Kiva Centers

Kiva Centers Advancing peer-led, trauma-informed models that transform mental health care. www.kivacenters.org We are united by our shared experience and common humanity.

We believe in every person's right to autonomy, self-determination, and reclamation over their own experiences. We believe that relationships are at the center of what heals people who have experienced emotional distress. Our stories and collective wisdom guide us and our community to liberation.

02/22/2026

❄️ Weather Update – RLC Closure ❄️

Due to the inclement weather, the RLC will be closed for in-person peer support tomorrow, February 23rd, to ensure everyone’s safety.

✨ The good news? All of our online groups will still be available, and we’ll also be offering additional virtual peer support groups throughout the day to make sure everyone stays connected.

We will resume in-person peer support on Tuesday, February 24th.

Grab your coffee, get cozy, and join us online for a work-from-home snowy day! ☕💻❄️

Stay safe and warm - we can’t wait to see you virtually!

02/20/2026

Due to the weather, the RLC will be closing early today at 3:30 PM.

We will reopen and resume normal hours on Monday.

Please stay safe and take care! ❄️

02/15/2026

📣 RLC Closure Reminder 📣

Hi everyone! Just a quick reminder that the RLC will be CLOSED on Monday, February 16th, 2026 in observance of Presidents’ Day.

❌ No in-person or online groups will be held that day.

We’ll reopen and resume regular hours on Tuesday February 17th, 2026. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

We donated 52 coats, hats, and pairs of sneakers to our friends at Implacable Books and the Worcester Youth Cooperative....
02/13/2026

We donated 52 coats, hats, and pairs of sneakers to our friends at Implacable Books and the Worcester Youth Cooperative. We’re grateful for the opportunity to support young people in our city and to uplift this powerful social justice community space! Thank you both for the vital work you do every day in our Worcester community.

[Image Description: Image description: A series of photos showing Implacable Books in Worcester, including shelves filled with radical and social justice–focused books, community members browsing and gathering inside the bookstore, the storefront sign outside, and a person standing on the sidewalk holding donation bags, capturing a warm, grassroots community space centered on learning, liberation, and mutual support.]

We are bringing youth and families together for art, wellness, and community at our center in Southbridge with our partn...
02/12/2026

We are bringing youth and families together for art, wellness, and community at our center in Southbridge with our partners at Stars of the Future Inc. ! Today we have Jaz- Yoga/Health and Wellness leading activities and a small Valentines Day celebration.

[Image Description: Youth and adults gather around tables doing art projects with markers and drawings, a group of young people sit together in discussion, and another group listens to a facilitator in a cozy community room. The space feels warm and welcoming, with people engaged in creative activities and group connection.]

Our Soteria Las Cruces team and advisory board met at the house for continued Soteria approach training and to mark the ...
02/11/2026

Our Soteria Las Cruces team and advisory board met at the house for continued Soteria approach training and to mark the meaningful progress we’re making together!

[Image description: Soteria Las Cruces team members and advisory board gather inside and outside the house, smiling together, touring shared spaces, and sitting around a dining table, capturing moments of connection, collaboration, and ongoing training in a warm, home-like setting.]

Do you live in a small town in Massachusetts without reliable transportation? Are things feeling overwhelming right now,...
02/11/2026

Do you live in a small town in Massachusetts without reliable transportation? Are things feeling overwhelming right now, with no immediate mental health support available?

You don’t have to navigate that alone. If you need someone to talk to, to sit with you, and to help you work through emotional distress before it escalates into what’s often labeled a “mental health crisis,” our Mobile Peer Support team is here for you.

Visit www.kivacenters.org and click the “Request Mobile Respite” button on our Mobile Respite page to connect with us.

[Image Description: A Kiva Centers “Mobile Peer Outreach” flyer posted on a community bulletin board, advertising free, non-clinical peer support across Massachusetts, with contact info, a QR code, and an illustration of two people talking, surrounded by other local mental health and recovery resource flyers.]

02/10/2026

🚴🏾‍♂️✨ REMINDER: Major Taylor Museum Trip TOMORROW! ✨🚴🏾‍♂️

We’re heading to the Major Taylor Museum tomorrow and we’d love for you to join us! Free Admission!

🕥 Meet Time: February 11, 2026 at 10:30AM
📍 Meeting Location: Old Worcester Courthouse
2 Main St, Worcester, MA

➡️ Please meet RLC staff on the 1st floor at 10:30AM so we can head over together for the museum tour.

✅ Important Note: The RLC will remain open for anyone who prefers not to attend the museum trip.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out! 💛

💛✨ Celebrate Black History Month with us! ✨💛Join “Affirming Our Humanity by Choosing Love, Light, and Joy” on Feb 25th a...
02/09/2026

💛✨ Celebrate Black History Month with us! ✨💛

Join “Affirming Our Humanity by Choosing Love, Light, and Joy” on Feb 25th at 1PM with special guest La Verne Saunders!

📍 Kiva Centers — 172 Shrewsbury St, Worcester, MA
🔞 18+ Event

💻 Sign up now (by Feb 23):

https://kivacenters.jotform.com/260394993408872

Come for the inspiration. Stay for the community. 🌟



When guests arrive at our Peer-Run Respites, we invite them to share how they’re feeling on a simple 1–5 scale of emotio...
02/09/2026

When guests arrive at our Peer-Run Respites, we invite them to share how they’re feeling on a simple 1–5 scale of emotional distress.

On average, they arrive at 4.63 out of 5, carrying profound overwhelm, fear, grief, and exhaustion.

Our data shows that by the time they leave, that number drops to 2.73 out of 5.

That’s not coincidence.
That’s connection.
That’s community.
That’s peer support.

This is what happens when those most impacted lead. This is what it looks like when Certified Peer Specialists take the lead.

These outcomes represent something powerful: community-based responses that divert people from hospitalization and help individuals reconnect with themselves, without coercion, without confinement, and without losing autonomy.

This is the truth of organizations led by people with direct life experience:
we don’t just imagine better community resources, we build them.

We are redefining what society calls “mental health crisis” by meeting it with compassion and belonging.

If you’re struggling and need someone to walk beside you, our Mobile Peer Respite team can meet you where you are.
If you need to step away from your current environment and receive 24/7 peer support in a healing space, you can self-recommend for Peer Respite. Just fill out the form on our website!

You don’t have to do this alone.

[Image description: A four-slide graphic from Kiva Centers sharing outcomes from Peer-Run Respite guest surveys. The first slide reads, “Real Impact. Real People. Real Data,” above illustrated homes representing peer respite spaces. The second slide explains that when guests arrive, they rate their emotional distress on a 1–5 scale, with an average check-in score of 4.63 out of 5, indicating high distress. The third slide shows that when guests check out, their average emotional distress drops to 2.73 out of 5. The final slide states that across environmental design and outcome data, Peer-Run Respites are an evidence-informed, effective model for individuals experiencing intense emotional distress. Each slide features the Kiva Centers logo on colorful gradient backgrounds.]

02/05/2026

✨🎬 TODAY’S BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENT — 1PM (18+) 🎬✨

Join us today February 5th, 2026 at 1PM for a special Black History Month event featuring guest speaker:

🎤 Sharon Freed from the Major Taylor Museum will be speaking on the incredible legacy of Major Taylor — a trailblazing champion who broke barriers and made history. 🚴🏾‍♂️🏆

Come learn, reflect, and celebrate Black history in community.

🕐 Starts at: 1PM
📍 172 Shrewsbury St, Worcester, MA 01604

Address

172 Shrewsbury Street
Worcester, MA
01604

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 11am - 5pm

Telephone

+15087519600

Website

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Kiva Center of the Central Mass RLC

We are a trauma-informed and recovery based outcome model. We promote wellness and resilience through mutual support. We believe in every person’s right to mental health, and their ability to achieve it. We believe that relationships are at the center of what heals people who have experienced mental/emotional health challenges. We are united by our shared experience and common humanity. We believe that our work is a peace-making process. Our stories, collective wisdom, and strength, guide us, and our community, to wellness.