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Housing & Shelter
Providing Assistance & Stability for At-Risk Families
Under contract with the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), New England Farm Workers’ Council (NEFWC) operates two family homeless shelters in Hampden County for Emergency Assistance eligible families. To be considered eligible for family shelter the head of the household must first apply at their local Department of Transitional Assistance office. DHCD will then determine eligibility for Emergency Assistance, and if determined eligible, refer the family to shelter.
Household Assistance is provided to assist families in securing stable housing under DHCD’s HomeBASE program under a subcontract agreement with HAP Housing, the Regional Housing Authority. Once placed into an apartment NEFWC provides extended stabilization services designed to assist the family in maintaining their current unit through case management, referrals to local service agencies, assist in communicating with landlords, budgeting assistance and exploring options to increase the family’s income, including employment and education. Our goal is to assist the family in maintaining their current housing and avoiding a return to homelessness.
DHCD / Emergency Housing Assistance Programs
Program Director
Domonica LaValley
[email protected]
Congregate Emergency Family 24/7 Shelter Program
NEFWC operates two congregate emergency assistance family shelters in Hampden county. The shelters are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and provide a number of services to assist families in locating and securing stable housing. Ongoing case management is provided to each family in addition to workshops, classes, referrals to local service providers, housing search, activities for children, homework assistance, and many other services designed to make the family’s stay in shelter as safe, enjoyable, and productive as possible. Our goal is to assist each family in becoming self-sufficient and transitioned into stable housing as quickly as possible.
- Family First is a 46-unit congregate family shelter located in Springfield, MA.
- New Horizons is a 29-unit congregate family shelter located in Holyoke, MA.
Housing & Stabilization Services
Housing and Stabilization Services are provided to all NEFWC shelter families under a subcontract agreement with Wayfinders, the Regional Housing Authority. Household Assistance is provided to assist families in securing stable housing under DHCD’s HomeBASE program. (To be eligible for HomeBASE Household Assistance the head of household must first apply at their local Department of Transitional Assistance office to determine the eligibility of Emergency Assistance benefits.) Once placed into permanent housing NEFWC provides extended stabilization services designed to assist the family in maintaining their current unit through case management, referrals to local service agencies, assist in communicating with landlords, budgeting assistance and exploring options to increase the family’s income, including employment and education. Our goal is to assist the family in maintaining their current housing and avoiding a return to homelessness.