Emergency Shelter

About 300 women and children each year stay in our emergency shelter. Their reasons for homelessness include: domestic violence, lack of safe, affordable housing, eviction, natural disaster, emotional crisis, economic crisis, or unemployment. The shelter has been open continuously, every night of the year since June of 1976. All aspects of the shelter program are offered free of charge.

Services include:

• trauma-sensitive advocacy and supportive services;
• development and achievement of short term goals;
• referrals to community organizations providing health, mental health, residential programs, long-term housing, public assistance, and legal services;
• domestic violence counseling
• assistance obtaining restraining orders;
• meals;
• clothing from our thrift shop;
• transportation to appointments.

Abby’s House is the only agency in Worcester providing shelter that does not receive state funding. This enables us to have the flexibility to serve women and children who would otherwise be shut out of shelter services, such as those who are not already connected with the Department of Transitional Assistance, undocumented women from other countries, and women whose income exceeds state guidelines. Abby’s House provides the only shelter program serving women and children with no restrictions on eligibility except for active substance abuse.

The shelter is staffed by a full-time advocate, two part-time staff and a summer intern, as well as about 60 community volunteers, including many college students. Trained volunteers provide 9,490 staffing hours during the year, and they save Abby’s House and the philanthropic community thousands of dollars in staffing costs.