What We Do
Our Mission
Project HOPE Boston works in partnership with women and families in the Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods of Boston on their journeys up and out of poverty. We do this by being a catalyst for change in the lives of families, developing and providing programs and family support solutions to alleviate poverty and homelessness.
HOPE Heals, 1947-1979
The Little Sisters of the Assumption arrive in Dorchester providing home health and social work services in neighborhood residents' homes and assisting families who were experiencing a crisis.
HOPE Welcomes, 1980–1989
The Sisters open the doors of their convent to homeless women and children, establishing themselves as Project HOPE Boston: "House Open People Enter." Project HOPE Boston becomes one of Boston's first family shelters providing housing services, a food pantry, and childcare.
HOPE Happens, 1990-1994
Continuing to respond to the issues impacting the shelter residents, Project HOPE Boston establishes new programs to address education, affordable housing, and childcare needs.
HOPE Lifts, 1995-1999
Working in collaboration with local community partners, Project HOPE Boston continues to join forces with families pursuing ambitious new heights in life by providing career exploration, job development programs, and opportunities to access higher education.
HOPE Builds, 2000-2006
As families’ needs continue to grow, so does Project HOPE Boston. The organization expands housing and job training services through renewed energy and focus on building strong collaborations and local advocacy networks. This ultimately leads to planning for a move to a new location—550 Dudley Street—offering ample space to house the newly expanded services and improve Project HOPE’s accessibility to the surrounding community.
HOPE Endures, 2006-2008
Project HOPE Boston builds its new, green Community Building from the ground up and opens its doors to the community in October 2006. Neighborhood residents take basic education and English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL) classes, learn job readiness and resume writing skills, sign up for financial literacy and affordable housing workshops, and earn the credentials needed to start their own childcare business. The former convent on Magnolia Street is sustained as a private residence for eleven women and their children, and also remains home to the Project HOPE Boston Children's Center.
HOPE for the Future, 2008-present
Project HOPE Boston establishes the Ambassador’s Bureau in 2008 composed of current and former participants who want to develop their communication skills and use those skills to educate the community about poverty and homelessness. Project HOPE Boston continues to work with families to develop stronger, more integrated programs that provide holistic support for families on their journey out of poverty.
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The History
Sister Margaret Leonard has served as a catalyst for forging strategic alliances, partnerships, and collaborations at the local, city, and state levels, fostering a continuum of care and support for low-income families as they transition from crisis to stability. Her extensive experience on the Boards of various organizations, such as Pine Street Inn, Homes for Families, and the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, is a testament to her dedication to this cause.
Throughout her illustrious career, Sister Margaret has received numerous accolades for her remarkable achievements.
Founder, Sister Margaret Leonard
Project HOPE Boston is a multi-service agency at the forefront of efforts in Boston to move families up and out of poverty. We provide women who are experiencing poverty with their children access to education, jobs, housing, and emergency services; foster their personal transformation; and advocate for broader systems change.
A New Cycle of HOPE
The women and mothers partnering with Project HOPE Boston in pursuit of new opportunities in life are uniquely qualified to help break the cycle of homelessness and poverty in our community. They embody impressive self-confidence, personal empowerment, and achievement in their communities, serving as powerful role models for those around them.
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The sense of social responsibility that accompanies personal transformation also leads many women involved with Project HOPE Boston to want to become powerful catalysts for broader community change. They proactively support one another, participate in our Ambassadors' Bureau to amplify the voices of those experiencing homelessness and poverty in the public arena, and advocate for more just public policies that strengthen families.
Project HOPE Boston’s integrated, holistic approach is often cited as a scalable model for others to confidently follow. With our continued success, we are poised to become a nationally regarded blueprint for peer organizations working to help families move up and out of poverty.