Lowell Charities and Partners

As a way to help reduce the panhandling issue in Lowell, the city is partnering up with local groups to promote community resources, services and education tools to citizens of Lowell.

Lowell Continuum of Care

Lowell Continuum of Care is an umbrella organization who’s members provide services to the homeless. The COC is comprised of community leaders, housing providers, local state and federal government agencies and non-profit organizations who together, aim to end homelessness by 2020. Furthermore, the money received from the change for change initiative will go towards this umbrella of organizations as a way of assisting Lowell residents in finding the right services necessary for their success. Charities include: Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Lowell Community Health Center and Career Center of Lowell.

Lowell Police Department: CO-OP

The Lowell Police Department (LDP) recognizes that there has been a significant increase in the amount of fatal and non-fatal overdoses in the City. As a result, the LPD instilled a community opiate outreach program that implemented a new protocol for responding to overdoses. The ultimate goal of this initiative is to stop the cycle of addiction through education and encourage overdose victims to enter treatment to avoid future drug use and therefore avoid future contacts with the police. The goals of this initiative are as follows:

1. Building relationships with treatment facilities and other resources as necessary

2. Conduct outreach to homeless encampments

3. Conduct home visits of victims of recent overdoses

4. Connect victims of overdoses to necessary services for assistance

5. Talk to families of overdose victims about services offered for family support

6. Educate the homeless community about available services

7. Refer children of overdose victims to the Mental Health Association of Greater Lowell

Lowell Career Center

The Lowell Career Center has received a grant three years in a row to assist homeless persons in finding employment. The Career Center works with the Lowell Transitional Living Center and Community Teamwork Inc. (CTI) to identify candidates for potential jobs. These candidates are either homeless or a part of the CTI Home Base Program. Once an individual is made a job candidate; the Career Center works with them to create a resume, conducts job development training and then places the individual in a job. The Career Center is always open to anyone and any individual may sign up to become a member to have access to all of their services.