In 2024, Massachusetts counted 29,435 people experiencing homelessness—a 54% jump from 19,107 in 2023. Numbers like these are staggering, but they don’t tell the full story. Behind every statistic is a person navigating daily uncertainty, barriers, and resilience. Their lived experiences should guide policy and program design. 

That’s why Compassionate Conversations matters. This October, we celebrate the second anniversary of an event that puts real voices at the center of the homelessness discussion.  

Launched on October 5, 2023, Compassionate Conversations brought together people with lived experience of homelessness to meet one-on-one with policymakers, funders, and service providers. Facilitated by United Way and led by the Homelessness Empowerment Coalition (H.E.C.) and the Community Action Hub (C.A.H.) Co-Design Team—both led by individuals with lived experience—the event was built to shift narratives, amplify unheard voices, and spark action rooted in empathy.  

From that very first conversation, it was clear: data can show scale, but stories show reality.  

Compassionate Conversations Table

The impact of Compassionate Conversations is embodied by the people turning hardship into action. Vanessa and Danielle are two of those leaders—early members of the Community Action Hub who continue collaborating to expand access to safe housing and advance financial wellbeing. Their journeys reflect what’s possible when lived experience is not only heard but valued as expertise.  

Vanessa Compassionate Conversations

Vanessa, once a private school student living at home, became homeless at 19 after confronting her mother about alcohol abuse to protect her younger siblings. For years, she moved between shelters, cars, and friends’ couches while working multiple jobs, carrying the emotional burden of instability. Yet she persevered, earning a degree in Media and Communications from Temple University. Today, Vanessa lives in a Single Room Occupancy unit at the YWCA, is building a stable future, and reclaiming her sense of home. 

Danielle experienced what she calls “the huge crash” of her life after losing her job, housing, and custody of her daughter while facing health challenges. Through Community Counseling of Bristol County (CCBC) and the Community Support Program (CSP), she found stability. Two years later, she continues shaping the Community Action Hub, helping others navigate housing and employment systems while recruiting new members to ensure more voices shape solutions. “We’re building something powerful — turning hardship into guidance and experience into action,” she said. 

Danielle Compassionate Conversations 

Beyond the Hub, her advocacy has grown in visibility and impact, earning recognition from legislators and local organizations. At her church thrift store, she now leads a hub of support, offering vouchers to those in need. “I keep using that voice to advocate for people who are struggling. It’s what keeps me grounded,” she said.  

This year brought a milestone of personal joy: her daughter returned home. “Having my daughter come back has been a full-circle moment. It’s been emotional but healing. I finally feel ready to guide her because I’ve learned to guide myself,” Danielle shared. 

Through it all, Danielle emphasizes faith, perseverance, and self-belief: “Good things come to those who are patient and do the work. You have to believe in yourself first — that’s where everything starts.” 

These conversations bring stories like Vanessa’s and Danielle’s to the forefront, fostering empathy and understanding that data alone cannot. They challenge stereotypes and highlight root causes such as affordable housing shortages, mental health needs, and systemic inequities—revealing human realities often invisible in data. 

Over two years, the work sparked by Compassionate Conversations has grown into tangible initiatives: 

Together, these efforts show how Compassionate Conversations doesn’t just inform—it drives action, shapes policy, and builds lasting change. 

As we mark two years of Compassionate Conversations, we honor the courage of those who share their stories and the partners who carry this work forward. Change begins with listening—and by centering compassion, we move toward a future where homelessness is not only measured but meaningfully addressed. 

We’re deepening this work by embedding compassionate listening into community planning and strengthening connections between people with lived experience and decision-makers—making compassion not just a principle, but a practice that drives real change.