Boston Celtics Honor Dorchester Native As A Hero Among Us

BOSTON, MA —On freezing nights, Nelson Bennett doesn't just hand out blankets to people sleeping on the streets of Boston, he knows who would appreciate it if he tucked the blanket in such a way the person he's giving it to won't have to expose their fingers to the cold.

Nelson’s work at Boston's Pine Street Inn affects thousands of people experiencing homelessness each year, according to the "Heroes Among Us" program, which honored him at a Celtics game this week.

Bennett was raised in a home in Dorchester where doors were always open to the needs of his community. His grandmother was a prime example of that, she was a midwife who dedicated her life to helping people. Bennett has carried that family foundation and legacy into his adult life naturally, according to those he works with.

Since 2001, Nelson has dedicated his career to helping people who are experiencing homelessness.

As the supervisor for the overnight street outreach team at the Pine Street Inn, New England’s nonprofit for ending homelessness, Nelson spends his nights for the past 18 years driving through the city, delivering warm clothes, blankets and hot meals to those sleeping on the street in freezing conditions.

He knows the alleyways and street corners where men and women will be and spends time chatting them to build trust as he helps them get necessities. And then he tries to convince them to come to the shelter or apply for housing.

Bennett said he goes out night after night because he knows these conversations can make a difference. He has seen people living on the streets for years finally decide they don’t want to be homeless anymore. When they make that decision, his team is there to support them.

Acts of kindness and empathy come naturally to him, according to the folks at Pine Street Inn, who featured Bennett's work in an annual report recently.

Founded in 1969, Pine Street Inn serves nearly 2,000 homeless individuals daily and nearly 9,000 annually, providing the full spectrum of services to help men and women reach their highest level of independence and get back to a place they can call home.

Homelessness on the whole in the City of Boston fell by 3 percent, or 181 people counted as experiencing homelessness in January in 2018 compared with the previous year. In 2017 there were 6,327 and that dropped to 6,146 in 2018, according to the Mayor's office which sends out a team of 300 people each year to get a winter census.

Bennett was honored on Dec. 19, when the Celtics faced off against the Phoenix Suns for his efforts to end the cycle of homelessness in Boston.

The Heroes Among Us program was established in 1997 by the Boston Celtics and recognizes people who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to their communities. The award is presented at every Celtics home game and pays tribute to the heroic achievements of these outstanding citizens.

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Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).

Photo courtesy Boston Celtics, Heroes Among US