Fall/Winter 2014
Transcription
Fall/Winter 2014
Abby’s House shelter • housing • advocacy .. Vol. 32, Issue 3 BRIGHT SPOT online: www.abbyshouse.org/brightspot FALL/WINTER 2014 Home for the Holidays by Parlee Jones, Shelter Advocate As the holidays quickly approach, many of us are planning to celebrate Thanksgiving, then Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa and/or New Years. Whatever holiday you celebrate, a big part of our celebration is preparing our homes to welcome family and friends. We prepare our holiday gift lists and our food shopping lists with all our family’s favorite foods. We clean and dust to make sure our homes are sparkling with holiday cheer. We plan dinners and parties to enjoy the company of family and friends. These are the events that create memories-For our children, for ourselves. Many of us carry on the traditions that our parents started when we were children. This is what we do when we prepare our home for the holidays. Unfortunately for our shelter guests and some of our residents, this is not the case. Many of our women are estranged from their families. Some have lost spouses and children. And for some, this holiday season is the saddest part of the year. Last year, one of our guests spent the holidays living in her car with her two dogs, Continued on page 2 women’s stories recent events Homeless and Working Maintaining employment while homeless a difficult struggle for women. Donna* spent more than 22 years working hard to keep her marriage and her family together, through her husband’s manipulative and abusive behavior, drug and alcohol abuse and suicide attempts. Her husband eventually stopped using physical violence when he could control Donna with subtle threats. “I lived on hope, hope that things would get better if I worked really hard,” Donna recalls, and for the periods of time when her husband remained stable, her marriage and life were good. But then he would return to abusing drugs, and in 2008, Donna asked her husband to leave and get help for his addictions. Unable to physically control her life, Donna’s husband attacked her financially. He interfered with her job and she was fired. He severed Donna’s access to money that she normally used to pay for rent and utilities. He arranged for their van to be repossessed and served her with divorce papers. In December, Donna’s landlord, who was also her former employer, evicted her. Donna then moved to Worcester to live with family members and completed her training to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in 2009. She was hired by an ambulance company *Name changed to protect identity Continued on page 4 “Love Shouldn’t Hurt” Abby’s House partners with Daybreak to raise awareness of domestic violence during October. Abby’s House and Daybreak partnered to sponsor programs for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, including a luncheon at the Abby’s House Women’s Center that featured guest speaker Daisy Reeves and local singer Lydia Fortune, (above left) and “Love Shouldn’t Hurt,” songs and spoken word performances by local artists in honor and in memory of the victims and survivors of domestic violence. Many thanks to Parlee Jones (above right, with State Rep. Mary Keefe) for coordinating these events! Stay Connected with Us! www.facebook.com/abbyshouse1 A Letter from the Executive Director Abby’s House shelter • housing • advocacy .. 52 High Street Worcester, MA 01609 Phone: 508-756-5486 Fax: 508-798-3299 website address BRIGHT SPOT is reproduced on our website: www.abbyshouse.org Annette Rafferty Founder Stephanie Page Executive Director board of directors Susan Manero, President Peggy M. Dix, V. President Virginia Conti, Treasurer Christine Judycki-Crepeault, V. Treasurer Ann Pingitore-Spring, Clerk Kelly Brissette Mary Chenaille Marie Fusaro Davis Melanie Demaris Patty Doherty Alice Livdahl Lynne McKenney-Lydick Patti McKone Kelly Thayer Carolyn Whitney bright spot Vol. 32, Issue 3 NOVEMBER 2014 Published three times per year by: Abby Kelley Foster House, Inc. Office of Communications 52 High Street Worcester, MA 01609 Mission Statement The mission of Abby’s House is to provide shelter and affordable housing, as well as advocacy and support services, to homeless, battered and lowincome women, with or without children. Values Statement Abby’s House empowers the women we serve to lead self-directed lives filled with dignity and hope. 2 Greetings! I am honored to be writing to you as the new Executive Director at Abby’s House. Abby’s House has made such a meaningful difference in the lives of women and families over the past several decades. I am excited to bring twenty years of nonprofit experience and a graduate education in both nonprofit administration and theology to Abby’s House. I hope to help the organization to move through a period of transition and growth, so that it will continue to have an impact on women and families for many years into the future. One of the special honors of working at Abby’s House is that so many people have a role in contributing to the mission and success of Abby’s House: volunteers, individual donors, Board of Directors, staff members, partners, foundations, businesses, and the Home for the Holidays community-atlarge. It takes all of us to provide shelter, affordable housing, advocacy, and support to women, with or Executive Director Stephanie Page, (r.) with without children, Founder Annette Rafferty who are homeless, battered, and low-income. We together make the work of Abby’s House possible. I look forward to getting to know you and to working with you. If you ever want to talk with me, you are welcome to give me a call anytime. We can set up a time to meet or talk by phone. I wish you the best for the year ahead, and thank you for all of your past and future contributions to Abby’s House. Stephanie Page from Page 1 who were her family. She had worked at the same company for nine years and was suddenly let go due to a change in management. Due to her loss of income, she could no longer afford the comforts of home and began living in her car. Unfortunately, she had to put one dog up for adoption, and the other dog had to be put to sleep when she decided to come to the Abby’s House shelter. This was her family, and she mourned their loss. We were more than honored to support her during this time. While at our shelter, this courageous woman and I completed a service plan and she decided to go to school to become certified as a CNA. With the support of one of our community partners, this 53-year-old grandmother is back in school while staying in one of our transitional rooms. Abby’s House is giving her time and space to do what she needs to continue living a self-sufficient life. This year a mom and her daughter will be spending their first Christmas in our family housing. This young woman had been “doubled up” with a family member for several months while trying to find a safe, affordable apartment. Even though she worked full-time at $10 an hour, she could not afford Worcester’s market-based rents. Your average two-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from $800 to $950 per month, plus utilities, and families also have to come up with first and last month’s rent, plus a security deposit. Although there are agencies that can help with this requirement, there are certain criteria for families to access these funds, and they run out quickly. Luckily for our mom, she applied for Abby’s Housing and was accepted into our housing program. She now lives in a safe, supportive environment, and the affordable rent has enabled her to not only provide for her daughter, but to go back to school and further her education. She will be settled into her home for the holidays, creating memories and traditions for her family. Thanks to your support, Abby’s has become an extended family for residents and guests during the holidays and the rest the year. But especially at holiday time, your support means that we can share a home-cooked meal, and make sure that every woman and child in our shelter or our affordable housing has at least one present under the tree. Here at Abby’s House, it helps the women to know that there are people who have their best interests at heart. We could never take these journeys without your help. volume 32, issue 3 5th Annual 5K Run/Walk Raises $30,000 for Abby’s House! This year’s HipHipHerRace began on a sunny October morning that runners described as the “perfect temperature” for the 5th Annual 5K race to benefit Abby’s House. As 350 runners and walkers circled the beautiful Wachusett Reservoir in West Boylston, horns honked and volunteers cheered, all to raise awareness of domestic violence and $30,000 for Abby’s House. “For many people it is an empowering experience to complete a 5K run/walk, whether it is a first time or completing with your best time yet,” said HipHipHerRace co-founder Susan Lauring, “We combined a healthy experience while promoting awareness.” “I am taking the stand to end domestic violence,” Olivia Greenburg emphatically said after completing the race as the top female finisher with a time of 22:25. Congratulations to Olivia and our top male finisher, Mike Leavitt, who finished with a time of 18:50! Team Quinsigamond Community College Admissions The Board and Staff of Abby’s House gratefully acknowledge these HipHipHerRace 2014 sponsors: AdCare Hospital, Akuity Technologies, Tedi & Heidi Bruschi, Central Rock Gym, The Hanover Insurance Group Inc., Robert J. Hennigan, Jr., Esq., IBEW Local 104, Ideal Property Maintenance Corporation, Insurance Recovery Group, Iron Workers Local Union #7, Lauring Construction Company, Inc., Le Limo Limousine Service, William F. Lynch Co., Inc., Marathon Sports, Metso Automation USA, Inc., Peterson Oil Services Inc., Poland Spring Water, Price Chopper Markets, Quaker Special Risk of Massachusetts, Reliant Medical Group, RoadID, Roofers Union Local 33, Safety Insurance Company, Summit Forms and Printing, Travelers of Massachusetts, United Bank, and Val’s Restaurant. fall/winter 2014 race photos by amy vaughn, starfish photography Hooray for HipHipHerRace! Another big Thank You goes to the many individuals, local organizations and businesses that created teams to participate in HipHipHerRace, helping to raise funds for and increase awareness of Abby’s House and its mission: 311, C’mon/WannaRunna, Dashing Divas, Davis Art, FIT ELITE, For Mom, Grafton FitGirls, Hanover, Holy Cross, In Memory of Janice Santos, Marty’s Girls, Midland Street School, Mincha Turtles, NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction), Norrback Avenue Owls, Pet Pals Team, QCC Team Admissions, S&C, Sorelle, Team ETM, Team FRPB, Team Kforce, the Pushovers, The Turtles, To The Edge, and Top Shop. HipHipHerRace co-founders, (left to right) Peggy Dix, Sue Manero and Susan Lauring celebrate the record-setting amount raised by HipHipHerRace. Abby’s House also wishes to thank to the Central Massachusetts businesses that generously donated raffle prizes and awards for the participants of the race: Bagel Inn, Bhadon Gift Gallery, Blushing Bee Naturals, Dairy Queen, Darby’s Bakery, The DogFather, Eller’s Restaurant, Ellie’s Pet Barn of Holden, Elzire’s Acre, Jake’s Cafe, Joey’s Bar & Grill, The Manor Restaurant, The Mill Restaurant, Mon Atelier Hair Salon, Mountain Barn Restaurant, Mountainside Cafe, O’Connor’s Restaurant, Olli’s Italian Eatery, Padavano’s Place, Paul Conzo Day Spa and Hair Salon, Peppercorn’s Grille & Tavern, Price Chopper Supermarkets, S&S Fruit & Deli, Steve’s Pizza, Sweet, TJX Companies, Top Shop Salon and Day Spa, Val’s Restaurant, Volturno Pizza Napoletana, West Boylston Cinema, West Boylston Seafood, Worcester Restaurant Group and Zorba’s Pizzeria. Lisa Marcoux (left) celebrates her birthday by running her first 5K with her sister (right). Every year, the Santos family and friends walk and run in memory of Janice Santos. Thank you to the West Boylston Jr./Sr. High School for the use of their property and thank you to the West Boylston Police Department for their help in directing traffic and ensuring our safety throughout the morning. A special thank you to our emcee, Alex Kartheiser, and to O’Brien & Gibbons Insurance Agency for providing the water table. Thank you to our wonderful photographer, Amy Vaughn of Starfish Photography. Amy captured the beautiful scenery, the enthusiasm of our runners and walkers, and all the fun of the race. Thank you to Summit Forms & Printing for providing for all of our printing needs. To view race results for each of the age categories, please visit the HipHipHerRace Racewire page at http://www.racewire.com/ live_results.php?id=4190. Also check out the HipHipHerRace album on the Abby’s House Facebook page at: http://www.facebook. com/abbyshouse1. Without its supporters, Abby’s House could not help women and children find a place to call home. Thank you to everyone who supported HipHipHerRace, which gives 100% of its proceeds to Abby’s House. Stay tuned for details of next year’s event, which is tentatively scheduled for October 17, 2015! 3 Working from Page 1 that required her to work in Boston, Newton and surrounding areas as far north as Peabody. Because her weekly take-home pay of less than $300 did not cover the cost of commuting between Worcester and Boston, Donna “couch-surfed” and often stayed in her car between shifts at the ambulance company. “I would purposely pick up extra shifts that were back-to-back so that I could sleep in the bunk rooms and have access to a shower,” Donna says. Without a permanent address, Donna could not maintain insurance and registration on her car and was forced to take it off the road. Without a car and without safe housing, Donna soon found herself carrying all her personal belongings with her and seeking temporary housing in Boston. Donna writes about her experience at a Boston homeless shelter in 2010: “I ‘won the lottery’ that day. I had a place to stay and could meet with an advocate in the morning. I didn’t want to lose my job, I was running out of time and options, and I was getting sick. That June the weather was brutally hot; I was dehydrated and hadn’t been able to eat much. I was also terrified and very anxious. My stuff secure in a locker and my tired body on a cot amongst so many others who were without a place to call home, I cried myself to sleep that night, hoping and praying that the advocate could help me in the morning.” On Monday morning, Donna woke to find that her belongings had been placed at the door. She couldn’t store her bags while she looked for housing, and she had to leave the shelter until lottery time that evening. “The advocate handed me lists of places to call and I sat with my bags around my feet, leaving message after message,” Donna writes, “There was nothing anyone could do …I had no place to live, and the fact that I was employed didn’t matter. “ After calling every shelter on the list without finding a room or bed, and feeling very ill, Donna went to a local hospital for medical care. “As I sat in the waiting room of the Emergency Department, my phone rang. It was the Cambridge YWCA, and I could have a room if I could get to Cambridge in two hours, so I took a cab. After I met with the intake staff and obtained my first room, I spent the rest of the day drinking Gatorade and eating potato chips. I was at work on time by Tuesday.” For the next few years, Donna rented a room or studio apartment, depending on the overtime pay she received, but never finding a place to call home. When the ambulance company cut all overtime, Donna could no longer afford market-based rents. After moving several times, living with different family members and changing jobs in an effort to find safe, affordable housing, Donna came to Abby’s House. Donna says her faith in God helped carry her through this difficult time. “Now I have a safe place to stay at Abby’s House. My story is not unique. No matter the ‘why’ of being homeless, it’s still an emotional and fearful battle. I made many friends along this journey, and feel blessed to have helped so many others. Abby’s house is now helping me. Among all the positive benefits of being a resident, I have been given a grant to attend school to learn how to be a Medical Laboratory Technician. So, my journey continues…” Donna is one of many working women who find themselves homeless due to circumstances beyond their control. Abby’s House provides women like Donna with affordable housing as well as advocacy and support, giving them hope for a better future. budget report fy14 We Need Your Support! As of October 28, 2014, we have raised $830,182.97, which is 72% of our total operating budget of 1.16 million. We need to raise $329,117 before December 31 to finish the fiscal year in the black. 28% STILL NEEDED TOTAL $1.16 MILLION How You Can Help with Holiday Giving Every year for the Holidays, Please contact Jean Anger at 508-756-5486 Abby’s House assembles 100 gift or jean@abbyshouse.org if you would like to organize a holiday needs list drive. Please visit bags for residents and guests. our website for a complete list of year-round This year, we are in need of needs: www.abbyshouse.org/needs-list the following new items: • Twin sheets • Towel sets All grants were received between • Twin-size blankets 08/01/14 and 10/31/14 • Scarves & Gloves • Travel coffee mugs • Bank of America Charitable Foundation • Slippers (any size) • Melvin S. Cutler Foundation Recent Grants Gift Cards from: • CVS • Dunkin’ Donuts • Price Chopper • Price Rite • Target • Wal-Mart • • • • • • • Fred Harris Daniels Foundation Fallon Community Health Plan GWCF: Lillian Pratt Fund GWCF: Ethel Cunningham Fund GWCF: Isabel K. Arms Fund The TJX Foundation W.R. Berkley Charitable Foundation A Note of Thanks from All of Us at Abby’s House: Dedicated Hearts Dedicated hearts like yours Are not so easy to find. It takes a special person to be So generous and kind. To care so much for those in need Is a quality all too rare. Yet you give your time and treasure, For all who are here to share. So thank you for supporting Abby’s, We’re so blessed to work with you. We want you to know how appreciated you are, Not just today, but the whole year through. -adapted from charity.lovetoknow.com 4