"Our unwavering commitment to improve the quality of life for all citizens of Central Massachusetts remains the foundation of the services we provide and our strategies to continue to expand and enhance those services."
Carlton Watson, President & CEO, and Michael Munn, Chairman of the Board

Henry Lee Willis Community Center is the largest minority-based social and human services agency in Central Massachusetts. The Agency was founded in 1991 as a grassroots organization working to address the needs of the Greater Worcester community.

Each year, thousands of community members look to the Willis Center to provide them with the services they need to heal and improve the quality of their lives.

These services include shelter, substance recovery, foster care and adolescent residential programs, developmental services, neighborhood services, support of community initiatives, and access to quality cultural programming. Learn more about all of our programs. 

Willis Center is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA). COA’s program of quality improvement is designed to identify providers that have met high performance standards and have made a commitment to their stakeholders to deliver the very best quality services - read more in our reaccreditation press release. 

Willis Center is named in honor of Henry Lee, an African American active in Worcester City government in the early 1700's. He served as a selectman, treasurer, and town assessor and was known for advocating policies to improve the quality of life for the impoverished. The founding Board of Directors of the Willis Center selected his name to provide an inspiration for the African American community.