Emergency & Transitional Shelters

Lifebridge provides emergency shelter beds in a clean, safe, and warm environment for those experiencing street homelessness.

 We have two shelter locations.

Salem, MA
Emergency and transitional shelter for people 18 years or older.

Beverly, MA
Emergency shelter for women 18 years or older.

If you are in need of a shelter bed, please contact us at 978-744-0500.

Emergency Shelter Bed

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.

Assigned Beds

Unlike some shelters that have a "line up" or "night-by-night" approach to beds, Lifebridge guests receive an assigned bed that they are responsible for until they move on. With consistent shelter and meals, you can start moving towards your goals.

Three women standing looking at pictures on a phone

Community

Isolation makes homelessness harder. Lifebridge provides connection and belonging by expanding your community from one caring individual to larger support networks like healthcare, behavioral health, employment, and family.

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

Our Transitional Shelter

In addition to our emergency shelters in Salem and Beverly, Lifebridge has a transitional shelter in Salem to meet the rising needs of citizens experiencing homelessness.

The City of Salem and Lifebridge worked together to establish a shelter that would triage an encampment of unhoused people in 2023. It has since served as an entry point to support those who are unable to use our emergency shelters.

The transitional shelter on Canal St. offers beds with fewer barriers than our emergency shelters, making it easier to access a safe, warm place to stay the night.

Contact Lifebridge today at 978-744-0500.

A group of guests embrace at "Together for Women"

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.

A group of guests embrace at "Together for Women"

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.

a rendered image of the redevelopment project

Lifebridge Main Campus Upcoming Redevelopment Project

a man walks through a snow storm

Emergency Weather Scenarios