New Year, New Program!

Bread & Roses is excited to announce a new outreach initiative for the new year. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we will soon acquire an outreach vehicle, with which we will better be able to serve those in need in Lawrence. With this vehicle, we will reach members of our community who are unable to access our services on site. Bread & Roses will be able to deliver meals, hygiene products, and weather-appropriate clothing to the many encampments around the city.

This vehicle will improve Bread & Roses’ ability to accept large donations and run food drives and fundraisers, raising our capacity to feed our community. In addition, the grant will help fund our case management position. Our case manager, Nilly, works with our guests one-on-one in navigating the social services system. These services help more people obtain the benefits they need, acquire stable housing, and seek treatment for illnesses and addiction. Currently, Nilly uses his own vehicle on outreach runs to deliver food and other needs to encampments. With this new vehicle, staff and volunteers will be able to create a consistent presence in the community.

Many of those in need in our community do not seek services due to issues with accessibility or lack of awareness of what is available. Barriers to services are created by issues with transportation, language and education disparities, and physical and developmental capabilities. Those living with disabilities and mental illness, who are often the most at-risk, are often the least able to obtain the services they need, especially if they do not have an advocate. Outreach is imperative for these individuals and families.

We will now be able to reach the community outside of our regular meal hours, especially on our cold New England nights when it is most critical. With this vehicle, we hope that the services we offer at Bread & Roses will be accessed by wider breadth of Lawrence’s needy. We are currently in the throws of developing an outreach program that will do the most good for the most people and compliment other initiatives in the city.

As always, we are greatly appreciative of all those who support our mission with their time, energy, and donations. This grant, in the amount of $60,000 will go toward helping a great many people.