Our History

Since 1985, Emmaus has helped more than 40,000 children, men and women out of homelessness and into permanent housing.  Located in Haverhill, MA, Emmaus assists families and individuals in the Merrimack Valley and Northeastern Massachusetts to secure homes and achieve self-sufficiency.  Last year, Emmaus helped a total of 1,122 people, including over 500 children under the age of 18, through its shelters and housing programs and each year we serve more than 80,000 meals to our shelter residents.  Families in our permanent supportive housing programs (Emmaus owns and operates 99 units of affordable housing) receive emergency food from the Emmaus Food and Donation Distribution Center.  About 25 households weekly utilize the center and last year we assisted close to 100 different households.  During these tough economic times, our food distributions have become even more important for our clients.  Thanks to the financial support of many, we have been able to care for those who have nowhere else to turn.

Emmaus Today

The family shelter system in Massachusetts has been in a state of emergency since July 2023 due to the unprecedented influx of migrant families seeking shelter.  When the shelter system reached its capacity four months later, Massachusetts was forced to implement a waiting list for these families.  The Emmaus family shelter, Emmaus House, serves 51 families per night and is constantly at full capacity.  Emmaus expanded our emergency shelter for homeless men and women, Mitch’s Place, in April 2023 from 30 to 40 beds in order to accommodate the increased demand for shelter.  Since July, the number of inquiries we’ve received from individuals looking for shelter at Mitch’s Place has skyrocketed.  This new emergency has further stretched our resources and increased the pressure for us to help people find affordable housing.  Despite these challenges, Emmaus remains committed to our mission to help these men, women and families find their way home. Emmaus relies upon charitable gifts, grants, and proceeds from fundraising events like the annual spring gala, “Sip, Sample & Support,” to help fund our programs.

All of these accomplishments would not be possible without your support.  Thank you in advance for helping us rebuild lives each and every day. 

Please make monetary donations here.