Our Mission for Homeless Families

Friends of the Homeless of the South Shore is dedicated to helping homeless families by providing shelter, food, clothing, education and advocacy. We address a whole range of needs, from physical to emotional, from personal to social, and from psychological to spiritual. As a result, we make every attempt to address the needs specifically associated with homeless families. 

Our Goals to Help the Homeless:

It is our mission to focus on the following:

  • Build stronger parents, children and families;
  • Secure education and employment opportunities;
  • Find safe and affordable permanent housing;
  • Every family work toward functional self-sufficiency.

How many families are in crisis?

  • Nationwide 2 million families experience homelessness each year.
  • Currently about 3,600 families are in emergency shelters in Massachusetts. This means that more than 7,200 children are staying in a shelter tonight.
  • Families remain in shelter, on average, for a year before finding housing.

Who Are They?

  • 84% of families that are homeless are headed by women.
  • 92% of these women have experienced domestic violence and/or sexual abuse at some point in their lives.
  • In 29% of families that are homeless, someone is employed.

How Homelessness Affects the Children

  • 32% of homeless children repeat a grade in school. A recession, such as during the pandemic of Covid-19 can raise that.
  • Children who experience homelessness are sick 4 times more often than others and have 3 times the rate of emotional and behavioral problems.

What Does It Cost?

  • A family living in a shelter for 1 year will cost the state about $43,800.

Did you know …?

Friends of the Homeless, Boston Fair Market Rents, Fair market rentalBoston FMR Rates

  • Fair Market Rental for the Boston/South Shore area is $2,311/month for a 2-bedroom apartment.
  • A parent working full-time at minimum wage ($11/hour) will only gross $1,906/month.
  • Financial planning experts suggest not spending more than 30% of your income on housing. A family renting a typical 2-bedroom apartment in our area needs to earn $69,680/year — or $33.50/hour to meet that guideline.