Spring/Summer 2021
Innsider News from Pine Street Inn
Vaccines: A Path Forward
After more than a year living through the Covid pandemic, we are all ready for some relief. Many of us have spent much of our time at home, as we have tried to remain healthy. But what if you don’t have a home? This is the challenge faced by the men and women who stay at one of Pine Street Inn’s four shelters. They have depended on Pine Street to keep them safe throughout the past year. Jeffrey D., who has spent the pandemic at the Men’s Inn, had been tested for the virus many times. Although his tests came back negative each time, he still lived in fear of becoming sick with Covid. “I was afraid of dying from it,” he said. “So when it was offered, I said I want to get that shot.” Our partners from Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) set up special clinics at our shelters, where they have been administering the vaccines.
Staff member Mike R. receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Pine Street Inn
Jeffrey was the first guest to receive the Moderna vaccine on the initial day of vaccinations. Beginning to inoculate guests was a significant moment – early on in the pandemic, 36% of Pine Street’s guests had tested positive for the virus. (Continued on page 2)
A New Home With the many challenges of the past year, housing has become even more of an imperative. When you have a place of your own to go and close your door, you can stay safe and healthy. For Lewis L., who recently moved into one of Pine Street’s newest residences in Dorchester, having this stability and security has meant everything to him. “I love it here,” Lewis said, looking out his window on a sunny afternoon. “It’s quiet and clean, and the staff is great.”
Lewis served in the U.S. Army for six years. Once he was discharged, he moved around the country doing odd jobs, unable to regain his footing in civilian life. This led to struggles with substances and alcohol, and homelessness followed. Lewis’ brother and his wife invited him to live with them in Boston, but because his name was not on the lease, he was unable to stay. From there, he was in and out of shelters, including Pine Street Inn, where he participated in the iCater job training program.
Lewis L. in his new apartment
(Continued on page 2)
From the
President
Dear Friends, This has been a year like none other. The Covid pandemic has tested us all on so many levels, and we don’t know when, or if, life will look the same as it did before March of last year. As much as we want to see a sense of “normalcy,” return, the pandemic has made clear to us at Pine Street Inn that we do not want to go back to the way things were before. We pivoted our operations to ensure the health and safety of our guests, finding additional space to allow for distancing. This worked – along with other protocols, we were able to bring the Covid-positive rate from 36% early on, to zero over the summer. Although cases went up slightly during the fall and winter, they were never higher than 2%. At the same time we were putting a variety of emergency measures in place, we committed ourselves to moving forward with permanent housing. In this newsletter,
you will read about two of our newest properties, on New Chardon Street in downtown Boston and Seaver Street in Dorchester.
The safety and stability of housing have further confirmed what we already knew: that housing is healthcare. After a long, dark winter, we are looking forward to better times. We were fortunate that our guests and frontline staff were some of the earliest groups deemed eligible for the vaccine, and we continue to encourage those who were reluctant early on to get themselves vaccinated. Our guests, tenants and staff have shown a continued grace and resilience that only grew stronger this past year. Our supporters have shown a generosity beyond anything we could have imagined. Thanks to you, we are continuing to move men and women off the street, out of shelter, and into the stability and safety of a home.
With Gratitude,
(Vaccines: A Path Forward, continued from page 1)
(A New Home, continued from page 1)
“It was very emotional to watch,” said President and Executive Director Lyndia Downie. “I am grateful to state officials for giving vulnerable men and women a shot at some hope,” she added.
Now sober, with a new home and job skills, he works in the kitchen of a college in Boston.
In addition to guests, frontline staff were also eligible to receive the vaccine early on. Mike R., a guest services specialist at the Men’s Inn, was the first staff member to participate. After giving a thumbs up, he said, “We all need to do this so we can move on with our lives – this is the path forward.” Both Jeffrey and Mike are serving as “vaccine ambassadors,” encouraging other guests and staff to get vaccinated.
“I don’t know where I would have wound up if it hadn’t been for Pine Street,” says Lewis. “They stayed with me every step of the way.” For more on Pine Street’s new housing, see page 4. Lewis recently spoke at our Home Remedy virtual event. Visit www.pinestreetinn.org/homeremedy to view the event and hear more from Lewis. [2]
Along with a place to live, we know that a job is a key component in rebuilding one’s life. Pine Street’s Workforce Development program helps individuals build skills needed for employment, connecting them with opportunities to move toward self-sufficiency.
Sarah iCater Food Services Trainee
Clayton Housekeeping Trainee
I connected with Pine Street’s outreach team while living on the street after losing my job and apartment. I was determined to rebuild my life, so I came to the Women’s Inn and entered Pine Street’s iCater Food Services Training Program. I worked hard to find both housing and a job. With fewer jobs available within the food services industry because of the virus, the Workforce Development staff worked with me to find a job.
I first came to Pine Street because I needed a place to stay, but my goal was to learn a skill that would allow me to move forward and out of shelter.
When a position at a local hospital became available, I applied right away. The hiring staff offered me a full-time position with an annual salary and benefits. The iCater training program was great and everyone at Pine Street supported me throughout the process. Each day I learned something new and was able to take a step forward.
I started working at Franciscan Children’s Hospital last October, at a time when I’ve had to take every precaution to keep myself and everyone around me safe.
Lorie Spencer Program Administrator, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Tai Irwin Job Placement Specialist, Pine Street Inn
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has always prioritized connections to organizations making a difference in the communities we live in, and Pine Street is one of those places. To strengthen our ability to place clients from Pine Street, we have been educating our staff about the demanding training programs that are offered there.
The main goal of Pine Street’s training programs is to provide both the technical and life skills individuals need to re-enter the job force and move toward independence.
As our staff has learned more, this has led to additional hiring. We want to be the workplace that people look to for job security and satisfaction, as well as a place that allows for a meaningful job caring for patients and their families.
When I was told about Pine Street’s Housekeeping Training Program, I applied, was accepted and started right away. I needed something to do and wanted to learn a trade while I was at Pine Street. It was a good program. I even met some guys who have become friends.
The training program prepared me well for fulltime work, teaching the skills I need to move on with my life.
A place like BIDMC offers may options, and as an employer they are very engaged in helping us create good matches for their workforce. It’s an enormous advantage for our trainees to have them as allies. I make sure to stay in close touch with employers, identifying their needs and how we can best match them. We look forward to growing our partnership with them.
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Moving Forward We are pleased to report that in a year when so much came to a standstill, we continued to move forward with new housing. “We are thrilled to have opened these new locations, especially during this past year,” says Pine Street President & Executive Director Lyndia Downie. “Our goal is to scale up housing so we can move greater numbers of men and women off the street, out of shelter and into the safety and stability of permanent housing.” One of our properties, on New Chardon Street in downtown Boston, offers 20 units for vulnerable women who have been homeless for many years. Staff are building a sense of community, creating a safe and comfortable environment with specialized services for those who have experienced trauma. New Chardon exterior
Bedroom at New Chardon
Another residence is a newly renovated building on Seaver Street in Dorchester, with 28 units. Each comes with a kitchenette and bathroom, in addition to common space, including an outdoor area. Staff are available to help tenants access resources like healthcare, mental health services, jobs and volunteer opportunities. Seaver Street exterior
Apartment at Seaver Street
Why We Support Pine Street Inn:
A Conversation with Pamela and Jeffrey Choney
Pamela and Jeffrey Choney
Pamela and Jeffrey’s history with Pine Street dates back 20 years. They feel that the challenge of homelessness is one of the most difficult situations an individual can endure, and shared with us why they support Pine Street Inn.
When and why did you first get involved with Pine Street? We have always felt that a home is a basic need and fundamental to one’s well-being. We became involved with Pine Street because this issue not only impacts those experiencing homelessness, but also the larger community and society. What Pine Street Programs are most meaningful to you? Workforce development and housing are critical and go hand-in-hand, helping people to get back on their feet and rebuild their lives after a setback. In addition, permanent supportive housing is essential, because not only are you
providing a home, you are also providing wrap-around services such as basic life skills to help people live independently. It’s important to us that Pine Street values treating their guests with dignity and respect. How do you see your support making a difference? We can see that Pine Street has a cohesive strategy in place to end homelessness, and they work with partners in the community as a team. We trust Pine Street because they have excellent leadership in place, and are the most experienced in what they do in Boston. What factors go into your philanthropic giving? We want to support organizations that use resources wisely in achieving their goals. And if we hope to have an impact on some of society’s biggest challenges, we need to collaborate with organizations that are experienced and effective at working with others to solve problems. With Pine Street, we can see that their impact goes beyond the numbers of people served. It goes even further – creating a better community for all. [4]
Telephone Triage: Preventing Homelessness Several years ago, Pine Street Inn implemented its Triage program, finding new ways to prevent long-term homelessness before it sets in. Telephone Triage is making this goal a reality, one call at a time. During Covid, it has grown and become even more critical. People who are on the verge of becoming homeless and considering coming to one of our shelters can call the Telephone Triage line and are connected with one of our Triage specialists. “Our job is to give people information, to connect them with solutions,” says Joanne J., who oversees the program. “We have long conversations, really digging in and engaging with people.” The Telephone Triage specialists rely on an array of resources to help callers, such as connecting them to rental assistance to prevent evictions or finding rooms in sober homes or group homes. Sometimes the solution is family mediation followed by a bus ticket home. Other times, it involves negotiations with a hospital or psychiatric institution to prevent people from being discharged directly into homelessness.
Joanne works the Telephone Triage hotline
The Telephone Triage team currently fields about 85 calls a week. Joanne says that in about 65% of the cases, the callers are able to find a better solution to their challenges than coming in to shelter. One of the team’s many recent successes involved an elderly, disabled man who had a roommate situation that didn’t work out, leaving him facing homelessness. In multiple calls, our Telephone Triage specialist was able to help him to move in with his sister while connecting him with community resources. “Pine Street Inn has really embraced this program,” says Joanne. “It’s been wonderful to see how many people we can help in this way.”
Welcome Home Baskets! For guests moving from shelter to housing, Welcome Home Baskets provide simple, daily items that are needed when they move into a permanent home. Transitioning from the streets or shelter into housing can be difficult, especially during the pandemic, and these baskets provide all the basics individuals need to thrive in their new homes. Please consider donating the following new items in a laundry basket: • Full/twin size bedspread/blanket • Full/twin size sheet set • Pillow • Clock radio • Fan • Sponges + Dish towel • Paper towels + Toilet paper • Shower curtain + Hooks
• Towels + Bath mat • Dish sets + Silverware • Drinking glasses + Mugs • Pots + Pans • Broom + Dustpan • Dish soap + Cleaner • Visa gift card, CVS and/or Walgreens
For more information on donating Welcome Home Baskets, contact our Volunteer Department, volunteer@pinestreetinn.org or 617.892.9184.
Students from the Dana Hall School donate Welcome Home Baskets
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Community Friends Thank you, 99s! Earlier this year, the 99 Restaurants & Pub continued their tradition of giving back with the “Have a Heart” fundraiser for Pine Street. While the fundraiser looked different from years past, the pandemic did not stop 48 restaurant locations across MA and NH from participating and showing their support, raising over $68,000! The 99s have continued to provide monthly meals for our shelter guests during the past year. We are grateful for their enduring partnership and support, spanning over 40 years.
Life Science Cares Shows Support Pine Street Inn’s social enterprise, iCater, was thrilled to participate in the first Life Science Cares (LSC) “Hackathon.” Over 20 volunteers from LSC partner companies Alnylam, Wave Life Sciences and Visterra donated 50+ hours of time to “hack away” at a dilemma facing iCater. “We were so impressed by the ideas presented by all three groups, and are excited to put these ideas into action,” said Roger Wellington, Director of iCater. We thank Life Science Cares for their continued support.
A Pine Street volunteer serves another great 99s meal to our guests!
Thank You to a Compassionate Community Last spring, Covid hit the homeless community hard – but a year later, we are starting to see our way beyond the pandemic thanks to our dedicated staff, leading partners across the city and the generous support of our community. “I have never been so concerned about the health and safety of our guests and tenants as I was last spring,” says Lyndia Downie, Pine Street Inn’s President and Executive Director. “But our community came through and gave us hope. Looking back over the past year, the generosity and compassion of our supporters has been extraordinary.” Pine Street Inn is grateful to the more than 6,000 individuals, corporations, foundations, faith organizations and other community partners who have made special gifts or grants to support our emergency mobilization in response to Covid. We are equally thankful to everyone who increased their annual donations. We want to extend special thanks to Liberty Mutual Insurance and the Boston Resiliency Fund for early and essential leadership support. In a time of crisis, Pine Street Inn’s supporters stepped up in every way possible, demonstrating the very best of humanity. The responses ranged from donations to remote volunteering to sending abundant masks and gloves, sponsored meals for staff and guests and handwritten notes and flowers.
These acts of kindness made all the difference for our guests, tenants and frontline staff. They helped support measures to enhance social distancing and calm uncertainty and fear while demonstrating how much the community cares. Thank you for making this lifesaving progress possible.
Flowers donated to the Men’s Inn front desk by Boston Athletic Association
Innsider Published three times a year by the Development and External Affairs Department
Pine Street Inn 444 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118 General Information: 617.892.9100 Donations: 617.892.9170 Volunteers: 617.892.9184 www.pinestreetinn.org
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