Newsletter – Spring 2020
Table of Contents
- “Caritas was a place of refuge in my journey to rebuild my life.”
- Cambridge Savings Bank Sponsors New Van Fleet in Support of Workforce Development
- Letter from Karin Cassel Mitterando
- Volunteer Spotlight
- In Memory of Gerry Maker
- Our Newest Hire: Tabbatha Gauthier
- Staff Profile: Frank Connell
- The Boarding House—Resident Poem
- The Caritas Board Welcomes New Members
- The Caritas Experience
- Announcements
(L) Former resident Tabbatha Gauthier with her son Eli, (R) Co-Chair Jim Blue, Honoree Joe Albanese, Executive Director Karin Cassel Mitterando, Tabbatha Gauthier, resident speaker, Gerry Maker, resident speaker, and Co-Chair Joe Nolan.
“Caritas was a place of refuge in my journey to rebuild my life”
– Tabbatha Gauthier, former resident
Our 34th Annual Dinner celebrated family healing, made possible when an individual has stable, permanent housing and support. Your generous support helped Caritas raise over $1M to prevent homelessness and improve lives.
We heard from Tabbatha, a former resident who overcame addiction and earned a degree while she had safe, stable housing with Caritas. She has reunited with her teenage son and is proud to work and support her family. Gerry shared his story of PTSD and alcoholism resulting from traumatic experiences during the Vietnam War. Supportive Veteran’s housing with Caritas helped him stay sober and manage his mental health issues, which were crucial to rebuilding his relationship with his granddaughter, Kia. “It means everything that he’s living here at Caritas,” Kia shared in a video, “without it I don’t know where he would have been.” Your support makes a difference in the lives of our residents and their families.
This year’s recipient of the P. Leo Corcoran Humanitarian Award, Joe Albanese, was recognized for going above and beyond in serving his country and his community, as well as his long-term support of Caritas and homeless Veterans. “Especially in the current economic environment,” said Joe as he accepted his award, “Caritas stands out as a leader, fighting the devastating effects of poverty.”
(L) Miguel Padilla, former resident, is on theCaritas Maintenance Team, and is a site manager at One East Lenox, Boston, (R) Pictured from left to right: Susan Lapierre, SVP, Community Relations and CRA Officer, Cambridge Savings Bank; Amy Meneely, Director of Communications and Foundation Relations, Caritas Communities; Rice Malarney, AVP/Creative Director, Cambridge Savings Bank; Karin Cassel Mitterando, Executive Director, Caritas Communities; Wayne Patenaude, President and CEO, Cambridge Savings Bank; Michael Gilles, EVP, Chief Operating Officer, Cambridge Savings Bank; Jeri Foutter, AVP, Community Relations and CRA, Cambridge Savings Bank; Jed Ader, Senior Facilities Manager, Caritas Communities.
Cambridge Savings Bank Sponsors New Van
Fleet in Support of Workforce Development
Thanks to a multi-year funding commitment from Cambridge Savings Bank, Caritas Communities has purchased two new maintenance vans to support its workforce development program. A new maintenance team is led by Jed Ader, Senior Facilities Manager, and staffed by new and former Caritas residents who receive training and career mentoring in all aspects of facilities maintenance. Training includes standards and preparation for REAC inspections and additional high-level compliance requirements. These skills are highly sought after in the current job market.
“As a long term partner of Caritas Communities, we admire the work they do to help people who have struggled with poverty and homelessness get back on their feet through stable housing and support,” said Wayne Patenaude, President and CEO of Cambridge Savings Bank. “Building their workforce by training residents to do needed maintenance of their properties is a win-win. We are proud to be a partner in this program.”
Our portfolio of 33 buildings with over 900 units needs constant maintenance. Our new Facilities Maintenance Program is centralizing functions such as room turnover, painting, repairs, and upkeep. The addition of these new vans will create financial and operational efficiencies and improve the quality of life of our residents.
Dear Friends,
When I joined the Caritas Communities team in 2013, my first questions were, who are our residents, and what do they need? Through personal interactions and data collection, I began to gain a better understanding of the numerous and complex challenges our residents face.
What is clear is that there is nothing simple about poverty. It is a result of both individual histories and systemic injustices. Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn titled their most recent book about poverty in the U.S. ”Tightrope,” to describe the precarious journey required to move out poverty in America. It doesn’t allow any room for stumbling or bad luck along the way.
The Caritas Model for Success is designed to provide our residents with dignified housing and surround them with a system of supports that acknowledge how hard it can be to remain stable when you are poor and traumatized by poverty and homelessness. We ask residents to be accountable, ultimately, for their own success, but we are there for them with programs that offer hope and second chances along the way.
Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our residents. If we are to meet our mission to prevent homelessness, offering safe housing that is affordable on a very low income is only the first step. We must do everything we can to help residents retain their hard-won housing.
Thank you for being a critical part of our mission.
Warm regards,
Karin Cassel Mitterando
Executive Director
Volunteer Spotlight
We are so grateful to the following volunteers for supporting our residents through donation drives, meals, gifts of assembled protein packs, hygiene items, winter accessories, baked goods, as well as time spent on painting and landscaping:
Atlassian Foundation, BG Multifamily, Bayada Home Health Care, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Warren Residential, Building Impact, Holly Burwell, Cambridge Savings Bank, Caritas Budget Support Team, Carlton-Willard Village, Tess Cassel, Corcoran Management, Eleanor and Catherine Uddo, Equity Residential, Flatbread Company Brighton, Foster Sullivan Insurance Group, LLC, Huron Consulting Group, MJP Property Group, Thanks to Yanks, ThreeMain, LLC, Prince Lobel Tye, LLC, Promise Worship Center, SWEATS4VETS.
Gerry Maker
May 15, 1950 – January 10, 2020
An Army Veteran, Gerry was the first resident to move into the Bedford Veterans Quarters when it opened in 2007. He participated many times in our Annual Dinner and was a strong advocate of Caritas. He passed away this January from a long illness.
—
We miss you Gerry.
“Each empty unit represents the potential to provide a safe home for a person on the street or in unsafe housing.” – Frank Connell, Housing Management Coordinator
Staff Profile: Frank Connell Lays Out the
Welcome Mat for New Residents
When an individual reaches out to Caritas in their search for housing, the first person they interact with is usually Frank Connell. With a kind and patient manner, Frank guides qualified applicants through the process from initial inquiry to lease signing, with the intention of making Caritas a welcoming place to live, with a staff that is supportive and invested in their success and well-being.
Frank worked as an EMT, a youth minister, and director of ministry at St. Mary’s in Milton before returning to Curry College for his M.B.A. While in grad school, Frank participated in a consulting project with Caritas Communities. He fell in love with the mission, and we were fortunate to have him join our team. A father to two boys with a baby on the way, Frank is known around the office for his warm smile and his dad jokes.
As our housing management coordinator, Frank’s job is in occupancy and leasing. He oversees the flow of eligible applicants at every income tier, matching them with available units on what he refers to as the “affordability matrix.” Frank always has his eye on our occupancy rate, and recently celebrated when we topped 97.5%. But to Frank, that is more than just a number, it represents our neighbors in need who now have a place to call home.
The Boarding House
I have a little place that I can call my own
Where I don’t have to leave or be a rolling stone.
The place is very quiet and is kept pretty clean
Easily the best boarding house I have ever seen.
The room is in good condition without a lot of wear and tear
It comes completely furnished and the rent is very fair.
The people there are nice; I feel I fit right in
We’ve all had to struggle to all our chagrin.
We have our common areas—the kitchen and the bath
We share a common story—we walk a common path.
Homelessness not far—a square 12 feet away
That we fight to stay away from each and every day.
Life has been so hard for us and breaks are very few
But we make the best of things like we always do.
I’m lucky to be here or forever I would roam
I’m proud to call this boarding house my home sweet home.
— L.C., Caritas Resident
The Caritas Board Welcomes New Members
Roberlyn (Ruby) Cherfils joined the Caritas Board in January 2018. Following four years at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Ruby is transitioning to a new role as Chief Operating Officer at the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children this February. She brings to Caritas dynamic leadership and expertise in strategic management, public policy, and human services.
Rosemary Austin is Director of Multifamily Operations at Chartwell Management, L.L.C. She joined the Caritas Board in September 2018, bringing 27 years of experience in the property management industry. An engaged community member, Rosemary has participated on the Executive Boards of A Better City, Transportation MA and Friends of Frieda Garcia Park.
Trisha Daley, a realtor with Keller Williams Realty Showcase Properties in Braintree, MA and substitute teacher in Boston Public Schools, joined the Caritas Board in November of 2019. “I was a tenant of Caritas Communities for four years. As a member of the board, I look forward to providing input from a former resident’s perspective.”
Duane Clark is General Manager of US Rare Disease at Sanofi Genzyme, and our newest member, joining in January of 2020. “It is rare when you find an organization, like Caritas, that demonstrates commitment, courage, confidence, and belief and each day finds their good and does it!”
Announcements
35th Annual Dinner
Save the Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2020
Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel
(Note: Due to COVID-19 this event has been changed to a live streaming program. Stay tuned for details!)
Give the Gift of a Home.
Please support Caritas Communities. Contact Vernell Clouden-Duval at vcloudenduval@caritascommunities.org, 781.843.1242 or visit www.caritascommunities.org
Adopt a House
Your company can make a big impact by sponsoring a house and participating in ongoing volunteer work in support of our residents, while receiving a naming opportunity and recognition benefits. Contact Karin Cassel Mitterando at kcassel@caritascommunities.org.