10 Chandler Street is a hub of human and animal activities! This is where the non-profit animal welfare organization, the Animal Rescue League of Boston is headquartered. You will find an animal shelter with dogs, cats, rabbits, small mammals, birds and the occasional reptile seeking homes. There is a behavior center to help with an unruly pet, obedience classes, an out-patient veterinary clinic, Boston Veterinary Care. Additionally, the Animal Rescue League of Boston has a police department working to prosecute cases of animal cruelty and neglect, as well as a very active rescue department which saves animals (wild and domestic) from all types of peril. The Animal Rescue League of Boston was established in 1899 by the forward thinking Anna Harris Smith. She was concerned with overworked horses and established kindness clubs for children to help create a kinder society. The Animal Rescue League of Boston likes to promote Anna's phrase: "Kindness Uplifts the World".

The Elizabeth Stone House (ESH) is a community based mental health program, providing both residential and non-residential services. It is an environment where families heal; women grow, and reclaim control over all of the decisions which affect their lives. The mission of the Elizabeth Stone House is to prevent institutionalization and further victimization of women in emotional distress through the provision of safe, confidential residential and community support services for them and their children. In an environment, which fosters peer support, program participants define and work toward the accomplishment of practical goals that will enable them to re-enter the mainstream of society. ESH is committed to breaking cycles of violence, disempowerment and institutionalization of women in emotional distress and their children. Since its founding in 1974 by a group of former mental patients and other community women, the Stone House has served women and children from all over the country through an ever-widening array of comprehensive services. The core of the Elizabeth Stone House philosophy is that women can succeed when empowered to maintain control over their own lives. Societal pressures, such as poverty, racism, sexism, homophobia, and single parenthood subject women to emotional distress. Violence against women in forms such as rape, incest, child abuse and assault further jeopardizes her mental health. Acknowledging these problems in an environment of peer support is necessary for healing. At the ESH, with the support of other residents, staff, and volunteers, a woman learns to work step-by-step on practical goals and life skills that foster growth toward greater autonomy. Upon leaving the Stone House, women are better prepared, with emotional courage and practical skills, to make and maintain permanent changes in their lives.

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