A New Name but the Same Mission: Introducing Social Action Massachusetts

In 1976, religious communities in downtown Boston came together to form Social Action Ministries (SAM) to respond to the increasing numbers of homeless individuals on the very doorsteps of their congregations. From the beginning, SAM’s mission was to end homelessness through education, advocacy and collaboration. A program of the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance since 1997, SAM is now taking a step forward in affirming its commitment to social action across boundaries of faith, belief and practice by transitioning from “Social Action Ministries” to a new name: “Social Action Massachusetts.”

As SAM changes its name, its commitment to the mission of ending homelessness remains the same, as does its emphasis on encouraging lively dialogue about the relationship between belief and action in conjunction with its advocacy to end homelessness. The name “Social Action Massachusetts” highlights SAM’s expansion to include communities from across the Commonwealth in its efforts to end homelessness. Becoming Social Action Massachusetts also reflects SAM’s conviction that people of diverse religious, spiritual or ethically-based backgrounds—many of whom may not identify with the word “ministries”—all share a belief in recognizing the dignity of all human beings by working for a society in which no one is without a home.

Whether you draw your beliefs and practices from traditional religious sources, humanistic values or other spiritual or ethical ideas or communities, SAM invites you to be a part of the dialogue about social action—and a part of the solution to homelessness.

For more information about how to get involved with Social Action Massachusetts, contact Caitlin Golden at cgolden@mhsa.net or 617-367-6447 ext. 28.

< Back to the SAM Page