Public Benefits and Community Assistance

We are an emergency shelter for homeless women. Guests receive referrals for health care, mental health services, educational services, and housing.

We are one of two shelters in Massachusetts that accept people who are using drugs and alcohol and are homeless.

In addition to shelter, we offer case management, workshops and trainings, supplemental resources, seasonal support, and more to 126 families in shelter.

We provide several support services for senior citizens in Cambridge each year including regular outreach meetings, education on common scams or general safety, and our Secret Santa for Seniors event.

We provide affordable and accessible afterschool programming, primarily with immigrant families.

Riverside offers a structured, therapeutic after-school program for children from the Somerville and Cambridge area ages 6-12 that present with significant emotional and/or behavioral challenges.

Two free CNA training programs that include job placement, hands on training through Labouré College and the cost of the exam itself. Transportation provided from Cambridge.

We provide case management services, brief respite, one-on-one support for family members, and more to reduce or eliminate the time children with emotional disturbances spend in out-of-home placement.

Our team provides in-home intensive clinical case management and treatment for children with severe emotional disturbances who are at risk for out-of-home placement.

Our team focuses on reducing and preventing domestic violence homicides and holding offenders accountable. We implement crisis prevention plans for victims/families.

We provide services for children who have witnessed domestic violence and their non-offending parent.

We are a recreational program that caters to individuals with special needs in the Cambridge area.

Our hotline helps prevent suicide by giving free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you and loved ones, and best practices for professionals.

We can help you find what you need, offer screenings, treatment options, support groups, and more using our online screening tool.

This program offers paid school-year internships at Harvard University for CRLS juniors and seniors.

We provide homeless people with a safe, caring place to stay in the winter, plus counseling resources and transitional supports for anyone employed and saving money towards secure housing.

Since 1987, First Church Shelter has provided a basic act of mercy to the poor and homeless of Cambridge and surrounding communities.