Before Kip Tiernan came along, the US had no shelters for women. Here
is the inspirational story of a singular woman and what her vision and
compassion have brought to life.
"Justice is not three hots and a cot. Justice is having your own key."
--Kip Tiernan
When Kip Tiernan was growing up during the Great Depression, she'd help
her granny feed the men who came to their door asking for help. As Kip
grew older, and as she continued to serve food to hungry people, she
noticed something peculiar: huddled at the back of serving lines were
women dressed as men. At the time, it was believed that there were no
women experiencing homelessness. And yet Kip would see women sleeping on
park benches and searching for food in trash cans. Kip decided to open
the first shelter for women--a shelter with no questions asked, no
required chores, just good meals and warm beds. With persistence, Kip
took on the city of Boston in her quest to open Rosie's Place, our
nation's first shelter for women.
Christine McDonnell, a former educator at Rosie's Place, and illustrator
Victoria Tentler-Krylov bring warmth to Kip Tiernan's story of humanity
and tenacity, showing readers how one person's dream can make a huge
difference, and small acts of kindness can lead to great things.