This past year has been tough on everyone. The pandemic has disrupted all of our lives, and for some of us, has resulted in the grave illness or death of those we hold dear. It’s been an especially difficult year for members of minority communities. While much of the focus of concern has been on […]
Tag: St. Francis House
The Women’s Center: A Critical One-stop Shop for the Ladies of SFH

March is Women’s History Month! In addition, for more than 100 years, International Women’s Day has been celebrated on March 8th. To celebrate this day, we thought we’d talk about the work we do week in, week out with the women who come through our doors. Named for long-time St. Francis House supporter Carolyn Connors, […]
Overnight shelter at a local hotel? Challenge Accepted!

Last fall, the City of Boston asked St. Francis House if we could run an overnight shelter for them. With winter just around the corner, there was heightened concern about an influx of people who’d been sleeping outside when the weather was tolerable, but who would now be looking for a place to stay the […]
Joe Moves Ahead Thanks to the Moving Ahead Program
“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 […]
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: […]
Christmas – here, there, everywhere – thanks to staff and a generous board member.
On December 1st, St. Francis House leased and began operating a motel to be used as a temporary winter shelter in response to the reduced capacity of existing shelters due to COVID. This auxiliary shelter is helping to ensure homeless individuals have a safe place to stay and can comply with the safety guidelines from […]
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: […]
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 […]