Our History

In 1835 a small group of concerned women established a fund to aid older women (60 and above) who were facing financial difficulty, thus founding the Newburyport Society for the Relief of Aged Women.

Upon the death of NSRAW's longtime benefactor, Mrs. Martha G. (Bartlet) Wheelwright in 1888, her family's residence at 75 High Street became the property of the Society. During the next 125 years, the Wheelwright House provided a home to numerous women in need.

Over time, the Wheelwright House required increasingly costly maintenance and updates. This threatened to deplete the Society's resources and placed at risk its ability to continue the Society’s mission.

In 2006, with an eye toward the future, the NSRAW Board of Directors sold the Wheelwright House. They invested the proceeds in order to expand the Society's reach and serve a greater number of local women, safeguarding NSRAW's mission for many years to come.  

Since the closing of the Wheelwright House, NSRAW has continued to fulfill its mission as a charitable foundation, using its resources to assist older women (60 and above) in need in Newburyport, Newbury, and Salisbury (with Amesbury added in 2021). It now solicits applications for aid from both individuals and local non-profit agencies to meet critical needs such as health care, utility assistance, rent, and food vouchers, as well as emergency assistance for unexpected bills.