“I have lived at Alaska Street for five years. Caritas is my home and where I plan to stay. It is the first place I have lived in a long time that has been safe, clean and affordable. I have always worked, but two months ago, my shift was cut. If I lost my room I would be homeless.”

— Brian, Alaska Street resident

The Paul McGrath Homelessness Prevention Fund: Resident Rental Assistance  

Since 2014, the Homelessness Prevention Fund has been providing grants up to $1500 to residents who are struggling with a short-term financial setback due to illness, reduction in work hours, or other unexpected circumstances.

The Paul McGrath Homelessness Prevention Fund supports the organization’s overall mission of creating affordable housing for people who cannot earn a living wage in the Boston area with its high cost of housing. Many of our residents work, but at low-paying jobs. Other residents are on disability or Social Security. Without the availability of affordable housing, these people would have few housing options other than a shelter or the streets. 

A few weeks of missed work due to unemployment or illness, or an unexpected expense, means they have to choose between eating and paying their rent. The Paul McGrath Fund helps keep tenants in their homes by providing emergency funds to cover their rent during a temporary financial crisis. Ninety percent of grant recipients re-stabilize and are able to resume regular rent payments. 

At Caritas, we believe that our obligation is not just to create, provide and maintain affordable housing. We believe we must take into consideration the challenges and obstacles that our residents face. For that reason, we provide a safety net so that responsible people do not lose their housing due to circumstances beyond their control.

Paul McGrath Homelessness Prevention Endowment Fund:

Our first endowed fund at Caritas Communities will sustain our rental assistance program into the future. Named in honor of Paul McGrath, a Caritas Incorporator and champion of affordable housing, the fund will provide perpetual support for residents in a financial crisis.

Learn more about the Paul McGrath Fund and an opportunity to build a foundation for the future.  »

The COVID-19 Rent Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented financial crisis for Caritas residents. Many residents lost work or experienced reduced hours in service-sector jobs. Over 25% of Caritas residents are behind on rent, and many arrearages amount to thousands of dollars. Caritas is committed to not evicting residents for non-payment resulting from the pandemic, because we know, for most, it would make them homeless.

We are raising funds for a special COVID-19 Rental Assistance Fund to meet this extraordinary need. Our goal is to keep residents safely housed and stable until the economy begins to recover so they are able to return to work and resume paying rent without insurmountable debt.

Contributions to the Homelessness Prevention Program will provide immediate support to residents during this financial crisis. Your support will prevent homelessness for our residents.

Give now to prevent homelessness during the pandemic through rental assistance »