Special to the Times
On Nov. 9, more than 100 revelers celebrated at the third annual Harvest Festival and Auction, sponsored by the Homelessness Task Force (HTF) of the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay (NABB) and hosted at Women’s Lunch Place (WLP) at 67 Newbury St.
The party raised almost $50,000 to further Back Bay’s efforts to prevent and reduce homelessness. The HTF’s mission is to produce public education programs about homelessness and promote effective prevention and stabilization services.
The complex nature of the problem and the professionalism of the city’s public and private programs were mentioned in brief remarks by NABB President, Martyn Roetter, Debra Bulkeley, the Event Committee Chair, and Kathy Young, Co-Chair of HTF.
Jennifer Hanlon Wigon, Executive Director of WLP, pointed out the special needs of unhoused women, which WLP is focused on addressing. By offering guests free food, medical care, and individualized assistance with housing and other barriers to homelessness, WLP engages unhoused women and guides them into more stable lives.
State Rep. Jay Livingstone was in attendance and expressed support for the management team at WLP and the work of NABB’s HTF.
The Harvest Festival proceeds will be divided, with 60 percent going to Women’s Lunch Place to further their efforts to end homelessness and 40 percent to NABB for its civic projects in the neighborhood and HTF’s mission.
For more information on NABB, visit nabbonline.org. For more information on WLP, visitwomenslunchplace.org.