Bread & Roses is a nonprofit, charitable
organization created in 1980 to respond to the basic needs of the poorest members of the
Greater Lawrence area. Completely supported by private donations, Bread and Roses
seeks to create a center of compassion and hospitality where all are welcomed with respect
and dignity.
From the beginning, people of all different creeds, backgrounds and
experiences have joined us as dinner guests, volunteers and donors. We welcome that
diversity, realizing that the coming together of so many people is the first step in
breaking down barriers and contributing to a new order based on sharing, love, peace and
justice.
Our Name
Our name, Bread & Roses, comes from the title of a song written
about the 1912 Lawrence Mill Strike. The song sings of the courageous women who
participated in strikes, calling for bread for themselves and their starving
families. A line from the song captures their plea well: "Hearts starve
as well as bodies, give us bread but give us roses." By choosing such a name we
wish to express our solidarity with all courageous men and women who struggle for bread
and roses. We strive to be a center of hospitality where beauty and a genuine reverence
for the dignity of each person are valued and where "bread" is caringly
available to all.
Our Family of Volunteers
There are innumerable tasks that must be accomplished in order to offer hospitality and
to serve a complete dinner to over 200 guests nightly. Approximately 150 volunteers
are committed to staffing Bread & Roses' evening meal shift (4-8 P.M.) assist with
daytime meal prep, mailings, cleaning, organizing, yardwork and assorted other tasks too
numerous to mention. Approximately 25 groups cater meals for Bread & Roses on a
regular basis. It is one of the joys of life at Bread & Roses to see a variety
of people of different beliefs and from different walks of life all working together for a
common goal.
Funding
Bread & Roses is completely supported by generous individuals, groups, religious
organizations, schools, businesses and private foundations. We also received funds
from Project Bread, The Walk for Hunger.
Bread & Roses does not receive any state or federal funding. Bread & Roses
welcomes financial contributions to support our work of hunger relief. Checks made
out to Bread & Roses can be mailed to Bread & Roses, 58 Newbury Street, Lawrence,
MA 01840. Contributions to Bread & Roses are tax deductible.
