There are just so many good things to say about this place that I'm not sure where to start…read more First, it is not a "shelter" in the typical sense of the word, and the staff and guests do not refer to it as a "shelter". They consider themselves a "community", and act as such. There are NO lines for anything at the WLP. The women are served their meals at their tables by volunteers, and their materials are bussed for them once they are done, unless they choose to self-bus. The food. Oh heavens! WLP prides itself on serving nourishing, FRESH food. Each meal will have all nutritional requirements met, and there is always a veggie option. We're not talking canned goods or sandwiches here, folks. No, this is chopped and diced fresh veggies, prime cut meats, the finest ingredients. If you're a good cook and after you've volunteered a few times, they are happy to let you get in the kitchen and help whip up stuff. The resident chef there, Gina, is wonderfully creative in the kitchen (and very nice), and from time to time, other professional chefs from local restaurants come in to put together a meal. The WLP isn't jsut a food place, although that's the highlight of the day. It also provides the women with full time advocacy support to help with finding housing, food, or other services. There is a computer room/resource room that the ladies may use. There is also a nap room where women can go to get sometimes some much needed rest, and also a quiet room for just some peace, solitude, and maybe reading or reflecting. Women are also able to get various toiletries and clothing that they may need. They may do their laundry and take showers. The Program Manager, Heather (also very, very nice and competent) has done a great job of making sure that there are interesting activities for guests if they choose to participate: yoga, painting, field trips, knitting, etc. Since the WLP is run as a "community", the staff are INCREDIBLY patient with the women, and if a guest is being disorderly or breaking a rule, she is not immediately tossed out, but is counseled and given more than one opportunity to redeem herself by correcting her behavior. Throwing someone out is a last option at the WLP. WLP treats its volunteers as the valuable commodity we are. We are appreciated, thanked, and made to feel a part of the "team". Added Perk: They also have really incredible volunteer thank you events! I enjoy volunteering here. I learn something new and meet new people each time I go. I don't have a lot of spare time to volunteer, but when I do, the WLP gets me all the time, every time. It's important to know that this place could not be so great without us- the community at large supporting it through donations, volunteering, contributions, etc. The staff, Regina, Linda, Joanna, Lauren, Linnie, and Cheryl are terrific- go meet them! This is just a wonderful, wonderful place. You will not leave here without your heart being touched in some way.

Just to add to the great review by Adrienne -- The Women's…read moreLunch Place is an amazing community run by dedicated and caring people. I've volunteered there many times, and the experience was wonderful. The staff is as open, kind and welcoming to volunteers as they are to their ladies. The ladies? Wow. Having the opportunity to really get to know some of the women in this community is a real blessing. The WLP is one of my favorite volunteer opportunities. Try it out!

Description: The mission of the Massachusetts Health &…read moreHospital Association is to advance the health of individuals and communities by serving as the leading voice for all Massachusetts hospitals, healthcare systems and other care providers to help them provide high quality, cost-effective and accessible healthcare. In 2016, after 80 years as the Massachusetts Hospital Association, we changed our name to reflect the new direction on the part of hospitals, health systems and all providers to work toward the wellness of all patients. Through leadership in public advocacy, education, and information, MHA represents and advocates for the collective interests of its members and supports their efforts to provide high quality, cost-effective and accessible care during an era of unprecedented change. To meet our most basic mission, caring for people, the hospitals and health systems of Massachusetts support a set of fundamental values. We believe that the health care system must: Focus on the needs of patients and the health status of the community; Provide access to care for all members of society; Use resources wisely and support incentives for high quality, cost-effective care; Work continuously to improve the quality of care; Be accountable for its performance to the community; Fulfill healthcare needs through collaboration and partnerships; Support innovation and leadership in advancing the clinical process, new delivery models, and ways to lower cost and reconfigure capacity. Hours: Mon-Fri: 9AM-6PM, Sat-Sun: 8AM-12PM

Right now, you can go to the Arts & Crafts Society to get your fix of handmade woodwork, pottery,…read morescarves, shirts, table runners, bottle stoppers, purses, jewelry boxes, vases, decorative plates, spoon rests, earrings, necklaces, watercolor paintings, and... I think that's about it. This month, the members have exhibited their wares - and everything's available for a very fair price. Perfect for getting that little "New England gift" for a family member. The staff is really friendly and talkative, asking lots of questions and giving you advice on how to make your own homemade things. Also, classes are available in everything from jewelry making to ceramics (hand building AND wheel throwing!), woodworking to knitting. Very nice, and perfect for those with too much energy.

From the owner: The LexArt is a non-profit regional education center dedicated to the preservation and promotion of…read moreexcellence in both the traditional and contemporary arts and crafts. LexArt supports and inspires artists and craftsperson by providing classes and workshops for our members and for the general public in all mediums by well-known, professional instructors for adults, and teens at all levels of skill at reasonable prices. We have four fully equipped studios: Ceramics, Metalworking, Weaving & Fiber Arts, and Woodworkers. We also have areas in Painting, Photography, Need Arts, Decorative Arts, and Polymer Clay & Beading. Each month, LexArt host free exhibitions and sales of quality fine art and fine crafts created by our members and local Artists .

I used to have a great Case Manager. He was replaced by a woman who is abrasive, condescending and…read morehas told me she is too busy to have to deal with my issues. The Meals on Wheels people are wonderful as is the Laundry Service. Minuteman has an agreement with a cleaning agency that cares more about the profit , around $30/hour, than the quality of cleaners they are sending out.

The one star is intended to represent my positive opinion that volunteers at Minuteman who help in…read morethe Lexington senior center dining area and elsewhere are doing a good job and work hard. The lack of any other stars is intended to represent my negative opinion of other aspects of Minuteman under the direction of its current leader Kelly Magee Wright. My two firsthand experiences with a service of this agency were very inconsistent. One time this agency followed state law and there were no problems; another time they did not follow state law -- and the result was a lot of problems. The worst memory I have as a result of this agency is one "care worker" arriving inside our locked apartment building somehow, unexpectedly, without any prior written notice, along with two lawyers, a man and a woman; all three of these people were strangers to my elderly mom and me. They then demanded my mom and me open the apartment door, which we did not, since we had no idea who these people were. We were not expecting them, and did not know what they wanted. Again, they sent no written notice in the US Mail, even though such is required by state law. After we did not open the apartment door to these strangers, here is what happened: 1) Someone (one of the Minuteman strangers), called the local police. 2) A false police report was made to the police, falsely claiming there was an urgent emergency happening to an elderly person at this residential address -- when there was no urgent emergency. (My mom and I happened to be home that morning, even though almost every day she was attending an adult day care.) 3) The local police, being misled and deceived, rushed to our residence, promptly responding, they thought, to an urgent emergency -- and broke down our apartment door, making a forced entry into our home. (Yes. This really happened.) 4) The police then saw there was no urgent emergency -- and no emergency -- in our apartment. However, Minuteman Senior Services did succeed in doing this: terrorizing and traumatizing my elderly mom and me. All this happened after we had filed pro se a lawsuit in probate court making public this recent discovery on an unauthorized trust controlling my mom's money: a fake trustee. "Fake" because this Ameriprise Vice President Successor Trustee who claimed to me on email to have a certain professional designation did not actually have that designation, according to the national organization that keeps those records of who has such a designation, as I later learned. Consequently, because Minuteman Services broke down our apartment door after Minuteman made a false report to the local police, I do not recommend this organization. I do not recommend them for any services in the home or any services whatsoever. In my opinion, for what happened to us, and I don't know how many others who may too afraid to talk about it, was grounds for the immediate firing of Kelly Magee Wright and others. I can not help but conclude that since she has remained, the leadership there is immoral, uncaring, and not to be trusted. (Or ignorant.) Today I attended a presentation this organization made at the local senior center, and I could only think: there is really little to no value in this entity. Minuteman is a private non-profit getting state and federal funds but I believe now: it's an organization that should be eliminated completely, except for the volunteers working on dining and meals. Minuteman claims they can provide you with resources, but with a computer, you can find most of these resources yourself, since all Minuteman does most of the time is: refer you elsewhere ("We have 75 contracted vendors.") Well, today we have internet search engines that can locate resources which could not be easily located 50 years ago when this agency and others like it first arrived on the scene. But times have now changed. And, as for the Adult Protective "Services" they claim to offer (which seem to me, in my experience, to more closely resemble Domestic Terrorism "services" -- available for hire, perhaps -- to those who wish to abuse caregivers and the elderly, in retaliation for when the innocent discover financial fraud, as my mom and I did), I would suggest: such a function be taken over by mental health professionals working with local police, so that police are not likewise abused by a false police report when strangers from Minuteman arrive unannounced at your home -- and very loudly break down your door. This type of visit terrorizes and traumatizes you, your mom and your neighbors, too. But Minuteman breaking down your door is not something that seems to bother Minuteman's leader, Kelly Magee Wright at all. (Perhaps if someday she is subject to her own employees' unannounced visits, she will think differently,) I have tried to be very polite in this review and stick to the facts. The facts above are, unfortunately, true. (And I have tried to keep my opinions to a minimum.)

Please listen to other reviews. This was a complete waste of time and energy. I had 15 bags on curb…read morebefore 7am, called previous day to give clear direction, and talked to someone telling me I was stop 33 and not to worry. They never came.... i tried to work with them but I was also lied to. I'm sorry they didn't think my time meant anything.

Easy to arrange for a donation pick up either on the phone or online. They always arrive when they…read moresay they will and never forget to leave a receipt. I have been using them for a number of years and highly recommend them.

Selection is limited as it's a small space. Most of the clothes were very small sizes and sadly I…read moream not. Good prices if you're a small size. I found like two size 14 items. Time to hit the gym

The EnKa Exchange is a great consignment shop run entirely by volunteers in a Winchester based…read morewomen's group called the En Ka Society. It's one of the few consignment shops in the area that takes MEN'S, CHILDREN'S and WOMEN'S clothing! The shop is in a huge yellow Victorian home with two floors and MANY ROOMS full of clothing, shoes, purses, a womens section, juniors section, men's suits, coats, casual clothing and kids clothing and shoes! This is one of the most organized consignment shops I have been to. The wonderful EnKa volunteers group similar types of clothing together. All blouses on one rack, all skirts on one rack, etc. So, if you're looking for the perfect pair of jeans, you don't have to go through ten racks of shirts, skirts and sweaters....go right to the jean rack! When you've made your selections, there is a large fitting room with a huge mirror at the top of the stairs! At the end of the year the unsold clothing is put into the En Ka Fair in Winchester, and they then close for the summer. In my opinion this is the only downfall to the EnKa Exchange...but it gives me time to check out other consignment shops in the area and clean out my closet by the time they open again. Great place to stop if you're in the Winchester/Woburn/Wilmington area....right on rt 38. They can be reached at 781-729-6146

John Kelley did an amazing leather repair job on my driver seat kidney bolster. The hole and wear…read moremarks are completely gone and the color is perfectly matched. I highly recommend him to anyone who needs leather repair.

John did an amazing job of breathing new life into my Nicoletti Italian sofa. For a fraction of…read morethe cost of a new sofa, John restored one of my favorite pieces of furniture. I highly recommend Fibrenew Burlington.

Use extreme caution with this organization. Despite what they say, they are hired and paid by DCF,…read moreand in my experience they ultimately do what DCF tells them to do. When ethical or moral issues came up, those concerns did not matter if they conflicted with DCF's interests. Rather than advocating for the family, they followed DCF's direction, including working with the abusive party and pushing the mother out of the process. Promises were made but not honored. Based on my experience, they are not independent advocates and are not acting in families' best interests.

I didn't have a good experience with Youth Villages. It was devastating to my daughter for them to…read morebe telling my daughter to stay on the electronics for over 72 hours, to not assist when there was an emergency, and to tell my daughter that she doesn't have follow any rules. On one ocasion when a stray loose dog was in my neighborhood Youth Villages demanded that I let the dog into my home with my 17 year old cat. I was terrified yet the worker was demanding that I let the dog into my home. They said let my daughter do whatever she wants including staying on electronics for up to 72 hours without getting off. The didn't help but were very aggressive with me as a parent and were all about their numbers as were presented to me and not actually caring about the child.