The Community Day Center of Waltham, Inc. is a non-profit day shelter program for homeless and other low-income individuals in the Waltham area. The Center opened its doors in September 2003.

A group of homeless individuals, community activists, and local church leaders identified a critical gap in services for the homeless in Waltham. Many of Waltham’s homeless are residents of overnight shelters which require them to leave the premises early in the morning. The Salvation Army operates a breakfast program in the mornings and a community Soup Kitchen provides dinner in the evenings. Between noon and 5:00 p.m. the options for safe, productive places to stay are extremely limited.

The community group worked together for two years to make the Day Center a reality.

The Center opened its doors in September 2003 in the basement of a local church and has averaged approximately 50 guests daily.

The Center provides afternoon shelter from 1:30-4:30 p.m.

It also provides information and referral for legal assistance, medical care, employment support, housing assistance and public benefits.

It also provides guests with phone and internet access for job and housing searches.

In addition to providing basic shelter, information and referral for critical services, and phone and internet access, the Center provides guests with a safe and comfortable place for leisure activities. Some of the fundamental goals of the program are to provide safety and a sense of belonging, lessen social isolation, enhance self-esteem, and help guests move towards self-support.

Board members include low-income individuals, a pastor of a local church, the director of a local community development corporation, a pediatric nurse, a program coordinator for elders, a software engineer and a social worker from a local legal services office. All members of the board share a particular interest in serving the homeless and disenfranchised.