Emergency Shelters
Lifebridge provides emergency shelter beds in a clean, safe, and warm environment for those experiencing street homelessness. We have two emergency shelter locations:
- The Lifebridge Main Campus in Salem, MA (shelter for people 18 years or older)
- River House in Beverly, MA (shelter for women 18 years or older)
If you are in need of a shelter bed, please contact us at 978-744-0500.
Relief on the Path Toward Stability
Applying for housing can include complex paperwork, waitlists, and other barriers that leave many street homeless for some amount of time. Without shelter and food, no one can hope to achieve their goals. Our state-funded shelters are a temporary stopgap during your journey to stability, allowing you to move forward with support and community.
Case Management
Every person who stays in one of our shelters is paired with a Lifebridge case manager to help meet their goals. These partners collaborate with you to create an action plan that plays to your strengths.
Emergency Shelter at the Lifebridge Main Campus
Our emergency shelter in Salem, MA offers people a consistent place to stay until they achieve housing. We have 50 year-round beds, with expanded capacity during New England’s harsh winters.
You can imagine that without a safe place to rest, there isn’t much you can accomplish. Clients with access to consistent shelter are much better prepared to begin or continue their journey toward stability, whether that includes assistance with mental health, substance use, housing, building support networks, or employment.
Call 978-744-0500 to inquire about open beds
River House, Our Women’s Shelter
River House is the first women’s-only emergency shelter north of Boston, and remains the only space in our region where women experiencing homelessness can find refuge without the presence of male clients.
Creating a women-only environment is not a preference; it is essential. For women who have endured trauma — often at the hands of male perpetrators — healing cannot begin in mixed-gender settings. Safety, privacy, and emotional security are foundational to recovery.
In the two years since its conversion to a women’s shelter, nearly 100 women have found stability through River House. This progress is made possible by our deeply committed case managers and direct care staff, who walk alongside each woman as she works toward personal goals — from securing identification documents and accessing therapy to addiction recovery, family reunification, and permanent housing.
River House is strengthened further by an extraordinary network of community partners and volunteers who offer art therapy, creative writing, yoga, cooking classes, self-defense training, and professional development workshops. Together, they have cultivated a community grounded in dignity, compassion, and mutual support.
Learn about our upcoming redevelopment of the Lifebridge Main Campus in Salem.