View PDF - Chrysalis

FALL 2015 NEWS
SERVING A CRITICAL NEED
INSIDE THE BIN
On a recent sweltering Tuesday morning, Alex
Conedy was standing outside the doors of
a 3,500 square-foot Downtown warehouse
greeting a long line of customers. Alex welcomed
everyone with his trademark “It’s a beautiful
day.” It is clear that this was no ordinary place
when anyone sees Alex on the job. The 400
people who visit the warehouse each day are
homeless and are waiting their turn to access
what many of them consider to be a lifeline to a
brighter future.
The warehouse, officially called The Bin, opened
in October 2014. Today it houses over 1,400
bins, or what most would recognize as home
recycling containers. It’s a free and voluntary
storage facility that is operated by Chrysalis and
serves the homeless population of the Skid Row
area of L.A. It’s a place of refuge and for many
of the clients it is the only safe and secure place
they have to store their valuables. It also serves
as a practical place to keep clean clothes, critical
documents, toiletries and other personal items
that help individuals maintain some semblance of
dignity.
Alex, who has been Project Manager since The
(continued inside)
Support before, during and after
finding a job is critical for Chrysalis
clients. With your help, Chrysalis
is able to provide resources that
clients use to prepare for, land and
keep a job.
ChangeLives.org
(continued from front)
Bin opened, approaches his job from a very different
vantage point than the typical warehouse operator. He
is, in fact, a former Chrysalis client who once found himself
on the doorstep of the L.A. Mission. His unique perspective
and limitless compassion provide inspiration and hope on a
daily basis.
When you support Chrysalis, you are a part of a team of
individuals who are making a difference at street level.
Cylus Loveless is one Bin client that was encouraged by
Alex’s words. Some mornings the two men would chat about
sports. Other days, Alex would take time to help Cylus talk
through a barrier that he was up against. But one afternoon
the conversation was one of pure celebration. Cylus had
been offered a job with a trucking company and was being
flown to Texas for training. At that moment Alex whispered
to himself, “it’s a beautiful day,” and it was never more true.
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: MICHELLE SORRO
Nearly two years ago, Michelle Sorro says she was “bitten by
the butterfly bug.” The branding expert was searching for a
volunteer opportunity and found Chrysalis through word of
mouth. She wanted to give her time to something really special
and she wanted to be able to make a direct impact. That is
exactly what she is able to do at Chrysalis. As a facilitator
of our Job Prep 2 class, Michelle helps dozens of individuals
every week.
Not only does Michelle facilitate one of Chrysalis’ Job Prep
classes every week, she also joins the team of amazing
Butterfly Ball volunteers.
“What I love about being a volunteer is the
tangible and measurable difference the work
makes with the clients. It’s about that “aha
moment” I see in their eyes when they obtain new
knowledge, tools or resources for their job search.
And it is also about being able to empower
someone through encouragement - the entire
experience is absolutely fulfilling.”
Getting involved with Chrysalis is enriching - you can make
a real difference in the lives of the men and women in Los
Angeles who are willing, ready, and able to become selfsufficient through employment. For more information visit:
ChangeLives.org/volunteer
DOUBLE DUTY: TRANSITIONAL JOBS
Do transitional jobs programs work? The results are
in and after reviewing the data the answer is a
resounding. Yes!
As a subgrantee of the Social Innovation Fund,
a program of the Corporation for National and
Community Service, Chrysalis was selected to be part of
a first of its kind study conducted by Mathematica Policy
Research. Commissioned by REDF in 2011, the study
proved once and for all that transitional jobs pay off.
A Sample of the Findings
A Better Life: Housing stability increased by
253 percent and dependence on government
support decreased by 47 percentage points;
A Better Job: Participants increased their
monthly income by 91 percent;
A Better Society: Every $1 spent by programs
like Chrysalis’ saves taxpayers $1.31 and
provides $2.23 in benefits to society.
Each year, your support of Chrysalis makes it possible
for us to run two transitional jobs businesses and employ
over 500 clients! That’s more than 337,000 hours of
paid work experience that Chrysalis clients take with
them into the workforce.
BRINGING IT HOME WITH SKID ROW HOUSING TRUST
The Chrysalis program is contingent on employers being
open to hiring someone who may need a second chance
or who has barriers to getting their foot in the door. At
the top of the list of businesses that are answering that
call is Skid Row Housing Trust (SRHT).
Since the start of the year, SRHT has hired 26 Chrysalis
clients as full-time employees. Their commitment to
supporting individuals who want nothing more than a
chance to work is truly changing lives.
“I have been a desk clerk for over a
year, but I know I am more than that.
I am valued and an important part
of this community.” -Dee Dee Jones
“When a new employee comes to us from Chrysalis, we
have confidence that they will be prepared and well
trained for work,” said Michael Alvidrez, Executive
Director of SRHT. “We are proud to have Chrysalis
clients working for us.”
Nail your holiday shopping this year.
Lauren B. Beauty is donating 20 percent
of proceeds from this special polish set
to Chrysalis. LaurenBBeauty.com
FREE EVENTS
COFFEE &
CONVERSATION
Join us for inspiring dialogue
with a Chrysalis client
OCT 15
8AM - 9:00AM
Chrysalis Downtown
522 S Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
NOV 20
8AM - 9:00AM
Chrysalis Santa Monica
1853 Lincoln Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
SKID ROW FROM
STREET LEVEL
Join us for a walking tour of
Skid Row and our Downtown Center
DEC 17
8AM - 9:15AM
Chrysalis Downtown
522 S Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
RSVP
Email names of attendees and event
date to: RSVP@ChangeLives.org
or call 310-401-9383.
These events are free and open to anyone
interested in learning more about Chrysalis’
life-changing services. Light breakfast will
be provided.
CHRYSALIS IS BREAKING BARRIERS
Ramirus Cobbs will tell you there is a whole lot of luck sitting on his
shoulder. On a path to a new life, he is participating in Los Angeles
County’s Breaking Barriers program. The initiative is a first of its kind
partnership aimed at preventing the cycle of recidivism, and Chrysalis
is leading the jobs part.
For someone like Ramirus, who served time in jail for trespassing and
drug possession, Breaking Barriers could be the key to starting over.
Along with helping clients on their job search, the pilot program also
supports participants with short-term rental subsidies.
“These men and women are ready for new lives and this program is
giving them a fighting chance at changing their futures,” said Kelli
Poole, Breaking Barriers Program Manager at Chrysalis.
In September, Ramirus began working with Chrysalis
Enterprises on one of the street cleaning teams. He
was full of positive energy when he recieved his
new uniform. Your support for Chrysalis helps create
lifechanging moments everyday!