Today, the Food Project brought a farmers market to my office to sell fresh, locally grown,…read morepesticide-free produce and other food items. The vegetables were grown by teenagers in an urban garden in Dorchester. The Food Project's mission is to, "grow a thoughtful and productive community of youth and adults from diverse backgrounds who work together to build a sustainable food system." This is totally worth supporting.

A noble organization that aims to drive personal and social change through the development of…read moresustainable food systems. They have two local farms where youth are taught to plant food using traditional, organic methods. Half the produce is donated to shelters and the remainder is sold at farmers' markets or in crop shares. They also host community meals with guest chefs from top-notch chefs from all over the city. And of course, offer group and individual volunteer projects, great for company outings or a free weekend. Their whole staff is simply awesome, especially the outreach coordinator, Michael Iceland. Come support these guys motivate, educate and change!

This farm house was formerly located elsewhere. It once belonged to an African American family in…read morethe 1800's. At that time slavery had been abolished for quite some time in Massachusetts, so they would have been considered "free blacks" until 1865 when all slaves were formally emancipated in the USA. I didn't get to see the inside of this house but walked around the outside. I estimate that this house is roughly 16' x 32'. It looks like there is a tiny second floor area. From the front it looks probably much like it did when it was first built. The back has a wheelchair ramp, a piece of metal contemporary art and an air conditioning unit in one window. There is a large bell, some seating, and an informative sign out front. It is not owned by the National Parks but is right next to the parking lot for the North Bridge. It would be easy to visit the bridge and the Old Manse (owned by the trustees) at the same time. While this house is not grand, like the Old Manse, it is important to acknowledge how all Americans have lived, whether their ancestors were born on American soil, chose to start a new life here, or were forced to.

The Robbins House Docent dressed in period costume was excellent, storytelling on the lawn in front…read moreof the 1823 Farmhouse* to a rapt audience on a lovely Summer afternoon. She cited such little-known facts as:: In 1641, Massachusetts was the 1st American Colony to legalize Slavery, as well as the 1st State to ban Slavery in 1783. John Hancock was a Slave Owner. Hmmmm . . . Some were led to believe that Slavery was strictly a Southern thing . . . Granted, The South was slow to enforce Abolition . . . *Restored & relocated to this site in 2011.

Such a wonderful cause and organization with a passionate leader who's humbly making the world a…read morebetter, kinder place. I met Donna, the founder and director, via a local Facebook group and immediately was impressed and inspired by her mission to help children, parents and families of our community. God bless her, her husband and the volunteers that are making her passion for loving kids into a real tangible community support organization. I went by the location today (used to be Burlington Food pantry) and was so happy to see the thought and organization put into making a dignified, free shopping experience for children and their families to get their essential needs and much more taken care of. They take donations (I dropped off some gently used toys) and make them into answered prayers. If you are in search or in need of something for your family, call to book a private appointment for free shopping. Wee Care Burlington has so much to offer!

The Lincoln Old Town Hall Exchange is appropriately named, since the little shop is located in…read moreLincoln's former town hall and it's a place to go if you want to exchange money for locally made products or awesome antiques. I try to stop in once every month or so to see what's for sale, to pick up a kitschy gift, or to browse the robust collection of antique kitchenware in the basement of the beautiful building. The folks that work there are exceedingly friendly, helpful and happy to point you in the direction of anything you could possibly need, whether it's made of paper, chocolate, metal, wood or solid sugar.

From the owner: Handcrafted gifts, antiques, baby clothes, books and stationery. All profits are returned to…read moreconsignors and go towards keeping our precious antique building maintained. We are all volunteers, come join us!

Excellent organization. Helps thousands of people living in the Merrimack Valley make it every year.read more

Many unique items and great prices. Jewelry, household items, toys, puzzles, shoes, and clothes…read more Most of the clothes are brand new with tags. All proceeds go back to fund the Wish Project.

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!