Massachusetts Network of Foster Care Alumni
Do you have a suggestion for a resource program and/or organization we should add? Share a Resource through the new resource request form or e-mail us the resource details and we'll follow up with the organization directly.
Operation A.B.L.E. (Ability Based on LongExperience) serves as an employment and training resource for an economically, occupationally, and racially-diverse population of job seekers age 45 and older.
Food –
Kates Kitchen- lunch daily all welcome no questions asked, 413-532-0233
Margaret's Pantry- 413-538-8026
Clothing –
St. Jude's- 413-538-8026
Holyoke Career Closet- 413-552-2564
Mother Mary's- 413-536-5200
Housing- For men in recovery
Loreto House- 413-533-5909
Broderick House- 413-536-9109
McCleary Manor- 413-536-9109
Job Training-
foodWorks @ Kate's Kitchen 413-536-9109
We are a community center for poor and homeless women — meals, advocacy, food pantry, lockers, laundry, showers, shelter, ESOL classes, computer classes, pre-GED tutoring, job counselor, housing search, legal services, outreach, public policy, organizing, arts workshops, mental health worker, credit counselor, wellness programming
Located in the Boston neighborhood of Roxbury, Roxbury Village provides up to 18 months of housing for nine young people at a time, as well as intensive services and supports to build necessary resources and skills. Roxbury Village provides assistance with employment services; educational support; access to health services; positive and appropriate peer and adult relationships; strong community connections; and enhanced life skills (e.g. budgeting, financial management, and parenting).
http://www.thehome.org/site/PageServer?pagename=programs_independent_living_roxbury#.VW82-vlViko
The Salvation Army's Adult Rehabilitation Centers and Harbor Light programs have provided spiritual, social, and emotional assistance for men and women who have lost the ability to cope with their problems and provide for themselves. Centers offers residential housing, work, and group and individual therapy, all in a clean, wholesome environment.
Shortstop is a community-based program that provides housing and transitional care to homeless young adults, ages 18- 22, from the Somerville, Cambridge and Greater Boston areas. ShortStop offers a variety of services including educational and vocational support services for young people transitioning to adulthood. Shortstop assists each young adult to make a successful transitional to stable permanent living situations by promoting independent living skills in a supportive environment.
http://www.waysideyouth.org/shortstop-transitional-housing-co-ed/
Our primary goal is to establish and build relationships with runaway, homeless & street-dependent youth ages 13-25. Life skills focused on are:
1. Anger Management Sessions
2. Increased tutoring services for GED, job hunting/resume building
3. Financial Management
4. Improving Communications
5. Study Skills
6. Goal Setting
7. Behavior Management Class
8. Social Events for homeless and at-risk youth/families
Provides transitional housing and outreach services for up to 8 homeless, unaccompanied, young adults ages 18 – 24 , in Indian Orchard who meet the HUD definition of homelessness. The goal is to provide them with a safe place to live and to help them develop life skills to live independently.
Guide written by the Massachusetts Court Improvement Program in partnership with other co-authors. This guide is for foster youth in Massachusetts age 14 up to the age of 22 aimed at helping transition age youth make the most of DCF Custody. The fourth edition of paper copies are now available and MassNFCA is a co-author. Contact manetworkfostercarealumni@gmail.com if you'd like paper copies of the Answer Book for distribution to foster youth in MA. The online version of The Answer Book is accessible through the Mass Court Improvement Program website link below.
https://www.mass.gov/doc/youth-resource-the-answer-book-2018/download
Programs for kids, teens, and adults, such as science, dance, theater, and yoga.
The Haven Project is a Drop-in Center that is open Tues - Thurs from 4-7PM. During these hours we provide a hot meal, snacks, basic clothing and toiletries. We coach unaccompanied youth, providing support towards securing stable housing, job placement and medical referrals.
The Young Adult Vocational Program (YAVP) is a transitional program that provides daily structure for young adults with psychiatric disabilities. The program’s mission of integrating the individual back into the community is accomplished through daily structured groups and individualized support. Groups have been established to help build pre-vocational, vocational, and educational skills, as well as daily life skills as they relate to work or school. Specific skill areas that have been targeted include:
TRA has made it possible for thousands of educationally and economically disadvantaged youth and adults to improve the quality of their lives. Our clients have been successful in:
The UMass Lowell Navigators Club is an organization made up of students, faculty and staff members dedicated to advocating and providing for the needs of UMass Lowell students from a less traditional path to college and in need of additional support.
https://umasslowellclubs.collegiatelink.net/organization/NAViGATORS
Adult education that helps people prepare for the Hi-Set, college or a job. We all have an English Language Learning program. The Wellspring Education Resource Center provides individual counseling for students who need help going to college or a job training program.
The Worcester West DCF Area Board created a list of resources in central MA for the community to utilize. You can download the whole Road Map for Families they created here. We have also incorporated most of the resources in this guide as individual searchable entries within MassNFCA's Resource Database. MassNFCA is grateful for their contribution to our website.
Year Up’s mission is to close the opportunity divide through a one-year intensive and free program that serves youth ages 18-24 who have a high school diploma or GED, and are eligible to work in the U.S. Students receive an educational stipend and earn 24 free college credits while taking classes and completing an internship at top companies in the Boston area to help them prepare for their journey towards a professional career and higher education!