Support WLP this Women's History Month
March is Women’s History Month. Everyday at WLP, we honor and celebrate the unique strength our guests have shown in the face of extreme challenges.
Why Women’s Lunch Place?
On November 15, 1982, WLP was created to address the critical lack of services for women in need.
Founders Jane Alexander and Eileen Reilly became aware of the unique challenges and needs of women with their work in overnight shelters in Boston. In these large institutions, Jane and Eileen came to understand many of the paths that led women into homelessness, among them: domestic violence, sexual abuse, family deterioration, mental illness, substance use disorders, and discrimination.
At the time, homelessness was increasing dramatically, and crowded overnight shelters began closing during the day. Although there were places for men to go during waking hours, Jane and Eileen consistently saw women on the streets with no safe place to have a meal or rest.
Jane and Eileen’s vision was to create a welcoming place where women who were homeless or living in poverty could find refuge, a good meal, and a community where they belonged. The goal was to provide support and nourishment in an atmosphere that was as homelike as possible.
They imagined something different from large homeless shelters: no formal intake, no lines, few rules, and a kitchen open for the women to participate in the creation of a meal. Small and large donations of time and financial resources from sisters, friends, and colleagues helped make their vision a reality.
growing need
Given that women and children make up 70% of all people living in poverty in the United States, and Boston has one of the highest rental rates in the country, it is no surprise that more than 1,500 women rely on WLP each year.
Sixty-four percent of our guests belong to minority populations, 66% have disabilities, 57% have experienced domestic violence, 56% are age 55 or older. Most of these women live in neighborhoods, whether in shelters, temporary, or subsidized housing, that have been hit hardest by healthcare, racial, and gender disparities.
Behind each of these statistics is a woman who depends on WLP.
Support Women This March
This Women’s History Month, please consider making a gift to support a woman in need. Every dollar raised will fuel our work and help our team connect more women to healthy meals, housing resources, employment opportunities, basic necessities, hope, healing, and dignity.
Your gift will help Women’s Lunch Place in these ways:
$1,000: Prevents eviction and stabilizes a woman’s housing situation
$500: Stocks our Mobile Food Pantry for a week
$250: Provides necessities for one newly-housed guest
$100: Stocks our kitchen with fresh fruit for the day
$50: Sponsors a winter coat for one woman
$25: Helps provide critical PPE to our guests
$9: Supplies one woman with a day of healthy meals
YOUR PRIVACY IS IMPORTANT TO US
WLP does not trade, share, or sell its donor list, including any contact information, with other organizations or individuals, with the exception of annual report listings by giving category. We honor the requests of donors who prefer to be anonymous. For more information about donating, please contact Miriam Cai, Sr. Associate, Development Operations, via email or 617-449-7200.