Dear Friend,
Amidst the avalanche of public announcements about the coronavirus and the safety measures we have all been asked to take, you might be wondering what happens to the women we serve?  HCWW has a 20-year track record of reaching out to vulnerable women and families, taking our services to where the women are already meeting their other survival needs. This model of personalized community presence is even more important now. With the exception of the pregnant women in Bridges to Moms, who have required obstetrics appointments, homeless and precariously housed women are hearing the same messages we hear-- to “stay away” from hospitals and any crowded places. But those “crowded places” are the day shelter and social service agencies where they get food, feel safe, and get counseling. And the majority of our adult clients are vulnerable to complications from COVID-19 - hypertension, diabetes and respiratory illness are among the most frequent diagnoses among our adult and elderly clients. For the older women in Bridges to Elders who we have helped get housing, those day shelters are places where they feel welcome and they can fight loneliness and isolation. Imagine how scary it is for them. What options do they have?
One of our Bridges to Elders clients, Maureen (now 81 years old), was housed 8 years ago. She has a primary care doctor, but she knows us and relies on seeing us at our shelter clinic to regularly check on her and make sure her blood pressure and respiratory issues are in control. One of us talks to Maureen at least twice a week. She knows she has to stay put in her tiny apartment for now to be safe, but she also knows she is not alone; we’re just a phone call away.
The women who rely on our care can still see our clinical teams at Women’s Lunch Place, where we can screen them and connect them to help. While Rosie’s Place undergoes a planned renovation of its Wellness Center, we are “on call” for any questions or concerns. Women’s Lunch Place is operating on a limited basis to minimize exposure, so we’ll be “on call” for those clients as well.

Our Bridges to Elders and Bridges to Moms teams are already meeting the women in the community, sometimes literally on the sidewalk, to check on them, help them fill out forms to get medical and dental care, apply for housing, social security, food stamps and Medicare/Medicaid. Our community clinical teams all carry work phones which means that our clients can call or text us when they are worried or feel sick. In other words, the work continues.
Just last week, one of these moms, “Marissa”, stopped by our clinic at the BWH after taking her daughter to her pediatrician. "Marissa" has two other children, including a 2 year-old son with severe autism. Her personal circumstances are such that she was statistically likely to have a premature birth and many maternal complications. Instead, with the help of our intensive care management, "Marissa’s" baby girl was born at full term and was healthy.
Know that our clients are near to our hearts, and we will continue to provide the best care we can under the circumstances. We love these brave women who struggle with their health and their housing, and they will not be left alone. None of this would be possible without the courageous commitment of our clinicians who have been reaching out to make sure our most vulnerable of clients are safe and well. 

We will continue to be there as we have for 20 years -- we couldn’t do that without your unwavering support. Please join us in caring for these most vulnerable women in our community by continuing to donate and support our critically needed care programs.

Thank you and God bless you,
Health Care Without Walls, Inc.
148 Linden Street, Suite 208
Wellesley, MA 02482

Tel: (781) 239-0290 | Fax: (781) 235-6819