Friends of the Homeless opens new facility in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - After 4 years of planning and construction, Friends of the Homeless has opened its facility on Worthington Street.

The 4-story development has 36 single-room units of permanent housing, to help people experiencing chronic homelessness. The nonprofit said it was designed “to meet the needs of residents’ transition toward stable independent living.”

Western Mass News spoke with Karin Jeffers, President and CEO of Clinical & Support Options, Inc., who told us this facility will also have resources to help keep these new residents healthy, “I think the convenience of these locations, the services that individuals will have access to, both behavioral health and health services for the homeless, who also helps to provide primary care services, and close to downtown, access to everything that they need and stability.

The nonprofit said this project wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for all the partners and organizations who came together to make sure everyone has a place to call home.