Y2Y Harvard Square

In-PersonMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySundayHarvard Square

Apr 11

Y2Y Harvard Square is a seasonal overnight shelter that serves up to 27 young adults (that is between 18-24 years old) nightly. In addition to providing dinner and breakfast, we offer regular healthcare services and case management services aimed at creating sustainable pathways out of homelessness and developing skills for long-term success. What makes our model unique is the population we serve and our leadership structure. Y2Y Harvard Square is the nation’s first student-run young adult homeless shelter. Our youth-to-youth model empowers young adults through collective support, allowing guests and student staff to lift each other up through shared understanding, transforming empathy into a bridge of trust.

Mission

In 2012, more volunteers for HSHS were available to work than were required and there were urgent needs of the community of individuals experiencing homelessness in Greater Boston that need serving. Two students in the Harvard College Class of 2014, began the process of creating Y2Y Harvard Square. The students founded Y2Y on the premise that the ideal way for university students in the greater Cambridge community to help meet the community's needs would be to create a night shelter dedicated to meeting the unique needs of unhoused young adults. Since then, this group has grown to include graduate students, faculty, advocates, community members, and service providers working together to make our vision a reality: a network of communities where all young adults experiencing homelessness have a safe place to rest, grow, and lead.