Service projects were an important, though less highly visible, part of the
WPA's mission. Perhaps known best for the part that it played in
constructing public buildings and infrastructure, the WPA also engaged in a
wide variety of other programs which served individual and community needs.
The service projects undertaken by the WPA provided work to a range of
individuals, and it is here that most of the women workers who were employed
by the agency found a place. The service projects undertaken under the aegis
of the WPA were broken into two curiously named branches. The
Defense Health and Welfare group undertook such
items as a sewing project, cleaning projects, school lunch programs, and
health initiatives.
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The second branch, known as the
War Services Project, provided such things as community recreation
programs, adult education classes, and clerical services.
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