In 2023, when Michael Davis was working at a tabling event on Boston Common, he handed an unhoused gentleman a Samaritans-branded hooded sweatshirt. “Now,” the man said, appreciating the gesture, “I have a pillow for tonight.”
The moment stuck with Davis, who serves as Community Outreach and Partnership Manager at Samaritans. To him, it was just a sweatshirt. To the gentleman, it was a necessity.
That encounter sparked discussions to create the Basic Needs Initiative, to provide resources and critical human connection to unhoused individuals throughout Greater Boston.
There is a strong connection between homelessness and suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide and suicidal behavior are influenced by several negative conditions—sometimes called social determinants of health—including economic hardship, poverty, and limited affordable housing. Stress, uncertainty, and threats to safety while experiencing homelessness increase risk for mental conditions, such as anxiety and depression.
After speaking with other Samaritans staff, Davis helped create 100 care packages that included essential items for unhoused individuals. A pair of socks, an eight-ounce bottle of water, and body wipes were placed inside a belt bag, which recipients could use to carry and protect their belongings. Each kit also included a fleece blanket.
The initiative was about more than getting essential items into the hands of people who need them—it was also about creating a sense of belonging, to show people they matter. The CDC notes that feeling a lack of connectedness to others can increase suicide risk, while addressing negative conditions and factors can help prevent suicide and suicide attempts. The Basic Needs Initiative is meant to increase that feeling of connectedness.
Throughout 2024, Davis distributed the care packages to individuals and homeless shelters throughout Boston. When he is unable to give directly to a shelter, he looks to deliver kits to individuals in the surrounding area. If he runs out of supplies, he returns in the following days.
Davis recalls one discussion with a middle-aged man in Nubian Square, who appreciated receiving the care package and whose partner was in the hospital. “Thanks for doing this,” the man told him. “Nobody gives a [expletive] about us. Can you come back tomorrow for my partner?”
When Deloitte heard about the initiative, they wanted to partner with Samaritans as part of their annual Impact Day of community service. In June, 22 volunteers from Deloitte visited the Samaritans office to help compile 100 Basic Needs Initiative kits, which included handwritten notes of compassion from staff and volunteers. A donation from Deloitte contributed to the funding of the kits.
“We chose Samaritans for Impact Day because of the unique approach they take to meeting people where they are,” said Siobhan Plummer, Accounting and Reporting Advisory Manager at Deloitte. “The Basic Needs Initiative is a way to engage people meaningfully and directly.”
“We were honored to be part of such an important day, putting kits together for people who need them,” said Carolyn Cruise, Deloitte Audit Manager. “Samaritans shows just how far the efforts of individuals can extend and impact others, and we’re so excited and thankful to support something bigger than ourselves.”
“I think getting to come together to make the kits gave us the space to both reflect on how we can help our community while also giving others the dignity they deserve,” added Mimi Leon, Deloitte Audit Senior Assistant. “We not only felt that we made an impact, but we were also impacted by the stories and experiences shared.”
With the 100 new kits assembled, Davis immediately began identifying places to distribute them. One of his first stops was St. Mary’s Center for Women and Children in Dorchester. As a representative from the center shared with Davis, the care packages were particularly useful with intense summer weather approaching.
Davis takes every opportunity to get kits in the hands of those who need them. “Sometimes, it just happens when I’m out driving. If someone asks for money or food but I don’t have any to offer them, maybe a care package can help instead.”
Davis looks for ways to help beyond distributing care packages. For unhoused individuals who don’t have phones, he writes down places they could potentially seek shelter. Sometimes, he walks people through a demonstration of how to access the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline using library computers—public libraries are often used for daytime shelter, especially during the winter.
“I often ask people when describing this initiative, ‘When was the last time you simply gave someone homeless grace? Gave them time and space to just talk without feeling judged?’ Many of us are one decision away from being in their circumstances.”
Davis is brainstorming potential items to include in future Basic Needs Initiative kits, such as MBTA bus passes or gift cards, but he notes that care packages are not meant to be a standalone fix. They can, however, serve as a meaningful, empathetic, nonjudgmental conversation starter with a population that is often ignored or overlooked. As Davis notes, the Basic Needs Initiative started with a simple conversation on Boston Common.
“Based off one interaction,” Davis says, “we proved once again that every conversation counts.”
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