Boas Street Lodge
Paxton’s newest Community Living venture is Boas Street Lodge. This peer-support based program offers a family-like environment in which five mental health consumers live and work together while supporting one another in their recovery journeys. Based on the Fairweather Lodge model, which was developed by Dr. George Fairweather in 1963 and has since been replicated around the nation, Boas Street Lodge exists to provide emotional support, a place to live, and employment for its members. As with all Fairweather Lodges, the goal of Boas Street Lodge is to promote independence and autonomy for mental health consumers.

Lodge members share responsibilities around the house, pooling their resources for common expenses and taking turns to complete the chores necessary to keep their newly renovated home and property in good working order. Additionally, all lodge members are required to maintain at least part-time employment. Those without other jobs are given the opportunity to work for Paxton Cleaning Solutions – a small cleaning business owned and operated by Paxton Ministries.

Members of Boas Street Lodge must possess or be willing to develop the self-awareness and interpersonal skills necessary to live in community with other mental health consumers. Group problem-solving and conflict management skills are developed in weekly house meetings, which are facilitated by Paxton’s Community Living Program staff. Lodge members may also receive additional support from Paxton Ministries staff according to individual needs, but members are ultimately expected to obtain the skills or resources necessary for them to function as independently as possible.

Due to the size and nature of Paxton’s Community Living Programs, we keep no “waiting list” for Boas Street Lodge or Hudson Street Apartments. Instead, qualified applicants are added to an “interest list” and invited to complete the final stages of the application process only when an opening is imminent.

If you would like more information about the Lodge, or to obtain an application, contact Rachel Petersen, Community Living Programs Manager at rpetersen@paxtonmin.org" or (717) 236-5508, ext. 110.