WINTER 2015 Two Women Create a Bond at Rosie’s Place OMAM Gives Back at the Holidays Words and Photos from Our Annual Luncheon Ways to Get Involved This December
NEWS
Our Wish List for School Uniforms Become a Friend for All Seasons
Q&A
CHRISTOPHER HADLEY
From left, Beverly and Norma
EVP | CHIEF TALENT OFFICER, OMAM Christopher Hadley is an Executive Vice President and the Chief Talent Officer at OMAM, a global asset management company. As head of Talent and a member of The OMAM Foundation, he is also responsible for encouraging and organizing the company’s 75 Boston-based employees’ volunteer efforts throughout Boston. Chris and OMAM have a longstanding relationship with Rosie’s Place, which is especially significant at holiday time. How does OMAM contribute to Rosie’s Place, and how is your holiday time here special? Rosie’s Place is one of OMAM’s top priorities in the community. In addition to providing financial support, we also sponsor employee donation drives, match employee gifts through our foundation, donate coffee mugs, attend and sponsor your fundraising events and provide hands-on help with employees volunteering onsite. We enjoy preparing and serving meals in the Dining Room and in the past we have provided gift sets for Rosie’s Place guests at holiday time. This year we held a drive to collect items and filled 150 Thanksgiving bags of food for families at (Rosie’s Place satellite office) Franklin Field. It was a great event for building teamwork and our employees really loved handing the bags out. (See Community of Friends, page 3.)
Two Women Find a New Start and a Dear Friendship at Rosie’s Place Norma and Beverly are sharing a laugh over lunch in the Rosie’s Place Dining Room. Laughter is something that comes more easily to them now because their lives are on the upswing. And because they’ve found each other.
as our Advocacy department assisted Beverly in applying for disability payments and Norma in seeking subsidized housing so she could move out of her market rate room. Beverly relied on our shelter as she worked to resolve her homelessness.
Beverly’s path literally crossed with Norma’s this spring when they met in the predawn hours at the Rosie’s Place running/walking group. Three times a week, at 6:30 a.m., our guests take part in exercise around the neighborhood. The two women, who are close in age, struck up a conversation immediately and were amazed at the many things they had in common.
“Trust is everything to me,” says Norma. “There’s always gossip, but I knew Beverly was a rare friend when I confided in her and she never repeated what I said.” Beverly adds, “I’m a little tougher than Norma and sometimes I see people who are trying to get over on her. I make sure no one takes advantage of her.”
“We just started talking about what we were going through and found we have very similar backgrounds,” says Beverly. “Norma helped me out right off the bat and we’ve been inseparable ever since.”
What are the benefits for your employees? We at OMAM are committed to giving people a chance to serve the larger community. Financial services provide a critical role in society by enabling savings and investment, risk protection and job creation. As important as these services are, at times they can seem a bit impersonal. When we work together in the Dining Room, it’s a meaningful way to increase our engagement and teamwork. It’s a chance for people who aren’t in the same departments to get to know each other a little more. We really value humor and fun!
Norma had started coming to Rosie’s Place earlier this year as she worked to heal from addiction and a nervous breakdown. Beverly had recently been evicted–illegally–from the East Boston apartment she shared with her 12-yearold granddaughter, Justice. When they were put out, Justice found placement in a residential program for adolescents with mental health issues and Beverly got a bed in our Overnight shelter, knowing she would be safe in a place where she had received help so many times before.
What is it about Rosie’s Place that keeps the relationship with OMAM growing after 12 years? Rosie’s Place is an extremely well-run organization. Quite frankly, some organizations have one formula that they repeat year in and out. Rosie’s Place has an ever-expanding depth and breadth of programs and solutions. Problems are approached and solved with creativity, and the team at Rosie’s Place is always developing and implementing new ideas. I think in part because they do not accept any government funding, they have the freedom and the necessity to continue to innovate. Everyone I’ve encountered at Rosie’s Place is incredibly dedicated and engaged. My sense is that we are culturally very similar. OMAM, too, is always looking to innovate, and our employees are certainly dedicated.
Through sharing their histories, the two women found understanding and support. Both women had their first babies at age 16; Norma went on to have two more children and Beverly had one. Both women have worked from a very young age and were striving to finish their bachelor’s degrees. They both struggled with bad relationships, depression and substance abuse. And they both knew they were ready to move forward with positivity and hope. Norma came to Beverly’s aid when a former boyfriend stalked her at Rosie’s Place. “He was trying to chase her up the ramp and I helped her to be strong and get him to stay away from her,” remembers Norma. She invited Beverly to stay with her when her first 21 days in our Overnight program ended. They started eating together in the Dining Room, enrolled in smoking cessation and other classes here and continued in the walking group. They gave each other encouragement
Bright days ahead As Norma works to rebuild her life, sobriety has been a large component of her progress. She credits in part a Christian church in Jamaica Plain she recently joined and, of course, she has invited Beverly to come along. “I was happy to go because I am grateful for my Rosie’s Place community and wanted to thank God,” says Beverly. They were both baptized recently and have found a second community through Bible study and Sunday services. “I’m a work in progress,” says Beverly. “We both are.” Good things surely are happening for Norma and Beverly, none more amazing than the phone calls they received on the same day. Norma learned that an affordable one-bedroom apartment in Dorchester would be available October 1, and Beverly was told she would be moving into a new apartment in Chelsea by the holidays. One of Rosie’s Place’s stabilization workers will meet with Beverly monthly now that she is housed and is helping her get settled with furniture and other household items. Knowing she will be reunited with Justice by Christmas is the best present Beverly could receive. Norma has stayed close to her family in the area and, on Thanksgiving, one more place–for Beverly–was set at their table. Norma says her life is richer with a close friend. “It’s important to know you’re not alone,” she says. “Beverly has become the sister I never had. She keeps me going, and you need that sort of friend.” Beverly agrees with a loud “yes!” and they both laugh again.