A Sacred Network of Mutual Aid
Massachusetts
Resources & Refuge
"You are not alone. Whatever has brought you here, there is help across the Commonwealth — from Boston to the Berkshires to the Cape. Shelter, food, healing, and hands ready to hold yours. Begin wherever you need to."
Immediate Help in Massachusetts
Find Help Now
Real, currently operating resources across the Commonwealth. Choose a path below — each holds verified shelters, programs, and organizations ready to help today.
The Sanctuary
Emergency shelter and a safe place to rest across Massachusetts.
Pine Street Inn
City: Boston
Services: New England's largest emergency shelter — beds, meals, healthcare access, job training, and street outreach for men and women
Notes: Serves 1,600+ people daily. Also operates the Shattuck Shelter (617-892-9228).
Phone: 617-892-9100
Website: pinestreetinn.org
St. Francis House
City: Boston
Services: New England's largest day shelter — food, showers, clothing, ID services, recovery, and housing support for up to 500 people a day
Notes: Everyone in need is welcome. All services under one roof.
Address: 39 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116
Website: stfrancishouse.org
Father Bill's & MainSpring
City: Brockton & Quincy (South Shore)
Services: Emergency shelter for adults, plus housing stabilization and prevention services
Notes: Serves Greater Brockton and the South Shore. Helps people move toward permanent housing.
Rosie's Place
City: Boston
Services: A sanctuary for women — meals, emergency shelter, support, legal help, and education
Notes: The nation's first women's shelter. Women only.
Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter
City: Statewide
Services: State-funded shelter for eligible families with children and pregnant women
Notes: Massachusetts is a right-to-shelter state for eligible families. Apply through the state's Housing office or dial 211.
Phone: Dial 211
Website: mass.gov
No safe place tonight? Call 211 anytime — they can connect you to the nearest open shelter bed across Massachusetts.
Bread of Life
Food banks, hotlines, hot meals, and pantries across Massachusetts.
Project Bread FoodSource Hotline
City: Statewide
Services: The statewide food-assistance line — pantry/meal referrals and free SNAP application help
Notes: Mon–Fri 8am–7pm, Sat 10am–2pm, in 180 languages. Being homeless or having a record does NOT disqualify you from SNAP.
Phone: 1-800-645-8333
Website: projectbread.org
The Greater Boston Food Bank
City: Eastern Massachusetts
Services: 600+ partner pantries and meal programs across 190 towns; online pantry locator and SNAP help
Notes: Enter your ZIP code in the Agency Partner Locator. SNAP team: 617-598-5022.
Phone: 617-598-5022
Website: gbfb.org/need-food
Worcester County Food Bank
City: Central Massachusetts
Services: Network of partner food pantries and meal programs across Worcester County
Notes: Find a nearby partner pantry through their site, or call the FoodSource Hotline.
Website: foodbank.org
Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
City: Western Mass / Pioneer Valley
Services: Pantry network and mobile distributions across the four western counties
Notes: Serves Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties.
Website: foodbankwma.org
SNAP stretches further than any pantry — see The Providence to apply, and ask for "expedited" if you're homeless. For the nearest pantry today, call the FoodSource Hotline or dial 211.
The Healing Hand
Free and low-cost clinics, behavioral health, and care for people without stable housing.
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program
City: Boston & Greater Boston
Services: Primary care, dental, behavioral health, addiction treatment, HIV care, a street team, and medical respite
Notes: Care delivered at 40+ locations including shelters, MGH, and on the street. Nearly 10,000 people served a year.
Website: bhchp.org
MassHealth (Medicaid)
City: Statewide
Services: Free or low-cost health coverage — doctor, hospital, mental health, prescriptions
Notes: Many adults qualify by income. Apply any time online or with help from a community health center.
Website: mass.gov/masshealth
Community Health Centers (FQHCs)
City: Statewide
Services: Sliding-scale primary, dental, and behavioral health care regardless of ability to pay
Notes: Health centers serve every Massachusetts region. Dial 211 to find the nearest.
Phone: Dial 211
For a mental-health or substance-use crisis, call or text 988 anytime — free, confidential, 24/7.
The Haven
Safe places to shelter from the cold, plus guidance on camping and parking in Massachusetts.
Winter Overflow & Warming Centers
City: Statewide (winter)
Services: Cold-weather overflow shelter and daytime warming centers activated on dangerously cold days
Notes: Cities open warming centers and shelters expand overflow capacity in winter. Dial 211 for the nearest open site.
Phone: Dial 211 (24/7)
Street Outreach Teams
City: Boston & major cities
Services: Outreach workers who meet people sleeping outdoors and connect them to shelter, care, and services
Notes: Pine Street Inn and BHCHP both run street outreach in Greater Boston. Request outreach through 211.
Phone: Dial 211
Camping & Vehicle Dwelling — Know Before You Stay
City: Statewide
Services: Guidance on where it is and isn't legal to sleep outdoors or in a vehicle
Notes: Rules vary by city and town and can change quickly. Before settling somewhere, check with local outreach or 211, and see Rights & Laws below.
Phone: Dial 211 (24/7)
New England winters can be dangerous to sleep through unsheltered. If you have nowhere safe to go, please call 211 — they will find the nearest warming center or shelter bed right now.
Living Waters
Showers, laundry, restrooms, and personal-care access through day centers.
St. Francis House
City: Boston
Services: Showers, toiletries, clean clothing, restrooms, mail, computer access, and ID services
Notes: New England's largest day shelter — the essentials all in one place, open daily.
Address: 39 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116
Website: stfrancishouse.org
Pine Street Inn Day Services
City: Boston
Services: Day-time access to basic needs and case management for guests
Notes: Ask staff about current shower and hygiene access.
Phone: 617-892-9100
Website: pinestreetinn.org
Shower & Laundry — Find a Site
City: Statewide
Services: Shower, laundry, and hygiene access through shelters and day centers across the state
Notes: Availability shifts by location and season. 211 keeps the most current list near you.
Phone: Dial 211 (24/7)
Many shelters offer showers to overnight guests, and day centers like St. Francis House welcome drop-ins. When in doubt, 211 can point you to the closest open facility.
The Guardian
Free civil legal aid — your rights around housing, eviction, benefits, and safety.
Greater Boston Legal Services
City: Greater Boston & statewide intake
Services: Free civil legal help — eviction defense, housing, public benefits, family law, immigration
Notes: Regional intake lines: Greater Boston 1-800-323-3205 · Worcester 1-800-649-3718 · Springfield 1-800-639-1109.
Community Legal Aid
City: Central & Western Massachusetts
Services: Free civil legal aid for housing, benefits, family, and elder law across the central/western counties
Notes: Central West Justice Center is an affiliate. Statewide intake line below.
Phone: 855-252-5342
Website: communitylegal.org
Volunteer Lawyers Project (ERLI)
City: Boston region
Services: Free legal intake line connecting low-income people to advice, referrals, and pro bono representation
Notes: A project of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar.
Address: 7 Winthrop Square, Boston, MA 02110
Website: vlpnet.org/get-help
MetroWest Legal Services
City: MetroWest (Framingham)
Services: Free civil legal aid for housing, benefits, immigration, and elder law
Notes: Serves the communities west of Boston.
Phone: 508-620-1830
Website: mwlegal.org
Facing eviction? Don't wait for the court date — contact legal aid as soon as you receive a notice. If you don't appear in court, you can automatically lose.
The Providence
Government benefits — food, health coverage, cash assistance, and emergency help.
Dept. of Transitional Assistance (DTA)
City: Statewide
Services: SNAP (food), TAFDC (cash for families), and EAEDC (cash for elderly/disabled)
Notes: Apply at DTAConnect.com or by phone. Expedited SNAP available within 7 days. Interpreters in 100+ languages.
Phone: 1-877-382-2363
Website: mass.gov/dta
RAFT — Rental Assistance
City: Statewide
Services: Residential Assistance for Families in Transition — emergency funds to prevent eviction or homelessness
Notes: Helps with overdue rent, utilities, and moving costs. Apply through a regional administering agency.
Phone: Dial 211
Website: mass.gov/raft
Social Security Administration
City: Statewide
Services: SSI and SSDI disability benefits, retirement, and survivor benefits
Notes: You can apply without a permanent address. Ask about expedited SSI if you're homeless.
Phone: 1-800-772-1213
Website: ssa.gov
Mass 211
City: Statewide
Services: Free, confidential help finding any benefit, program, or service in Massachusetts
Notes: Available 24/7, multilingual.
Phone: Dial 211
Website: mass211.org
Applying can feel overwhelming — legal aid (see The Guardian) and the FoodSource Hotline can help you apply for and appeal denials of benefits, free of charge.
The Shepherd
Faith-based and community organizations offering food, shelter, and warm support.
Catholic Charities of Boston
City: Eastern Massachusetts
Services: Basic needs, emergency assistance, transitional housing, food, refugee & immigration services
Notes: Community service centers across eastern Mass. Labouré Center: 275 West Broadway, South Boston, 617-464-8500.
Phone: 617-464-8500
Website: ccab.org
St. Mary's Center for Women & Children
City: Boston (Dorchester)
Services: Shelter, housing, and support for women and families experiencing homelessness
Notes: Faith-rooted services for women and children rebuilding their lives.
Website: stmaryscenterma.org
City Mission Boston
City: Boston
Services: Anti-poverty programs, homelessness prevention, and emergency assistance
Notes: One of Boston's oldest faith-based service organizations.
Website: citymissionboston.org
The Salvation Army of Massachusetts
City: Statewide
Services: Food pantries, emergency assistance, shelter, and seasonal support
Notes: Local corps across the state. Find your nearest through 211.
Website: salvationarmy.org
Many Massachusetts congregations quietly help neighbors beyond what's listed here. If you have a home church, ask — and 211 can connect you to faith-based aid near you.
Know Where You Stand
Massachusetts Rights & Laws
A plain-language look at the laws that affect people experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts.
Right to Shelter for Families
Massachusetts is one of the only states with a right to shelter for eligible families with children and pregnant women, through the Emergency Assistance (EA) program.
Eligibility is income-based and the system has faced capacity limits, but families who qualify have a legal right to emergency shelter.
Apply through the state's Housing office or dial 211. Legal aid can help if you're wrongly denied.
Expedited Help When You're Homeless
If you are experiencing homelessness, you may qualify for expedited SNAP — food benefits issued within 7 days.
Being homeless or having a criminal record does not disqualify you from SNAP. Apply at DTAConnect.com or call the FoodSource Hotline.
Certain homeless, elderly, or disabled people can also use SNAP for hot meals through the Restaurant Meals Program.
Camping & Public Space
In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson that cities may enforce anti-camping rules even when shelter beds are full.
Massachusetts has no single statewide camping law — rules are set by each city and town, and some clear encampments on short notice.
Before settling in one place, check local ordinances or ask outreach workers. If your belongings are taken during a cleanup, contact legal aid.
Tenant Protections & Eviction Help
Massachusetts has strong tenant protections, and free legal representation is increasingly available for income-eligible tenants facing eviction.
- A landlord cannot evict you without a court process
- "Self-help" evictions (lockouts, removing belongings) are illegal
- RAFT funds can stop an eviction by covering overdue rent
- Free eviction defense is available through legal aid
Across the Commonwealth
Help by Region
Resources reach across Massachusetts. Here's where to start in some of the larger communities.
Greater Boston
Suffolk County
Pine Street Inn, St. Francis House, Boston Health Care for the Homeless, Rosie's Place, and Greater Boston Legal Services.
Start: Dial 211 or call Pine Street Inn at 617-892-9100.
South Shore
Brockton · Quincy · Plymouth Co.
Father Bill's & MainSpring for emergency shelter and housing stabilization across the South Shore.
Start: Father Bill's & MainSpring 617-770-3314
Worcester & Central Mass
Worcester County
Worcester County Food Bank, Community Legal Aid, and GBLS's Worcester intake line for civil legal help.
Start: GBLS Worcester 1-800-649-3718 or dial 211.
Springfield & the Pioneer Valley
Hampden & Hampshire Counties
Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Central West Justice Center, and the Western Mass Network to End Homelessness.
Start: Community Legal Aid 855-252-5342 or dial 211.
Merrimack Valley & North Shore
Lawrence · Lowell · Lynn
Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Northeast Legal Aid, and regional shelters and community action agencies.
Start: Northeast Legal Aid 978-458-1465 or dial 211.
Cape & the Berkshires
Barnstable & Berkshire Counties
Regional housing agencies, the Elizabeth Freeman Center (Berkshires DV), and Berkshire Immigrant Center.
Start: Dial 211 — it covers every Massachusetts ZIP code.
Pathways Forward
Massachusetts Programs
Larger state initiatives that move people from crisis toward stable housing.
RAFT — Residential Assistance for Families in Transition
Through: Regional administering agencies
Helps with: Emergency funds for overdue rent, utilities, and moving costs to prevent eviction or homelessness.
Start: Dial 211 for your region's administering agency.
Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter
Through: Executive Office of Housing & Livable Communities
Helps with: Shelter for eligible families with children and pregnant women, with stabilization services.
Start: Apply through the state housing office or dial 211.
HomeBASE & Rapid Re-Housing
Through: State & regional partners
Helps with: Rental assistance and stabilization to help families move from shelter into their own housing.
Start: Ask your shelter case manager or dial 211.
Find Help Near You
Resource Map
An interactive map of Massachusetts resources is on its way as the Network grows.
Interactive Map — Coming Soon
Soon this map will plot shelters, food, clinics, hygiene sites, and warming centers near your location across Massachusetts.
Until then, dial 211 anytime for live, location-based help — or choose a city to be pointed in the right direction.
The Network Grows
Angel Outreach in Massachusetts
Beyond these public resources, the Angel Network is preparing its own offerings for people in need across the Commonwealth.
Angel Offerings — Gathering
As angels gather and The Chalice fills, Hope & Grace will extend direct blessings, partner outreach, and community support to souls right here in Massachusetts.
These offerings will appear here as the Network grows. If you are in need today, please request a blessing — and lean on the verified resources above in the meantime.
You Are Not Alone
However You Arrived Here
Whether you need shelter tonight or hope to one day become an angel for someone else — there is a place for you in this Network.