Programs and Services

  • Woman Consoling
  • holding hands
  • law books

Portal To Hope offers the following services for free:

  • Emergency shelter in a protective, nurturing environment which is free from mental, physical or sexual violence
  • Legal aid for ensuring continued civil protections through the legal court system
  • Job placement & housing assistance which helps victims rebuild their lives, both professionally and personally
  • Youth programs designed to educate our children and help break the cycle of violence.

Detailed list of comprehensive programs & services offered by Portal To Hope:

Benevolence Project

  • PTH calls for donations of gift certificates for clothing, food, transportation and other items needed for victims requiring shelter
  • Cell phones are collected and are either reprogrammed for 911 usage via Verizon Wireless or recycled to Shelter Alliance which helps to fund PTH victim service projects. 

Emergency Shelter

  • PTH offers one to three nights of shelter to victims requiring immediate relocation from danger.  Shelter is provided via hoteling and volunteers who kindly provide safe-housing.

Healing & Recovery

  • Support Groups are offered in partnership with 
    • St. John the Evangelist Church in Winthrop
    • St. Mary’s Parish in Lynn
    • Zion Baptist Church Ministries in Everett
  • Support Groups are confidential and require registration.
  • Individuals and Families may receive support counseling, and therapy via a referral process.

Housing and Job Search Assistance

  • PTH assists clients with housing, search and applications.
  • PTH clients are offered resume writing, presentation skills training and assistance in job searches.
  • PTH facilitates a Work Sponsorship Project through which eligible clients are sponsored by individual and corporate donors.  Sponsorship allows clients to work onsite at PTH while they are enrolled in Support Groups, participate in violence prevention trainings and may attend school over a 10-month stay at PTH.  

Legal Services

  • Victim Advocates who are highly trained to assist clients in District, Probate & Family, Superior and Federal Courts are available to all victims seeking assistance within the court system.
  • Limited Legal Aid for cases involving child support, visitation, immigration and restraining order matters is available to eligible clients.
  • PTH has a roster of attorneys available to clients.

Youth Programs

  • PTH’s 11th Grade Summer Internship Program made possible through the partnership with the Everett Police is a 10-day training and community service effort designed to effect youth leadership in the cause to end violence.
  • Erin’s Project is a program designed by PTH which serves young women, ages fifteen to eighteen whose lives have been impacted by family and/or teen dating violence.  A competitive enrollment, PTH accepts six candidates per 8-week program cycle during which participants learn good decision making skills, build on their self-esteem, are taught how to lead non-violent lives and develop public speaking skills in order that they may use their voices in the cause to end violence against women.
    Special thanks to The Foundation Trust for partnering with PTH to make this program possible!

Speakers Bureau

  • PTH Speakers provide educational forums and other trainings to faith-based communities, government, law enforcement, schools, service clubs and to the public-at-large, as PTH’s team is committed to preventing violence through education.  The Speakers Bureau includes survivors, police officers, government and elected officials and other community leaders.
  • Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking crimes are encouraged to join PTH’s Speakers Bureau.

Domestic Violence Task Force

  • PTH hosts a quarterly, Tri-City Domestic Violence Task Force open to the public.

Volunteer Program

  • Volunteers are welcome to serve in all areas of PTH operations.  Volunteers are an integral part of PTH’s daily operations and violence prevention education.  Whether its in serving on the Advisory Committee, helping to fundraise, promoting PTH’s helpful service programs, providing administrative or clerical aid, or serving as an advocate, PTH could not reach its community goals to end violence without volunteer support.

Services for Military Veterans

  • PTH partners with the family advocacy program at Hanscom AFB to provide intervention and prevention services to military families.

These programs were partially supported by the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance through a Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA) grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs,  U.S. Department of Justice.

Portal To Hope is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization. All Portal To Hope services are free.