Who We Are
Shelter Legal Services is a non-profit organization offering free legal advice and representation to homeless and low-income individuals in the Boston area.
Check out our 2010-2011 Annual Report to learn more.
Who We Serve
Shelter Legal Services serves over 400 clients per year at legal clinics located in homeless shelters and service centers. We serve homeless and at risk clients at the Cambridge Multi-Service Center, women at Rosie's Place in Boston, and veterans at the New England Center for Homeless Veterans and the Chelsea Soldiers' Home.
These are the Facts
Over 28,000 people enter
Massachusetts homeless shelters each year.
Over 1400 families stay in
Massachusetts homeless shelters each
night.
One quarter of all homeless
people in the US are veterans, nearly
twice the rate of homelessness in the general population.
1.5 million veterans in
America are considered at risk of
homelessness due to poverty and lack of adequate supportive services.
The number of homeless women
veterans is rapidly increasing.
One third of the homeless
population is made up of families.
Up to 63% of homeless women
are victims of domestic violence, and
92% have been victims of violence at some point in their lifetime.
Over 20% of Boston residents
live below the poverty line.
Legal problems are an
obstacle to stable housing for many homeless
and at risk individuals and families.
YOU CAN HELP
Comprehensive supportive
services, including legal services, are
essential to ending homelessness.
Shelter Legal Services helps
homeless and at risk people by
removing legal barriers to stable housing.
By supporting Shelter Legal
Services you can help end homelessness
for a veteran, a family, or a victim of domestic violence.