FENWAY FORWARD 2025 ANNUAL REPORT
Michelle's Story
Finding a Place to Call Home
Michelle’s journey is a testament to resilience, faith, and the power of finally finding home.
At just 12 years old, she left home and moved in with her grandmother, seeking the safety and steadiness she had longed for. When her grandmother could no longer care for her, Michelle entered the foster care system at age 14—ushering in years defined by uncertainty and constant transition.
At 16, Michelle left her foster home and moved into a rooming house in Dorchester. Determined to build a better future, she graduated from high school and enrolled in Northeastern University’s nursing program. Personal circumstances, however, forced her to leave school and relocate to Rhode Island, where she lived for the next twenty years before eventually returning to Boston.
As she grew older, the challenges only intensified. Without a stable support system, Michelle found herself living on the streets and in temporary shelters. She describes those years as some of the most isolating of her life. “There were nights when I didn’t know where I would sleep,” she recalls. “I felt like I was disappearing—like no one could really see me but God.”
Yet even during those difficult years, Michelle held tightly to her faith and to the belief that she could rebuild her life—ideally back in Boston, the place she still considered home. But rising housing costs made that dream feel increasingly out of reach. She worried that stable housing in a safe neighborhood, something she had been seeking since childhood, might remain just beyond her grasp.
There were nights when I didn’t know where I would sleep,” she recalls. “I felt like I was disappearing—like no one could really see me but God.”
That changed when Michelle’s social worker connected her with Fenway Forward.
Working closely with staff who listened deeply and approached her with compassion, Michelle secured an affordable apartment on Burbank Street. Having a home—one that was safe, permanent, and truly hers—transformed the trajectory of her life. “Fenway Forward gave me more than housing,” she says. “They gave me a chance to feel settled for the first time in years. They believed in me when I didn’t know how to believe in myself.”
Today, Michelle speaks about her home with pride and gratitude. She feels part of a community, surrounded by neighbors and staff who support her journey. “I finally have a place where I can breathe,” she shares. “A place where I feel safe. A place where I can think about the future instead of just getting through the day. I’m so thankful to Fenway Forward for helping me get here.”
Michelle’s story is a powerful reminder that affordable housing is not simply a unit—it is dignity restored, stability rebuilt, and the beginning of a new chapter.
"I finally have a place where I can feel safe... I can think about the future instead of just getting through the day. I'm so thankful to Fenway Forward for helping me get here."