Why I Give: Innkeeper Jessica Coughlin We recently spoke with Jessica, who gives monthly as part of our Innkeepers Club, about why she supports Pine Street Inn. How did you get involved with Pine Street? I was catering a friend’s party at the holidays, and when she insisted on paying me, I decided to give that money to charity. Pine Street immediately came to mind because of my father. My dad was a great man, and loved Boston. He worked for the city in a variety of ways and in the late 1990s, he was hired by Pine Street as a consultant in support of its government relations work. He was so moved by the mission. At the time, he was a high functioning alcoholic and he passed away when I was 15. When I think about him and his connection to this work, I knew he easily could have been one of these guys who needed help from Pine Street.
Why do you support Pine Street? What could be a more worthy cause than helping someone who is so in need of the basic things that keep us alive? I give to Pine Street because this organization goes beyond just covering someone’s immediate emergency needs – I’m so impressed by the work done to provide job training and get people into permanent housing! When you’re out in the city and you see a lot of people on the street, maybe you don’t think about where they go at night or their path. But when I’m out, and I see people who need help, I know I’m giving in a way that’s intentional and gives them a chance at a future.
Jessica as a child with her father.
Why do you give monthly, as opposed to a one-time gift every year? These are reliable, steady gifts that Pine Street can count on, so to be able to offer a sense of stability by making my gift every month – I’m happy with that. I think it’s also a matter of perspective. When you start thinking about Netflix, Amazon, coffee – this is the least you can do to add one more monthly bill for a cause that is bigger than entertainment!
To learn more about joining the Innkeepers Club, visit www.pinestreetinn.org/innkeepers or contact Lisa Feeley, lisa.feeley@pinestreetinn.org or 617.892.9199.
Pine Street Holidays by the Numbers At Pine Street, we are grateful for the support we receive from our community, especially around the holidays. This time of year can be difficult for men and women experiencing homelessness, but thanks to generous donors like you, we are able to offer some comfort to our guests. Here is a snapshot of your impact between Thanksgiving and Christmas: 1,000 gifts wrapped 100% of shelter guests receive a gift $
350 gift cards donated for our tenants
We are grateful for more than 1,500 volunteer hours during the holidays.
200 donors to the “Turkey Truck,” which provides funding for 100% of protein for the year
To learn about how you can give back around the holidays, please contact Agnes Kim, agnes.kim@pinestreetinn.org or call 617.892.9190.
Planned Giving Planned gifts have a significant and lasting impact on Pine Street’s work. You can ensure a consistent, longterm source of support by including a bequest or other charitable gift in your estate plans. Please consider including Pine Street in your planning for the future. To learn more about our planned giving program, contact Alicia Ianiere at alicia.ianiere@pinestreetinn.org or 617.892.9177. [4]
