Programs & Services

Who is affected 
Families and children, although not visible on street corners, are most affected by homelessness. On any given night, there are over 5,000 homeless individuals in Greater Boston – over 3,000 of those people are children. Families that are homeless do not differ significantly form low income families that are housed. The primary difference is lack of a home and resulting effects like higher rates of sickness and behavioral problems, lower educational attainment among children and higher rates of anxiety and depression among parents. The circumstances of the homeless population can be described as follows:
  • 80% remain homeless for relatively brief periods (4-6 months) and, once they secure housing, never return to the shelter system or the streets
  • 10% cycle in and out of homelessness over a period of several years
  • 10% remain homeless for many years and are referred to as “chronically homeless”

Our model of providing affordable housing to families and individuals as quickly as possible, along with intensive support services, is the way to end homelessness. By creating small housing programs with a ratio of one case manager per 10 individuals and/or families, everybody receives the intensity of service they need to remain housed and pursue their life goals. Our programs focus on smaller home-like settings with individualized attention in the communities of Boston, Somerville, Cambridge, Malden, Medford, Everett and Quincy.

Why Permanent Housing 
It's humane
Living in emergency shelters and on the streets leads people to lose hope and increase their exposure to disease and criminal victimization. When people are housed, they are safer, healthier and regain the hope needed to rebuild their lives.

It's cost effective
Housing people in permanent units with support services costs less than operating emergency shelters. When the costs of emergency shelter staff and facility maintenance are combined with the draw on expensive services like police, ambulance, emergency room and in-patient beds – the cost of permanent housing are less.

It works
Heading Home’s programs create small home-like environments that support over 100 unites of permanent housing. In each unit, our tenants get the personal attention they need to escape homelessness for good. The result is consistent success.

Our Strategic Plan
Heading Home’s strategic plan set the following priorities:

EXPAND SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES REGARDLESS OF PUBLIC FUNDING PRIORITIES.
With an historical commitment to ending homelessness for both individuals and families, Heading Home made a courageous decision to not chase funding if it meant abandoning our commitment to families and children. We will expand affordable housing options for homeless families even if public support does not exist to do so.

FOCUS EMPHASIS ON CREATING PERMANENT HOUSING FOR BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. We will continue to operate emergency shelters because they are important to help people through crisis, but people cannot escape homelessness unless they are able to access housing and the necessary support services. Heading Home will devote future efforts to programs that can be a permanent solution – to literally end, rather than simply manage homelessness.

INCREASE PRIVATE FUNDRAISING TO MEET GOALS. In order to follow through on our commitment to children and families we are prepared to dramatically increase our fundraising efforts. We will advocate for increased public support for families, but we will not wait for it, or count on it before we will act to pursue our commitments.