Phillips Brooks House Association


Phillips Brooks House Association is one of the largest student organizations at Harvard College, with more than 70 programs and 1,200 student volunteers. It is an independent student-run, staff-supported public service and social justice organization providing a variety of services to the Greater Boston community.
PBHA effects change through service and activism in partnership with local communities. Founded in 1904, it has been at the heart of Harvard's progressive culture for over a century. PBHA is its own nonprofit but also works closely with Harvard and the larger Phillip Brooks House department, which was founded in the 2000s.
PBHA's programs fall into 7 categories: summer camps ; advocacy; health; shelter and housing; mentoring; afterschool programming; and adult services. PBHA includes two student-run homeless shelters, the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter and Y2Y Harvard Square. HSHS, founded in 1983, is the first student-run homeless shelter in the United States. Y2Y is the nation's first youth homeless shelter, which was opened in 2015.
PBHA was the launching ground for the Living Wage campaign at Harvard, is home to the movement for fossil fuel divestment, and in the 1960s was the central meeting ground for civil rights activists. PBHA's Summer Urban Program was recognized by Michelle Obama. Other programs, such as Alzheimer's Buddies and Strong Women Strong Girls, have spread nationwide and now have branches at many other universities.

Term-time programs

Summer Urban Program (SUP)

The Summer Urban Program consists of 9 camps in Boston and 3 in Cambridge: