Meet the Team
Community Outreach Coordinator & Peer Mentor
Danny
Engages directly with individuals in the community to build trust, provide guidance, and share lived experience when appropriate. Focused on outreach in high-need areas, this role supports connection to shelters, recovery services, and local programs while offering encouragement and accountability. Acts as a peer-level support system to help individuals stay engaged with resources and take steady steps toward stability and recovery.
Resource & Support Specialist
Sage Monroe
Provides direct assistance connecting individuals to essential services including shelter placement, recovery programs, healthcare, transportation, and basic needs support. Helps assess immediate situations and guides each person toward the most appropriate and accessible resources. Ensures follow-through and clear next steps so individuals don’t get lost in the system and can move toward stability with consistent support.
Community Advocate
Harper lin
Serves as a direct voice and support bridge between the community and available services. Focused on listening to individual needs, guiding people through resource options, and helping remove barriers to care and support. Works closely with outreach and partner organizations to ensure individuals are heard, respected, and connected to the right help quickly and effectively across Boston and surrounding areas.
About Us
Up & At Em Community Initiative is a dedicated nonprofit organization based in Massachusetts, focused on empowering individuals and families by connecting them with vital resources. Our mission encompasses providing access to housing, shelters, recovery services, mental health support, food assistance, and job placement services. Founded by James McGillicuddy, we strive to foster community engagement and support local donations, creating a reliable and compassionate network for those in need throughout Massachusetts. Join us as we work towards improving lives and building lasting stability in our communities.
what we do
WHAT WE DO (BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS)
Up & At Em Community Initiative is a Boston-based mobile community support organization serving individuals across Boston and surrounding Massachusetts communities including Malden, Lynn, Chelsea, Somerville, Revere, Cambridge, and Dorchester. We provide direct, hands-on support for individuals experiencing homelessness, substance use disorder, mental health challenges, housing instability, and barriers to accessing essential services.
We specialize in fast, practical connection to local Boston-area resources and help individuals navigate complex systems that often feel overwhelming or inaccessible without guidance.
OUR ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY
We act as a direct support bridge between individuals in crisis and the established support systems across Massachusetts. Many people struggle to access or understand services such as shelter placement, treatment programs, housing applications, and healthcare enrollment. We simplify that process and provide step-by-step guidance to ensure no one is left without direction.
We support individuals by helping them connect to verified, real-world systems including City of Boston and Massachusetts state-based services, nonprofit providers, and community programs.
SERVICES WE CONNECT PEOPLE TO (BOSTON & MASSACHUSETTS)
We help individuals access and navigate a wide range of verified local services, including but not limited to:
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Emergency Shelter & Housing Placement through Boston and Massachusetts shelter systems, including adult emergency shelters, family shelters, and transitional housing programs
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Boston Coordinated Entry System (CES) for housing assessments and coordinated shelter/housing placement
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Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) programs for housing assistance and emergency housing support
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MassHealth enrollment and healthcare access support for medical and behavioral health coverage
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Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) services, including outreach, harm reduction, and community health programs
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Substance Use Recovery Services, including detox placement, inpatient and outpatient treatment referrals, and sober housing programs across Massachusetts
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Behavioral Health Support Programs including community mental health clinics and crisis stabilization services
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DMH (Department of Mental Health) and DCF-related resource navigation support when applicable
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Food security resources, including local food pantries, meal programs, and SNAP application guidance
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Massachusetts 211 (United Way 211) for statewide resource connection and referrals
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Veteran-specific services, including VA housing and healthcare support navigation when applicable
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Local nonprofit partner organizations providing case management, outreach, and stabilization support
We also assist individuals in understanding eligibility requirements, completing referrals, and navigating intake processes for these systems.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN BOSTON & SURROUNDING AREAS
Our outreach model is mobile and flexible, allowing us to meet individuals where they are rather than requiring access to a physical office. We provide support through phone, Zoom, and scheduled in-person meetings by appointment in safe community settings across Greater Boston.
We actively support individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness, individuals exiting treatment programs, and those disconnected from traditional service systems. Our outreach is focused on trust-building, immediate connection, and reducing barriers to care.
A BRIDGE TO STABILITY & LONG-TERM SUPPORT
Up & At Em Community Initiative serves as a bridge between vulnerable individuals and the structured systems designed to support them across Massachusetts. These systems often include housing authorities, public health programs, recovery networks, and nonprofit service providers—but navigating them alone can be difficult and overwhelming.
We provide clarity, direction, and consistent follow-through so individuals can move from crisis into stabilization. Our role is not to replace existing services, but to make them accessible, understandable, and actionable.
We focus on helping people move forward with dignity, structure, and real support pathways that exist within Boston’s established service network.
LOCAL FOCUS
This service supports individuals across:
Boston, Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, South Boston, East Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Lynn, Somerville, Cambridge, and surrounding Massachusetts communities.
We specialize in:
Boston homeless outreach, Boston recovery support, Massachusetts housing navigation, Boston shelter referral help, and community-based case support.
