Father Bill's & MainSpring

As we look back on 2024, we’re reminded of the incredible progress made possible through the dedication of our community. Here are some highlights from a pivotal year for our mission. January We welcomed the first group of tenants to our brand-new supportive housing apartments at the innovative Yawkey Housing Resource Center in Quincy. March Thanks to Plymouth County Treasurer Tom O'Brien and the Plymouth County Commissioners, FBMS received $350,000 in federal ARPA funds to support our Brockton Housing Resource Center, underscoring the importance of regional collaboration to end homelessness. May Our Plymouth office Open House on May 14 was a heartfelt celebration of partnerships and progress, bringing together staff, supporters, and community members. Also on the same month of May, FBMS staff joined the Coalition for Homeless Individuals at the State House to advocate for critical funding in the FY25 State Budget. June We hosted officials from Wichita, Kansas, for a tour of the Yawkey Housing Resource Center. Communities across the U.S. are inspired by our model to end homelessness. August Veterans and shelter guests enjoyed an unforgettable day at Patriots Training Camp, thanks to the New England Patriots Foundation. Also, in the same month we announced to convert the old Stoughton Motel into 24 permanent supportive housing units, marking our second hotel-to-housing transformation. September We hosted a group of Indonesian religious leaders, in partnership with WorldBoston, to showcase our programs promoting equity and justice for marginalized populations. October Eastern Bank and Chair Bob Rivers supported a lunch for local business leaders at the Yawkey Housing Resource Center, highlighting innovative solutions like our hotel-to-housing conversions. December Our Annual Holiday Shopping Days returned, bringing joy to shelter guests in Brockton and Quincy. Thanks to generous community donations and corporate partners like Arbella Insurance Group, Eastern Bank, and Yale Appliance, guests selected gifts for themselves and their loved ones. #NobodyShouldBeHomeless #HelpFBMS

What are the holidays without watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas and immersing yourself in beloved Christmas traditions? Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Yawkey Foundation, a few of our staff members and their families enjoyed a magical evening at the Boch Center - Wang Theatre in Boston, experiencing Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. Each FBMS staff was able to bring a guest to enjoy this holiday outing. Thank you, Yawkey Foundation ,for making this cherished holiday tradition possible! #Holidayseason #Thankyou #HelpFBMS

This week, on Tuesday and Wednesday, we hosted our Annual Holiday Shopping Days for shelter guests at MainSpring House in Brockton and the Yawkey Housing Resource Center in Quincy. These festive events marked the return of a cherished tradition, the first Holiday Shopping Days since the onset of COVID-19. These events allow our neighbors in need to pick up gifts for themselves and their loved ones. We are grateful for the generosity of our community, whose in-kind donations made this possible. A special thank you to our incredible corporate partners, Arbella Insurance Group, Eastern Bank, and our dedicated employees, whose efforts brought these meaningful events to life. #NobodyShouldBeHomeless #HelpFBMS

Today, we’re filled with gratitude for our amazing volunteers who came together to box 400 Thanksgiving meals for our neighbors in Quincy and Weymouth. We extend a heartfelt thank-you to our incredible corporate partners—Arthur Gallagher Group, South Shore Bank, Arbella, and Hingham Elementary School—for their generous support, including delivering 35 pies. RT A heartfelt thank-you to the United Healthcare volunteers who dedicated their time at our MainSpring House shelter in Brockton, boxing meals for delivery in Brockton. We’re also incredibly grateful to Coldwell Banker for their generous donation of delicious pies, as well as to the local community members who contributed pies and desserts to brighten the holiday season for our MainSpring House shelter guests.

Our FBMS team was honored to attend the 111th Annual Meeting and Expo of the Metro South Chamber of Commerce, held on November 20, 2024, at Adult & Teen Challenge Massachusetts in Brockton. This event offered a powerful platform to engage with local businesses and organizations committed to driving progress in the Metro South Region. Additionally, it allowed us to share updates on our work and explore meaningful ways for others to join and support our mission. 📷 First photo: Sophie Cherenfant, FBMS Communications Associate. 📷 Group photo (left to right): Stephenson Allonce (Employment Specialist), Kim Kroeger (Senior Director of Operations), Jasmine Vega (Senior Director of Housing Services), Virginia DePina (Director of Marketing and Communications), Linda Boucher (Employment Specialist), Alan McCall (Work Ready Family Manager), John Yazwinski (CEO & President), Makayla Bittle (Employment Specialist), Sophie Cherenfant (FBMS Communications Associate), and Tania St. Jean (Employment Specialist). We thank the Metro South Chamber of Commerce for allowing us to connect with other South Shore businesses. #NobodyShouldBeHomeless #helpfbms #southshorema

🦃Thanksgiving is almost here, and we’re so close to reaching our goal of raising $20,000 to provide 1,700 meals for our neighbors in need. Did you know that just $15 can provide one meal for someone in need? Every gift helps bring warmth and comfort to those who need it most this holiday season. Will you help us cross the finish line? 🥧 Donate now: https://lnkd.in/ej2Y48wC #ThanksgivingFund #GiveBack #SupportFBMS

Father Bill's & MainSpring (FBMS) Opposes Brockton City Council's Criminalization of Homelessness : FBMS strongly opposes the recent ordinance by the Brockton City Council to criminalize encampments and loitering. This is a harmful and misguided policy that fails to address the root causes of this situation. What we are experiencing in the city is not just a homelessness issue but a public health crisis. Many individuals in these encampments suffer from serious behavioral health issues, including trauma, mental health, and substance use disorders, which require intervention and support. Instead of criminalizing vulnerable individuals, policymakers should focus on increasing access to affordable supportive housing and healthcare—essential components for creating meaningful, lasting change. Criminalization only deepens marginalization, shifts resources from vital services to enforcement, and ignores sustainable, long-term solutions. FBMS is deeply disappointed that the City Council did not engage with community partners and local agencies to develop informed, solutions-oriented policies. Enforcing ordinances against a vulnerable population without connecting them to services will only displace encampments to other areas, further burdening taxpayers and failing to address the crisis effectively. At FBMS, our Housing Resource Center model, operational for one year in Quincy and scheduled to open in Brockton in early 2025, has already demonstrated positive impacts. This model was developed collaboratively with input of government agencies, nonprofits, private sector partners, and individuals with lived experiences to create a solutions-based, evidence-driven framework. It exemplifies how best practices and partnerships can lead to meaningful progress, offering a blueprint for addressing homelessness through compassion, dignity, and systemic reform. FBMS urges the Brockton City Council to rethink its approach and focus on policies that promote collaboration and tackle the systemic causes of homelessness, such as economic inequality, insufficient housing, and gaps in healthcare services. Together, we can build a future where dignity and opportunity are within reach for everyone.

Earlier this month, our agency, in partnership with Cardinal Coaches, hosted a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) workshop to address critical societal challenges. The event brought together 55 in-person employees at Stonehill College and 70 virtually, uniting our team across multiple locations. This workshop reflects our ongoing commitment to fostering understanding, promoting collaboration, and driving meaningful change within our organization and the broader community. By staying aligned with the core values that guide our work, we strive to make a lasting and positive impact on the individuals and communities we serve. #NobodyShouldBeHomeless #HelpFBMS #Diversity #Inclusion #Equity #WeAreFBMS

John Yazwinski, President & CEO of FBMS, and Peggy Hall, Stabilization Manager, recently appeared on The Local Seen, a television program produced in Plymouth. They shed light on the critical shortage of affordable housing and its widespread effects on families, seniors, and young adults. Emphasizing the need for multifaceted solutions, they highlighted how FBMS is reimagining its resource model to address this urgent issue, because everyone deserves a place to call home. Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/eBNR9uf7.

🥧Help us bring warmth and hope to our neighbors in need this Thanksgiving! 💛 Father Bill’s & MainSpring is committed to providing 1,500 holiday meals for those in our community facing tough times—but we can’t do it without your help. Your gift to our Thanksgiving Fund will go directly toward ensuring our neighbors have a meal to enjoy and the support they deserve. Give today to help us reach our goal: https://lnkd.in/ej2Y48wC Thank you for making this season brighter for those who need it most. #ThanksgivingFund #GiveBack #SupportFBMS #NobodyShouldBeHomeless #HelpFBMS