Causes: Homeless & Housing, Homeless Centers, Homeless Shelters, Human Services, Mental Health, Substance Abuse Dependency, Prevention & Treatment

Mission: - To offer resources that prevent and end homelessness. - To support the recovery, health, faith, and independence of those who have a history of substance abuse, incarceration, and homelessness. - To raise awareness about the root causes of these life risks. - To serve everyone with respect, integrity, and grace. - To continue to learn, grow, and excel in our services. - To be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us by our supporters. - To reflect the teachings of Jesus and the love of God in all we do.

Results: Variable success rates as high as 100% for some programs.

Direct beneficiaries per year: 145,000+ meals served, 27,000+ bed nights

Geographic areas served: Greater Boston

Programs: Residential recovery & job readiness programs for men and women in the throes of addiction, their spirits can be easily broken. Homelessness and poverty can drive broken souls into disastrous living situations. The mission's residential recovery programs provide a safe and therapeutic environment to address substance abuse issues, an individualized care plan to build self-esteem, and programs to equip people with the tools and skills they need to achieve permanent self-sufficiency. Our guests receive guidance through daily twelve-step programs, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, anger management treatment, employment assistance, job training, housing assistance, and financial management assistance. In addition, guests participate in classes on living independently, repairing broken relationships, and improving social skills. When guests are ready to embrace independent living with a community-based support network, graduates are provided with detailed discharge and aftercare planning. On a yearly basis, hundreds of lives are transformed through our residential recovery programs. All program services are provided without monetary commitment from program members. This provides an opportunity for mandatory savings as well as provisions for outstanding legal obligations. Instead, program members are asked to participate in community service projects that contribute to the health and well-being of their treatment environment. This provides a structured environment for each of our program members, which is an essential ingredient to the success of any recovery program. Women's parole re-entry program: in massachusetts, female penitentiaries are filled by women who struggle with alcoholism, drug abuse, domestic violence, and mental health issues. In the commonwealth of massachusetts, the average cost to house an inmate in a state correctional facility is over 45,000.The same person under the supervision of the parole board and a community treatment program, can be treated at about a third of that cost. And without treatment plans in place, 2 our of 3 women exiting prisons will reoffend within 3 years of their releae. With extensive budget custs to correctinal programs, community treatment options for woemn ex-offenders are more important than ever. Since november 2005, the boston rescue mission's women's parole re-entry program has transformed the lives of 275 women. Many have joyfully reunited with their children and families, found meaningful employment, or continued treatment. Our overall progam graduation rate is excellent, at 67%. Safe & healthy program: the safe & healthy program is a place where people who are homeless can find safe refuge from the weather and city streets. Any guest may apply for other mission treatment programs and receive opportunities to participate in mission-sponsored activities. Many people do not have the means to both pay monthly bills and to feed their families. As a result, they may fall behind on their rent and utility bills, and eventually risk losing their homes. Our community meals and food pantry programs help to feed families and ease financial strains so that our neighbors may stretch already-thin resources to pay rent and maintain a stable living situation. Through our safe & healthy program, residential recovery program, food pantry, saturday morning outreach and community meals, the mission served over 138,000 meals this year. Out patient counseling program in march of 2010, the boston rescue mission partnered with arbour counseling services of allston, ma to provide out-patient counseling services to members of the residential programs sponsored by the mission. Program participants and graduates of the programs are able to receive out-patient counseling to address substance abuse needs, mental health needs, and family issues in a more comprehensive manner. Graduates of the residential programs often choose to remain in out=patient counseling in order to facilitate a smooth transition to permanent housing. After car treatment is an essential ingredient to successful outcomes initiated in resident a treatment. Clients combine their out-patient treatment with other aftercare treatment options offered by the mission (group therapy etc. ) in order to pursue family reunification and other treatment needs. This treatment option has been well received by the mission community and is a popular choice of treatment for many. Rebuilding homes in 2010, the mission launched the rebuilding homes program, designed to prevent homelessness by reaching out into greater boston communities to help with home rebuilding projects for low income elderly, and disabled residents. Mission program members join with community volunteers to provide 100% of the labor for home improvement projects which commonly include: installing ramps and rails, assistive fixtures, assistive devices, removal/demolition of unsafe structures, fixing walls, ceilings, floors, doors, and windows, cleaning, painting, and other general tasks. Materials and tools are provided from recipients, or the mission.

safe haven program the safe haven program is a 10-bed short-term transitional housing program for veterans with current substance abuse and mental health issues located in dorchester, ma. This is a pilot program and one of only four throughout the country. The safe haven program targets chronically homeless veterans who have had difficulty with traditional housing programs. The program utilizes three evidence-based practices for care: motivational interviewing, critical time intervention, and stages of change. Safe haven provides a low-demand and non-intrusive environment to its guests. The guidelines to the program are minimal and the focus is on the safety of the individual. The ultimate goal is to facilitate a safe and healthy transition for the veterans into permanent housing. In addition to housing, three healthy meals per day, snacks, counsel, spiritual guidance, and referral services are provided at the request of the client. The staff will strive to provide an environment that is conducive for the veteran to find hope, opportunity, and strength for a life transformation.

community builder incubator program on december 21,2004, boston rescue mission created the kingston investment properties trust. This nominee trust was created as a title holding agency. The purchase of the building at 25 kingston street is part of the boston rescue mission's 10-year plan. The boston rescue mission administers shared space for services in downtown boston for several massachusetts community-based organizations, including homelessness, youth and child services. The proximity to each other facilitates programmatic collaboration among several of these organizations and with the boston rescue mission. The mission is building future programmatic space capacity for its growing programs.