We're here to make that happen.
Ellis Square Friends was born from one unsavory Facebook post about the homeless in Beverly. In 2016, Brenda Mattos read a negative Facebook post by one of our community members. The comment was about the homeless in Ellis Square in downtown Beverly. Not only did Brenda respond with compassion, she took action and started serving water and sandwiches out of her car to those less fortunate in Ellis Square. She knew the need was greater than what her car and she could handle alone, so searched for a space where she could serve more. Fast forward six years, and not only has she grown Ellis Square Friends into a weekly dinner serving 100 people on average, providing 200 lunch and bonus bags lunches per week, and toiletries and other necessities, but does it now with the help of many amazing volunteers, donors, 4-6 high school students, and delivery drivers who joined the team in the Fall of 2020 to assist those homebound diners during the pandemic.
Ellis Square Friends was created with the intention of helping our less fortunate neighbors. Many of our diners are sheltered and unsheltered homeless neighbors who assemble at Ellis Square. However, there are others who benefit from our assistance as well; our food insecure community members who have limited means, with whom we share surplus items. Our mission is to provide clothing, food, and whatever resources we can to help these people survive, and in some instances get off the streets.
Ellis Square Friends was created with the intention of helping our less fortunate neighbors. Many of our diners are sheltered and unsheltered homeless neighbors who assemble at Ellis Square. However, there are others who benefit from our assistance as well; our food insecure community members who have limited means, with whom we share surplus items. Our mission is to provide clothing, food, and whatever resources we can to help these people survive, and in some instances get off the streets.
