Emergency Shelter for Families
Wellspring is part of a statewide shelter system that helps to house 5 families at a time in Gloucester and provides stabilization case management to families throughout the North Shore communities of Peabody, Beverly, Salem, Danvers, and Cape Ann.
Our work is funded in part by contracts with The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Lynn Housing and Neighborhood Development (LHAND).
Families who are requesting emergency shelter need to call the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Emergency Assistance Line at (866) 584-0653 to speak with a Homeless Coordinator.
This is the first step in the process to begin an application for Emergency Assistance.
We do NOT recommend going to the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) office in Salem, because even in the office you will be asked to call the phone number above.
If you need assistance with the application process:
Once you make contact with a Homeless Coordinator and you have started the application process, Wellspring can help you understand requirements, put your documents together and assist with communication with DHCD.
For help after you have already spoken with a Homeless Coordinator, contact Wellspring’s Homelessness Prevention Line at (978) 281-3558, ext. 311. Calls are returned on weekdays, Monday – Friday, within 24 hours.
More information about the state of Massachusetts’ Emergency Shelter program for families is available at the following link: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/find-emergency-family-shelter