Programs

Heading Home is a leading provider of housing and support services for homeless families with children and individuals – a champion of innovative solutions that move people out of homelessness.

Heading Home provides emergency shelter, transitional housing, permanent housing, and supportive services to homeless and formerly homeless families and individuals in Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Lawrence, Malden, Medford, Quincy, Revere, and Somerville. Our supportive services alongside housing help clients create futures without homelessness.

We emphasize permanent housing attainment and retention because success is most achievable within a permanent home. Research shows that providing housing alongside supportive services is much more effective than just providing one or the other.

Woman and child play with blocks on the floor
Young smiling boy hugs two stuffed animals

How We Help

Heading Home is one of the few Boston-area shelter providers that supports both single adult individuals and families with children.

Emergency Shelter

Heading Home provides emergency assistance shelter to 360+ families each night including more than 500 children, the majority of whom are cared for by a single mom.

Camino a Casa

Former shelter provider, Casa Nueva Vida (CNV), became a division of Heading Home in July 2022. In 2023, the division was renamed “Camino a Casa,” the Spanish translation of Heading Home. Today, the Camino a Casa programs support 130+ families in Boston and Lawrence.

Housing

Heading Home houses 200+ chronically homeless individuals and 25+ families in permanent supportive housing programs; 98% of our individual clients have at least one documented disability and most struggle with co-occurring health conditions.

Heading Home’s transitional housing program, Pathways to Permanent Housing provides intensive economic coaching and case management for 21 families working towards gaining independence, preparing them to be fully housing independent in two years.

Economic Mobility & Workforce Development

With a primary focus on increasing savings, reducing debt, securing employment, and increasing earning potential among clients, our Economic Mobility Services are successfully positioning homeless families for long-term financial stability and self-sufficiency.