BOSS Celebrates 50 Years: Love • Safety • Respect • Belonging

Fifty years ago Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS) was founded to serve the most vulnerable members of our community – homeless, mentally ill, very low income. Our commitment to this work has never wavered, and has expanded since that time to include those impacted by incarceration, violence, and the justice system. Our leadership and staff share the firm belief that all people deserve the basic conditions needed to thrive – love, safety, respect, and a sense of belonging – which are at the core of all BOSS programs.

On Thursday, October 26, 2023, we will celebrate our work, successes, and future with community partners, like you, and invite you to add something special to our celebration through your support.

For five decades BOSS has created solutions to Housing Security, Wellness & Empowerment, Reentry & Justice, and Social Justice different than our sister nonprofit organizations because we combine direct service to those in need with direct action to change root causes—helping people overcome homelessness, poverty, violence, and crisis while speaking truth to power about why those conditions exist and how to change them. Also setting BOSS apart is our long-standing commitment of hiring from our target population—over 50% of BOSS participants (80% in reentry programs) have lived experience.

BOSS has achieved a lot and are proud of this– which is why we are excited to pause and celebrate. And yet, the work is not done… not until all impacted community members are on paths to succeed and we help our communities achieve equity and healing justice.