FALL 2013 Home Visiting Program Key to Preventing Guests’ Return to the Streets Q & A with Sandy Mariano, Director, Advocacy and Residential Services Our Executive Director on Preventing Homelessness
NEWS
Q&A
Sandy Mariano
Director, Advocacy and Residential Services
Sandy Mariano has been an ardent advocate for Rosie’s Place guests for almost 12 years – the last two spent directing Advocacy, SelfAdvocacy, Permanent Housing and Outreach (including Homelessness Prevention Initiative) programming. She has guided housing stabilization efforts into a vital component of the organization’s outreach services. What prompted the development of the Homelessness Prevention Initiative (HPI)? About a decade ago we received a threeyear grant from The Boston Foundation and other funders to focus staff energies in an area of great need: women who had recently found housing after a period of homelessness. The transition is rarely smooth, especially for women who may not have ever run a household on their own. Their lives are never easy – often dealing with low incomes and abusive partners – and if they get off track, housing is jeopardized very quickly. By meeting with a guest monthly in her home, our stabilization worker can see firsthand what is going on, and take steps to help address any problems and ultimately retain housing. Once we saw how successful our efforts were, we incorporated the HPI into our core services after the grant ended. You report that, on an annual basis, 90% of guests on the HPI caseload stay housed. How do you account for this success? I think it all stems from a relationship of trust that exists between our staffer and the guest. HPI creates a support system that is built on honesty and, certainly, reliability on our end. We always try to do what we say we will do. We are a constant in our guests’ lives, which can become critically important when a guest may be going through a depressive period and withdrawing. If calls need to be made to the apartment management company, for example, we will step in as an advocate on behalf of the guest. And we keep coming back, month after month. An open-ended relationship – is that something unique to Rosie’s Place? I do believe our stabilization services are unlike any others. We don’t work to get a guest stabilized and then drop her off the caseload. Many organizations – especially state agencies – are time limited. At Rosie’s Place, women who are aging, who have language barriers to understanding notices and bills, who may go off their mental health medications…these are the women we make sure to reach out and stay connected to.
Rosie’s Place Provides Onsite Legal Services Order Our Holiday Cards Now! Joy Behar is 2013’s Funny Woman
Home Visiting Program Key to Preventing Guests’ Return to the Streets At 10 a.m. on a steamy July morning, Rosie’s Place stabilization
“For some women, this is the first apartment of their own,” explains
worker Guissela Mariluz knocks on the door of Norma’s apartment
Evelyn Gonzalez, Outreach Program Manger. “They may not know
in East Boston’s Maverick Landing development. She is met with
how to get started, that rent is due, that they need cleaning supplies,
a peck on the cheek and warm greetings in Spanish. Today’s
groceries – everything to set up a household.” Evelyn also makes
scheduled check-in is one of close to 60 home visits Guissela
home visits, and together with Guissela promotes housing stability
makes all over Greater Boston each month for our Homelessness
for women who are at risk of losing it due to chronic mental illness,
Prevention Initiative (HPI).
physical disability, advanced age, limited facility with English, or a chaotic family life. In addition to a general monthly update, the
Guissela and Norma sit down in Norma’s living room, decorated
HPI staff provides vital budgeting assistance and, if needed, cash
wall-to-wall with photos of her children and their artwork, and go
supports, and will refer guests to the array of services offered by
over “the list” – the inventory of “things I need help with” that Norma
Rosie’s Place and partner agencies.
compiles between visits. (Norma will call Guissela for urgent matters and, says Norma, “she calls me back. That gives me peace of mind
It is important that Guissela is also seen as a friend to newly-
and I don’t stress as much.”) Today they discuss Norma’s panic
housed guests, says Evelyn. “Women are used to ‘shelter life,’ which
when she did not receive her July food stamp allowance on the
means being surrounded by people and a high level of activity.
first of the month, and then relief when the mistake was corrected.
When they get an apartment, reality hits that they’re in a quiet and
Topics usually concern kids, Norma’s health problems, and her long
empty space, and loneliness can set in. Visits from us can gauge
term recovery from substance abuse. She shares her struggle to
their emotional state and keep them connected to us and others.”
keep her 17-year-old daughter focused on summer school and her pleasure in having her young son and daughter enrolled in the East
Rosie’s Place is about to hire another stabilization worker, which
Boston Junior Police Academy camp.
will allow the HPI caseload to grow to almost 150 women. “The need is there,” says Guissela. “The biggest challenge is setting up
Like most women who are part of the Homelessness Prevention
priorities with the guests, encouraging them to let go of what was
Initiative, Norma spent time on the streets and at Rosie’s Place’s
holding them down, what caused them to become homeless in the
Overnight Program. When she was able to secure housing in 2006,
first place.” Regardless of how many roles she fills and services
she moved in “with nothing, just my kids and a backpack,” she
she provides, her main focus continues to be on helping guests
remembers. Rosie’s Place not only helped her obtain furniture and
with housing issues – managing money, paying bills, and/or reading
household items, but was there for her with support as well.
notices. “If a guest can keep the housing part straight, she will have a chance every day to deal with issues in her life,” Guissela says.
Norma’s Story Norma’s route to Rosie’s Place took her from a childhood at the Orchard Park development in Roxbury to a transient existence with her mother in California and various points in between. She returned to Boston to live with her grandmother at age 15, but constant clashes prompted her to spend most of her time outside the home. “I was never shown limits and had to make my own mistakes,” she admits. The lack of structure in her life led to dropping out of school and unhealthy relationships. “My mother was involved with many abusive men and I didn’t know that it wasn’t ok,” she says. As a single parent with no family support, she struggled to raise four children through her 20s. In 2003, her problems escalated when she was pregnant with her fifth child, and living with a violent husband. With her children already removed from the home for their safety by the
“Things are 1,000 times harder without a roof over your head, especially if you’re a woman.” state’s social service department, she and her husband gave the newborn to his parents and were then arrested when they were not forthcoming about the child’s whereabouts. Her husband was deported and she was sent to jail, having just learned she was again pregnant. She stayed with her in-laws for a while, but by the time she gave birth to a daughter, she had nowhere to go. She found her way to Rosie’s Place with both infants, struggling with a recently-acquired drug habit and needing “clothes, a meal, just about everything,” she says. “They showed me tough love,” she says about her early days here. “They showed me that they cared about my kids. They gave me love that my mother never showed me.” Advocates helped out with clothing, friendly advice, a stroller for the babies. Norma was able to take showers and do her laundry at Rosie’s Place.
A turning point for Norma came when Rosie’s Place secured a place for her and her children in “Latinas and Niños,” a residential treatment program in Roxbury for women recovering from addiction. From there, she has been able to rebuild her life, maintain an apartment, work when she can, and raise her babies, now ages 8 and 9, even in the face of very limited resources and illness. “We recognize that Norma’s past was difficult, that she worked through much adversity to get where she is today,” says Sandy Mariano, Rosie’s Place Director of Advocacy and Residential Services. “While there are still challenges, we are proud of the positive steps she’s taken to create a better life for her family. We celebrate her victories with her.” Says Norma, “Rosie’s Place will always be my family, no matter what. If it wasn’t for them, I would not be clean. I wouldn’t have my kids. I would not be the person I am today.”
Dear Friends: The first night in your own apartment is exhilarating. And for a guest who has been on the street for several years, that first night can be scary too. Uppermost in her mind is the question: “Am I really home?” One of the most heartbreaking experiences we have here at Rosie’s Place is encountering a homeless woman who, if identified earlier and helped, could have avoided losing her home. So many things can interfere with a poor woman’s ability to remain in place: the unexpected costs of starting a new household; the bad credit with the utility company that won’t let the lights be turned on; the dangerous neighborhood; the “friends” who hang out and make the landlord upset; problems keeping an apartment clean and tidy. But at Rosie’s Place, we’ve found there are so many things we can do to help our guests not only find a place to live, but to find a way to stay there too. At Rosie’s Place, we’ve updated the old adage: an ounce
Rosie’s Place Provides Onsite Legal Access Increasingly, questions of a legal nature are among the cares and concerns guests present to Rosie’s Place staff. “How do I handle an eviction notice?”, “Can I become a citizen?”, and “Will I be able to keep my kids in a divorce?” are just some of the inquiries Advocates field as they work to meet guests’ needs. To this end, Rosie’s Place has established partnerships with two highly-respected local providers, Greater Boston Legal Services and the Irish International Immigration Center, to bring legal assistance to guests on a continuing basis.
“
“
Our Executive Director on Preventing Homelessness
By providing our guests with access to legal assistance, we can aid in their empowerment as they work to regain control of these areas of their lives. Sue Marsh, Rosie’s Place Executive Director
According to Rosie’s Place Executive Director Sue Marsh, by engaging these organizations we have followed a model of collaboration that has worked well for Rosie’s Place. “When we want to expand the services available to our guests, we look to partner with specialists, experts in their fields. They are already operating at a high level; rather than replicate their services, we successfully draw on the expertise of our partners.”
of homelessness prevention is worth a pound of shelter stays, housing search, scrambling for a security deposit and re-creating a lost home. Thanks to our generous supporters, clever staff and hardworking volunteers, we’ve created an array of services and resources that enable our guests to remain in their homes. By partnering with legal services and the Department of Mental Health, and through our outreach staff, Rosie’s Place is able to provide specific, concrete assistance to women who are precariously housed. Whether it’s accompanying a guest to meet with her landlord, or helping a guest pay bills, Rosie’s Place is
Following a long association with another provider, Rosie’s Place entered into a relationship with Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) in July 2012. Through weekly office hours, GBLS attorneys provide up to 25 guests at any time with counsel and assistance on a range of legal issues – primarily housing and family law, as well as health and disability, criminal records (CORI), Social Security eligibility and welfare benefit matters. GBLS’ onsite project attorneys also supervise a Rosie’s Place AmeriCorps attorney, and act as a resource to staff by providing internal training, support for staff appearances at Housing Court to help guests avoid eviction, and general advice regarding legal questions about guests. This year the attorneys, in collaboration with the New England School of
Law Student CORI Project, provided a well-utilized onsite legal clinic for guests seeking help with sealing a CORI. “The collaboration between GBLS and Rosie’s Place has proven to be a unique opportunity to combine the passion, resources, and services of our two amazing organizations,” says onsite GBLS Housing Law Unit Attorney Alex MitchellMunevar, “and to leverage that to enhance the quality of holistic assistance the women of Rosie’s Place receive during what are some of the most challenging times in their lives.” To fill another specific need, in April Rosie’s Place initiated a partnership with the Irish International Immigrant Center (IIIC) in order to assist guests with immigration issues and the path to citizenship. During immigration attorney Eric Lockwood’s four-hour availability every Monday at Rosie’s Place, he may guide a guest through the citizenship process, making sure all the required documents are in order, or help an undocumented woman learn if it is possible for her to obtain lawful immigration status. Fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and French, Eric is able to communicate with most guests, and receives translation assistance from an Advocate when speaking with Haitian women. Eric can meet with as many as six women on any given day, and will also see Rosie’s Place guests at the Irish International Immigrant Center’s office in Boston. He works to make sure women are eligible for citizenship, helps them get a medical waiver exemption if appropriate, and will accompany some to their citizenship interviews. He also assists guests with applications for other types of immigration benefits. “Guests come to me looking for guidance, and I try to explain our immigration laws and then investigate what options might be available for them,” he says. “It is incredibly rewarding – and humbling – to work with people who have been through so much and show such tremendous resilience.” To Sue Marsh, the availability of these services is consistent with the mission and core values of Rosie’s Place. “By providing our guests with access to legal assistance, we can aid in their empowerment as they work to regain control of these areas of their lives.”
there to help. We coordinate doctors’ appointments – and organize a trip to the beach. We advocate with the Social Security Administration – and buy cleaning supplies for that new apartment’s first scrubbing. We mediate disputes, provide a shoulder to cry on; give advice and cheer on steps towards independence. By offering services like meals, or laundry, or Charlie cards, we can make tight budgets a little roomier. For most of our guests, the numbers are stacked against them: average rents top $1200 per month, and utilities another hundred at least. A bus ride is $3 round trip – even
“I did part of my community clinical [training at Rosie’s Place] last year. I was amazed at the kindness and consideration… I wish my sister would have used a place like yours and maybe she would still be here today… Holly was an amazing person when she was not on drugs and I will miss her very much…My experience there was what made me want to have donations sent to help others that are in my sister’s place. I know that the women who come in there have families that care about them somewhere out there and I want to commend you all for doing what you do.” Jennifer MacKenzie, excerpted with permission from a letter enclosed with a tribute donation in her sister Holly MacKenzie’s memory, sent to Rosie’s Place in March 2013
when you’re headed to the doctor’s, or work, or school, or church. Stretching a small income to cover the necessities not only requires creativity and perseverance but good
QUOTABLE
luck and someone to cheer you on. At Rosie’s Place, we’re glad to offer the resources – and the moral support – to help our guests keep their heads above water.
Holly + Jennifer
Nothing we do would be possible without the help and
“I never imagined I’d see this many single homeless women [at Rosie’s Place]. And they’re getting older and older – many are 45-55 with no housing. On the other side of the spectrum, there’s a rise in young girls, some who have aged out of DCF (Department of Child and Families)... [people] don’t realize that it can just be a matter of the ‘cards you’re dealt.’ I never assume I know what has happened in a person’s life. Homelessness doesn’t discriminate.”
support of our friends near and far. Thank you so much for caring about our guests, and for giving in so many ways. As we head towards colder days, we’re heartened by the solace you provide. With faith,
Deborah Rosie’s Place accepts no government
funds and relies instead on committed supporters like you!
ROSIE’S PLACE NEWS is published three times a year to inform our friends about activities and events taking place throughout the Rosie’s Place community. OUR MISSION is to provide a safe and nurturing environment to help poor and homeless women to maintain their dignity, seek opportunity, and find security in their lives. Executive Director Sue Marsh Director of Development Leemarie Mosca Director of Communications | Editor Michele Chausse Communications Assistant | Contributor Katie Gustainis Vela Design Big Red Chair Consulting We’d love to hear from you! Please contact us with your comments at 617.318.0210.
Deborah Conway, Rosie’s Place Overnight Program Manager, excerpted from a job profile column, “On The Job – Welcoming homeless women with shelter, food, and clothing” by Cindy Atoji Keene, Boston Globe, May 7, 2013
“For me, getting this fellowship was about much more than money. When I wrote my proposal, I took the idea of honoring Kip Tiernan’s memory very seriously. I tried to think the way she would have thought – to address a problem other people have given up on with a solution that is radical but simple. Having the support of Rosie’s Place during the development of my project not only makes things possible financially, it defines the ideals I should hang on to and the level of impact I should strive for.” Allison Haar, an attorney, on her selection as the 2013 recipient of the Kip Tiernan Social Justice Fellowship. Her Dorothea Advocacy Project will provide legal advocacy for incarcerated women with serious mental health issues in New Hampshire. The fellowship is awarded annually to a woman to develop and carry out a special project that will further the mission of Rosie’s Place in New England.
Allison
Communityof
Friends
Did K ? You
now
The conceptual design by Alabama-based sculptor and
installation artist Deedee Morrison has been selected for the permanent memorial to honor Kip Tiernan. Wisdom Lines will be a contemporary LED lighting sculpture using text and light upon a curving form to memorialize Tiernan’s work. The design will be installed in mid-2014 on the
More than 200 guests enjoyed the tasty offerings of Boston’s top chefs and a spectacular setting at Rosie’s Place Safe and Sound Gala at Fenway Park on May 2, helping to raise $400,000 for vital programs and services. Andrew Maggiore, speaking for his family, announced a $40,000 gift in honor of his late mother, Evana Maggiore, who, as a longtime Rosie’s Place supporter, originated the Love Yourself Fest: “Evana believed in the big picture, the whole self, and this meant that in her mind, Rosie’s guests had to pamper their bodies and spirits in addition to just getting food and shelter. Her holistic outlook and caring nature continue to touch so many of us, and we look forward to helping continue what she started.” In photo, from left to right are: Arlene Weeks, Jeremy Hayes, Jamie Maggiore, Janet Lang, Andrew Maggiore, Lauren Weeks, Jimmy Flaherty, Jacquie Maggiore, Martha O’Neil and Deb Herook.
Recently, online scrapbook enthusiast Beth Schrottman of Milford delivered more than 200 handmade blank greeting cards for guests’ use. They are the work of 47 fellow scrapbookers in 25 states who follow her videos on YouTube. Each month she chooses a local non-profit, “challenges” her viewers to contribute their creations, and draws the name of a contributor for a small prize. In addition to the cards that guests can send for their own special occasions, Beth’s followers also donated stamps, toiletries, and a cash gift.
sidewalk plaza on Dartmouth Street, near Old South Church.
Dining Room volunteer Tom Tate has been coming to Rosie’s Place every Wednesday for the past 30 years. The commitment of this 70-year-old financial adviser was exhibited in profiles in the Medfield Press and Boston
Sunday
Globe, West section. From the Boston Globe story, by Cindy Cantrell: “He credits the clients with keeping him grounded, and with giving him the gift of understanding what is truly important in life…Tate said he has no intention of retiring
Rebecca Hammond and Amanda Smith cleaned windows as a part of Liberty Mutual’s annual service day at Rosie’s Place on June 19. Members of the 14-person crew also served lunch, organized the entire dining room library, and tackled cleaning jobs throughout the building. Liberty Mutual employees have visited Rosie’s Place for a number of years as part of the company’s “Serve with Liberty” service project held each June.
from either his professional or volunteer work. ‘I’ve gotten as much out of volunteering as anything I’ve given,’ he said. ‘It certainly doesn’t feel like 30 years. I just show up and do the best I can, and hopefully make a positive impact.’”
Twenty-nine students from area high schools participated in Rosie’s Place’s newly-developed Social Justice Institute this summer. The Institute offered students community service experience in combination with exposure to larger social issues such as poverty and homelessness. Throughout the summer, students attended social justice
lace P ’s e i s o R m o esign ards fr
HolidayngCour first guest-illustrated d Introduci
seminars presented by local organizations and volunteered for 12 shifts in the Dining Room and Food Pantry.
The Garden Committee formed this spring as a brand-new guest-led initiative, under the coordination of the Self-Advocacy department. Committee members built, planted and tended two large garden plots in Rosie’s Place’s outdoor space. The fruits of their labors included
View all card images and order yours today at www.rosiesplace.org/ holidaycards
kale, basil, chives, tomatoes, and snap peas, as well as marigolds and other flowers. Once guests harvested the vegetables, they had the pleasure of seeing the produce served as part of Dining Room meals.
Winter Friends by Sharon R.
Whether you are seeking classic, attractive cards for business or for personal use, the holiday cards you purchase will help underwrite our vital programs for poor and homeless women in Boston. Our newest card, Winter Friends, was illustrated by Rosie’s Place guest Sharon R., an aspiring children’s book illustrator and an active member of the Rosie’s Place community. You can find her leading art seminars, monitoring the iPad lab, or volunteering at meals. Sharon is glad for the opportunity to give back to Rosie’s Place with her card design. What you need to know: • Four winter scenes (see them all online!) are available for purchase in 10-packs ($18) • Rosie’s Place Favorites boxes ($24) include five each of 3 designs by 3 artists • Custom printing is available for orders of 50+ cards • Order yours before they run out: • Online: www.rosiesplace.org/holidaycards • Phone: Katie Gustainis Vela at 617.318.0238 • Email: holidaycards@rosiesplace.org • Mail: send a check to Rosie’s Place, Attn: Holiday Cards, 889 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02118
Please support Rosie’s Place by donating online at www.rosiesplace.org/giving or by sending a gift in the enclosed envelope. We thank you!
fall
Joy Behar TV Star and Comedian
WISH LIST
is 2013’s Funny Woman
This fall, we are looking for special people with talents they are willing to share with the Rosie’s Place community.
We are thrilled that comedian Joy Behar will be the
To assist guests who could benefit from alternative medicine
headlining talent at Funny Women…Serious Business
practices, the Wellness Center at Rosie’s Place is seeking
this year! Our annual luncheon, which celebrates our
volunteer Reiki and acupuncture practitioners to join
dynamic work and the women we serve, will be held on
our existing complement of an onsite chiropractor and foot
Tuesday, October 15, 2013 from noon to 2 p.m. at the
reflexologist. Each year the Wellness Center strives to provide its
Hynes Convention Center.
more than 7,000 patients with a broad range of health services, including alternative medicine. If you or someone you know has
The always funny Ms. Behar just hung up her microphone after 16
these or other non-traditional skills and might be interested in
years as a co-host of ABC’s The View, and we’ve got her! We’ll hear her witty
volunteering during the work week, please contact Anna Barbara
take on topical issues in what is sure to be an entertaining performance.
Carter-Bruno at abcarter@rosiesplace.org or 617.318.0205.
WCVB’s Susan Wornick will be back as event emcee extraordinaire and
Performances by singers, musicians, dancers, and any other types of artists provide a welcome lift at dinner time in our Dining Room. Previous performers tell us that the enthusiastic reception and eager participation of our diners keep them coming back - plus, they always have fun! Individuals and groups who have an hour or so to share their talents at the weekday dinner hour can contact Alev Danis at adanis@rosiesplace.org or 617.318.0271.
Advance tickets available!
she will be joined by anchorwomen from Boston television outlets: Latoyia Edwards, Lisa Hughes, Kim Khazei, Kate Merrill, and Maria Stephanos.
$150
pre 9/15
You’ll have the chance to network with more than 1,400 other Rosie’s Place supporters, shop for gorgeous jewelry from our Women’s Craft Cooperative, win a fabulous centerpiece from Neiman Marcus Natick, and hear the stories of women whom Rosie’s Place has helped on their “journeys of hope.” All proceeds from the luncheon benefit the innovative and transformational programs and services Rosie’s Place offers more than 12,000 poor and homeless women each year. You can support Rosie’s Place by becoming a corporate or table
WCC Flash Sale and New Item Launch | Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Mark your calendar for another of our popular 24-hour flash sales on select jewelry items from the Women’s Craft Cooperative. Plus, when you visit the site at rosiesplace.org/wcc, you’ll be among the first to get a peek at new necklace and bracelet items, released early for holiday shopping. And one final note: Visit J. Jill stores starting in mid-November to purchase bracelets specially designed for the retailer, with a portion of the sales benefitting Rosie’s Place.
Trivia with the Friends of Rosie’s Place November 13 or 20, 2013 Stats Bar & Grille, South Boston
SAVE THE
DATE
sponsor or by purchasing your tickets today. Tickets are $150 until September 15, and $175 thereafter; to order, visit www.rosiesplace. org/fwsb. For questions or sponsorship information, please contact Katie Amoro at kamoro@rosiesplace.org or 617.318.0211. Join our community of friends for this fun and important event for Rosie’s Place!
Cambridgeside Galleria Gift Wrap November 28th – December 24th, 2013 Cambridgeside Galleria Mall, Cambridge
31 Nights of Light
December 10, 2013, 4:30 pm The Shops at Prudential Center, Boston Join us as we “flip the switch” to light the top
Meet up with the Friends of Rosie’s Place
Rosie’s Place is looking for volunteers to
of the Prudential Tower “Rosie’s Place pink”
and “show what you know” at a Wednesday
help wrap gifts this holiday season at our
on December 10. Not only will the lighting
trivia night this November at the cool
booth at the Cambridgeside Galleria Mall in
raise awareness of our work around holiday
Stats Bar & Grille in South Boston. RSVP
Cambridge. We will be wrapping presents
time, but we’ve planned a spirited gathering
at rosiesplace.org/friends or contact
at a variety of shifts between Thanksgiving
for our friends that includes refreshments
Ben Weisman at 617.318.0232 or
and Christmas. All proceeds support Rosie’s
and discounts at the 40+ shops at the
bweisman@rosiesplace.org with
Place. If you are interested in joining in this
Prudential Center. Let us know you’re
questions. ‘Should prove to be another
activity, please contact Marty Wengert at
coming at mchausse@rosiesplace.org.
fun—and stimulating—night with
mwengert@rosiesplace.org
the Friends!
or 617.318.0218.
www.rosiesplace.org 889 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118
NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID BOSTON, MA PERMIT NO. 14526