Family Promise Metrowest offers shelter and homelessness prevention services. However, we do not provide emergency shelter. We can only accept new families when we have a current opening.

The first place to call if your family is looking for emergency shelter is Mass 211, a United Way multi-lingual hotline that provides information and referrals. Mass 211  can assist you in finding the closest office to apply for emergency state shelter. If you have been denied state shelter, they will give you a list of organizations that provide family shelter. To contact Mass 211, dial 2-1-1 or go online to www.mass211.org.

Who is eligible to apply for shelter?

  • Families must have at least one child under the age of 18 living with them.
  • We welcome one- or two-parent families with no gender restrictions.
  • Priority is given to families from the Metrowest Boston area, but any family that is a legal resident of Massachusetts is eligible to apply.
  • Families must have at least one adult member who is employable full-time.
  • Applicants with addictions must be sober for six months and show proof that they have successfully completed a recovery program.
  • Families that are currently doubled up with family or friends but do not have a home of their own are eligible for our shelter.
  • If a family is in the process of being evicted, they are eligible to apply for our shelter program but will also be referred to our LIFE program to see if we can help stop the eviction.

What are the program requirements?

  • Adults must be motivated to make changes in their lives by establishing and working on individual goals that will help them achieve stability and regain housing.
  • All families must commit to following Family Promise Metrowest rules and curfews.
  • Families are required to save 80% of their income after expenses.
  • Once established goals are met, families will work closely with their family coach to transition out of shelter into market-rate apartments in the community.

How to apply

  • Call the office at 508-318-4820 or email intake@familypromisemetrowest.org to schedule a brief phone interview with an intake specialist to determine if you are eligible for our program.
  • When there is an opening, eligible families are contacted to schedule an in-person interview with the Shelter program coordinator to determine if there is a match between the program and the family's needs. It may be several weeks before there is an opening in the shelter.