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 New Life House Review 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. 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.
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. A .boston.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the City of Boston. You will have a tour of the Center, an overview of the services available, and meet with staff to see how we can best meet your needs. Bring some fun and joy to a program by hosting a trivia or bingo event!
The nutrition department at the BLC also offers cooking classes, food demonstrations, food pantry bags filled with nutritious items for a balanced meal, and other food resources. The BLC’s focus on nutrition improves the health of individuals living with HIV and AIDS, and those who are experiencing other chronic illnesses and food insecurity. Good nutrition has the power to reduce symptoms and it can minimize medication side effects. Yes, New Life House deeply values community engagement and plans to have open dialogue with community groups and local residents. We will continue to collaborate with neighborhood organizations to foster positive relationships and ensure a smooth transition for the building, its residents, and the community. In the time that New Life House has operated this program in this location, there have been few issues with neighbors, and in each instance, we have addressed any concerns.
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 New Life House, Inc. (VPI), with support from the City of Boston and state partners, has acquired the enVision Hotel at 81 South Huntington Avenue. 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.
Building A Better Foundation
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- Transitional housing is temporary housing for the working homeless population and is set up to transition their residents to permanent housing.
- Mayor Wu is committed to making Boston a city for everyone and her administration has continued to work closely with partners to increase the availability of permanent supportive housing for individuals experiencing homelessness around Boston.
- These resources are tailored to help residents build skills, find employment, and achieve long-term stability.
People’s success ultimately depends on their own belief in themselves and their future. We focus on what a person is doing “well,” with a nurturing effect that fosters continued effort from the first steps toward progress and growth. If you’d like to connect to our services or make a referral, click here.
New Life House, which has managed the existing emergency shelter, will continue to oversee both the building and the new “Visions of Victory” program. Trained staff will continue to be on site 24/7 to provide support and ensure a safe environment for the residents and the neighborhood. Previous projects indicate that permanent supportive housing is effective in helping individuals achieve stability and long-term independence by demonstrating what it feels like to have a sense of belonging. For many, New Life House represents the last possibility for hope and the first chance for sustained success in their battles with addiction or illness.
- Individual Nutrition ConsultationBy appointment only.Schedule an appointment with our nutritionist for help with meal planning, securing food assistance, and addressing nutrition-related issues.
- During this time, residents continue to live in one of our men’s or women’s shelters in the Raleigh-Durham area while they work to obtain permanent employment, save needed start-up funds, seek affordable housing, and continue educational and vocational classes.
- Our housing stabilization services, including emergency shelter, transitional and 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.
- Trained staff will continue to be on site 24/7 to provide support and ensure a safe environment for the residents and the neighborhood.
Meet Our Staff
Groups will be asked to provide in-kind donations of gift card prizes for event winners. 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.
Our Services
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. For the past two years, the former hotel has successfully operated as a shelter, offering transitional housing to a total of 208 individuals. The shelter has improved the health, stability, and hope of residents while easing the strain on public services during the city’s homelessness crisis. Founded in 1989, at the height of the AIDS epidemic, the Boston Living Center (BLC) is New England’s largest drop-in community and resource center for people living with HIV/AIDS. The BLC seeks to enrich the lives of people living with HIV and responds to the changing needs of the community by offering members free services and resources including peer support, meals, wellness, and education.
The Victory Program: Addiction Recovery In Durham-Raleigh
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. Residents will continue to receive 24/7 wraparound services by trained New Life House staff, including case management, residential assistance, and medical and mental health services. We provide community-based outreach and services including integrated testing, linkages to healthcare services, harm reduction counseling and supplies, transgender peer support, and more. On the streets, at our Boston Living Center, and across programs, we work to prevent chronic conditions and overdoses. We provide HIV, Hepatitis C, and STI testing and counseling; a healthy meals program; syringe and naloxone distribution; and an array of education, navigation, and support services.
Don’t hesitate to apply if your work experience doesn’t align with every qualification in the job description. New Life 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 New Life 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 New Life House, a feeling of care, a sense of calm and peace, is what she aims for each day.
Free Rehab Centers
Since the start of the Mayor’s term, the City has built over 250 units of permanent supportive housing with 195 units currently under construction and another 200 units currently in the pipeline. The City will continue to work closely with residents, community organizations, and elected officials to address homelessness through strategic investments in housing and health services. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Addiction Services initially funded the program through December 2024.
New Life House Acquires Former Hotel with Plans to Create Permanent Supportive Housing
Last year, 5,252 people turn to New Life 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. Included in our array of Peer Support Group opportunities are a long-term survivor support group for women living with HIV/AIDS, a group led in Spanish for our LatinX community, and one for individuals balancing living with HIV with work, work re-entry, and/or higher education. Much evidence supports that peer support is a crucial and effective strategy for ongoing health care and sustained behavior change for people with chronic diseases and other conditions.
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.
Today, the Victory Program helps restore the lives of dozens of men and women throughout the Triangle suffering from alcohol addiction and drug addiction. New Life 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 New Life House’ team of over 200 dedicated and compassionate employees who are committed to helping our community’s most vulnerable individuals and families.