WLP Looks Towards Reopening

 
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A hand washing station now stands outside the Welcome Center. Bright pink and blue tape lines the floors, creating socially-distanced safe zones and pathways for staff and guests to navigate. In addition to their face masks, Direct Care now dons scrubs, gloves, and face shields as they assist a guest with laundry. 

Women’s Lunch Place might look a little different, but we have held fast to our commitment to provide individualized, compassionate care to any woman who comes to us in need. Over the past several months, we have had to creatively restructure our key service areas - Healthy Meals, Advocacy, and Direct Care. Since March, our kitchen has not only transitioned to provide takeout meals to our guests, but has also expanded into outreach, preparing and distributing over 1,000 additional meals each week to those in need. Advocates established a Mobile Food Pantry to meet the needs of women in isolation or unable to visit us curbside. They have also been meeting remotely with guests to address their increasingly complex problems. With the help of volunteers, donors, and local sewing groups, our Direct Care team has distributed hundreds of face masks and critical safety supplies to keep our guests safe and give them peace of mind.

While we look forward to a return to full programming in our interior spaces, we are thoughtfully and systematically considering how to best approach some of the new challenges we face. As the weather starts to get colder, we are redesigning our interior spaces to provide a safe respite to our highest-need guests. While our Healthy Meals Program will continue to serve takeout meals for guests to pick up outside the shelter for the immediate future, our Advocates have begun meeting with guests inside. Many in our community have faced intensified challenges due to the pandemic and, with our reconfigured space, our Advocates will be able to assist them more efficiently. 

Our guests are at the center of everything we do at WLP, and will continue to be as we make preparations to welcome them back into the shelter. Your gifts have provided critical relief during a time of increased need and uncertainty. On behalf of the entire WLP team, we thank you for your continued dedication to the guests and mission of Women’s Lunch Place.

Ways to support reopening

Looking for another way to help out? Have an idea in mind? We would love to hear from you! Email Chloe to learn more.

Janice T.