Message From Our CEO, Shiela Y. Moore

Hildebrand Family Self-Help Center represents the lived experience of the disenfranchised, and the fight for equality. We stand with Black Lives Matter, aligned in our commitment to improve the lives of those we serve and dismantle systemic racism, a contributing factor to homelessness.

The fight to end homelessness is inexplicably tied to social, racial and economic justice. As sad and angry as we are about the death of George Floyd and many others, we are aware that communities of color face many forms of violence. Homelessness is violence; poverty and hunger are violence; over- incarceration, poor education and inadequate health care are all assaults on dignity, respect, opportunity, and humanity that tear at the fabric of family and community.

The ongoing pandemic has also had a devastating and disproportionate impact on communities of color and again, reveals their lack of access to medical care which contributes to poorer health outcomes. Hildebrand staff understands this and has been relentless in their efforts to keep families safe.

Homelessness is a condition that disproportionately effects black and brown people. Family homelessness is rooted in race and gender bias, wage inequality, unemployment, displacement (usually caused by gentrification or domestic violence), and housing discrimination and lack of affordability. Ninety percent of the families we serve are people of color who are Black and Latinx. We are in tough times and yet, times have always been tough for those we support. They have always faced an overwhelming confluence of issues, and Hildebrand has been the haven where families come to recover from the trauma brought on by each of these dehumanizing encounters.

Everywhere one looks there is a system that must be fixed, but now we find ourselves less alone in this fight. Recent events not only exposed racial injustices but, for us at Hildebrand, also illuminated the fact that we have always supported the most disenfranchised people, and that the organization itself was born from similar experiences. It is because Blacks were denied the ability to worship in white churches that led to the founding of African Methodist Episcopal movement in the 19th century and the opening of St. Paul Church in Cambridge, which in turn founded Hildebrand. We exist because the Black community is resilient, resourceful and empathic; these qualities are at the core of our work. We exist to improve the conditions that lead to family homelessness. It is our collective lived experience. We are keenly aware of our legacy and proud of Hildebrand’s place in history.

Hildebrand’s history is the foundation upon which we build brighter futures for families experiencing homelessness. We are committed – now more than ever – to continue working with, and on behalf of, vulnerable families in the fight for justice and equality. Hildebrand was born out of African Americans’ response to discrimination and inequality. Our work matters. Black Lives Matter.