Spotlight on Service: Haley House

The growth experienced in college can come in many different shapes and forms. Whether it be through making new friends, changing dynamics with old friends, finding out what classes you love or finally feeling independent. This transformative time can impact one’s life drastically, as most college students forget how much volunteer work can truly make a difference within that personal growth. One organization has made a tremendous impact on the lives of local Bostonians, as well as many students in the surrounding area.

Established in 1966 by Kathe and John McKenna, Haley House has had an extraordinary impact on the lives of the malnourished and overlooked in society. Compared to what it has become today, the McKennas’ first venture into the service world was informal. They originally took men off the streets and provided them a cot and a simple meal. People ridiculed the McKennas for their actions, but Haley House has now grown into a miniature empire in Boston.

While many aspects of Haley House have changed over the years, the Soup Kitchen and the Live-in Community have remained a steadfast part of the organization for over 50 years. Conveniently located right off of Copley Square, the Soup Kitchen is a pleasant little escape for those who come to it. Nestled among stunning brownstones and tumbling fall leaves, the Soup Kitchen seems out of place, but oftentimes homeless people travel to this neighborhood just to eat the fresh food found here.

Paula Agganis, a student at Simmons College and a live-in intern at Haley House, participates in the Elder Meal at the Soup Kitchen. Agganis’s regular work week at Haley House is different from a typical work week at an office. She starts off heading to 95 Thornton Street, Haley House’s private farm in Roxbury. There, she works directly on the farm, harvesting the vegetables used at the Soup Kitchen, the Bakery Café and Dudley Dough.

Agganis then goes to the Soup Kitchen at 23 Dartmouth Street and cooks several meals per day as a part of the Elder Meal, a program specifically designed to feed the older citizens of Boston. And finally, she cleans the kitchen and then goes upstairs to reflect on her day with her housemates. By applying to the internship program and extending her stay to become a live-in, Agganis has the opportunity to strengthen her relationships with the people she serves and her housemates.

“It’s a space that has challenged me and comforted me simultaneously, and it’s a space in which I’m learning a lot every single day,” said Agganis. “Both through cooking and through the guests and my housemates as well.”

The work Agganis and her housemates do on a regular basis quite obviously impacts the community in a great way. During this interview with Agganis and her coworkers, two women began knocking on the door of the Soup Kitchen. Even though it had been closed for some time, Agganis immediately opened the door and let them in, giving them fresh bread, leftover kale and tomato soup made with vegetables from 95 Thornton Street. The women repeatedly said, “Bless you, bless you,” and eagerly ate the meal Agganis served them.

Agganis loves the work she does for Haley House, but said that the organization and her fellow housemates have taught her as well.

“I think they’ve taught me a lot about how okay it is to not necessarily be sure of where I am at in life and the philosophy and beauty of life, spirituality and cooking,” she said.

It’s a space that has challenged me and comforted me simultaneously, and it’s a space in which I’m learning a lot every single day.”

Another fellow live-in community member and good friend of Agganis, Laura Kakalacc, has been living in the house for around two years. Kakalacc began her work at Haley House as a volunteer during her undergraduate studies at Boston University and then applied to the same summer internship program Agganis is in. Kakalacc has not left since.

“I think there’s a lot of depth that you can only achieve when you’re in a place for a long time, especially when building relationships,” said Kakalacc. “It just felt like after a summer and being a volunteer there was so much more I could do.”

Haley House is now comprised of many different programs and locations that all help those in need in a variety of ways. The Bakery Café, one of the more popular aspects of Haley House, sells delicious and healthy food to members of the community and caters events. They even sell their food in college dining halls around Boston.

The Café, which opened in 2005, seeks to counter the lack of healthy food in Roxbury and the greater Boston area and hopefully halt the nutrition-based diseases that can plague lower socioeconomic communities. Other than their delicious food, the Café has developed several important and impactful programs over the years as well.

Started in 2006, Take Back the Kitchen gives cooking and gardening classes that focus on garden-to-table eating and how a healthy life can make a huge impact on the overall lifestyle of a person. TBK primarily reaches out to youth and their families.

Another extremely successful program of the Café’s is the Transitional Employment Program. The program was started to break the terrible cycle that plagues people who have been incarcerated. Most of them cannot get a job after being released from prison, which can lead them to return to prison. Haley House provides support for formerly incarcerated people through job opportunities at the Bakery Café “Cookie Bake,” where they can learn how to keep a steady job after incarceration, participate in group mentoring sessions and even receive technology training for better transitions into the modern workforce.

A story featured in a blogpost by “The Boston Foodie” shows the enormous impact TEP can help the lives of former convicts. Nathaniel Awan was headed in a bad direction until he began cooking and joined the Bakery Café.

“Food brings people together,” said Awan in his interview with “The Boston Foodie.” He was worried that after being in prison no one would hire him, and admits he probably would have ended up back in prison without food and Haley House to guide him to the place he is today.

More recently, the Café has expanded into a new space where local artists, musicians and writers can come and display their work in an open and non-judgmental environment. Some of the events Haley House hosts include “Art is Life Itself,” “Jazz by Any Means Necessary,” “Roxbury History Nights,” “Dinner & a Movie” and “The House Slam.”

Dudley Dough is yet another venture undertaken by Haley House. This new restaurant uses the natural ingredients harvested at 95 Thornton Street to create mouth-watering artisan pizzas and salads and even sell locally craft beer to the public.

What truly sets this business apart is its unique platform. In a Boston.com article, Dudley Dough manager Luther Pinckney describes how, unlike other restaurants where employees cannot make a living off of a singular salary, Dudley Dough attempts to create a restaurant where people can sustain themselves on one salary. By creating such a place, employees can develop better lives for themselves and spend more time with their families. Dudley Dough is meant to become a hub where the entire community of Roxbury can gather, eat and spend time with friends and family.

Haley House made some important contributions to the communities in both Roxbury and greater Boston, and the volunteer work they provide could be very beneficial for college students to get involved in.

Julia Goetz, a sophomore at Boston College, recently signed on to begin her volunteer work there.

“While I was deciding where to volunteer, I noticed Haley House’s mission to promote community connections through food,” said Goetz.

“As a strong believer in forming bonds over meals, I gravitated toward Haley House in their efforts to fix societal problems and respond to the neighborhood’s needs.”

Like Agganis, Goetz hopes to gain a better understanding of what she wants in life and how to meet the needs of the people in the area. With Haley House, Goetz knows she can conquer both of those goals.

By Marianne Farrell | Photography by Julia Smithing | Design by Deanna Klima-Rajchel