• 2011

     

    501(c)(3) Status

    We obtained our 501(c)(3) status, developed program protocols and monitoring systems, developed an outreach strategy, and hired and trained staff on case management systems.

  • Expanding program

    We opened an online learning lab to offer individual tutoring on ESL, Hi-set (GED) and Apex (online high school courses).

     

    2015

  • 2016

     

    Opened a Social Enterprise Cafe

    We opened our social enterprise café, Land of A Thousand Hills, to provide our clients with paid, in-house job-training. This program currently offers on-site employment opportunities to 20 clients each year. 

  • Expanding Job Training

    • We expanded this program and developed a product line carrying the name of our job-training program, Catalyst, which offers employment and training opportunities for homeless unaccompanied young adults that are most high risk. This successful addition to our program has employed an additional 40 clients this year.
    • We master leased an apartment to provide safe and affordable transitional housing for five high-risk homeless youth and started a successful host home program.
    • Our social enterprise won the coveted BONS (Best of North Shore) for Best Coffee Shop in both Editor’s and Reader’s Choice! 
     

    2017

  • 2018

     

    Expanding Drop-In Center

    • We piloted a new Drop-in Center location at the Salem New Liberty Innovation School for the 2018-2019 school year, which provided the opportunity to connect with community partners and we implemented a comprehensive data system.
    • We were awarded Lynn Chamber of Commerce’s Non-Profit of the Year and BONS (Best of North Shore) for Best Coffee Shop in both Editor’s and Reader’s Choice for the second year in a row!
    • We piloted a new Drop-in Center at the Salem New Liberty Innovation School for the 2018-2019 school year which provided the opportunity to connect with community partners, build alliances, and gain name recognition in Salem. 

  • Implementing Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) System

    • We opened a satellite Drop-in Center location at the Lifebridge North Shore homeless shelter in Salem, MA, which is open weekly in addition to our Lynn Drop-in Center, which is open daily.
    • We also customized and implemented a client database program called Apricot. This new system helped us shift from our paper-based system to a confidential online electronic record. This database system improved our efficiency, helped us with program evaluation, and streamlined our client interactions.
    • We won BONS (Best of North Shore) for Best Coffee Shop in both Editor’s and Reader’s Choice for the third year in a row!
     

    2019

  • 2020

     

    Navigating a Pandemic

    As one of the only nonprofits that remained open and operating during the height of the pandemic, we provided critical front-line services both on-site and virtually, and provided a lifeline to hundreds of clients who were suddenly unemployed; and to community members who needed referrals for services

  • Implemented a Temporary Shelter

    • We collaborated with Lifebridge North Shore to open a temporary youth shelter, the only shelter north of Boston specifically for young adults. The shelter remained operational for 81 days and demonstrated the importance and the impact having a youth-specific shelter can have in this area.
    • We provided essential basic needs, strengthened our virtual education supports, and expanded our Job Training Program for “double impact” initiative with My Brother’s Table, utilizing our cafe to make smoothies for disinvested communities.
     

    2021

  • 2022

     

    Securing Catalyst

    We secured funding to spearhead a $14+M, on-site, supportive housing project – Catalyst Housing – to provide 23 studio apartments for extremely low-income young adults (18-24, up to 30% area median income (AMI) who lack access to secure housing). This project will offer wrap-around services that will dovetail with the existing supportive services offered by the Haven Project. Construction commenced in May 2024 and completed in June 2025, with units opening the same month.

  • Youth-specific Transitional Housing

    We collaborated with the Lynn Housing Authority to write a successful $2.3m grant to secure a Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program Grant (YHDP) for the City of Lynn. We are now laying the groundwork for a Transitional Housing – Rapid Rehousing (TH-RRH) Program set to open this spring. The two housing projects will be the first of their kind north of Boston. The next few years are critical years to advance our mission and enhance the futures of the young people we work with.

     

    2023

  • 2024

     

    Transitional Housing, Rapid Rehousing & Guaranteed Income Pilot

    In 2024, we launched a Transitional Housing–Rapid Rehousing program for 24 unhoused young adults and implemented a Guaranteed Income Pilot, providing monthly stipends to 28 youth. Both initiatives were designed to promote stability and autonomy during a critical period of transition. These efforts reflect our commitment to meeting young people where they are and investing directly in their potential.

  • Catalyst & Career Development

    We’re expanding job training through our new Career Development Program and moving residents into Catalyst, a permanent supportive housing program for young adults. These initiatives will offer a pathway from crisis to stability by combining housing, education, and employment support. Our goal is to equip youth not just to survive, but to thrive long-term.

     

    2025