About Friends of the Homeless South Shore
For over 40 years, we've been helping homeless families on the South Shore of Boston find their way home through shelter, support, and advocacy.
Our Story
Founded in 1982, Friends of the Homeless South Shore began when a small church in Hingham discovered families living in cars, motels, and campgrounds. Recognizing that homelessness was too big for one church to address alone, they formed a broader coalition of faith communities, civic groups, and government agencies.
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From the innovative Faith Home-Share Program in 1988 to opening dedicated shelters like Faith Place Shelter in Weymouth and the Rehoboth Shelter in Norwell, we've grown into a regional network of services supporting families in crisis.
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As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliated with North Street Community Church and Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, we continue to help families build stronger relationships, access opportunities, and work toward lasting self-sufficiency.
Our Mission
Friends of the Homeless South Shore provides shelter, food, clothing, education, and advocacy for families experiencing homelessness on the South Shore of Boston. We meet a wide range of needs—physical, emotional, social, and spiritual—while supporting families on their path to stability and independence.
Our Goals
We help families build stronger relationships through support and advocacy, access education and employment opportunities, find and maintain safe affordable housing, and work toward lasting self-sufficiency and resiliency.
Odalis Rull, Executive Director
Odalis Rull joined Friends of the Homeless of the South Shore in July 2024 and was appointed Executive Director in July 2025. With more than 11 years of experience in the human services field,she has served in a variety of roles dedicated to supporting individuals and families in crisis. Her heart for helping those most in need has shaped her career and continues to guide her leadership today.
In her role as Executive Director, Ms. Rull is responsible for overseeing the organization's programs, operations, and partnerships to ensure families experiencing homelessness receive compassionate, effective, and timely support. Having worked directly with individuals in crisis throughout her career, she brings a deep understanding of the challenges families face, as well as a strong commitment to creating pathways toward stability and permanent housing.
A proud Hispanic woman, Ms. Rull's journey in human services has been profoundly influenced by her dedication to equity, dignity, and compassion. She views her work not only as a profession but as a calling, and she leads Friends of the Homeless with both professional expertise and personal
passion for the mission.
Board of Directors
Friends of the Homeless of the South Shore is a non-profit and holds a 501(c)3. We operate with the assistance of our volunteers, staff, and a Board of Directors.
The board of directors consists of several individuals, including our director and executive director. The board meets four to six times annually to discuss the current operations, how those operations can be enhanced, and the financials of the organization.
Accountability is key to our operations, under the guidelines of the IRS.
Members of our board include:
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Executive Director
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Director
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Pastor
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Financial Analyst and MBA
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Skilled Craftsman
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Various volunteer and donation professionals
Of course, we have senior level staff attend meetings at times to give the Board a full understanding of program accomplishments and government updates