News Features – Women's Lunch Place

“GBFB’s network of dedicated agency partners includes amazing organizations like Women’s Lunch Place that inspire us to be innovative in our efforts to address food insecurity across Eastern Massachusetts,” said Catherine D’Amato, president and CEO at GBFB. “With deep concern about the potential impacts of federal policy changes on food access across our region, we aim to continue to invest in partners like Women’s Lunch Place to bolster their ability to provide even more nutritious meals to the women in Boston that rely on them to meet their individual needs, all with dignity and respect.”

Women's Lunch Place (WLP) held its annual ‘eat LUNCH give’ fundraising luncheon at the Mandarin Oriental, Boston, on Friday, May 16.

Over 250 generous attendees and sponsors enabled WLP to surpass its fundraising goal for the event. At the luncheon, WLP featured video testimonials from three women in its new 50-bed shelter-to-housing initiative.

Every spring, a small card with a significant impact begins its journey across Boston and beyond. The Mother's Day card campaign from Women's Lunch Place is more than a thoughtful gift—it’s a lifeline for women in need. 

Every day, the basement of Church of the Covenant on Boston's Newbury Street comes alive, as it fills with women facing homelessness or housing insecurity.

It's a day shelter called Women's Lunch Place. On a recent weekday, the chatter of women and clanking of silverware filled the air, along with pop music. Several volunteers chopped vegetables and stirred big tins of food.

A welcome departure from the standard gala fare of vulcanized chicken, the Spaghetti Dinner for the Women’s Lunch Place was held at the Fairmont Copley Plaza and featured a lively cocktail party with a massive silent auction in the Venetian Room, followed by a delicious, family-style Italian dinner in the Grand Ballroom.

Tatiana Stridh has an accent, but with dual U.S. and Russian citizenship, she feels right at home in Boston. The 51-year-old fled Russia to the U.S. but fell on hard times in 2024.

For Karyn M., clutching the keys to her own room for the first time brought on a strange combination of grief over her past and gratitude for what’s next.

Since being evicted from her apartment in July 2024, the 57-year-old had spent months living in Boston shelters. She had been trying to find some semblance of the stability she had before her life began to unravel — before she lost her job, her housing, and much of her belongings.

The first time Schaida Colon walked into her new two-bedroom apartment in Jamaica Plain in early December, she felt emotional. After five years of homelessness and living in shelters, the 23-year-old and her 9-month-old son finally have a place to call their own.

Since the 1980's, demand has been growing for the comprehensive assistance that Women's Lunch Place on Newbury Street in Boston offers women experiencing homelessness. As more and more women find themselves without a place to call home, the day shelter opens its doors to offer a warm meal, clean clothes, a fresh shower, and much more.