Dear Friends of Abby’s House,

I want to thank you for all that you are doing to help keep the most vulnerable women and children in our community safe through the coronavirus epidemic. Your continued support and commitment to our mission in these trying times is shining brighter than ever. Whether you’ve made a monetary donation, ordered items off our needs list, or have simply kept the women and children of Abby’s House in your thoughts, every act has continued to make a huge impact.

Our advocates are hard at work coming up with ways to stay in touch and be available to both residents and guests, including weekly individual check-ins via the phone or by email as well as virtual house meetings for each of our three properties of supportive housing. Through our partnership with St. Paul’s Food Pantry, more than twenty referrals have gone out asking for assistance and food is being safely delivered each week. We recently expanded our efforts to partner with Regional Environmental Council to help women access fresh fruits and vegetables as well. At shelter, the women are remaining safe by being able to stay in the shelter 24 hours a day, and supporters have donated food and meals, and Holy Cross Dining Services is donating three hot meals each week to shelter guests. It is taking all of us together to work through this pandemic, and we can’t do it without your help.

If you are able and looking for ways to get involved, Abby’s House is currently in need of the following:

• Donations to cover unexpected costs and help make up for the loss in income from our Thrift Shop closure: abbyshouse.org/donate
• 2 Temporal Thermometers
• Disinfecting aerosol spray, such as Lysol
• Disinfecting surface spray or wipes
• Dish and hand soap refills or pump bottles
• Paper towels

Please visit our website for regular updates of needed items: abbyshouse.org/get-involved/donate-needed-items/. Using social distancing protocol, items can be dropped off contact-free in reception or mailed to us directly at 52 High Street, Worcester, MA 01609. If dropping off donations, we ask that you call us first at (508) 756-5486. We understand that these items may be hard to find in stores. If you have trouble locating these products and still want to help, you can donate gift cards or make a monetary donation, which will provide us with the flexibility of purchasing items that we are in greatest need of: abbyshouse.org/donate.

We thank each of you for your continued support of the women and children we serve and for being an important part of the solution to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please be healthy and safe,

P.S. I greatly appreciate all of the words of encouragement, offers to help, and support we’ve received during these uncertain times. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions or to discuss ways you can make an impact. To learn more about what we’re doing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, click here.