The homeless crisis in Boston is real and rising rapidly. According to the 2017-2018 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development report, Massachusetts has seen the largest increase in homelessness of all 50 states at 14.2% last year (HUD). Nationally, 552,830 people experienced homelessness on a single night in January of 2018. 35% of these people stayed in unsheltered locations. This can be very dangerous for many, especially in Boston and other cold-weather climates.
We launched Beantown Blankets in 2016 after discovering that shelters close their doors after a certain time of the night, leaving homeless individuals exposed to rain, wind, and snow. Over the past three years, we have donated over 30,000 fleece and waterproof blankets to shelters across the U.S.
As we continue to grow, we are developing and implementing work-programs and partnerships with shelters to provide opportunities for those in need.
Let’s make a difference...one blanket at a time!
Standard donation blanket...ew
Our donation blankets :)
Link to the WBUR story and HUD report:
https://www.wbur.org/news/2018/12/18/homelessness-massachusetts-hud-report