“For precocity, some great price is always demanded sooner or later in life”—Margaret Fuller My name is Joe Simpson. I grew up in a small town called Roper, North Carolina. There was a paper mill there called Weyerhaeuser, where they produced paper products and lumber for building materials. The majority of my family worked at […]
Tag: homeless
Whatever the temperature, whatever the weather, St. Francis House is here.
So far this winter, we’ve been fortunate. Even without snowfall, winter in New England is anything but a wonderland to those experiencing homelessness. For those sleeping in overnight shelters, morning means getting back out on the streets. For those sleeping rough on a park bench or over a heating grate, morning likely means that someone […]
Reflections on the Year
As one year ends and another begins, it’s inevitable that we look back at the past year and think about all that happened during it. While the details change, here at St. Francis House there’s usually a rhythm that stays fairly consistent from year to year. New things do happen, new people enter our life: […]
St. Francis House on WCVB Chronicle Channel 5
On Monday, December 21st, St. Francis House was featured on Chronicle on WCVB Channel 5 as part of a series on helping individuals experiencing homelessness. The segment features Katie – one of our dedicated volunteers at St. Francis House who has been helping out in our kitchen consistently throughout the pandemic. Watch the segment here: […]
National Homeless Memorial Day 2020
The Winter Solstice is the darkest day of the year. The day of the year with the fewest hours of day light and the longest night of the year. It is also the day we mark National Homeless Memorial Day in recognition of all who passed away while homeless. Today, I will join friends and colleagues on […]
Christmas at St. Francis House
The holidays are always tough for the guests of St. Francis House. No stocking to hang by the chimney with care. No presents under the tree. COVID has made things hard for all of us, but it’s even worse when you don’t have a home of your own to go home to. Some of our […]
SFH celebrates the Ribbon Cutting for The Union at 48 Boylston
On Tuesday, May 28, 2019, St. Francis House and the Planning Office for Urban Affairs of the Archdiocese of Boston welcomed a full crowd for a historic ribbon cutting ceremony. The unique partnership announced one of the city’s newest additions: #TheUnionat48. The Union at 48 Boylston Street will provide 46 units of affordable housing in the […]
March Winter Storm Skylar: St. Francis House to open early
The City of Boston is expecting a snowstorm tomorrow, Tuesday March 13, 2018. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has declared a snow emergency in effect starting at 7PM tonight. How is St. Francis House responding in anticipation of the snowstorm? Tomorrow morning, Tuesday March 13, we will be opening 30 minutes earlier at 6AM, as an […]
National Homeless Memorial Day 2017: A message from Karen LaFrazia
Even when the dark comes crashing through When you need a friend to carry you And when you’re broken on the ground You will be found… This past summer I saw Dear Evan Hansen, a beautiful, tragic, yet ultimately redemptive musical about the ripple effects of a young man’s death. The show’s music is gorgeous, […]
Likai: “We must take care of the common people, the poor and needy.”
Likai, a supporter, eagerly shares some thoughts about what St. Francis House means to him. About 8 years ago, I was helping with some office chores at my church while a staff member referred a homeless person to St. Francis House as their soup kitchen program had been discontinued some years ago due to understaffing. […]
