The Pine Street Innsider: Spring/Summer 2020

Spring/Summer 2020

Innsider

Boston Responds

Special Issue

Early in the COVID-19 crisis, Mayor Martin Walsh established the Boston Resiliency Fund to support those most in need, including first responders and those on the front lines of the pandemic. Boston’s corporate and philanthropic communities quickly responded to his call.

Pine Street Inn is immensely grateful to be one of the first recipients of a generous grant from the Boston Resiliency Fund. This support has been critical, allowing us to ramp up our emergency mobilization.

Screening tents set up outside the Men’s Inn shelter

“We are deeply thankful for Mayor Walsh’s strong leadership and early action to create the Boston Resiliency Fund,” said Pine Street’s President Lyndia Downie. “Together with corporations, individuals and foundations in the philanthropic communities, he is helping us respond to this public health emergency, ensuring that Boston’s homeless men and women are not forgotten in the crisis.”

(Continued on page 2)

A Comprehensive and Coordinated Response As Boston’s largest nonprofit provider of emergency shelter and other homeless services, Pine Street has played a central role in a still-evolving effort to support the health and safety of homeless men and women in Boston during the COVID-19 crisis. We are thankful for the collaborative efforts of our community partners, without whom our comprehensive response would not be possible.

“This is an unprecedented health threat and we are greatly concerned about our community,” said Pine Street President and Executive Director Lyndia Downie. “We are working closely with public health partners as we take action to keep our staff, guests and tenants safe.”

(Continued on page 2)

Suffolk University dorm

Boston University dorm

Liberty Mutual’s

Commitment We are deeply grateful to our longtime supporter and friend, Liberty Mutual Insurance, for committing $10 million in grants to Boston-based nonprofits, and $15 million nationally, including $1 million to assist Pine Street Inn in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Liberty Mutual Insurance has a long history of working with nonprofits and the City to solve individual and youth homelessness. These funds will go a long way towards the increased costs of staffing, cleaning and continuing all necessary protocols to keep our guests and tenants safe.

From the

President

Dear Friends,

As I write this in mid-April, we are deep in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At Pine Street Inn and other shelters, our population of men and women are particularly vulnerable, with very few options.

They don’t have a home or a personal space where they can quarantine or isolate – or even wash their hands. Many also have underlying medical and health conditions which put them at higher risk for coronavirus.

Unlike many institutions and businesses, Pine Street doesn’t have the option to close.

While our administrative staff have been working remotely, our front-line staff must still come in and ensure that people are fed, have a place to sleep and are as safe as possible. We have added a number of protocols: testing of all guests, extra deep cleaning, handwashing stations, plastic curtains between dorm beds, and social distancing for eating and sleeping.

(Boston Responds, continued from page 1)

To date, the Boston Resiliency Fund has raised more than $26 million, including commitments of $1 million or more from Berkshire Partners, Michelle and Bob Atchinson, Bank of America, Bain Capital, Paul and Sandy Edgerly, John & Cyndy Fish/ Suffolk, Gross Family Foundation, John Hancock, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Partners HealthCare and the Vertex Foundation.

We have been fortunate to secure space for social distancing for guests in a Suffolk University dorm; a Boston University dorm for staff working long hours; and support from the City of Boston and Boston Health Care for the Homeless for spaces to quarantine and for medical care. We are continuing to explore options.

We have had to pull together a variety of resources in record time, working with the City of Boston and other partners. We are learning a lot of lessons from this, and when the dust clears, we will certainly incorporate them into our future planning.

This crisis has pointed out the inequities in our public health system, and makes it clear that housing and healthcare are linked and, in fact, symbiotic. It makes us even more committed to our supportive housing strategy.

Nothing else will do – thank you for being with us as we continue to move forward on this goal.

On behalf of all of us at Pine Street, I want to let you know that we are extraordinarily grateful to everyone in the community who continues to support us during this challenging time.

(A Comprehensive and Coordinated Response, continued from page 1)

medical sites for quarantine and/or medical attention.

Suffolk University is repurposing a dormitory to provide at least 172 rooms, helping reduce congestion and increase social distancing in Boston shelters, particularly for elderly, frail guests who have tested negative for the virus. In addition, Boston University is providing one of its dormitories for Pine Street staff who are working long hours, giving them a place to rest and regroup.

We have worked with our partners at Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) and the Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) to identify three isolation and quarantine sites for guests who cannot return to the shelter because of suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. In addition, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center is being transformed into a field hospital; a portion of the beds will be dedicated to members of the homeless community.

Together with Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP), Pine Street has conducted widespread tests and reffered guests to appropriate

Food Chef Frank van Overbeeke, Executive Chef at Pine Street Inn Chef Frank, once a fine dining chef in restaurants including Pomodoro and Salamander, has been with Pine Street for close to 10 years.

“If you’re hungry and homeless, get in line. We feed you,” says van Overbeeke. “We don’t have the option to close.”

“I’m happy I can continue to work and happy that what we do is important and valuable. That’s humbling. It makes you proud of the job we do here. This is when we step up.”

Elizabeth Condron, Associate Director of the Men’s Inn

Shelter

“Our team is doing our best to socially distance our shelter guests. Tests have been conducted and it gives us some sense of security that we are doing something to combat this virus.

My days are long and my mind doesn’t stop. I worry about our guests and staff staying healthy – it keeps me up at night.”

Housing Kevyn Haymon, Housing Case Manager Kevyn continues to work during the crisis, supporting Pine Street’s tenants with home visits, contributing to the safety of our tenants and community. He is providing food, games/ entertainment, and other items to encourage tenants to stay home during this time.

Kevyn’s supervisor says, “He shows concern and respect for all tenants during the crisis. Kevyn is consistent, positive and dedicated.”

Thanks from Staff and Tenants

Matt Pyne, Director of Housing Services

Ken, a Tenant in our Bowditch Residence

Because of the generosity of our community, we were able to distribute gift cards to our tenants, allowing them to stock up on food and medications.

“I thought that it’s fantastic that Pine Street Inn would give all the tenants a gift card, especially at a time like this.

“Everyone was so grateful for this help to purchase necessities during this stressful time. Many were living on the streets only a short time ago, and this helped them know that people care.”

So many of us are unsure about what was going to happen.

Pine Street was right here, to help get what we need and not worry about how to pay for food or other necessities.”

Words of Kindness With our staff continuing to work on the front lines with our guests and tenants amid the uncertainty and fear around us, we have so appreciated the words of kindness from our friends and supporters.

“My heart is with you all...thank you for all you do. I miss coming in and serving and I can’t wait to do it again soon.

You are all the best.”

“I cannot imagine the difficult and trying times you are going through. Thank you for your selflessness and caring. Hope you are well and taking care of yourself.

Stay well and hope we get over this soon.”

“My heart and prayers are going out to you.

Now more than ever, our homeless and disenfranchised population need our care, empathy and compassion.”

“Kind Pine Words” Campaign This has inspired us to start a social media campaign to raise the spirits of the Pine Street community.

Please help show your support with our #kindpinewords campaign by writing a message of support to Pine Street staff and community. Post on your own social media or send it to us and we will post it for you. Feel free to take a selfie with it and tag one or two other people asking them to do the same, using #kindpinewords #teampinestreet and @pinestreetinn.

Protecting Our Community As we continue to support Boston’s most vulnerable men and women in our emergency shelters, through our street outreach teams and in our permanent housing, protective masks are essential to keeping our guests, tenants and staff safe. We are humbled by the outpouring of generosity by our community who donated over 1,500 handmade masks to date! Thank you!

To donate handmade masks, contact volunteer@pinestreetinn.org.

Pine Street staff sort through mask donations

Wish List

Innsider

Thanks to donations to our Amazon Tenant Wish List, Pine Street’s housing staff are packing “quarantine” bags of hygiene items for those in our permanent supportive housing. Our tenants are grateful that the community is thinking of them.

To donate to the Tenant Wish List, visit pinestreetinn.org/covid-19-update.

In-kind donations

Published three times a year by the Development and External Affairs Department

444 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118 General Information: 617.892.9100 Donations: 617.892.9170 Volunteers: 617.892.9184 www.pinestreetinn.org