Special to the Regional Review
The ballroom of the Fairmont Copley Plaza was filled with compassion, celebration, and community spirit as Women’s Lunch Place (WLP) hosted its annual Spaghetti Dinner on Oct. 9. The sold-out event raised more than $725,000, the highest total in the organization’s 43-year history.
The evening brought together over 300 supporters, volunteers, and partners who share in WLP’s mission to provide shelter, nourishment, and advocacy for women experiencing homelessness and poverty. Funds raised will directly advance WLP’s Housing & Stabilization Program, which helps women move from homelessness to housing and maintain stability, and sustain the organization’s essential daily operations.
“This outpouring of generosity will allow us to continue transforming women’s lives and expanding access to opportunity,” said Jennifer Hanlon Wigon, Chief Executive Officer of Women’s Lunch Place. “While we celebrate this milestone, our work is far from done, and the future holds even greater promise.”
Two members of the WLP community, Executive Chef Inna Khitrik and Recovery and Empowerment Group Leader Theresa Rolley, shared powerful remarks that captured the heart of the organization’s mission.
Standing at the podium, Khitrik reflected on the deeper meaning of a meal shared at WLP:
“Food is care. Food is comfort. Food is dignity. And here, food is also a promise—that you are not alone, that you are cared for. No matter who you are or where you come from, at Women’s Lunch Place, you always deserve a seat at the table,” she said.
Rolley shared her own journey of transformation through WLP’s programs:
“Women’s Lunch Place transforms isolation into connection, despair into hope, and survival into leadership. I’m living proof of that. Your support ensures that more women can claim their seat and discover the strength and resilience that’s been inside them all along. Because when women are lifted, we don’t just change one life. We change generations,” said Rolley.
WLP, located at 67 Newbury St. in Boston, provides healthy meals, advocacy, and essential services to women in need, serving as a safe and welcoming community hub. Each year, the organization serves more than 165,000 meals and provides critical housing and healthcare resources through its wraparound programming.
To learn more about Women’s Lunch Place, visit womenslunchplace.org.