Spring 2023 Newsletter

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(Top L) Winter Street resident Thomas DiMattio with Resident Service Coordinator and Program Manager David Thibault. (Top R) Rockland Trust painting team at Winter Street. (Bottom L) Callahan Construction Managers’ Volunteer Day at Winter Street. (Bottom R) Pat Callahan, President of Callahan Construction Managers, clears brush.

Quincy Residents are Grateful for Caritas Acquisition

When John and Susan Grazer were ready to sell their rental property, they didn’t want the current residents to lose their housing to a developer who would convert the property to more lucrative apartments or condominiums.

Thankfully, their realtor, Kristen McEleney, Vice President Advisors Living, has been a long-time member of Caritas’s Young Leaders Committee and saw a connection between the owner’s wishes and Caritas’s mission.

Caritas purchased the property and preserved the 17 units for extremely low-income residents. Callahan Construction Managers sent a group of volunteers to clear overgrown landscaping, regrade and gravel the driveway, rebuild the front steps, and add a raised garden bed to the exterior. A team from Rockland Trust put a fresh coat of paint on the interior stairwell and hallways.

In addition to preserving the housing, Caritas is providing supportive services to the residents to help them connect with healthcare, food access, and other community resources.

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Dear Friends,

Looking back over the past year we have many reasons to celebrate. A new acquisition has preserved 17 units of housing for the residents
of 46 Winter Street in Quincy, many of whom have experienced homelessness and are aging in place. Our 37th Gala—the first in person
since 2019—was so exciting, the energy in the room was palatable. Our staff is brimming with new ideas, initiatives, and connections with our partners in and around Boston.

And while we are already to put the pandemic behind us, the deep trauma that it caused our residents is still with us, and we continue to work to help them stabilize their mental, physical, and fiscal health.

One thing I am learning about trauma is that healing and recovery is a process without a set timeline. It requires rest, support, and patience. As we work every day to help our residents get back on their feet—we are keeping this in mind. Thank you for always being at our side.

With deepest gratitude,

Karin Cassel Mitterando
Executive Director

 

(L) Joseph Gonzalez, former resident and current Caritas employee, shares his story of redemption and perseverance at the 37th Annual Gala. (R) Caritas resident Maurice Ambila, of Cambridge, a vocal artist and producer, performed an original song, “Love,” created for the event and inspired by the theme of the evening “Caritas is Love, Caritas Communities is Love in Action.” The song is available on Spotify and other streaming platforms under his stage name, Maurice Degrees.

Caritas Communities Love in Action

The 37th Annual Housing for All Gala was held in person for the first time in 3 years, and those in attendance were happy to be celebrating together again. Former resident and current Caritas site manager Joseph Gonzalez, told his story of moving directly into Caritas from prison. He started as a baker for a supplier for Dunkin’ Donuts, went to school to become a successful diesel mechanic, started a family, and achieved his dream of owning investment property to build generational wealth.

“Caritas has always supported me,” said Gonzalez. “It gave me a home when I first got out of prison, and then a job. I believe in second chances and appreciate the trust that Caritas put in me and the opportunity to have a safe home while I rebuilt my life.”

The Callahan Family gathered at the 37th Annual Gala.

Callahan’s $100,000 Match Propels Record-Breaking Gala

The Callahan Family of Callahan Construction Managers were honored with the P. Leo Corcoran Humanitarian Award, named after Caritas’s founder. The Callahan’s boosted the event’s fundraising efforts with a surprise dollar for dollar match for on-site giving to help us cross the $1 million goal. Event-night gifts surpassed $100,000, resulting in a record-breaking $1.18 million for Caritas’s affordable housing and supportive services programs

Caritas welcomes Dharshi Dupee and Keita Browne to our Board of Directors

Dharshi Dupree recently retired from her role as the treasurer and chief financial officer for the Corcoran Jennison Companies, a full-service real estate organization based in Boston which has developed more than $4 billion in real estate, with a focus on affordable housing.

“I am honored to be appointed to the board of Caritas Communities, an organization that has long been a leader in the non-profit sector in providing affordable housing,” said Dupee. “I am drawn to Caritas Communities because they are uniquely wonderful  in developing smaller scale developments that are community-based.”

Keita Browne is currently the head of finance of U.S. Rare Disease at Sanofi where he is responsible for the end-to-end management of a $1B P&L (7 therapies across 5 disease states) and for driving Rare Disease financial strategy.

“I have lived in the Boston area for more than 10 years and witnessed the positives as well as the negatives associated with the city’s exponential growth,” said Browne. “I welcome the opportunity to join the Caritas Communities’ Board to help address the issue of homelessness that has grown due to the city’s evolution and increasing economic disparities.”

Resident Spotlight: George

George, age 72, worked most of his life in restaurants, including 16 years as manager of a Burger King, until a disability made it too difficult to be on his feet all day. He ended up homeless, living at Father Bills, and in a hotel in Weymouth. He eventually moved into an apartment, but the landlord passed away, and he was facing homelessness again. He found his home at 46 Winter Street through a list of rooming houses provided at Quincy City Hall.

When the owners decided to sell, he was worried he’d end up back at Father Bill’s. He was relieved when Caritas acquired the building and learned about our mission.“It’s a relief to stay,” said George. “People look out for each other here.”

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(Top L) Members of Shelter Music Boston perform at the Bedford Veterans Quarters as part of their mission to bring classical music to communities of great need. (Bottom L) Caritas Young Leader’s Brendan Corcoran and Grace Corcoran brought Nick Faillace, Project Manager at Keith Construction and his son Charlie to help Site Manager Jesus Oses clean up the landscape of our home in Arlington. (R) Left to right: Lenny Dortch, Lisa Tomasi, Isaias Ortiz from Equity Residential with Site Manager Bob (kneeling) painting the interiors at our Spear Street home.

We love our volunteers!

This year we’ve been so fortunate to have corporate groups paint and landscape, host boardgame nights, stock house libraries and food pantries and even help residents with their taxes.

Community groups and churches knit and sewed blankets, baked birthday cakes and cookies, delivered meals, and held food and clothing drives. During the holidays, volunteers adopted houses and purchased gifts from wish lists provided by the residents.

Thank you for your time, your talents, and your creativity in reaching out to residents who often feel forgotten. Caritas is love!

(L) Ben Stillwell of the Grossman Companies with a thank you card made by Spear Street residents for holiday gifts. (R) Fleece Blankets and Hygiene Kits donated by St. Joseph School in Needham.

Learning from Leaders: Fireside Chats hosted by the Young Leaders’ Committee

The Caritas Young Leaders’ Committee hosted its inaugural gathering in a planned series of events offering young professionals the opportunity to network and learn from industry veterans who share a commitment to the mission of Caritas Communities.

Held at Pressed, in the Prudential Mall downtown, a discussion about navigating challenges of the current real estate market was led by Michael Price, principal of Legacy Real Estate Ventures, Steve Clancy, an industrial broker from CBRE, and Alex Schmidt, a loan officer at Eastern Bank.

Stay tuned for future gatherings centered on a variety of topics which may include real estate, finance and investment, banking, law, philanthropy, trauma, mental health, and more.

 

(L to R) Betty Kajumo, Junior Accountant and Nancy Lockard, Accounts Payable Specialist

Staff Spotlight: Nancy Lockard and Betty Kajumo

Working quietly behind the scenes in our finance department are Nancy Lockard, Accounts Payable Specialist and Betty Kajumo, Junior Accountant. Both come from varied careers in accounting. Betty previously worked in the accounting software industry, and Nancy worked in the corporate offices of large retailers such as Stop & Shop and Bradlees.

Nancy enjoys working on a small team, and the challenging puzzle of managing invoices for the numerous entities and properties that make up Caritas Communities. Betty, who primarily manages our accounts receivables, loves the diversity of the staff and the open and friendly environment.

Both Nancy and Betty site their family values in choosing to work for a mission-based organization. Betty was born and raised in Kenya and lived in Malawi before coming to live in the U.S. She has witnessed people in desperate situations and appreciates working for an organization focused on “healing and hope, offering people dignity in their lives.” Nancy recalls her grandmother, who had experienced homelessness, always giving to local homeless shelters, and impressing on her the importance of giving back.

Outside of work, both women leave their numbers-heavy jobs behind to enjoy artistic interests. Betty loves attending the ballet, symphony, and theater performances around Boston. She also loves traveling and visiting her family around the world. Nancy expresses her creativity at home as an avid tie-dye artist. You can see her amazing creations on her Instagram page, @fancy_nancys_tiedye.

 

Taking Care of Our Homes

Thanks to a generous grant from the Yawkey Foundation, we were able to renovate bathrooms, and make much needed repairs and upgrades to the driveway and front steps of our Eastern Ave. home in Chelsea.

The Linn Foundation, which focuses on Veterans, funded a new entrance walk and air conditioning units for Sean Brooke house, our home for Veterans in New Bedford.

 

The United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley funded renovations to our Dudley Street homes in Roxbury, including front entrance, accessibility ramp, back steps, and security upgrades. Kitchen and other interior renovations are in process.

  

Announcements​

Caritas Communities 38th Annual Housing for All Gala

Save the Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Westin Boston Seaport District
Look for event details coming this spring!

Give the Gift of a Home

Please support Caritas Communities. For information or to arrange a tour of our properties, please contact Vernell Clouden-Duval, Director of Development at 781.843.1242 x33 or VCloudenduval@caritascommunities.org.

 

 

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