Winter Walk

This past weekend, a hearty team of ‘Quin House members and employees spent a snowy Sunday morning linking arms with the community and walking the streets of Boston to help raise awareness and funds to end homelessness and the stigma that surrounds it. With more than 100 ‘Quin House participants this year, we are proud to announce a $10,000 contribution towards ending homelessness. Thank you to all who joined us on a snowy but beautiful Winter Walk around our great city!

Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to attend a symposium titled “A Better Home for All: Bridging Affordability, Sustainability, and Innovation in Housing”, co-hosted by the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. This symposium brought together industry leaders in housing policy and planning, showcasing the interdisciplinarity of the housing crisis in Massachusetts. What particularly interested me was the first panel, titled “Breaking Barriers: Innovative Approaches to Housing Stability and Ending Homelessness”, where the speakers came from MassHealth, Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Association, and Pine Street Inn. The panelists argued that housing was a public health issue; Massachusetts was the first state to use Medicaid funding in an effort to end homelessness, which led to a savings of $5300/person in medical costs. It was fascinating to hear the connection between housing stability and public health. It was optimistic to hear about the scope of housing in Massachusetts; advocacy groups from all over the state are hard at work helping finance projects that otherwise would not pencil out. The state’s investment in housing innovation, using solutions like modular housing, home sharing, office to residential conversions, and legalizing single-stair housing were also exciting opportunities to hear about as a future architect! Last Sunday, I got to join SPARK Boston’s team for Winter Walk 2025, the 9th annual 2-mile charity walk in the Boston Common. Winter Walk is a nonprofit organization on a mission to end homelessness in America, raising funds for local organizations and awareness around the homelessness crisis in the United States. The organization chose February, the coldest month of the year (and right after our biggest snowfall of the year), for the walk to create an understanding of the experiences of our unhoused neighbors. A highlight of the event was hearing former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh speak about his administration’s efforts in ending chronic veteran homelessness in the city in 2015. The City of Boston's commitment to make Boston a home for all has been evident through my involvement in SPARK Boston and I’m looking forward to being a part of that movement through the architecture industry. Huge thank you to Aidan McDonough and SPARK Boston for both of these opportunities! It was very fulfilling to participate in a weekend full of housing discussion, especially as I work on my Master’s thesis focused on Missing Middle Modular Housing in infill parcels in Boston’s Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan neighborhoods under Ivan Rupnik’s guidance. Learn more about the Housing Symposium here: https://lnkd.in/erdvn4KP Learn more about Winter Walk here: https://winterwalk.org/

We had an amazing Winter Walk this year! Our sincere thanks to everyone who braved the snow and showed up to support our collective efforts to end homelessness in Boston. Your ongoing care and dedication to our patients’ wellbeing means the world! On top of raising critically needed funds for BHCHP, this annual event brings more public awareness to the reality of homelessness, particularly the lives of rough sleepers who spend most of their time outside braving the elements. Although the event is over, you can still contribute to our fundraising efforts by visiting this website. Thank you!! https://bit.ly/3X141ro