Please join us on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 11-1 for an Open House celebrating our recent move to Needham Center! Check out our new space, chat with COH staff and Board members, and learn more about our mission. All are welcome and light refreshments will be provided. THANK YOU to Needham Women’s Club for sponsoring this event!
December 2019 News from Circle of Hope
Our December newsletter has launched. Click here to read about our Annual Campaign, emergency delivery to our partner program, and more exciting news.
Helping Homeless College Students "flourish and thrive"
At 18, Fox arrived in Boston after fleeing an abusive home in Florida. He got a job as a bank teller, rented a room in a single-family residence in Revere, and enrolled at Bunker Hill Community College. But his wages weren’t enough to cover his rising rent. Suddenly homeless but not wanting to drop out of college, Fox spent evenings at Logan Airport, sleeping in a hidden spot under an escalator.
Fox's experience is not unique. At least 32,000 college students were homeless in 2017. These numbers are underreported and don’t reflect shadowed homelessness--students too scared or ashamed to admit they’ve been sleeping in cars or abandoned buildings, and skipping meals to pay for other necessities, like soap.
This year, Circle of Hope launched “Get Set,” a program dedicated to helping homeless college students stay healthy so they can pursue an education. We bring clothing, coats, and toiletries to students experiencing homelessness at Framingham State University (FSU), the University of Massachusetts Boston, and MassBay Community College. Through "Get Set," Circle of Hope ensures that these students no longer have to choose between food and other everyday essentials like soap or toothpaste.
One FSU student said Circle of Hope helped her "flourish and thrive." She felt like she “belonged with the other students." Because of Circle of Hope, she could participate in school activities with confidence, now that she had two pairs of jeans, tops, new underwear and socks, and sneakers.
Now 23, Fox is in his final year at Brandeis University, where he is double majoring in biological physics and chemistry. Fox and students like him turned to higher education to escape poverty. Your support allows us to help these vulnerable students pursue their dreams.
Thanks to you, Circle of Hope can bring health, dignity, and hope to children, adults, and now college students who are homeless. Please donate to our Annual Campaign by December 31, 2019 to give homeless college students a better chance to reach their true potential.
November 2019 News from Circle of Hope
Our November newsletter is out and it’s full of great news! Click here to read about our move to Needham Center happening next week, our Annual Campaign launching this month, a recent emergency response at Circle of Hope, an exciting new grant, and more!
October News from Circle of Hope
Our October newsletter is out, and it includes some big news about our upcoming move! Click here to read our important updates.
BIG News - Circle of Hope is moving to Needham Center this fall!
Have you heard our exciting news?
Circle of Hope is moving to Needham Center this fall!
When we first opened our doors in 2008, we provided clothing to three homeless shelters in Downtown Boston. Today, we serve 22 homeless shelters and clinics in Boston and MetroWest with the help of 100 volunteers and five staff members. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to move to a larger space so that we can continue to grow as an organization and deepen our impact on homeless individuals and families.
Our new headquarters, located at 1329 Highland Avenue in Needham, has double our current operational space and ample parking for volunteers and donors!
We will be open with normal hours at 65 Rosemary Street through Thursday, Nov. 7. We will be closed Friday, Nov. 8 through Sunday, Nov. 17 for the move.
Opening Day at 1329 Highland Avenue will be Monday, Nov. 18!
More information can be found here.
We will share all major announcements regarding our move via email, social media, and our website, so be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and sign up to receive our e-newsletter.
If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to email us!
Increasing IMPACT
• 1-2 deliveries per week in 2008, 8-10 deliveries per week in 2019
• 3 volunteers in 2008, 100 volunteers in 2019
• 5 homeless shelters served in 2008, 22 shelters served in 2019
• $99,675 worth of donations in 2008, $4.7 million worth of donations in ten years since
September 2019 News
Our September newsletter is here and it has some BIG news! Click here to read the exciting updates.
Yoga on the Common - Supporting COH!
Local yoga instructor Samantha Hoff is hosting yoga classes on Needham Town Common in September and October. The classes are FREE, but Samantha is accepting donations to raise money for Circle of Hope!
The first of the three free classes took place in August and raised vital funds for the homeless children, women, and men we serve. We're so grateful to Samantha for this new fundraiser to help Circle of Hope keep homeless individuals and families healthy.
Details of the next two classes are below.
What: All levels vinyasa yoga class
Where: Needham Town Common (in front of Town Hall)
When: Sunday, Sept. 22 and Sunday, Oct. 20 from 12:30-1:30 (arrive 15 minutes early to set up)
For more info, visit Samantha's website by clicking here.
Circle of Hope Receives $12,000 Grant from the MAXIMUS Foundation
COH Board Member Sarah Hart and her mother, Sue, packaging clothing for two families who lost everything in a recent house fire
We are very pleased to announce that Circle of Hope has received a $12,000 grant from the MAXIMUS Foundation to support our shelter deliveries, general operations, and Emergency Response Program. With these funds, we have already helped two homeless families who lost everything in a house fire and we will be able to help many more families recover from trauma in the coming year.
“In recognition of the many contributions they have made to their community, the MAXIMUS Foundation is pleased to award a grant to Circle of Hope,” said MAXIMUS Foundation Chairman John Boyer. “We are delighted to present this award to such an exemplary organization whose work reflects our shared values – partnering with people in disadvantaged communities so they build better lives for themselves, their children, and their neighbors. I thank Circle of Hope for its commitment to enriching the lives of those it serves.”
We are very grateful to the MAXIMUS Foundation for helping Circle of Hope protect the health and dignity of homeless individuals and families in Greater Boston.
Read more about Circle of Hope’s exciting new grant in Hometown Weekly and Needham Times.
