Annette Rafferty Women’s Empowerment Center
Abby Kelley Foster House, Inc.
The Annette Rafferty Women’s Empowerment Center is a component of Abby’s House, a Worcester-based nonprofit organization. Since 1976, Abby’s House has provided shelter, affordable housing, advocacy, and support services to women and children who are low-income, survivors of domestic violence, or otherwise vulnerable to homelessness. The primary location on High Street in Worcester is home to the Women’s Center, as well as all of the organization’s office and support spaces, and 56 single-room occupancy (SRO) permanent supportive housing units.
The Women’s Center provides a number of services to women, including prepared meals and a food pantry, computer access, benefits counseling, health services, and pet therapy. The Narrow Gate provided architectural design for the renovation of the building, as well as guiding programming studies to define the spatial requirements of the Women’s Center, leading to a reorganization of space to better meet needs.
The Women’s Center renovation is part of a larger project, renovating the whole Abby’s House building:
Press
Abby's House continues mission after $16M renovation - Worcester Telegram
For roughly 100 years, 52 High St. has provided safe, supportive housing for women - first through the Sisters of Mercy and, since 2001, through Abby’s House. Now, after a $16.2 million renovation, the adjectives beautiful, bright and uplifting can be added to that housing description … READ MORE