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Dignity is everything.

Women’s Lunch Place

Healthy meals, essentials, and one-on-one assistance from a daytime shelter and advocacy center in Boston dedicated to helping women experiencing homelessness, hunger and poverty.

Open Monday - Saturday, 7AM - 2PM
Breakfast: 8AM - 10:30AM | Lunch: 12PM - 2PM

A nutritious breakfast and lunch, seasonal gear, toiletries, undergarments, feminine hygiene products, and other basic necessities are always available at our 67 Newbury St. location.

Advocates provide individualized services to guests to help break the barriers to stable housing. Wellness programs offer substance use recovery and mental health supports, and free medical services are available on-site.

Dignity is Everything.

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Featured
The Boston Sun: WLP's Annual Spaghetti Dinner at Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel
The Boston Sun: WLP's Annual Spaghetti Dinner at Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel

Nearly 300 people attended Women's Lunch Place's annual fall gala, Spaghetti Dinner, on Friday, Oct. 18, at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel.

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WCVB: Women’s Lunch Place is sanctuary in Boston
WCVB: Women’s Lunch Place is sanctuary in Boston

Between the restaurants and boutiques that line Newbury Street — and literally under the Church of the Covenant — is Women’s Lunch Place.

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The Boston Sun: WLP's Annual Spaghetti Dinner set for Oct. 18 at Fairmont Copley
The Boston Sun: WLP's Annual Spaghetti Dinner set for Oct. 18 at Fairmont Copley

Women's Lunch Place's annual fall gala, its Spaghetti Dinner, will take place on Friday, Oct. 18, at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel.

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Boston Globe: ‘The need is pressing.’ Boston shelter Women’s Lunch Place supports guests facing multiple crises.
Boston Globe: ‘The need is pressing.’ Boston shelter Women’s Lunch Place supports guests facing multiple crises.

Jennifer Hanlon Wigon, chief executive of Women’s Lunch Place, knows the unique pathways that can lead a woman into homelessness.

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Our FY24 Impact

We are a day shelter community for women experiencing poverty and homelessness. Six days a week, trained staff and volunteers work as a team to provide hundreds of women with healing, hope, and dignity. The leadership of Women’s Lunch Place and its Board of Directors are strong stewards of the organization’s finances and strive to maximize every dollar donated in order to meet the needs of over 2,200 women throughout the year.

 

139,003

HEALTHY MEALS

Insufficient nutrition increases a woman’s susceptibility to illness. Our Healthy Meals Program is offered to every woman without questions or requirements.

10,916

visits to advocates

Our Advocates help guests with issues such as fleeing domestic violence, immigration status, housing, and increasing income.

293

women housed

We worked in concert with women whose housing was in jeopardy––many of whom were homeless––to secure housing or preserve their tenancy.

 
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“This place has been like a blessing. WLP, you have made a difference in my life. Thank God for Women’s Lunch Place”

— WLP Guest

 

Our Programs

Women’s Lunch Place serves each woman’s individual needs, all with dignity and respect. Our breadth of programs, strong community partnerships, and well-trained, dedicated staff and volunteers allow us to meet each woman where she stands. At Women’s Lunch Place, breakfast and lunch are more than just meals.

HEALTHY MEALS

We believe all people should have access to healthy food. That’s why WLP provides two nutrient-dense meals to our guests each day. Packed with lean protein, fresh produce, and whole grains, each meal is prepared from scratch in our on-site kitchen by staff and volunteers and is served with a smile, restaurant-style.

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DIRECT CARE

For many of our guests, meeting basic needs is often complicated by sleeping rough, navigating the shelter system, or living on a fixed income. WLP’s skilled Direct Care team is ready to assist women with short and long- term issues. Access to self-care products, clean showers, and laundry services is often the first step in restoring and maintaining dignity for those suffering housing insecurity. Once the basic necessities are covered, the Direct Care team addresses the next level of need – transportation, communication, seasonal clothing, and more. Using a triage method of assessment, Direct Care works in tandem with our Advocates to provide guests with longer-term solutions to housing, employment, healthcare, and more. Due to the stressful realities our guests face, Direct Care also serves the critical role of cultivating connections with guests, restoring dignity and respect, and fostering trust.

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ADVOCACY

Our Advocacy program enables women to overcome the barriers to stable housing caused by poverty, homelessness, and systemic inequality. Advocates also connect guests to a range of services, like workforce development, legal aid, and benefits, as well as to critical medical care, mental health resources, and substance-use disorder treatment. Guests often work with Advocates on housing – transitioning out of homelessness, securing housing, preventing eviction, maintaining utilities, and more.

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WELLNESS

Wellness is integrated into everything we do at WLP. We regularly work with our on-site healthcare partner, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, to provide opportunities for women to make their health and wellbeing a priority by offering breast cancer screenings, vaccination, flu shots, and more. We also offer recovery programs for substance use disorders, mental health care, mindfulness exercises, Therapeutic Expressions, community field trips and much more to the women in our community. Delivering these services in a safe, dignified setting increases participation and allows women to feel empowered about their health.

Learn more →

 
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Get Involved

We rely on the hard work, dedication, and spirit of partners, volunteers, and donors who contribute to every aspect of WLP’s programs. Thank you for caring.

PARTNER WITH US

Host a collection drive of items for our guests, sponsor a meal in honor of a loved one or celebration, or help us sell Creative Expressions artwork.

Make a GIFT

We rely solely on the generosity of individual donors, corporations, and foundations. Make a difference in the lives of vulnerable women.

Volunteer

We welcome individuals and groups to volunteer in food preparation, serving healthy meals, assisting in the Welcome Center, Resource Center, and more.