Justin grew up north of Boston. His birth parents gave him up for adoption as an infant, and he spent his early years in the care of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. When he was 8 years old, Justin was adopted. “My adoptive family was not the best fit for me, and we…
When Lindsay Palmer first walked through the doors of Pine Street Inn, she never expected the profound impact it would have on her life. “I have always been passionate about community,” she shares. Now, with five years of experience at Pine Street, Lindsay reflects fondly on her journey, “I have loved it ever since.” In…
Amanda Proctor is the clinical supervisor for veterans outreach. She manages a team that includes a clinician and case managers who help homeless veterans access services, connect with benefits and secure housing. “As a child, I told my parents that I wanted to live at home and make cookies for people experiencing homelessness,” Amanda recalls….
In a way, George has come full circle. While he lived in Somerville for 40 years, George was born in Jamaica Plain, where he now resides in one of Pine Street’s residences. George worked hard all of his life as a maintenance person for the Somerville Parks and Recreation and later in construction. “I became…
“You will rise again,” Jon shares, reading from one of his poems. “Strength isn’t always about moving mountains. Sometimes it’s just deciding to start again.” Living with muscular dystrophy, Jon has long defied the odds. “Doctors said I would be in a wheelchair by now, but I’m still bouncing around,” he shares. That determination has…
Victoria owned a business and a home for many years. When she met her husband, she decided to give up both her business and home to marry him. Unfortunately, the relationship soon soured, and Victoria’s husband became physically abusive. “It was a frightening situation, and I knew I had to leave,” Victoria says. “I was…
Ana, 63, grew up in Boston. She lives with a disability that has made living on her own challenging; however, she has worked to overcome those obstacles and remain independent. “I had rented a room and lived with my dog in Dorchester for many years,” Ana says. “Eventually I got priced out. I tried to…
“I grew up in a loving home in New Jersey with my two brothers,” reminisces Joyce, 70, a tenant at one of Pine Street Inn’s residences in Dorchester. Nearly 50 years ago, Joyce moved to Boston to study elementary education at Northeastern University. With few teaching jobs available, she found herself working in a restaurant…
“My life was going well — I had a job, a wife and kids,” says Rodney. “Then I got divorced and everything changed.” Rodney’s divorce took a heavy toll on his mental health. “It affected my work, and eventually, I lost my job,” he shares. Without an income, Rodney then lost his apartment and ended…
A familiar face to many at Pine Street, Lauren Schmidt is program manager for the workforce development team. Lauren first served as Pine Street’s senior manager of volunteer programs from 2018 to 2021, following her time in the Peace Corps and at a New York City nonprofit focused on HIV prevention and housing. Pine Street’s…
For a long time, Shawn did not know what the next day would bring — bouncing between shelters and the streets. When Pine Street Inn’s outreach team connected with him, he discovered something he had always longed for — a place to call home. Shawn grew up in Boston and found a job at a…
Emily Ahman-Gamble, a supervisor on the housing clinical services team, joined Pine Street in 2022. Emily spent much of her childhood in New England and Maryland before returning to Boston to complete a Master of Social Work degree at Simmons University. Inspired by her mother, a longtime social worker, Emily felt a natural pull toward…
