Housing and Shelter Support

Providing assistance and stability for at-risk families

Finding safe and permanent housing is a major challenge for many people. Unfortunately, many are often only one step away from homelessness.

The New England Farm Workers’ Council (NEFWC) is a center for homelessness prevention in Hampden County, MA. The agency operates two of the county’s most effective programs:

A Family Place is a 29-unit congregate shelter for homeless families located in Holyoke, MA. It offers individualized shelter units within a round-the-clock, staffed congregate shelter program. Homeless families are referred by the MA Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). A Family Place develops a personalized case management plan to assist families in becoming independent. However, like the Scattered Site model (see below), this program is designed to assist less stable families and provide higher level of structured help.

The Scattered Sites Emergency Family Shelter Program provides shelter to area families eligible for emergency support through DHCD, but who have exhausted all other options to keep permanent housing. This program develops a personalized plan of assistance with emphasis on helping the family regain emotional stability. This stability then provides the basis for permanent housing search and the exploration of skills training and employment.

Both programs are funded by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development to provide homeless prevention, housing search and placement to homeless and at-risk families.

Housing Assistance and Stabilization Programs

New England Farm Workers' Housing Assistance and Stabilization programs are separate from shelter programs and are designed to help at-risk families avoid homelessness and thus prevent them from having to enter shelter. They can provide possible financial assistance to income eligible families who are at imminent risk of homelessness and also provide stabilization services going forward. NEFWC can also facilitate referrals to other providers of such services throughout the Network.

Download privacy notice for NEFWC Housing Program.

For more information on housing and shelter assistance, please contact:

New England Farm Workers' Council, Shelter & Housing Division
225 High Street
Holyoke, MA 01040
413-536-5403 ext. 203

Tom Salter, Vice President
tom_salter@partnersforcommunity.org