presented by the Emerging Leaders of St. Francis House set sail on Wednesday, August 4th, 2021. Attendees boarded the Provincetown II from the Seaport’s World Trade Center Pier with new men’s shoes in hand – a much-needed necessity that is out of reach for many of our guests. After the […]
Fostering Creativity & Self Expression through our Art Therapy Program
After a year of closing due to COVID-19, the expressive art studio here at St. Francis House has reopened under the leadership of art therapist, Gurleen Anand. Gurleen works diligently to ensure all our guests feel they have a safe and secure place to express themselves freely through creative mediums. As the largest day shelter […]
Helping Those in Need During Heat Emergencies
June 2021 was the warmest June on record in Boston’s history and heat waves have continued to hit records throughout July. While excessively hot weather can be difficult to manage for many, for those experiencing homelessness, the situation is critical. Those who are outside for prolonged periods, like many of our guests, are at higher […]
Boston Mayoral Candidates Forum: Pathways Out of Homelessness
Join us for a virtual election forum with the candidates for Boston mayor, focused on homelessness & moderated by Marcela Garcia from The Boston Globe. […]
BBJ Op-ed: Everyday kindness can help alleviate homelessness
More than a year into the Covid-19pandemic, we must remember the continued needs of some the most vulnerable in our community: those experiencing homelessness. As individuals and business leaders, it can be easy to let the feelings of being embittered and embattled convince us that we are powerless to effect positive change in our community. […]
Pride Month at St. Francis House

Around the country, and around St. Francis House, June is Pride month – a time to celebrate all members of the LGBTQ+ communities. Why June? The 1950’s and early 1960’s saw the emergence of what was to become the gay rights movement. Back then, if you were gay or transgender, you were likely living a […]