Who We Serve

Brookview targets families – more than a third of the homeless population. These moms and kids are at risk of long-term public dependency due to a multitude of barriers. The thoughtless insinuation is -- they only need housing and this will solve their problem. That is rarely the case. Boston’s ranking as one of the most expensive cities in which to live, record high utility costs, escalating food prices, mortgage foreclosures, and rising unemployment leaves thousands of moms and kids without a roof over their head.

Our constituents present with numerous barriers, sporadic work histories, and need extra assistance obtaining and maintaining employment. The families we serve are overwhelmed – many with histories of domestic violence, poor mental health and/or substance abuse. Despite these obstacles, families entering our programs demonstrate resilience and perseverance. They bring motivation and the desire to live independently. We provide services to:

• Women committed to do what it takes to lift their families out of homelessness
• Women homeless due to domestic violence
• Their children, who have been traumatized by instability
• Children and adults in the community at risk of abuse and homelessness.

The typical family at Brookview is:

• A single mother with two or three children
• 90% had their first child as a teenager
• Less than 30% have high school degrees
• 95% receive welfare or other government benefits – an income well below the poverty level
• Those moms that are employed have an average monthly income of $614.