What started as summer volunteering at St. Francis House evolved into the Gabelli Presidential Scholars class of 2027’s social impact initiative—a women’s foot clinic.
“The feet might seem like a really basic thing to take care of, but it’s actually the gateway to many real health issues,” said Grace Snell, MCAS ’27, one of the program’s co-executive directors.
The foot clinic was established on Sept. 15, 2024, and operates out of Women’s Lunch Place, a women’s shelter in Boston. The clinic provides basic foot treatments for homeless women, aiming to prevent them from developing health problems in the future.
Snell and Catherine May, MCAS ’27, the clinic’s other executive director, were inspired to start the program after spending a summer volunteering at St. Francis House.
While volunteering there, they noticed that the environment discouraged many women and LGBTQ+ individuals from seeking treatment for their feet.
“The women who were staying at that shelter really did not feel comfortable coming into that environment because it was male-dominated, and the leading cause of homelessness among women is domestic abuse or sexual assault in some capacity,” May said.
After discussing their concerns with each other, Snell and May decided to start a foot clinic specifically for women and queer individuals. Foot clinics provide treatment to homeless people, who are more susceptible to foot infections.
“Homeless people are far more likely to experience foot-related complications, such as diabetic neuropathy, diabetic bolsters, fungus,” May said. “Infections in the feet are very, very common for homeless people.”
May explained that the primary cause of infections is the amount of time homeless people spend on their feet, often walking 10 to 15 miles a day.
“Homeless people use their feet a ton, and there’s a ton of wear and tear on their feet,” May said.
In the initial stages of the clinic, Snell and May found that some people were apprehensive when first introduced to the services.
“The first time we came, people were a little unsure what it was, and then we just kept going back and kept going back,” Snell said.
Despite patients’ initial reluctance to receive care, the volunteers continued to offer a range of services, including foot soaks, free socks, and simply providing companionship.
“Gradually, through building trust between the patient and the volunteer, you’re able to integrate them back into the health setting,” Snell said.
According to the Boston Public Health Commission, 95 percent of unhoused adults in Boston have health insurance.
May noted, however, that significantly fewer homeless women have access to health care—a crucial factor in improving their standard of living.
The Gabelli sophomores hope the program will play a role in narrowing this gap.
“According to the staff at Women’s Lunch Place, only 50 percent of homeless women have health insurance,” May said. “95 percent to 50 percent is a huge disparity, and so we’ve been lucky enough to set up a few women with health insurance through our work.”
A day of volunteering at the clinic begins bright and early with a 6:30 am T-ride to the Women’s Lunch Place. Once they arrive, the volunteers set up the medical supplies for the clinic and begin working with patients.
“We mostly are there for soaking feet, giving them nail clippers, giving them fungal cream, which they apply themselves,” Snell said. “We’ve been trained by St. Francis House on how to screen a lot of issues, which we can refer them right away.”
For those from the Gabelli cohort who cannot volunteer at the clinic, fundraising and finance provide other ways to get involved. Aalok Bhattacharya, MCAS ’27, helps manage the budget for donation items.
“The repeating budget that runs on a semester basis, that looks like soap, sponges, pumice, anti-fungal cream, things like that,” Bhattacharya said.
Initial planning for the program extended beyond holding fundraisers and asking for donations. The volunteers worked together to apply for grants and coordinate with organizations that give aid to non-profit initiatives.
“You’re not asking for the money,” Bhattacharya said. “All you’re doing is asking for the time.”
While the student volunteers care for the patients, medical personnel supervise them and provide guidance.
“Women’s Lunch Place has a nurse that works there five days a week,” Snell said. “When we’re there, we’re under her supervision. If there’s the slightest medical problem, we automatically refer her.”
Aside from the physical treatments the clinic offers, Snell emphasized that a significant part of their volunteering is simply helping people feel recognized and valued.
“One patient told me about how she just hates when people look away,” Snell said. “She’s like, ‘You don’t need to give me money, you don’t need to talk to me, but you looking away kind of refuses my rights and my dignity as a human.’ Moments like that help me as a citizen—and as a person who lives in Boston—take responsibility”
Snell and May both highlighted the importance of getting to know patients personally, going beyond the typical clinical atmosphere.
“One woman told us that it made her mental health so much better, just to sit and relax and be able to talk,” Snell said.
Working with patients not only supports those in need but also provides significant benefits for Snell, May, and the other volunteers. According to Snell and May, the experience offered valuable clinical exposure and a broader understanding of diverse life experiences.
“It’s so nice to build relationships like that and meet people who you can look up to,” May said.
Although the program is still relatively new, the scholars have set goals for its future. One of their top priorities is recruiting more volunteers, as the program currently has only eight to ten.
“We would like to make this a permanent PULSE placement for Boston College students, so we’re trying to raise enough money to cover all the costs of the clinic for the upcoming years,” Snell said.
May expressed a similar sentiment, stressing the importance of helping the clinic reach financial stability so it can become a permanent fixture for supporting homeless people. The Gabelli Scholars are planning a fundraiser on April 15 to benefit the program.
“I think our long-term goal is we want to make sure that this clinic can exist as long as the need exists,” May said. “Hopefully, homelessness is not a thing in 100 years, but if it is, we want our clinic to still be here.”
Snell encouraged BC students to seek out opportunities to serve others, highlighting the mutual benefits for both the students and the communities they support.
“Take a second to reflect upon whether [you’ve] stepped outside of [your] comfort zone and try to engage with the sufferings of the world in little ways—whether that’s through working at the foot clinic, 4Boston, or PULSE—because it’s an experience that will shape your career,” Snell said.
