WOMENS EDUCATIONAL CENTER, INC.
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Mission Statement
The Cambridge Women's Center is a physical and digital community space open to anyone for whom woman is a meaningful identifier or lived experience. We offer a safe space for learning, emotional support, empathy, and empowerment through self-determination. The Women’s Center sets out to achieve its mission through the following services: • Drop-in day shelter program providing a safe space for all who identify as women • In-person and telephone helpline offering emotional support and resource referrals on topics such as homelessness, poverty, trauma, mental health, domestic violence, sexual abuse, substance use, and crisis • Access to informational resources on housing, employment, and legal services • Material assistance, including free food, clothing, and computer lab access • Free classes and workshops spanning financial planning to English-Spanish learning, creative writing, and more
About This Cause
The mission of the Cambridge Women’s Center (CWC) is to provide a supportive community space for all women by offering opportunities for empowerment, learning, healing, trauma support, and understanding. We provide low-threshold free supports and services to women from Cambridge, Greater Boston, and far beyond which means we do not confine women to their biggest traumas, and instead foster a community based on autonomy, mutual respect, and personal initiative. Born from Feminist activist roots in 1971, the CWC has served as a free community space and organizing ground supporting all women for nearly half a century. We are the oldest community-based women’s center in the U.S., and the incubation site for many local agencies. In 1973, the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center was founded at the CWC; in 1980, the CWC became the home of Incest Resources, the first organization in the country for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The need for low-threshold drop-in support for women is especially important today as many Boston area organizations offering these services have closed or changed to appointment-based models of operation. We fill these gaps by being a safe place during the day and evening when shelters and other social agencies are closed. We have no intrusive intake procedures and no restriction on how long women can use our services. Our open access policy lowers the barriers that prevent women from seeking help. “As a force in shaping our health, medical care pales in comparison with the circumstances of the communities in which we live. Few aspects of community are more powerful than is the degree of connectedness and social support for individuals.” -Health Resources and Services Administration, 2019 Social isolation is a significant risk factor for poor health and increased risk of death (MPH, Becker’s Hospital Review, 1/2019). By offering opportunities for connection and support, and providing integrated services in one place, the CWC lessens the impact of social isolation, trauma, and suicidal ideation and makes it easier for women to get their needs met. Members consistently report feeling less isolated because of the CWC. Greater Boston has a large social service network but all networks have gaps; most drop-in programs are for specific populations, i.e. those who are homeless or actively using drugs. The CWC is committed to providing access to those who are not able to find or receive help elsewhere, or for whom structured models for seeking service are not feasible. We support all women -- from those seeking to recover from trauma, to those with substance use disorders or experiencing homelessness, to those who just need or want a safe and welcoming place to go. There are few venues for women to create support systems they find valuable for themselves so at the CWC women are encouraged to initiate groups, creative workshops, or events in which they wish to partake. We work with women of all ages and life experiences. Inclusion of diverse perspectives is the key to building and sustaining the uniqueness of our community, and our services are structured to meet the changing needs of the wide range of women who use them. Any woman who enters our doors is referred to as a member of our community. As a low-threshold drop-in center for all women, we are committed to providing access to those who are not able to find or receive help elsewhere, or for whom structured models for seeking service are not feasible. There are women who drop in only once, to those who come in every day, each bringing their own history and personality. Today, many of the women using the CWC supports are experiencing or have been impacted by homelessness or housing instability, domestic or dating violence, sexual assault, food insecurity, social isolation, mental illness, substance use disorders, physical or mobility issues, and/or other types of trauma. They use our space as a safe haven to recover, find community, and get their needs met. In Spring, 2019, an anonymous survey of 88 Center participants revealed: 80% have experienced some form of trauma, 65% utilize our services on a weekly or daily basis, 69% rely on income assistance, 40% are experiencing homelessness, 30% depend on our food to meet their need, 40% identify as women of color. Staff and Board members identify as abuse survivors, women of color, immigrants, LGBTQ+, and having experienced homelessness. They utilize support groups, workshops, and other activities. Several group leaders are also actively using our drop-in or helpline services, while leading the community in wellness and creative activities. We continuously work to incorporate community voices in leadership and decision-making. Prior to COVID-19, the CWC operated six days a week and offered three main programs: Drop-In, Helpline, and Groups & Workshops. In response to COVID-19, we created a new program: Remote Resources Emotional Support and Accessible Community Helpline (RREACH), which offers virtual alternatives to our regular Helpline and Group offerings, expanding our ability to assist women during and after the COVID-19 crisis. On August 3rd, 2020 we reopened on-site outdoor services at 46 Pleasant St. Drop-In Program: In our largest service area we provide unrestricted access to a well-stocked kitchen, which includes food delivered 3-5 times a week from community partners. We offer 11computers, a lending library, an art room, a donation area and many other common spaces to be used for relaxation, conversation, and rejuvenation. Volunteers are always available to help with cooking, referrals, job, school and housing applications, emotional support, and material assistance. Our model creates a welcoming community of women who have full autonomy to cook food for themselves and others, learn from each other, and build connections. Free Volunteer-Led Groups and Workshops: Hundreds of women a year depend on our free drop-in groups and workshops, where students, professionals, and women from all backgrounds come together to offer and receive peer support. Other organizations provide support groups, but they usually require intake procedures, require payment or insurance, run on cycles, and are often restricted to a single demographic. In 2019, we offered 83 different groups and workshops including trauma support groups, life skills workshops, and therapeutic arts activities for a total of 733 sessions. Many groups are initiated by community members who identify a need for specific programming. We provide the space, resources, and outreach needed to grow and support their ideas. Community-initiated groups include Trauma Discussion Group, Coping with COVID-19, Narcotics Anonymous, 65+ Aging Discussion Group, Upcycling Traumatic Clothing, Body Positive Book Club, Spanish-English Conversation Group.