As we begin the new year, we are excited to launch our new blog series: Medical Research on Health and Housing. This series will analyze and summarize current medical literature exploring the multiple links between health and housing. For our first post, Andy Hyatt and Andrew Olsen, medical students at Boston University School of Medicine, have worked with…
On Thursday, October 15, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., MHSA member agency Justice Resource Institute (JRI) will host an open house to display its Boston-based human services programs to individuals and families seeking assistance, as well as to potential community partners. Join Ed Powell, JRI’s Vice President for Community Engagement, along with Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W.…
For this week’s blog post, Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau Coordinator Alex Loughran Lamothe interviews Manny, a graduate of MHSA’s Leadership Development Program. Manny is a poet. He stores some of his work in a school composition notebook, but he also makes use of a small black cell phone. When inspiration strikes, he taps the lines and stanzas…
On August 20, 2015, The Boston Globe published “Boston finding homes for veterans: Aims to shelter all by end of year.” In the article, Alexandra Koktsidis describes the Boston Homes for the Brave initiative, which is focused on ending homelessness among veterans in Boston: In the year since Boston launched an aggressive effort to end homelessness among…
In this week’s guest post, Sam Greenberg and Sarah Rosenkrantz reflect on the experiences that led them to launch Y2Y Harvard Square, a student-run overnight shelter for young adults experiencing homelessness. Sam and Sarah are recent graduates of Harvard College, where they were student leaders at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter, a program of the Phillips…
We are excited to introduce MHSA’s new Veteran In-Reach Peer Specialist, Edwin (Eddie) Meléndez. Eddie focuses on engaging homeless veterans within community-based organizations. He links veterans to appropriate housing and services, and he assists them in securing federal, state and municipal benefits. Eddie draws on years of experience in the nonprofit sector, where he worked…
On May 6, 2015, The Washington Post published an article by Terrence McCoy highlighting the work of Sam Tsemberis, founder and CEO of Pathways to Housing. The article describes the Housing First approach to addressing chronic homelessness: Homeless services once worked like a reward system. Kick an addiction, get a home. Take some medication, get…
We conclude this year’s Spotlight on the Honorees series with an interview with Bentley University’s Service-Learning Center. MHSA will honor the Service-Learning Center, along with Joseph V. Roller II and Linda Wood-Boyle, at our 12th Annual Spring Fundraising Event on May 20, 2015. Bentley University’s mission is to educate creative, ethical, and socially responsible organizational…
At our 12th Annual Spring Fundraising Event on May 20, 2015, MHSA will honor two individuals and one program that have all made outstanding contributions to ending homelessness. Today in our Spotlight on the Honorees series, we highlight Linda Wood-Boyle, President and CEO of HomeStart and MHSA Board Officer. Linda Wood-Boyle has served as President…
On February 20, 2015, HUD issued Notice CPD-15-02, giving additional guidance related to transgender persons. Entitled Appropriate Placement for Transgender Persons in Single-Sex Emergency Shelters and Other Facilities, the notice states the following: “Following the issuance of the Equal Access Rule [Equal Access to Housing in HUD Programs Regardless of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity…