HISTORY

Starlight Ministries grew out of one Christian’s sense of mission to serve people who are homeless in Boston. With only four dollars, Claire Sullivan began serving people who are homeless on Boston Common. As she built relationships with individuals who were homeless, she asked them to show her how to serve them best. Whether it was where to get a good meal or a shower, they showed her the best services available in the city. In 1990, soon after she began this outreach, her church expressed an interest in working with her. Within months, they were coming weekly with a van with clothes, food, and blankets. Starlight received its name that first year from a homeless gentleman who said, “You should call it ‘Starlight Ministries’ since you come out at night under the stars.”

For the first four years, Starlight stayed church-based. In 1994, Starlight joined the Emmanuel Gospel Center, a non-denominational Christian ministry serving churches and communities in and around Boston. Today, Starlight works with dozens of churches and more than a hundred volunteers to walk with nearly seven hundred individuals so that one day they can transition off the streets and into healthy community.