The Norwell Home houses up to eight homeless mothers and their children in Phase I of our Transformational Housing Program. To ensure their safety and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, the building is currently undergoing the following renovations:

• The shared kitchen will be renovated to create two separate cooking areas and the dining room will be expanded to allow social distancing between families during meal times.
• Two separate shower stalls will be added to one of the common bathrooms to reduce wait times and crowding during common bathroom hours.
• One of our current suites will be renovated into an “isolation suite” for any families that become affected by COVID-19 and must self-quarantine.
• The HVAC system in the building will be completely renovated to a VRF system, allowing for individual room controls and air conditioning. A fresh air ventilation ERV system will also been added, which is no easy task considering the masonry construction of the building.

These changes are made possible by generous funding from the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR) Shelter Modification Grant, Franklin Savings Bank, the Cogswell Benevolent Trust, the McIninch Foundation,  the Von Weber Trust, the Hollis-Brookline Rotary Club, and the Samuel P. Hunt Foundation. A big thank you to Schroeder Construction and Pinnacle Rock Mechanical Services who are working hard to complete the renovation by 2021!

“Before” & “During” Construction Photos: