The US homeless population is increasing yearly. Tragically, homelessness and addiction go hand in hand. The end result of homelessness is often substance misuse, and substance misuse often contributes to homelessness.
The difficult conditions of living on the street, having to find food, struggling with physical and mental illness, and being constantly away from loved ones creates a highly stressful state of being. Additionally, people experiencing homelessness striving for recovery often find themselves in the company of others who are actively using, a situation that can trigger a relapse.
St. Francis House, New England's largest day shelter, opened the Room to Grow Recovery Support Center, a peer-based, member-driven community embedded within our service agency, in October 2019. Located on the 5th floor of 39 Boylston St. in downtown Boston, the Recovery Support Center is designed to support members in their individual choice of recovery and learn how to live and enjoy life as they choose. Using a peer support model, we help members heal and rebuild their lives while also striving to eliminate stigma around recovery.
The Recovery Support Center is a nonjudgemental place offering multiple pathways of recovery support and educational groups for adults struggling with homelessness while attempting or maintaining recovery.
St. Francis House;
Boston’s largest
and most comprehensive
day shelter
Located in the heart of downtown Boston, St. Francis House serves an average of 500 poor and homeless men and women a day, 365 days a year. Our basic, rehabilitative, and housing services overlap and build on one another to provide our guests with continuous and comprehensive care.
St. Francis House is a welcoming and inclusive community. Every day of the year, we enable individuals to meet their basic needs for food, clothing and shelter. We transform lives using a holistic approach to understanding and addressing behavioral health, housing and employment needs. We commit ourselves to helping those we serve achieve renewed lives of dignity and self-determination.
