Evergreen has always recognized safe, secure housing as a fundamental need, particularly for those who are dealing with a chronic health condition. Without stable housing, it’s extremely difficult to access proper healthcare, and nearly impossible to adhere to even a simple treatment regimen. Unfortunately, this struggle is common among our clients. More than 40% of the people who come to Evergreen for help are homeless, or in need of stable housing. Byron McKinney is Evergreen’s Senior Director of Housing Development and Supportive Services, a program which helps our clients find — and retain — appropriate housing. Byron grew up in Amherst. He was a star athlete at Sweet Home High School, excelling in both football and track. “I was a state champion in shotput,” says Byron. “A track and field scholarship paid for college.” After attending Kent State University, Byron returned home to graduate from UB with a degree in exercise science. From there, he went to work for Horizon Health Services as a systems analyst. “It was supposed to be a temporary job,” says Byron. “But Horizon liked my work ethic, so they found other tasks for me, from fill-in office manager to billing clerk.” In 2004, Horizon started a housing program, and offered Byron a permanent position as Housing Case Manager. “I accepted, not knowing much about housing,” says Byron. “They gave me a stack of paper about 18 inches high with all the information they could find about running a housing program. Since that day, my professional life has been nothing but housing.”
Under Byron’s leadership, the Horizons housing program’s capacity grew from 20 beds to 56 beds in just 5 years. When Byron took a position at Cazenovia Recovery Systems, their housing program showed similar growth (from 60 beds to over 100 beds). From there, it was on to the Erie County Department of Mental Health, where Byron supervised a much larger housing program, with a capacity of nearly 1,800 beds. Still, there was one more move in store. “Last December, Brian Planty told me he was moving to Arizona, and that his position at Evergreen would be open soon,” says Byron. “He wanted to know if I was interested in applying. I was, knowing the quality of service Evergreen provides and the progressive nature of the agency.” Byron obviously got the job — his experience working with programs in the midst of rapid growth alone made him a perfect fit — and says he has loved being a part of the Evergreen family. “The mission of the program is to improve the lives and living situation of the clients we serve,” says Byron. Securing stable housing is a priority, but clients can also benefit from Evergreen’s wide array of other supportive services: subsidies, transportation assistance, the Buddy Program, and more. “Our supportive services will continue to grow in the future,” says Byron. “The opening of the Evergreen Lofts this August, and the aquisition of New York State HOPWA funding in the Southern Tier are examples of how we’re expanding our reach. I’m always on the lookout for new housing opportunities, partnerships, and funding for these critical programs and services.” Connections
Cookouts, Italian ices, “drums please… school is out and it’s a sort of a buzz, but back then I didn’t really know what it was, but now I see what happened is, the way that people respond to summer madness…” — Rich Fleurant A My favorite summer memory is camping with my family at Watkins Glen State Park. I remember walking the gorge trail and playing on the swing sets at the top of the climb. — Sal Sciandra A Hiking to the Bear Caves at Allegheny State Park. My family would camp every year, and my dad would always crawl into the Bear Caves and send us running and screaming when he’d growl like a big black bear. — Lindsay Zasada A Family vacations, camping, and lots of swimming — Heather
Maloney A When I was a kid, my mom and dad would
family would rent the RV’s at Darien Lake. We would cook
take us to visit my grandparents in Detroit. It was a chance
out and have fun as a family. — Tatesha Russell A When
to spend time with aunts and uncles, as well as cousins we
I surprised my kids, taking them to Discovery Cove. —
didn’t get to see very much — Trish Hopkins A My favorite
Glendalisse Vargas A Taking my daughter to meet the
Summer memory is San Juan, Puerto Rico when I was in
princesses at Disney World. Best vacation yet! — Veronica
the tourist part of the island. — Magali Maldonado A My
Velazquez A My best summer memory is of hot nights
favorite summer memory was as a kid staying at a cottage
spent outside on my grandmother’s patio. The adults would
on the water in Long Beach, Ontario. — Andon Ticco A
sip iced tea and tell stories, and I’d lie in the grass with the
Annual camping trips with my huge family. — Rob Baird A
dog, looking at the stars and listening. — John Carocci A
When I was 13, going to the original Legoland in Billund,
Being in Alaska for the 4th of July and setting off fireworks
Denmark. — Kristen Rickert A Campfires, softball games,
at 3:00 a.m. because that was the only time it got even
lake sunsets with friends! — Susan Buck A As a child my
slightly dark enough to see them. — Jakob Willoughby
Click here and here to follow the links to t
W
hen it comes to paying off your student
“qualifying monthly payments” under the PSLF program. Even if your
loans, working at Evergreen has its
payment under your IBR plan is zero dollars each month, that is still
benefits! The Public Service Loan
considered a qualified monthly payment!
Forgiveness (PSLF) program helps
people working at not-for-profits
monthly, under your IBR plan but you only pay for 10 years instead
reduce the amount they pay back on their student loans. The program
of 20 to 25 years. Whatever is left on your student loan after the 120
does have a lot of variables. To help you decide if the program is right
payments is forgiven. As a bonus, the debt forgiven under the PSLF
for you, I’ve outlined the bare minimum of how you would qualify,
is not considered taxable income by the IRS. Debt forgiven under an
along with the program benefits:
IBR plan is considered taxable income. However, there’s a catch. You
Notice the benefit of the PSLF program. You pay what you can,
Check with your lender or student loan servicer to find out what
must be employed full time (as low as 30 hours a week, depending
kinds of loans you have. Only “Direct Loans” qualify. If you don’t have
on your employer) by a qualified employer for the entire time you’re
Direct Loans, you may be able to consolidate your loans into a Direct
in the program. A qualified employer can be a federal, state or local
Consolidation Loan.
government organization, a not-for-profit that is tax exempt under
If you have Direct Loans or a Direct Consolidation Loan, you
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or other types of non-profits
then apply for an Income Based Repayment (IBR) plan. IBRs base
that provide qualifying public services.
your monthly loan payment on your current income, and extend
repayment of the loan out 20-25 years. Depending on your income,
agencies for the next ten years. Maybe you don’t. Nobody knows the
your initial payments under these programs could even be zero! Many
future. But, don’t worry, if you become disqualified from the PSLF
of these programs have loan forgiveness if there is still money owed on
program you simply carry on with your IBR plan. No consequences!
your loan after 20-25 years.
Maybe you intend to work for non-profits or government
Search ‘Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program’ online for
Now that you have a qualifying loan, a qualifying IBR plan, and
more details. A good place to start is www.studentaid.ed.gov or your
you are working for a qualified employer (Evergreen), you apply to the
loan servicer’s website. PNC Bank has an amazing resource at http://
Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
pnc.financialliteracy101.org/. There are also other online commercial
Under the PSLF you will make 120 qualifying monthly payments
resources such as Student Loan Hero and LoanLook that can help you
(10 years). After you’ve made 120 payments, you apply to have the
manage your student loans. Even if you don’t believe you qualify, its
rest of your loan forgiven. Payments under your IBR plan are the
worth investigating your options. You might be surprised! Connections
the online resources mentioned in the story!
The
Joint Commission, which oversees performance and safety standards in healthcare facilities, has updated its guidelines for food and drink in clinical or laboratory settings. This, along with our ongoing work on OSHA compliance, makes food and drink in the workplace a timely topic. There are two major OSHA rulings to keep in mind. While they don’t necessarily apply to all areas of Evergreen, the variety of services we offer, in diverse environments, makes it important for all of us to stay informed about best practices. First, eating, drinking, smoking, applying cosmetics or lip balm, and handling contact lenses are prohibited in work areas where there’s a reasonable likelihood of occupational exposure. This pertains to any clinical area, exam/ testing room, or area that contains biohazard waste or a sharps container. Having even one prohibited item in a restricted area is a finable offence, with each
additional item eligible for further, stackable fines. This doesn’t include items that a client may bring into the space; only those belonging to staff. For their personal safety, suggest that clients don’t bring food or drink into these areas. Second, food or drink should not be kept in refrigerators, freezers, shelves, cabinets, or on counters or benchtops where blood or other potentially infectious materials are present. In many of our mixed use areas, this is something to keep an eye out for, as it can lead to additional code violations — and fines. Food or drink items can not only become contaminated, but can also contaminate testing supplies/samples as well. This may all seem unneccessarily regimented, but these rules exist for the safety and wellbeing of Evergreen’s staff and clients. If you have questions, or require solutions, contact Facilities. As always, feel free to discuss this topic in your individual center meetings. Connections
There’s $500 for you in Evergreen’s Employee Referral Program. Refer a qualified friend for an open position, and if they’re hired you’ll get $100 after they complete 30 days. You’ll get another $150 after they complete 6 months, and another $250 after they complete a year at Evergreen. Tell your friend to write your name on their application, then fill out the Employee Referral Form, and return it to HR
My dream vacation destination is Iceland. Only in the warmer months, though. — Liz Ann-Miller j So for Sal, my dream vacation is to go to Bora Bora, located in French Polynesia, and just enjoy the nature there. This will be a great honeymoon dream vacation — Glendalisse Vargas j Going to Paris and taking food tours. Also, learning how to cook from a world reknowned chef! — Tatesha Russell j My dream vacation is getting a huge RV and driving all around the country. — Susan Buck j New Zealand. Or taking a train ride across Asia. — Rob Baird j My dream vacation would be going to Belize. — Andon Ticco j My favorite dream vacation is the Bahamas. — Magali Maldonado j Anywhere, relaxing with the old man, with a drink that has one of those cute
little umbrellas in it! YEAH! — Trish Hopkins j My dream vacation destination is Bali, in Indonesia. Sun, sand and some of the best scenery in the world. — Lindsay Zasada j I would love to drive the entire Eyre Highway in southern Australia from Adelaide to Perth. It’s all desert to the right of you and all ocean to left. — Sal Sciandra j Anywhere tropical. — Rich Fleurant j I had a friend who was a cousin to the royal family of Lichtenstein. Our little group used to fly over every year, and they stayed right in the palace. I never went because I didn’t have money. So... someday I’ll go to Lichtenstein, and even though I’ll have to stay at a hotel with the commoners, I’ll still enjoy it very much. — John Carocci j Europe, with a focus on Scotland, Ireland, and England. — Jakob Willoughby
june Birthdays Elizabeth Ann-Miller.................June 1 Amajaraya Hunter.....................June 3 Ileana Hernandez......................June 6 Tara Monaco.............................June 6 Sean Tulumello..........................June 7 Louis Hernandez.......................June 10 Cheryl Lyon................................June 13 Ron Silverio...............................June 16 Deborah Esposito......................June 17 Adam Eisenhauer......................June 18 Ashley Kuss................................June 19 Dawn Ganoe.............................June 20 Kimberly Herrington.................June 20 Salvatore Sciandra.....................June 23 Emily Oaks.................................June 24 Jacob Marsh..............................June 26 Michael Guilford.......................June 28 Megan Uplinger........................June 29
Anniversaries Elisa Luciano...............................16 years Ray Ganoe...................................10 years Kathryn Diebold..........................5 years Shannon Curry-Izzo....................3 years Tasheri Artis................................2 years Colleen Lewis..............................2 years Kristen Rickey..............................2 years Susan Buck..................................2 years Giovanna Gasbarre.....................2 years Elise Robinson.............................2 years Denise Scull.................................2 years Corey Mohr.................................2 years Liza Pereira..................................1 year Carolee Corbitt...........................1 year Frances Frank..............................1 year Aeriq Turman..............................1 year Julie Mayer..................................1 year Jacob Perrello.............................1 year Your continued dedication and hard work are noticed and appreciated - Management Team
Toronto, whose motto is Diversity Our Strength, is the most populous city in Canada and just a stone’s throw away from Buffalo. A recent visit to Toronto reminded me of the incredible fashion sense the city has, the peaceful parks right in the heart of the city, and, as the motto suggests, the visible diversity which always inspires me to visit more often. A few things stood out to me this last trip, including the city’s love of music and artistry (as evidenced by the sidewalk depiction of the legendary Prince). Another view caught my eye on Queen Street, which I’m choosing to call (surprise surprise) “the Lego Building”. I couldn’t help but naturally think of construction. This led me to Evergreen (our own building of hope and rebuilding). These pictures reminded me all too well of the struggles that many of our clients have day to day and how the dedicated employees at Evergreen do their level best to embrace, encourage and help to transform people’s lives. What more can we ask for if not to be part of a group constructing hope, building courage, and empowering the architect in each of the lives of the people we work with. I’m proud to be a part of this team!
Connections JUNE 2016 PUBLISHER/LAYOUT
John Carocci
COPY EDITOR
Martha Sawicki
CONTRIBUTORS
Melissa Delgado Jakob Willoughby Steve Sanders David Haefner, Esq. Johanna Aponte Kimberly Herrington Connections is a monthly newsletter for Evergreen employees (that’s you). Send your story ideas, photos, or just a friendly hello to John Carocci.
Diane O’Donnel is a friend of Sergio Baradat, the artist who designed the “Free & Equal: United Nations for LGBT Equality” stamps for the United Nations postal service. The series includes six stamps, which represent different aspects of the LGBT experience. Diane has graciously gifted a full set of the stamps to the Pride Center, along with envelopes and commemorative cards signed by the artist, all beautifully mounted and framed for display. She has also donated statements from Charles Radcliffe (Director of the United Nations Free & Equal Campaign) and Ban Ki-Moon (Secretary General of the United Nations). Above left: Diane presents the display to Pride Center staff. Above right: detail of one of the stamps.