a place where vulnerable women are treated with dignity and empowered to pursue their dreams
Volunteer Handbook 67 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02116 open Monday-Saturday 7:00am-2:00pm
Kitchen: 617-585-3330 Main Line: 617-267-1722 Shelter: 617-267-0200
Jennifer Hanlon Wigon, Volunteer Manager 617-449-7211 or jennifer@womenslunchplace.org Athena Hughes, Resource Center Coordinator 617-449-7195 or athena@womenslunchplace.org Kyle Ahlers, Volunteer & Development Coordinator 617-449-7208 or kyle@womenslunchplace.org
Name: _______________________________ PIN#: ________________________________
Our story: In the early 80s, Jane Alexander and Eileen Reilly were working at Pine Street Inn, a co-ed overnight shelter in Boston. While there, they realized that homeless women have different needs than men, and ladies had few places to go during the day to get out of the heat or cold, use a bathroom, or simply relax. With just $500 donated by a relative, Jane and Eileen founded Women’s Lunch Place to meet these needs. In November 1982, they served their first meal to a dozen guests in the basement of the Church of the Covenant, where we are still located today. Our mission: Women’s Lunch Place provides a safe, comfortable daytime shelter, nutritious food, and services for women who are experiencing homelessness or poverty. We treat women with dignity and respect, and foster a community committed to meeting each woman’s needs. Our values: • We believe no individual should have to be hungry or homeless. • We believe all human beings should be treated with dignity and respect. • We meet each woman where she is, and we base and adjust our services according to her needs. • We offer our services in a gracious, comfortable, and safe environment, offering both physical and emotional sustenance. • We create a community of understanding and acceptance among guests, staff, volunteers, and board members.
Our difference: WLP is privately funded, which allows flexibility in designing programs and services to meet the needs of our guests. We are community-oriented and have no in-take process or security guard. Anyone who self-identifies as a woman is welcome in our space, no questions asked. We are a wet shelter, meaning women under the influence of drugs or alcohol are welcome to use our services (though they are not permitted to buy, use, or sell on the premises). We operate within a trauma-informed care model (see page 7) and allow ladies to make their own decisions about which programs and services they use. Our guests: Women who come here are often cut off from their family, friends, or any other traditional support systems, but there is no “typical” Women’s Lunch Place guest. Ladies at WLP represent a wide variety of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic and educational backgrounds. Some have advanced degrees, while others are working to get their GEDs. Some sleep on the streets while others are housed. Some rely on government assistance while others work full- or part-time. Some are single; others have spouses and children. Some suffer from substance abuse, mental health issues, or physical disabilities. Our volunteers: Volunteers are a critical part of the amazing WLP community. Many volunteers work in the kitchen, Resource Center, and Welcome Center, but others assist in specialized roles, offering haircuts or yoga classes, mending ladies’ clothing, teaching writing courses, and more! The time our volunteers serve is equal to nearly 16 full-time staff positions. We are incredibly grateful for all they do!
Volunteer Guidelines: • Please don’t get involved in conflicts between guests; always get a staff member. • Please do not meet a guest outside the shelter or go to their living spaces. • Please no financial transactions with guests in the shelter. • Please no pictures or other recording devices without permission from Executive Director. • No physical or sexual relationships with guests. • Please wait for guests to acknowledge or approach you when outside the shelter; to ensure our guests’ privacy, please do not make contact first. Community Guidelines (provided to our guests): Women’s Lunch Place welcomes all who identify as women, including women of all races, ethnicities, languages, immigration statuses, religious beliefs, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities.
While here, we ask that our guests: • Treat everyone here with dignity and respect. • Respect the property of the WLP and the property of all guests. • Respect the guidelines for using and accessing all services. • Keep all food and drink in the dining room. • Only use one spot at a time (don’t save one spot while using another). • Do not sell or solicit goods and services. • Do not bring in weapons, alcohol, or non-prescribed drugs. If a guest does not follow our community guidelines she may receive a warning, have access to specific services suspended, be asked to leave for the day, or be barred for a period of time. Please check in with staff if you have any questions about policies.
Service Hours: Welcome Center Dining Room Nap Room Laundry Showers Breakfast Lunch Resource Center Library Advocacy Healthcare Without Walls
Basement Basement Basement Basement Basement Basement Basement 3rd Floor 3rd Floor 3rd Floor Mezzanine (4th)
7:00am-2:00pm 7:00am-2:00pm 7:15am-1:30pm 7:30am-11:30am 7:30am-1:00pm 8:00am-10:00am 12:00pm-2:00pm 8:30am-1:30pm 8:30am-1:30pm 8:30am-1:30pm 9:00am-12:00pm (Monday-Friday)
FAQ: How do I sign-in/sign-out? Find your name tag (organized alphabetically by first name) in the Welcome Center. Your PIN# can be found on the back of your name tag or the front of this booklet. Punch in your PIN# on the white iPad, click continue, and follow the instructions. Do the same to sign-out at the end of your shift. What do I do if I am on vacation/sick/can’t come in because of the weather? Vacation: Contact the volunteer department/your supervisor when you know when you will be away. Sick: Contact the volunteer department/your supervisor as soon as you are able. Kitchen volunteers, call the kitchen (617-585-3330) to inform the chef for the day. Weather: Check your email and our Facebook—we might be closed too! If not, follow protocol for sick days. What should I wear? Kitchen: Please wear comfortable, closed-toed shoes and a shirt with sleeves (short sleeves are fine; no tank tops). You will also need to wear either a hat or hairnet—you may bring your own or use WLP’s. Resource Center/Welcome Center: Casual/business casual.
Where do I put my things? WLP has a closet for kitchen volunteers. If possible, pack light, and leave valuables at home. Resource and Welcome Center volunteers can also secure belongings. Ask staff about where to put your things. Where is the restroom? Female volunteers may use the restroom in the basement. Male volunteers may use the gender-neutral restroom located in the back of the dining room. Ask the chef for the key. There is also a staff bathroom on the 3rd floor. Ride the elevator up, and ask at the desk for the keys. Is WLP part of the Church of the Covenant (or any church)? WLP is not religiously affiliated. We operate as our own nonprofit; however, we do receive support and volunteers from all kinds of community, corporate, and church groups. What • • • • •
are other ways to help? Host in-kind donation drives Join WLP Young Professionals Sell or help sign Mother’s Day cards Help with our fundraising events Sponsor a breakfast or lunch in honor of a loved one
Visit womenslunchplace.org for more information. In-Kind Donations: Donations are accepted Monday through Saturday between the hours of 8:30 am – 11:30 am and 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm at 67 Newbury Street. Please see our website for a current list of our most-needed items. Personal Needs • Deodorant • Toothpaste • Shampoo (travel size) • Conditioner (travel size) • Lotion • Pads & tampons • Depends (adult size) • Hair brushes
Clothing (new) • Bras (B & C) • Underwear • Ponchos • Socks Gift Cards • CVS • Marshalls • Boston-area grocery stores
Philosophy of Care: We believe that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. We strive for our care to be consistent, fair, and selfdirected. Women’s Lunch Place uses a trauma-informed care model to create the best environment for our guests.
Trauma-Informed Care: Understanding Trauma: We recognize that every person has experienced trauma, and current behaviors and attitudes are reactions to past traumatic experience. Promoting Safety: Our space is safe and welcoming, and guests understand it to be a place where services are consistent and accessible without fear of further harm done. Supporting Control and Choice: We allow choice in services offered, and assist women in self-directing their care. A woman only uses the services she wants to. We understand there is no one-way to improve. Sharing Power and Governance: Our information is easily accessible, and we create space for women to provide feedback and input that is listened to by WLP. We have guest-run activities, and make changes to programming based on guests’ feedback. Ensuring Cultural Competence: We are aware and encouraged by the diversity in our community, and we do our best to celebrate different cultures, traditions, and experiences. Our staff is multilingual, and we attempt to have our volunteers reflect this diversity. Integrating Care: From meals to meditation to writing classes, we treat the guest as a whole person in need of care. We provide services for physical, mental, and overall wellness. Healing in Relationships: We encourage safe and authentic relationships between staff, guests, and volunteers. We address needs through those established relationships. Recovery is Possible: We offer help to any person that seeks it for as long as they want it. No matter the starting point, we will meet a woman where she is and provide support. (Adapted from Trauma-Informed Care for Displaced Populations: A Guide for Community-Based Service Providers by Clervil, R., Guarino, K., DeCandia, C.J., & Beach, C.A. (2013). Waltham, MA: The National Center on Family Homelessness, a practice area of American Institutes for Research Health and Social Development Program)
Thank you for all you do for our guests!