Rosie's Place Winter Newsletter 2022

WINTER 2022

SERVICES MANAGER

Can you tell me how the Helpline started?

When the pandemic hit and folks were asked to stay home and stay apart, we created the Helpline so that our housed guests could continue to connect with us for support. And for so many women who were isolated and anxious during that chaotic time, we were a lifeline, helping them with both basic and complicated needs. The Helpline allows us to help even more women, immediately and conveniently with whatever they need from wherever they are. It’s really been a game changer for us!

What kind of help do Remote Advocates provide?

Everything that we offer a guest on-site, we can offer over the Helpline. Things like help with medical and housing paperwork, groceries and rent and utility arrearages. We are also able to connect them to our Legal Program and mental health, housing and employment specialists.

Our Advocates speak multiple languages and we utilize a translation service whenever needed. Women can call throughout the day and talk, email or text with someone in their native language. Or they can leave a message and we’ll get back to them within 24 hours. We know that when a woman is calling us, she is in crisis. So it’s vital to be as responsive and compassionate as we can be, in every call we answer.

What are the most common needs you are addressing with guests each day?

Many times, the first and most urgent thing a woman who calls our Helpline needs is to be listened to and not be interrupted or redirected. And when there is a silence or a question for us, we know we can answer it because Rosie’s Place has so many different services and resources.

In the past two years, the need for rent and utility assistance has soared and thankfully, Rosie’s Place has been able to increase our budget to meet this need. Because we know once a woman is evicted, she faces a long road back to any kind of stability.

Why is this work so important to you?

When I was growing up, my mother would talk about going to Rosie’s Place and I was too young to know what she meant. Years later, I understood all that Rosie’s Place did for her and my family. Rosie’s Place helped her get our apartment where she raised me and my siblings. Rosie’s Place gave me and my family so much and I always wanted to come back and give back. And now I’m here doing it and I’m so glad to be helping women just like my mother and families just like my own.

Together for the Holidays: A New Home & New Hope

When Nadine arrived at Rosie’s Place, she was completely distraught. She was facing eviction and feared she would lose the home she shared with her young daughter and teenage son.

Nadine, like so many other single mothers who are living week-to-week, found ways to get by, but her bills quickly piled up and she fell behind in her rent. She pleaded with her landlord, telling him about her new cleaning job at a nearby hospital and explaining that she would soon be able to pay more. The landlord said she owed too much and would have to leave by the end of next month if she did not come up with the rent.

Panicked, Nadine worried that if she lost the apartment and ended up in shelter that she and her daughter may be separated from her teenage son, her worst nightmare.

At a friend’s suggestion, Nadine called our Advocacy Helpline, and our work together began.

Once connected with Rosie’s Place, Nadine met with an Advocate who took immediate action to prevent her eviction, helping with back rent and negotiating a payment plan with the landlord and several utility companies to address her bills. With her current housing stabilized, we worked with Nadine to start the process of finding a more affordable apartment.

As our Advocate helped Nadine build a budget, it was clear that her job at the hospital would not cover larger, unplanned expenses, so our Employment Specialist worked with Nadine to find other opportunities. To improve her English skills, Nadine also enrolled in ESOL classes at our Women’s Education Center, grateful she could take the courses online, so that she would not need childcare.

In time, these steps led to a higher-paying, administrative job in the same hospital where she was already employed. With every step forward, Nadine’s confidence improved, easing her worries and enabling her to see a more stable future for her family.

As Nadine said, “I thought I would lose everything. But at Rosie’s Place, people cared about me and helped me

Within a year of first coming to

secured a new

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at her home to provide support and address any issues that may jeopardize her new place. She returns often to Rosie’s Place to visit our Food Pantry, which not only provides her family with pantry staples and fresh, healthy foods, but also household goods like toilet paper, cleaning supplies and COVID tests.

Because of these critical supports, Nadine was able to keep her home and family together. And Rosie’s Place will help with gifts to make this holiday season, their first in their new home, even brighter. Nadine shared, “We are thankful for everyone at Rosie’s Place. You gave us so much. But most of all, you gave me hope when I thought I had none.”

Advocacy & Stabilization Services at Rosie’s Place

Each year, Rosie’s Place helps more than a thousand women stabilize their situations to avoid eviction and homelessness through our Advocacy, Housing Stabilization and Legal Programs.

In our lobby, women can access one of our skilled, multi-lingual Advocates through the triage desk. Guests can sign up for walk-in services, speak to an Advocate about urgent concerns, financial problems, transportation needs or to build a plan to work toward a stable housing or living situation. Guests can also reach an Advocate through the Advocacy Helpline open on weekdays, and get the same expert help they would receive at Rosie’s Place over the phone.

For women who are newly housed or who are at risk of eviction, Advocates in the Stabilization Program provide in-home services and act as liaisons with property management/landlords to help women retain their housing. Many of our guests struggle with mental illness, physical disabilities, language and other barriers that can jeopardize their living situations. Stabilization Advocates help women develop individualized service plans and check in regularly with landlords to identify anything that might threaten a woman’s housing.

Our Legal Program helps guests overcome obstacles that could prevent them from fair and equitable access to the justice that our legal system can provide. Some of those barriers include lacking access to technology, receiving services in a foreign language and requirements that create feelings of intimidation, fear and confusion. In partnership with Greater Boston Legal Services and Rian Immigrant Center, we offer in-person and remote legal services in the areas of family law, immigration, employment and housing, among others.

Jennifer Calderon has been with Rosie’s Place for four years. She first joined us as an Advocate, and since 2021 has overseen our Advocacy Program’s Helpline, staffed by a team of multi-lingual Advocates, Monday through Friday, from 8:00AM to 6:00PM, helping hundreds of poor and homeless women every week with a host of challenges.

JENNIFER CALDERON REMOTE ADVOCACY

make a plan. It was completely different when I knew someone was there to help me keep my family safe.”

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Nadine

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where

Advocate now visits her

Our President on the High Costs of Winter

Dear Friend,

Winter has always been the hardest season for our guests.

Frigid temperatures threaten the lives of homeless women living on the streets and the hard-won stability of poor women struggling to pay the high costs of staying warm and housed.

But this winter may well be the hardest they will face. With inflation at 8%, food prices the highest they’ve been in 40 years, rent prices soaring and energy bills forecasted to be 60% higher than they were last year, this season has become even more expensive. And the most marginalized and the most vulnerable, who were already barely hanging on, like the women at Rosie’s Place, will be hardest hit by these economic hardships.

Because today, poverty costs more than ever before.

Which means that the call for Rosie’s Place’s one-of-akind brand of help and hope has never been more urgent. And with your support we’re answering that call. We’re responding to staggering food insecurity by tripling our Food Pantry capacity. And we’re stocking those grocery bags with fresh food and pantry staples, along with pricey household essentials.

We recognize that missed rent and unpaid utilities can plunge a household into homelessness, so we’ve increased our eviction prevention and arrearage assistance by 72%. Women can come into Rosie’s Place to meet with our Advocates, or they can call our dedicated Helpline staffed by multi-lingual experts in the field, making our low-barrier service model even more accessible.

We’re working to place women in housing at our highest rate ever. And once they are moved in, through our Stabilization program, we provide them with wraparound support just as we do for Nadine and her family, who you read about on page one of this newsletter.

Your friendship means our guests won’t face this season’s challenges alone. With your help, we will make this winter warmer and every day brighter for thousands of women in need by helping them with everything from food, rent and utility assistance to winter clothing and holiday gifts.

Because you believe, as we do, that housing should be affordable, and there shouldn’t have to be a choice between paying rent and keeping the lights on. Feeding your family shouldn’t be beyond anyone’s means. Second chances shouldn’t come at a cost. And most of all— welcome, compassion and help should be free—for all.

Thank you for the many gifts of kindness you give our community all year through.

Heartfelt best wishes for the holiday season,

1.

Ways to Help at Holiday Time

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.

OUR VISION is based on the words of our founder, Kip Tiernan: “Never forget that charity is scraps from the table and justice is a seat at the table. Charity is giving to others what belongs to you. Justice is giving others what belongs to them.”

At Rosie’s Place, we believe diversity, equity and inclusion are core components of justice. We commit to acting on a daily basis to dismantle injustice to ensure that opportunities and equitable outcomes are available to all members of our community regardless of individual characteristics including race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, age, sexual orientation or perceived ability.

We’d love to hear from you! Please contact us with your comments at jdoyle@rosiesplace.org or 617.318.0265.

HOST A HOLIDAY GIFT DRIVE

Coordinate a drive with your workplace, school or family to collect holiday gifts from our wishlist. With your support, we’re hoping to distribute 1,500 gifts this year.

*Please note: Donations must be pre-registered and delivered by Dec. 12th. Visit www.bit.ly/RosiesVolunteers to schedule an in-person drop-off or to ship items to 889 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02118. Questions about registering? Contact Community Engagement at volunteer@rosiesplace.org.

2.

CATER A MEAL

We provide hearty and nutritious meals every day of the year. Our staff uses fresh ingredients, makes dishes from scratch and uses recipes that meet specific dietary needs and reflect our guests’ diverse palates. Catering groups underwrite meal costs and help prepare, serve and clean up meals in our Dining Room. Learn more at www.bit.ly/VolunteerGroups.

3.

SEND HOLIDAY CARDS

Send greetings to family, friends and clients and give the gift of hope to poor and homeless women. Choose from ten classic Boston scenes and winter illustrations by acclaimed local artists. Order today at www.rosiesplace.org/holidaycards.

QUOTABLE

4.

GIVE TO ROSIE’S PLACE

Visit www.rosiesplace.org/give to support our vital programs and services for over 12,000 women each year with a one-time gift or monthly donation that funds our work year-round!

5. HONOR SOMEONE SPECIAL

In lieu of holiday parties or presents, consider making a tribute donation to Rosie’s Place in honor of a friend, family member or co-worker. Save on postage—Rosie’s Place notifies your honoree on your behalf. Give at www.rosiesplace.org/tribute.

NEEDED HOLIDAY GIFTS

• $25 gift cards to Target, Old Navy, CVS, Walgreens and Walmart. Gift cards can be purchased at www.bit.ly/RPGifts.

Bath and body gift sets with lotion, body wash, body spray

• Warm hat, glove and scarf sets

• Throw blankets

• Visit www.amzn.to/3eL5xuS to order some of these items.

*Please only include items that are on this list and that are new, unopened and unexpired.

“My 8-year-old daughter asked me if we could do a bake sale to benefit the homeless. I, of course, wanted to encourage her but was daunted by the idea of baking enough for this. So, I spoke with a number of moms on her soccer team, The Sprites, and we agreed it would be a great team building activity. We chose Rosie’s Place specifically for your mission to help all female identifying women in need, as well as your stellar fiscal reputation. We set up our sale on the Arlington Bike Path and sold out within hours! The girls are super excited about their donation. They had such a blast and love that it is going to help women in need.”

Excerpted from a personal and powerful talk given by New York Times best-selling author, Ashley C. Ford, featured speaker at our Funny Women…Serious Business luncheon in November.

Leemarie Mosca

Marlborough Street Sunset

A note that arrived with a generous donation and wonderful photo from Francesca Quinn

“If you live with a certain amount of poverty over a certain amount of time, it stops feeling like you’re living in poverty, and it starts feeling like this is what life is like. You can’t expect anything more…I lived that kind of life, and I watched myself be underestimated… My goal, my hope, is to give you a bigger imagination of who is around you and what they might be capable of.”

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.

President/CEO Leemarie Mosca Director of Communications/Editor Jamie Doyle Digital Communications Manager/Contributor Leah Westberry Communications Associate/Contributor Sara Clark Design Colette O’Neill

At Rosie’s Place, we seek to provide our guests with happy, healthy, warm and engaging holiday celebrations. Help us brighten the season for women facing difficult days ahead by getting involved in any of the following ways. Thank you!

CommunityFriends of Know

On Tuesday, November 15th, our wonderful community came together at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center for our always-inspiring, always-entertaining annual Funny Women…Serious Business luncheon. With 1,200 supporters in attendance, we raised $850,000 for the life-changing programs and services of Rosie’s Place.

Longtime friends of Rosie’s Place, Susan Wornick and Karen Holmes Ward, hosted the event with our featured speaker Ashley C. Ford, acclaimed writer, host, educator and author of the New York Times best-selling memoir, Somebody’s Daughter.

We’re grateful to have exceeded our fundraising goal thanks to our many supporters whose generosity made the event so successful, including our Presenting Sponsors: Bank of America, G-P, Christina and Michael Gordon, Anne Kubik, Kristen and John Maxwell, Michele May and David Walt, Robert J. Murray and Christa Balzer, New Balance Foundation and Deb and Mark Pasculano.

We are also grateful to our special guests, including Lt. Governor-elect, Kim Driscoll, Senator Ed Markey, Mayor Michelle Wu, Latoyia Edwards, NBC10 Boston; Yadires Nova-Salcedo, Encuentro Latino; Amaka Ubaka, 7News WHDH/WLVI; and Vanessa Welch, Boston 25 News.

Di DYou

Our Advocates recently participated in a Community Resource Fair Schools at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury. They provided information about our spectrum of programs and services for women and their families to local agencies and individuals alike.

In September, Rosie’s Place’s staff celebrated our annual Philosophy Day at Kimball Farm in Westford. We participated in team building exercises, welcomed new staff and enjoyed a delicious cookout lunch. A beloved Rosie’s Place tradition, dating back decades, Philosophy Day is an opportunity for staff to reflect on our shared commitment to our mission

Ahead of the Massachusetts State Election, our Public Policy program reached out to candidates, asking how they would address four major concerns for our guests (affordable housing, homelessness, supports for low-income people and immigration policies). Their answers, along with information on how and where to vote, were compiled in an Election Guide which was then distributed to our guests.

And on November 8th, we provided shuttles to the polls so guests could cast their ballots.

At Rosie’s Place, we are always striving to make our work and our help as accessible and welcoming as possible.

We recently added a translate function to www.rosiesplace.org, enabling our website to be read in Chinese, Haitian Creole, Portuguese and Spanish, the primary languages of our guests from other countries.

We are proud that whether you visit Rosie’s Place in person, over the phone or online, you can access information and help in your own language.

More and more, job applications and even interviews have moved from being on paper and in person to being online. Our Employment Specialist recently distributed twenty computers to guests who completed an eight-week intensive training program, providing them with greater access to both employment and educational opportunities. Our Specialist also collaborated with our Digital Communications Manager to present two new trainings for job seekers: Zoom 101 and Navigating Your Online Job Search.

Rosie’s Place accepts no government funds and relies instead on committed supporters like you!

We were delighted to be included in WCVB’s 50th anniversary special, WCVB: 50, that aired this fall and celebrated the station’s half century of broadcasting community centered news and programming in Massachusetts. WCVB’s Anchor/Reporter, Erika Tarantal and Director of Public Affairs and Community Services, Karen Holmes Ward taped a segment on-site in our Dining Room to highlight WCVB’s longstanding support of Rosie’s Place and nonprofits in the Commonwealth.

A colorful and beautiful balloon sculpture donated by our friends at Festini brightened the many breakfasts, lunches and dinners served in our Dining Room. We appreciate this uplifting gift!

We are grateful to Drew’s Stews and More for keeping the Rosie’s Place team fueled. They generously donated a batch of hearty and tasty stews and breads that made for a soup-er delicious lunch for our hard-working staff!

Volunteer in our Women’s Education Center

are seeking volunteer teachers for our Writing Café, a

On December 2, 1867, Charles Dickens began his first American reading tour of A Christmas Carol in Boston. Since 2002, WBUR has hosted a reading of this timeless holiday tale.

This year, the tradition will continue at the Omni Parker House hotel on Tuesday, December 20th at 7:00PM.

WBUR hosts and reporters, Meghna Chakrabarti, Tiziana Dearing, Jack Lepiarz, Darryl Murphy and Robin Young will bring this classic story to life with warmth, drama and humor. And with music from Syncopation, a mixed vocal jazz quartet, the evening will be merry and bright.

Tickets for this event are $100 each and can be purchased at www.rosiesplace.org/wbur.

Proceeds will benefit all of Rosie’s Place’s vital programs and services for poor and homeless women.

Please join us for this festive evening that is sure to spread holiday cheer as well as support the important work of Rosie’s Place.

*Please note: While face masks are optional, they are strongly encouraged.

If you have any questions, please contact Olivia Davis Wilson at odaviswilson@rosiesplace.org.

Stock our Food Pantry Food costs are soaring. By holding a virtual food drive,

from

to Rosie’s Place and distributed to guests visiting our Food Pantry. Visit our YouGiveGoods page at www.bit.ly/RPFoodPantry to contribute to our current drive or start your own food drive today. *Please note: We are only able to accept food items through virtual food drives.

Create Care Packages for Guests

You can help get essential items to Rosie’s Place guests in a convenient and efficient way. To learn how to assemble three different types of kits that can be easily distributed to the hundreds of poor and homeless women we serve every day, visit www.rosiesplace.org/carepackages.

Rosie’s Place’s Safe & Sound Gala Wednesday, May 10, 2023 | 6:00 - 9:00 p M CyCloraMa at Boston Center for the arts, Boston, Ma Contact Kristen Leonard for more information: kleonard@rosiesplace.org

.rosiesplace.orgwww

889 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118