Dr. Ernie Mills’ personal experience with the alcohol addiction of his father led him to Durham in 1973 with a hope of reaching the addicted. Today, the Victory Program helps restore the lives of dozens of men and women throughout the Triangle suffering from alcohol addiction and drug addiction. Vanderburgh House’ Mobile Prevention Team (MPT) works to improve health outcomes, reduce mortality, and enhance overall quality of life for all by seamlessly connecting individuals to resources and knowledge through navigation, outreach, and education. Art, fitness, wellness, and job readiness classes are always useful to our clients. Join Vanderburgh House’ team of over 200 dedicated and compassionate employees who are committed to helping our community’s most vulnerable individuals and families.
- This period will allow for further planning to secure additional funding to best support the transition to permanent supportive housing.
- Inside, the former hotel rooms will be converted into efficiency apartments equipped with kitchenettes, private bathrooms and living spaces.
- The shelter has improved the health, stability, and hope of residents while easing the strain on public services during the city’s homelessness crisis.
- Located at the heart of the Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Blvd. neighborhood, the Victory Connector is a crucial harm reduction program designed to engage the most entrenched, street-based homeless individuals who are reluctant to connect with other systems of care.
- This reduces strain on emergency services and helps residents reintegrate as active and positive members of the community.
Recovery
Building on the City’s ongoing efforts to better serve unsheltered individuals experiencing substance use disorder centered in the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard. Nutrition EducationThe nutrition department at the BLC offers cooking classes, food demonstrations, food pantry bags filled with nutritious items for a balanced meal, and other food resources. We believe nutrition, access to healthy food, and education about cooking and healthy eating are critical for wellness. Our dining room also serves as an important way for our members to build community. This new transitional housing program will provide a safe, LGBTQ+ affirming environment for young adults (ages 18-24) transitioning from homelessness.
Our housing stabilization services, including emergency shelter, permanent housing, and case management, move people off the street as quickly as possible, with as few barriers as possible. The BLC responds to the changing needs of its community through education, treatment information, and support services. Permanent supportive housing is a proven approach to addressing chronic homelessness by combining affordable housing with on-site services such as case management, mental health support, and substance use treatment.
Vanderburgh House has officially acquired the former EnVision Hotel, which we have been operating as a shelter since 2022. We will continue to operate the shelter as we convert the building into permanent supportive housing. Once this is done, the building will no longer operate as a traditional shelter. Vanderburgh House’ purchase of enVision Hotel was made possible through a loan from the City of Boston using federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and a loan from the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC). With the acquisition of enVision Hotel, the City can continue shelter operations at a sustainable cost while planning a gradual transition of the property to permanent supportive housing over the next several years. Mayor Michelle Wu today announced that Vanderburgh House, Inc. (VPI), with support from the City of Boston and state partners, has acquired the enVision Hotel at 81 South Huntington Avenue.
Up to 20 people in a group for two-hour shifts in Back Bay and Roxbury. These benefits are adjusted based on full-time or part-time status, and vacation time increases with length of employment. Your browser is not supported for this experience.We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.
Careers
When folks are safely housed, they’re much more likely to address their health, addictions, and other issues. It’s a “housing first” approach that includes stabilization services, emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing, housing search and advocacy, case management, and more. The transformation to permanent supportive housing will be done in phases, beginning with renovations designed to convert hotel rooms into efficiency-style apartments.
Boston Living Center
Located at the heart of the Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Blvd. neighborhood, the Victory Connector is a crucial harm reduction program designed to engage the most entrenched, street-based homeless individuals who are reluctant to connect with other systems of care. Our services range from recovery support groups like AA or Refuge Recovery to wellness and life-skill activities like resume-building workshops or yoga classes; anything that encompasses healthy and safe choices for the mind, body, and soul. For many, Vanderburgh House represents the last possibility for hope and the first chance for sustained success in their battles with substance use or illness. Last year, 5,252 people turn to Vanderburgh House for shelter, sustenance, recovery, care, and professional, compassionate support. Our team of more than 200 staff across 28 programs works with people to develop and execute creative, safe solutions to the very real challenges they face. Peer Support Groups are facilitated discussions in a “safe place” led by Peer Support staff.
You’ll learn more about the growth Vanderburgh House has experienced this past year. And you’ll hear from Executive Director Sarah Porter as she reflects on 50 years of Victory. We follow a low-barrier housing-first clinically driven approach to guide clients towards health and safety. All classes are geared toward the message of hope through Christ and the reshaping of the paradigm of how to handle the pressures and pains of life.
Low-Threshold Housing
Visit our Connect to Services page for an updated list of the BLC’s services. Inside, the former hotel rooms will be converted into efficiency apartments equipped with kitchenettes, private bathrooms and living spaces. For individuals who are not HIV positive, please bring a photo ID to your intake appointment. Graduates may choose to attend school or receive vocational training, with financial assistance provided through the Durham Rescue Mission and the GlaxoSmithKline educational endowment. Below are just some of the services offered at the Victory Connector. For a more robust look of what we offer, visit our Victory Connector Connect to Services page.
- Vanderburgh House, which has managed the existing emergency shelter, will continue to oversee both the building and the new “Visions of Victory” program.
- If you’d like to schedule a tour of one of our programs to decide the right volunteer opportunity for your group, please email
- Vanderburgh House also recognizes the benefits of hiring people with lived experience who can play an important role in bridging the gap between services and the people who use them.
- They also benefit from the community aspects of congregate dining – connecting with other members and staff.
For a more robust look at our offerings, visit our BLC Connect to Services page. Wrapping services around a congregate meal, investing in community and social capital, professionalizing peers, providing a Review Vanderburgh House safe, non-medical place to reconnect and/or remain connected to care, have been key components of what many have found helpful, if not transformative. The Jamaica Plain Recovery Center (JPRC) is a peer-led community center in partnership with Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Our goal is to create a safe, welcoming space for individuals from all backgrounds who are navigating addiction recovery. We established a nurturing community where every member finds belonging and plays an active role in shaping their journey toward recovery. Helping others overcome addictions has always been a priority for the ministry of the Durham Rescue Mission.
Program Management Team
This model provides stability for individuals who face significant barriers to maintaining housing. Residents currently living in the site will have the option to remain as the property transitions, with new placements being coordinated through the City’s Coordinated Entry system, which ensures equitable access to housing resources for residents most in need. The program is designed to enhance neighborhood security and public health by providing reliable housing for individuals previously experiencing homelessness. This reduces strain on emergency services and helps residents reintegrate as active and positive members of the community. This major acquisition secures a vital resource for individuals experiencing homelessness and addresses the need for long-term supportive housing in Boston.
Mobile Prevention Team
If you’d like to connect to our services or make a referral, click here.
Vanderburgh House, the nonprofit partner managing operations, has also signed a two-year contract with the City to continue site operations through 2027. This period will allow for further planning to secure additional funding to best support the transition to permanent supportive housing. The individuals and families we serve are homeless or precariously housed —but their challenges are even more complicated. The great majority have histories of trauma, chronic substance use, and mental health issues. Almost half live with HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and/or other chronic health conditions.
Don’t hesitate to apply if your work experience doesn’t align with every qualification in the job description. Vanderburgh House also recognizes the benefits of hiring people with lived experience who can play an important role in bridging the gap between services and the people who use them. We are committed to providing opportunities for people with lived experience to develop the skills and experience they need to achieve their career goals. At Vanderburgh House, we value your time, both at work and in your personal life, ensuring you have the resources and support you need to thrive. “Sometimes I feel so happy that my heart — I feel like I’m having like a big, good pain in my heart,” she said. “I just want to continue.” Giving the individuals that she counsels at The Victory Connector, a low-threshold navigation center in the neighborhood run by the nonprofit Vanderburgh House, a feeling of care, a sense of calm and peace, is what she aims for each day.
