Testimony

New Client Profile and Testimony

      It was 2019. I had planned on transferring to New York City for parole. I was denied at the last minute. The sheriff’s department contacted Boston Project Rebound Re-entry Services to meet me and help me upon release. The staff of BPRRS met me about 2 weeks before my release to prep me and assure me they would be there on the day I left prison. They were there, and I knew I wasn’t going to face all this alone. They offered me support, which I desperately needed, when I had nobody to help me when I was released. Their resources and advice helped me to get started. I received clothes, a hygienic care package, a food gift-card, and a public transit card so I could get to parole and around the city. An officer liaison also helped me find a new pair of sneakers.

      I finally ended up at St. Francis House for their day program which provided more resources and meals and was able to find a bed at the Pine Street Inn shelter. During the pandemic, it was quite a challenge, as so many were losing jobs, to find work. I did find work, in Laundry for the Best Western Hotel for that time and am now currently working at another full-time job. This job will also help me find independence in my being able to secure an apartment.

     I am grateful for all the folks that helped me on this journey! And a big shout out to Boston Project Rebound for all they did before and on the day of my release. I am still in touch with BPRRS, and these guys are doing a great thing. My name is Rich, and I am a testament to their good work!

Boston Project Rebound ReEntry Services

My name is Ricky and I was homeless.  The staff at the Boston Project Rebound Reentry Services (Steve & Mike), helped steer me in the right direction to help me get my life back on track.  And thanks to the hard work of the staff at both the Pine Street Inn & St. Francis House, I was housed.  Thank God!

A lesson my pastor taught me many years ago has stayed with me throughout my life: “Always be grateful, and always give back.” Those words continue to guide everything I do.  So, I wanted to do something special to “give back”.

Three years ago, I decided to put that lesson into action by organizing a Winter Coat, Sweatshirt, Jeans, and Sneaker Drives. The response was incredible. Together, I collected over 300 pairs of sneakers, 150 winter coats, 150 sweatshirts, and 100 pairs of jeans for people experiencing homelessness.  But I wanted to do more.  So recently, I set up a makeshift Lemonade Style Booth outside of a train station and started to collect SOCKS & UNDERWEAR for the homeless!  Success!

Last weekend, I filled a shopping cart with socks and underwear and brought them to the front of the St. Francis House and at the Fountain at the Commons. Standing outside, I distributed the SOCKS & UNDERWEAR to the men who needed them most. It was my small way of giving back to a community that helped change my life.

I will always be grateful for the kindness and support I received during one of the most difficult times in my life. Today, I hope that by helping others, I can pass that kindness forward and remind people that hope, compassion, and generosity can truly change lives.