Time Until the Vote!
From Unemployed to Juggling Job Offers - Henry Street Settlement
Orbin came to Henry Street Settlement’s Young Adult Internship Program (YAIP) after failing out of his first semester at Bridgeport University. Once in YAIP, Orbin quickly developed professionally and personally; at 96%, his attendance rate was one of the highest of all the program’s participants. He consistently worked more than the maximum paid hours at his internship and was thus offered a permanent job at his internship site, the NU Hotel in Brooklyn. Orbin was also offered a position at Yankees Stadium and accepted at SUNY—Nassau Community College. Orbin came to Henry Street Settlement as an unemployed college dropout but graduated from YAIP with two job offers and college acceptance. He currently is a full-time student at SUNY-Nassau Community College, majoring in Computer Engineering, and continues to work at the NU Hotel.
The Henry Street Settlement’s Young Adult Internship Program serves youth 17 to 24 years of age with a GED or high school diploma that are not in school or working. Young people are paid to complete three weeks of work readiness training followed by an eleven-week internship and then enter job and education placement programs.
Henry Street Settlement opens doors of opportunity to enrich lives and enhance human progress for Lower East Side residents and other New Yorkers through social services, arts, and health care programs.
In Class and Ready to Pass - Henry Street Settlement
Last year, Kaelon had 34 absences from the eighth grade. Now enrolled in the Henry Street Settlement’s attendance improvement program at his school, the Urban Assembly Academy for Government and Law, Kaelon has only one absence and is passing all of his classes. He made the law team as a freshman (one of only two freshmen on the team), and is enjoying being a part of the basketball club.
The Henry Street Settlement’s attendance improvement program is part of its Youth Services Division, which serves youth ages two through 24, emphasizing the importance of academic success while promoting social skills, leadership qualities and emotional well-being. All programs focus on educating, encouraging, and enriching the lives of the young person and his/her support network. More than 3,000 young people participate in Henry Street’s Youth Services every year. Due to budget cuts this year, however, programs such as day care and after school services Early Learn and after school programs are endangered.
Henry Street Settlement opens doors of opportunity to enrich lives and enhance human progress for Lower East Side residents and other New Yorkers through social services, arts, and health care programs.
“I wanted to get my life back together” - Goodwill Industries Rehabilitation Services
Wilberto “Robert” Alvarez of Astoria, Queens, first came to Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey in 1993. Rendered paraplegic in 1988 as a bystander caught in a crossfire of bullets, Robert was referred to Goodwill by the New York State Education Department’s Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities, now known as ACCES. He was interested in two services Goodwill NY-NJ had to offer -- barrier-free apartments and a job. “I wanted to get my life back together,” he remembers.
Robert, who has lived in Goodwill’s on-site accessible apartment building since coming to the agency, started off his search for work with assessment and training by Goodwill’s rehabilitation services department. Besides helping him think about what he wanted to do and how to do it, the experience “built up my self-esteem,” Robert says. Inspired by other persons with disabilities participating in the rehabilitation program, he only looked to the future. “I’m in a wheelchair, but I saw others in more difficult situations who were going on with their lives,” he recalls.
Robert first worked in-house as a client-worker at Goodwill’s industrial contract shop, which specializes in assembly and packaging work. “I dealt with a lot of hangers,” he jokes. When a job turned up in a unit that spliced and cut cable to size for Con Edison, Robert was selected for his skills and attitude. He started there as one client-worker on a staff of three, and did so well that he was asked to take over when the person in charge left. “It meant a lot that Goodwill trusted me to run a $100,000-a-year contract,” he notes.
Robert became a full-time Goodwill employee in 1997. He is a role model to clients and workers alike and a real life hero who has shown others that it is possible to move on in life against all odds and succeed.
Goodwill’s Rehabilitation Services offer participants the opportunity to gain work experience and earn money in Goodwill’s on-site industries – contributed goods, industrial contracts and porter/maintenance – while receiving case management services.
Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc. is a non-sectarian, not-for-profit organization serving people with mental and physical disabilities, the unemployed, new immigrants, ex-offenders, mature workers and underserved youth. Goodwill’s diverse programs span New York City, Northern New Jersey, Long Island and upstate New York. Goodwill serves more than 136,000 people annually. Goodwill’s mission of putting people to work is obtained through a range of effective human service programs to help people achieve participation in society through employment.
Thanksgiving Day at Freedom House
Fleeing an abusive situation, Ms. G came to Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House in mid-November with her two children, ages eight and thirteen.
Amidst this move, Ms. G’s children were having difficulty understanding why they couldn’t go to their aunt’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. Ms. G asked the Freedom House children’s counselor to help her explain to her children why a trip to their aunt’s was not safe. The counselor met with Ms. G and her children and guided a session discussing why they had moved to Freedom House and the importance of safety. They talked about mom’s old boyfriend and the children described times when he hurt Ms. G. The counselor then explained that they were living at Freedom House so mom would not be hurt anymore. Once the children understood this they were able to understand why it was not safe to go to their aunt’s home.
The children’s counselor assisted the family in coming up with a mutually agreed upon plan for a new, safe Thanksgiving. The plan included visiting their aunt in Central Park in the morning, going back home to the shelter to cook their family’s favorite holiday foods, including sweet potato pie, and having a meal together. On the day of Thanksgiving the children were sad that they couldn’t spend it with their entire family but were still able to enjoy the day together with mom.
Freedom House is an Emergency Shelter for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities or survivors who have children with disabilities. The Freedom House has an interdisciplinary staff of social workers, creative arts therapists, case managers, occupational therapists and recreation aides in addition to Spanish, and American Sign Language speakers. Equipped to serve people with all kinds of disabilities from physical to emotional to recovering substance abusers, the Freedom House Emergency Shelter offers residents support through safety planning, stress-reduction groups, legal advocacy and referrals, positive parenting programs, and occupational therapy. The Freedom House staff tackles various challenges with each new family that enters shelter. This story, focusing on helping children understand the necessity of safety regarding domestic violence issues, was contributed by Cynthia Amodeo, LMHC, the Coordinator of “Generations of Freedom” the family services department at Freedom House.
Barrier Free Living has for over 30 years helped New Yorkers with disabilities to live independently in the community. With programs for the homeless, survivors of domestic violence and their children, BFL provides a range of services and linkages to other community resources, enabling individuals to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of living dignified, secure lives.
Seeds of Renewal Daryl Chestnut found himself a widower at 29 with four kids. Read about his seeds of renewal
Darryl Chestnut grew up in Harlem. His mother and father both worked, but they also drank and fought. When Darryl was 11 years old his father was killed. Around that time, Darryl started doing drugs recreationally. He hung out with older guys from the basketball team, and eventually he started drinking. Once he entered high school, he started selling drugs, even though he was on the varsity basketball team and was college-bound.
Darryl’s girlfriend got pregnant after he got out of high school. He got a job, but eventually wound up hustling and selling drugs. He got married when he was 22, and he and his wife had four kids. At age 29, his wife died in a car accident. “I was really close to her and I really missed her. I started drinking alcohol heavily, every day. I stopped paying my bills and lost my job,” Darryl said. He was also about to lose his housing.
In March 2010, Darryl decided to enroll in a 28-day program. He’s been clean ever since. After completing a couple of short-term programs, he knew he needed more help. “I really wanted to stop using. I heard about Project Renewal’s Renewal Farm. I would be able to work on a farm, get some structure, get my life back together.” And that’s what he did. Through Project Renewal, Darryl was able to save his life and get back to work.
“I learned a lot there — patience and tolerance, working together with others. People would teach me things that I never knew about, like transplanting plants and seeding. You’d be surprised what a little seed will blossom into. And it gave me motivation, because I wanted to see it grow. As it starts growing, you feel a part of that. It makes you feel good.“
Darryl also took a security guard class and was able to receive an 8 hour certificate. They helped him get his finger prints and his background check as well as his license. Darryl wound up getting a job within 3 or 4 weeks and is currently working in security.
Darryl is currently in transitional housing and says that things are looking up for him. “I have no desire to use. I’m going on 18 months clean. And it’s a great feeling, not to get up wanting or being sick, worrying about who you owe. I feel good being back working and being a productive member of society, being with my family and my kids. I love my kids. I tell them that I can’t take back the things that I’ve done, but we can look forward and go from here, and just do the right thing.“
located in Garrison, NY,Renewal Farm is a six-month work/training program for 24 homeless men in recovery from substance abuse. Organized around operating an organic farm and retail business, the men are trained in marketable skills and placed in jobs and housing when they complete the program. Along with the vocation component, farm participants enter St. Christopher's Inn intensive 60 day substance abuse treatment program.
project renewal works to empower homeless men and women suffering from addiction and/or mental illness to move from the streets or shelters to health, homes, and jobs. Our comprehensive and innovative approach combines healthcare, addiction, and mental health treatment, employment services, and housing to help our clients rebuild their lives. project renewal
From Freedom House to a Home of Her Own
Sixteen-year-old Amanda was fleeing an abusive home when she arrived at Freedom House Emergency Shelter with her family. Through individual and family counseling, Amanda began to communicate her feelings about past abuse. Eventually she was able to share her fears and hopes with her mother, and together they found the strength to move on. Amanda and her mother now live in a safe home of their own. One of 30 honorees at Barrier Free Living’s 30 Voices! 30 Visions! anniversary gala in 2011, Amanda is planning a rich future that includes attending college.
Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House is an emergency shelter for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities or survivors who have children with disabilities. Freedom House has an interdisciplinary staff of social workers, creative arts therapists, case managers, occupational therapists and recreation aides in addition to Spanish and American Sign Language speakers. Equipped to serve people with all kinds of disabilities from physical to emotional to recovering substance abusers, the Freedom House Emergency Shelter offers residents support through safety planning, stress-reduction groups, legal advocacy and referrals, positive parenting programs, and occupational therapy.
click here to hear Amanda tell her story!
Freedom House provides a multitude of services to New Yorkers, but many of these services could be at risk in the state budget. New York State has already cut $3 million for domestic violence programs in the past two years, affecting counseling, legal, case management, and other non-shelter-based domestic violence services. In the next fiscal year, the state plans to eliminate funding for non-shelter services entirely. Support Barrier Free Living (BFL) and its work to end domestic violence by signing a petition on Change.org
Barrier Free Living has for over 30 years helped New Yorkers with disabilities to live independently in the community. With programs for the homeless, survivors of domestic violence and their children, BFL provides a range of services and linkages to other community resources, enabling individuals to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of living dignified, secure lives.
The Secret Garden Path to Success
Fleeing abuse, Alejandrina Cruz found safety at Barrier Free Living’s Secret Garden Non-Residential Domestic Violence Program. After receiving counseling and participating in the “cycle of violence” women’s support group, Alejandrina was able to sign the lease on a safe home of her own. Today, at age 64, Alejandrina is certified in self-defense, volunteers with the New York City Police Department’s Auxiliary Unit, and teaches Spanish to low-income families.
click here to hear Alejandrina tell her story!
Barrier Free Living’s The Secret Garden is an award-winning Non-Residential Domestic Violence program offering a 24-hour hotline, short- and long-term individual counseling, group counseling, advocacy, safety planning, occupational therapy, and referrals to outside services. The Secret Garden Program began in 1986 and was one of the first programs in the country to specialize in working with disabled survivors of domestic violence. The Secret Garden provides a multitude of services to New Yorkers, but many of these could be at risk in the state budget. New York State has already cut $3 million for domestic violence programs in the past two years, affecting counseling, legal, case management, and other non-shelter-based domestic violence services. In the next fiscal year, the State plans to eliminate funding for non-shelter services entirely. Support Barrier Free Living (BFL) and its work to end domestic violence by signing a petition on Change.org
Barrier Free Living has for over 30 years helped New Yorkers with disabilities to live independently in the community. With programs for the homeless, survivors of domestic violence and their children, BFL provides a range of services and linkages to other community resources, enabling individuals to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of living dignified, secure lives.
Ora Timbers: Urban Pathways’ Olivieri Drop-In Center for Homeless Adults
“Get help, check. Get a job, check. Get my own apartment, check.“ Read the story of Ora Timbers' struggles from a six-month diabetic coma to dealing with schizophrenia to finding herself.
“As I tell you my story, you might think it seems like a hard struggle. It has been a struggle, but worth it, and I hope you will agree.
In 1996, I quit my factory job with DuPont, in my home state of South Carolina. I started staying with friends and relatives as I looked for work. I finally found a job as a line cook. Thinking that there might be better work in New York City, I saved money for a bus ticket and in 1998, I came here. But right after I arrived, I went into a diabetic coma and spent six months in the hospital. So, I ended up back in South Carolina. But then I spent several years trying to find a decent job. In 2003, I took my chances on New York City again.
This time, as soon as I got off the bus, I went to Urban Pathway’s outreach program at the Port Authority. They brought me to their Olivieri Drop-In Center. After an examination with a psychiatrist, it was determined I was showing signs of a mental illness and was soon after diagnosed with schizophrenia. For six months, I was a client at Olivieri, getting meals and showers each day, working with my case manager to get ready for the next step. Eventually, my case manager was able to get me a spot at the Urban Pathways Travelers Safe Haven a place where people who have had problems like mine, or have even been homeless for 10 or 20 years work on getting ready for permanent housing…..permanently and successfully. After eight months I moved into one of Urban Pathways’ supportive housing residences, Ivan Shapiro House. Ivan Shapiro is a beautiful place. I had my own apartment, cooked my own meals, learned to do my own banking and made good friends. I also enrolled in the ESTEEM job training program. In that program, I learned the skills I needed to re-enter the workforce successfully. I worked part-time paid internships at Urban Pathways, attended workshops and counseling and just got ready to work.
This past January I took a permanent part-time job in Urban Pathways Development department. I got my own private apartment in New York City, with the help of Urban Pathways scatter site apartment program. I can still work with the program’s case manager if I choose even though I will be on my own. I feel like I have a check list. Get help, check. Get a job, check. Get my own apartment, check. The last thing I will check off on my list, get full time job. Thanks so much to Urban Pathways and all its programs. I have no doubt my life is on track because of them.“
Urban Pathway's Olivieri Drop-In Center for Homeless Adults helps individuals achieve a place in society and a permanent home through the use of basic and therapeutic services. Offering on-site medical, mental health and substance abuse assessments, access to meals, clothing, showers, and rehabilitation and recovery programs, the Center uses a strong case-management approach to provide individual counseling and training services to assist all clients in successfully transitioning to housing. In addition, the Olivieri Drop-In Center collaborates with dozens of churches and synagogues throughout the city to provide overnight beds to each client.
Urban Pathway's Travelers Safe Haven is a temporary housing facility for homeless individuals who have been diagnosed with a serious and persistent mental illness and have not successfully engaged in conventional housing or outpatient treatment. The primary goal of this temporary housing model is to promote wellness and stability by providing rehabilitative services in a low-demand environment. Residents are permitted to remain as long as needed to acquire the skills necessary for independent living.
Urban Pathway's Ivan Shapiro House (ISH) is one of the first single room occupancy/ community residences in NYC created specifically for the formerly homeless, mentally ill population. ISH offers a full array of rehabilitative, treatment, vocational, support, and self-help services to its residents and emphasizes principles of Wellness Self-Management (WSM) in which psychiatric and physical wellness and recovery are paramount. Although each resident charts a different course, in many cases, residents are able to enter part- or full-time employment and/or to successfully locate and establish homes in independent, community-based housing.
Responsible Fatherhood Program - The Coalition for Hispanic Children and Families (CHCF)
Anthony was a student in The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families’ Responsible Fatherhood Program and “Opening Doors to the Future” internship program at Grace Dodge Career & Technical High School. He had decided that he wanted to make some life changes because he was continually getting into trouble and about to give up on school. He was trying to “get his stuff together.” His principal suggested the Responsible Fatherhood program. To quote Anthony, “This program came at the right time.”
He learned “life skills,” such as financial literacy, strategies for communicating and improving relationships with loved ones. When asked how he had changed since participating in the program he said “I matured. It helped me mature mentally. It showed me my responsibilities as an adult.”
For his “Opening Doors to the Future” internship, Anthony was placed at Alliance Building Services. Anthony and his peers were able to experience working in an office and all that it entails. “I learned how to dress professionally. I learned how to network. It opens a lot of doors. I learned to be more social.”
His favorite moment during the program was the Culmination & Awards Ceremony, held in June 2010 at NYU. For many, including Anthony, this was an emotion filled evening. Anthony said he looked at the photos that were taken throughout the year and thought, “I made it this far in a year. That’s a lot of progress.” He also said “I didn’t see myself where I’m at now, back then.”
Where is Anthony now? As of February 2011, he was in the second semester of his freshman year at Bronx Community College and according to him he was “the star” of his math class.
The Responsible Fatherhood Program serves 75 high school students in the Bronx who are fathers, fathers to be, and father figures. The goal of the program is to encourage participants to be responsible contributing members of the community. Changing their lives will have impacts on their children, other family members and begin to bring about change in their communities. The program helps build skills in parenting, relationship building, financial literacy and provide exposure to post secondary education and career options.
For nearly 29 years, The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families has reached out to children and families in the Latino community with programs and services that have improved their lives and helped them build a productive future. Through educational and health programs, trainings and services, CHCF provides families with the skills and information they need to raise healthy children, to make sure those children are well cared for and have what they need to succeed in life.
Run to Mo - Safe SpaceEveyana Cortez once felt so lost, she was sure she would never find herself. Beyond the average emotional struggles of a teenager, her relationship with her mother often featured heated, days-long arguments followed by mutual alienation. To make matters worse, Eveyana was expelled from Queensborough Community College due to poor grades and financial difficulties, making her completely uninterested in studying.
When a friend told Eveyana Safe Space’s Jamaica drop-in center was a fun place to hang out, she figured she see what it was like. The teen quickly realized that fun was only part of what the agency offered, and she became a fixture at the center.
Eveyana met Morjean “Mo” Belefanti, a case worker at Safe Space. Mo offered Eveyana encouragement and suggestions. They developed an extreme level of trust. “As soon as I met him, it was like a click,” Eveyana recalls. “I never really confided in anybody prior to Mo. Whenever I had a problem, it was always just: ‘Run to Mo’. He didn’t hold my hand, but he started guiding me on a path so I could go on that path on my own.” He showed her she had many career opportunities and helped her to improve relationships with her mom.
Then, Eveyana got a job as an HIV prevention outreach worker at the Child Center of New York. There, she recognized that teenagers felt comfortable talking to her about their everyday problems, and she felt at ease giving them advice. “Because I found guidance and I found solutions, it made me realize that I should pass it on to younger generations to come,” she said. “I’ve witnessed enough and experienced enough to be able to help them. I feel like teens is the population that lacks the most attention.” Eveyana had found herself.
Now, Eveyana is working as an intern at Safe Space. She plans to return to college once her internship is over and become a social worker helping teenagers and honoring Mo’s legacy. “I finally got my life back together, and I’m working towards doing what I really need to do,” she said. “If I didn’t meet Mo, I wouldn’t have had somebody to help me.”
Youth Drop-In Centers offer the safe, positive environment wherein individuals can acquire the tools to be successful. They offer a wide variety of services, ranging from substance abuse prevention to family mediation. For example one program run out of the Drop-In Centers, Steps to Success, helps high school teens develop the ability to locate, secure and maintain jobs.
Safe Space believes that everybody deserves to live in a healthy and secure environment; they offer a wide array of services focusing on mental health, community health, at-risk youth, violence prevention and school-based education enrichment. They are based in Southeastern Queens with a strong presence in Jamaica, Far Rockaway and Richmond Hill, Safe Space annually works for some of the most disadvantaged children and families in New York State.
Back to Work - GoodwillWhen Eric Rodriguez came to Goodwill's Back to Work program in the Bronx during late July 2010, he was shocked to see the sheer number of qualified people seeking employment there. The twenty-six year-old college graduate and father felt discouraged and unable to compete with other job-seekers who had impeccable credentials and far more experience than him.
Eric had worked as a high school substitute teacher while going to college for a Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management. After graduating from Central Connecticut State University in early June, Eric sold his truck to move to New York City and join the New York Police Department Academy. But his dream of becoming one of New York’s finest was crushed. Budget cuts meant fewer slots reserved for candidates with work experience in the security field and no place for Eric.
By the end of July, Eric had no money for food, transportation, or rent. Left with no options, he had to apply for public assistance and spend a night at a city shelter before moving in with distant relatives.
As a welfare applicant, Eric was required to seek employment. He was referred to Goodwill’s Back to Work. There he attended workshops that prepared him for the job hunt. He received job search, networking and business attire tips, resume preparation instruction, and an opportunity to hone his interviewing skills. Eager to find work, he interviewed for positions in construction, fast-food restaurants, drugstores, and movie theaters. Everywhere he got the same response: “You’re too qualified.”
Being on welfare and sleeping on his aunt’s couch made the job search harder. Five months seemed like five years. “I felt I had failed my son when I applied for public assistance,” he remarks. But he did not give up and his persistence paid off, he was referred for a Child Support Specialist position at the Goodwill’s Back to Work Queens site. After several interviews, he was hired at the end of October.
Today Eric makes 50% more than in his previous job. He plans to develop a Fatherhood program to educate parents on the Child Support System regulations and the statutes for custodial and non custodial parents, an issue dear to his heart. “My job has helped me both personally and professionally,” notes the grateful father. “I never missed a payment for Child Support until June 2010. Paying Child Support again was very important.” Life looks bright for Eric now, “I finally found an affordable apartment, and I’m looking for a vehicle to commute to Connecticut to spend quality time with my son.”
Back to Work are one-stop employment centers that provide job readiness training, placement services and vocational training to New Yorkers applying for or receiving public assistance. Referral by the New York City Human Resources Administration is required. Employment services are shaped according to the background, interests and skills of each individual. They include short-term job search assistance, vocational training, work experience or basic education, offered in a structured and professional environment. Through these services, Back to Work builds on each individual’s capacity to achieve job placement, retention and ultimately career advancement. Public assistance recipients (including qualified food stamp recipients) may also be eligible for training vouchers to help obtain new jobs or further their careers as they work toward self-sufficiency. Goodwill’s three Back to Work locations continue to place New Yorkers in jobs in spite of the economic downturn. Goodwill placed more than 4,300 job-seekers in competitive employment in 2010. For information, call (718) 246-4905 for Elm Place, Brooklyn; (718) 433-1695 for Long Island City, Queens; and (646) 308-6300 for East 148th Street, the Bronx.
Goodwill provides training and employment services to help overcome barriers to opportunity for youth and individuals who lack education, training, ability or skills. It also offers educational and recreational programs for children. Headquartered in Astoria, Queens, Goodwill Industries of Greater NY and Northern NJ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving 160,000 people annually and placing 7 job-seekers in competitive employment every hour of every business day.Goodwill has helped New Yorkers re-use and re-purpose unwanted clothing and household items since its founding in 1915. Today, Goodwill works with partners to recycle computer equipment and plastic bags. Donations may be dropped off at any of 40 Goodwill stores across the area.
People Like Me - The Hetrick-Martin Institute
Davell Bluez is 20 years old and from Queens. This is Davell’s story about growing up gay and how the Hetrick Martin Institute provides a safe and supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.
Q: Have you been bullied?
A: Yeah, at my old school. I’ve been teased a lot, called the “f-bomb.” I had a lot of homophobia throughout the whole day of school. And the teacher would know it and they’ll say “stop” and that would be it—it’s not a punishment. It could get bad.
Q: How did being bullied make you feel?
A: Being bullied felt like…I didn’t belong. Like I didn’t want to be myself. But I tried to just be myself, be my own person– hopefully not to get physically hurt. And you know, when somebody said something I tried to either walk away or ignore it like I didn’t hear it. I know if I was to say something back, which is what they probably wanted me to do, they could get physical. So that’s the way I survive.
Q: How would you say the Hetrick-Martin has helped you?
A: It’s helped me because, at one point of my life, I was like…cause my mom didn’t agree with me being gay…so I ran away. I was living in a shelter. And after school—like school would end really early and having nowhere else to go. Coming to Hetrick-Martin was an after-school program and you felt comfortable because it’s people who identify the same way as you and you can get along with. So it’s really cool.
Q: What programs are you involved with at Hetrick-Martin?
A: I’m in the internship called Change, We are teaching tolerance in our community, outside of our community, and the history of it, where we expect it to be from now, and hopefully it will be good, better.
Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed budget does not include $5.99 million he cut previously for Runaway and Homeless Youth and was restored last year by the city council. Without these funds, it will be harder to help young people, like Davell, who have no where to turn.
CHANGE (Challenging Houses And Networks to Get Educated) Internship Program provides opportunities for LGBT young people to become leaders in their community and to educate about sexual health.
The Hetrick-Martin Institute believes all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential. Hetrick-Martin creates this environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth between the ages of 12 and 24 and their families.
Kids R Us - Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens
When Laura Gutierrez enrolled her three-year-old son Gabriel at Catholic Charities’ Sunset Park Early Childhood Development Center, she had high hopes for his bright future. Laura was astonished when his teacher told her that Gabriel struggled with his fine motor skills. Determined not to let Gabriel fall behind, the teacher guided Gabriel’s parents through the process of enrolling him in on-site occupational therapy to improve his skills. With therapy, Gabriel was able to keep up with the other children his age. Despite his earlier difficulty, he can now write beautifully and easily. Laura’s daughter is currently enrolled in the program and Laura works at the facility as a volunteer. Laura also took advantage of nutrition classes at Cornell University available through Catholic Charities. She is proud to be able to make healthy snacks and meals for the whole family. According to Laura, “Even after my children graduate from Sunset Park, I know we will still be part of this family. We feel so welcome here that we see it as our second home.”
Catholic Charities Early Childhood Development Centers offer comprehensive quality programs through 21 UPK, Head Start programs, child care centers and family day care, each designed to foster the social, emotional, physical and cognitive development of preschoolers in a safe environment. Catholic Charities uses the Montessori approach to early childhood education as it best meets the needs of children up to seven years old. To uphold its commitment to quality education, its Caritas Center provides Montessori training to Catholic Charities’ early childhood staff. In addition, Caritas also helps provide essential learning materials for more than 90 classrooms at Catholic Charities sites such as number rods and sandpaper letters. Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens reaches approximately 2,400 children each year, ensuring that they receive the best education possible for the best future possible.
The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) contracts with hundreds of nonprofit groups, such as Catholic Charities, to provide affordable day care for low income New Yorkers. Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed budget includes cutting 16,624 subsidized child care slots and increases child care co-payments for families. This will make it much more difficult for parents, like Laura, to afford day care.
The Sunset Park Early Childhood Development Center is crucial to the families of Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where 56 percent of the population earns less than $35,000 a year, and 27 percent earn less than $15,000 a year. The center’s multicultural staff reflects the diversity of the Sunset Park neighborhood, which is composed of families from Latino, Asian and Middle Eastern backgrounds. All of its classrooms are equipped with libraries, computers and other learning tools. On-site occupational, physical or speech therapy is offered to children in need in conjunction with the New York City Department of Education.
Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens creates a community of caring and sharing by reaching out to the poor, the sick, and the isolated. For over 100 years, Catholic Charities has been providing quality social services to the neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens, and currently offers over 180 programs and services for children, youth, adults, seniors, the developmentally disabled, and the mentally ill. One of the largest providers of affordable housing in New York City, Catholic Charities provides 3,000 units of housing for low-income seniors, families, and the formerly homeless, and 750 units of special needs housing, throughout Brooklyn and Queens.
VIP Treatment - GoodwillThe idea he would become legally blind one day never crossed Marc Thomas’s mind. However, in August 2009 Marc was hospitalized for an internal obstruction. While he was being treated, he developed pneumonia, went into respiratory failure, and fell into a 10-day coma. The lack of oxygen damaged his retinas. When he woke up, his vision was impaired. Marc’s situation was complicated by his almost forty year history of diabetes. However, with help from Goodwill he has learned to overcome many challenges he has faced since that hospital stay and has returned to work.
Marc went to Helen Keller Services for the Blind for mobility and adaptive technology training. The training allowed him to navigate the city with a walking cane and use technology, which magnifies text, to read a computer screen.
Despite his misfortune Marc was eager to return to work. The 44-year-old New Yorker has a Bachelor of Science and Business Administration degree. His extensive career spans 12 years in retail and more than 10 years in executive administrative support positions.
In August 2010, Marc was referred to Goodwill’s VIP Program. Based at Goodwill’s Astoria headquarters, the program helps blind and visually impaired persons to find employment. Recognizing Marc’s excellent verbal skills, Martha Jackson, Goodwill’s director of VIP Career Services, asked him to join Call Forward Project. The brand-new Goodwill program provides customer service training and employment for legally blind job seekers. Marc started training there in late November 2010.
One of the first to complete this training, Marc found a job two months after joining the Goodwill program. In early February 2011, he began working as a customer service and sales representative for Enhanced Customer Care Solutions. “I am new to being blind or visually impaired. Goodwill’s Call Forward Project made it possible for me to meet others in similar situations and know that it is possible to return to work,” he says. “I’m grateful to Goodwill and Martha for helping me through the process of changing careers.”
Call Forward Project provides customer service training and employment for legally blind job seekers. Funded by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Goodwill program is one of two call centers employing and helping find jobs for visually-impaired New Yorkers. Call Forward Project is located at City View Plaza, 36-36 33rd Street, Long Island City, NY 11101. For information, contact Martha Jackson, Goodwill’s VIP Career Services Director at (718) 392-7072 ext 303, or mjackson@goodwillny.org.
Goodwill provides training and employment services to help overcome barriers to opportunity for youth and individuals who lack education, training, ability or skills. It also offers educational and recreational programs for children. Headquartered in Astoria, Queens, Goodwill Industries of Greater NY and Northern NJ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving 160,000 people annually and placing 7 job-seekers in competitive employment every hour of every business day.
Goodwill has helped New Yorkers re-use and re-purpose unwanted clothing and household items since its founding in 1915. Today, Goodwill works with partners to recycle computer equipment and plastic bags. Donations may be dropped off at any of 40 Goodwill stores across the area.
The Pursuit of Happiness - Institute for Community Living
In his mid-teens Gary Mace watched as his brother suffered through the negative effects of depression and mental illness. His brother’s pain had a profound effect on Gary who, like his brother, experienced depression. Gary turned to drugs and alcohol and moved away from his family in Texas to California to keep his substance abuse secret. For the next 30 years, he suffered from severe depression. He became addicted to heroin, used cocaine, spent over a year in jail for drug possession, and attempted suicide.
In 2007, Gary found himself at a men’s shelter in New York City. According to him, “I had lost everything, and there was no way of getting it back.” Despite this, Gary did not give up hope of a better future, and he resolved to search for housing. He found the Institute for Community Living’s (ICL) Walit House and later the ICL First Street Residence, where he now lives.
Through the Continuing Day Treatment Program’s group therapy, Gary began to deal with the pain he had carried with him for most of his life. With the help of his ICL therapist, Gary blended the principles of Schema Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, weekly AA meetings and SMART Recovery meetings into a program structured to meet his individual needs.
Currently, he is working for F.E.G.S Health and Human Services System as a Peer Specialist assigned to ICL’s award-winning Pathways to Wellness. Gary has recently received a certificate of completion for the Mind Your Health Peer Coaching Program of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Office of Consumer Affairs and has run health and wellness groups at a private assisted living facility. On the side, he is a mental health advocate and will shortly be making his third visit in as many years to Albany to meet with legislators. This February, Gary will start taking classes at Kingsborough Community College. He is pursuing a Mental Health and Human Services degree with a concentration in substance abuse issues.
Gary Mace was honored in 2009 by ICL during its annual gala, Giving Voice to Independence, with the Beacon of Hope award. He says, “My hard work and determination is paying off dividends. I am excited about life again. My spirit is mending. I now have hope for the future.”
Supportive Housing is an important resource for people who experience homelessness, and it saves money. In New York, the need for expensive psychiatric inpatient services was reduced by 60% once mentally ill homeless tenants were placed in supportive housing. In Seattle, use of emergency rooms by tenants placed in supportive housing dropped by 74%. A Minneapolis study showed an 89% reduction in the need for costly detox services. Despite concerns that supportive housing developments may depress property values in the surrounding neighborhood, evidence suggests that this is not true. A study of supportive housing developments built in New York City between 1985 and 2003 found that there was no statistically significant effect on prices for houses within 1,000 feet of a development. This held true regardless of the size of the development.
ICL’s Community Residences help people with histories of homelessness and/or hospitalization to develop the skills they need to live successfully in more independent housing. ICL has different types of community residences. Some are residential buildings with shared and private rooms that have round-the-clock staff, group meals and on-site services/activities. Others are treatment apartments with visiting case managers. Some of these apartments are designated for parents with serious mental illness and their children. ICL also operates CR/SRO programs that offer private efficiency apartments with a 24-hour front desk, crisis coverage and on-site case managers. ICL's community residences are located in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens.
Institute for Community Living touches the lives of 8,000 men, women and children each year. Most of ICL's programs are located in New York City, where ICL has been a leader in developing and implementing best practice, evidence-based recovery and treatment services. With over 100 programs, ICL's staff strives to create a safe and caring environment for people with histories of homelessness, mental illness, developmental disabilities, chronic health conditions and/or substance abuse, helping them to take charge of their lives.
I'm Somebody - The Hetrick-Martin Institute
Luis is 18 years old and gay. He first came to the Hetrick-Martin Institute, the oldest and largest nonprofit agency created to serve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth between the ages of 12 and 21, at the age of 15 when he was in an LGBTQ group home after experiencing physical abuse at home. When he was 16, he transferred to Harvey Milk High School, a small New York City high school partnered with the Hetrick-Martin Institute. This is Luis’s story in his own words.
You were 15 when you came out?
I was actually 13. My mother overheard me coming out to a friend over the phone. She made me hang up the phone—she started a whole thing. Over the next two years I became really, really apart from my house. One time she hit me, so I called the police. Then I was put into the system. I stayed there until I was about 17 and then I went to another group home upstate. I stayed there for a year.
Where are you now?
I’m actually back home with my mom. I left the group home and decided to go on my own. I went to stay with a friend and I got a job as a research assistant for the National Development Research Institutes (NRDI). When I moved back to the city, my mom and I somehow began to communicate again.
Were you going to school this whole time?
Yes. I always had to go to school feeling like I had to hide something. I would have to prevent myself from doing things because I felt like those things would be a bit too “feminine” or too “gay” or kids would notice. There are always kids that make derogatory remarks.
How old were you when you transferred to Harvey Milk High School?
Sixteen.
Why did you stay in school?
Because my mother always told me that I was going to be a nobody. She always said I was going to be a bum. Now it’s about me—about what I want to complete for myself and be successful. I had the opportunity to stay upstate in high school, but I didn’t feel comfortable there.
You’re planning to go to college; do you have any idea of what you want to study?
I love theater. I want to minor in theater and major in sociology.
How did Hetrick-Martin and its services help you?
It helped me in every way, with everything and anything, whether it was the pantry, or resources to find housing or legal resources. I came to Harvey Milk and I blossomed. I love acting, and theater has been a really big part of my life. POP Arts was a great way to express practicing a safe lifestyle. In Green Thumbs, I was able to run a cooking group. Anthology helped to express my feelings about being beaten by the cops and share it with my peers, which is something I had never been able to disclose to anyone. It would always make me cry even when I would think about it.
The Harvey Milk High School (HMHS) is a four-year, fully accredited, inclusive voluntary public high school. The HMHS door is open for all students, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or physical abilities. It is a school where some of the city's most at-risk LGBTQ youth can learn without the threat of physical violence and emotional harm they faced in a traditional educational environment.
Every small public school in NYC adopts a community-based organization as lead partner. The Hetrick-Martin Institute is that host agency for HMHS. Hetrick-Martin manages the school facility and uses the facility for after-school programs and supportive services. However, the New York City Department of Education operates the school and accepts applications for prospective students.
The Hetrick-Martin Institute believes all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential. Hetrick-Martin creates this environment for LGBTQ youth between the ages of 12 and 24 and their families.
Rockette at Heart - Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens
Sixty eight year old Hazel Monteleone lives by herself with no family nearby. However, she is by no means alone. She has discovered a home away from home and a family away from family at Catholic Charities Ozone Park Senior Center where she participates in activities and volunteers.
According to Hazel, “It is relaxing here [at the Senior Center] and I love to help people. I help people fill out papers if they need. I help answer the phones and help in the office. If someone is out sick, I give them a call or send them a card. I also take the dance classes and yoga classes here every week. I learn the cha-cha, rumba, and the waltz. We’re called the Senior Ozone Rockettes! I also took an art class. I never picked up a paint brush before but boy, I did 13 paintings and they really came out nice. I thought I would never be able to do it but I did it. I couldn’t believe it. I was so proud of myself. It was a lot of fun. I’m busy and I really enjoy it.”
Hazel takes advantage of the free blood pressure screening at the center bi-weekly. She participates in various exercise and fitness programs several times a week, including the Walk About group where seniors walk around the center to remain active and mobile. Hazel says, “A lot of our seniors have crutches or canes, so it may be tough for them but we make sure to keep our bodies moving.” Recently, Hazel even started a weekly group called Let’s Talk where seniors get together to discuss issues that affect them and share tips with each other. The first topic was on arthritis.
“I love it here. I even learned how to crochet. It really makes me feel good. I love coming here. I’m here everyday first thing in the morning unless it snows. If I didn’t come here I would be home looking at the walls and going in the refrigerator. I’m not a TV person. I prefer talking to people and learning new things,” she says.
Senior centers are a good option for serving a large client population who need some help but can still live independently or with family. A single community center can serve a hundred or more clients, like Hazel, per day at a cost of $350,000 annually. That same $350,000 would serve just 2.4 seniors annually in a nursing home.
Senior Centers provide evidence-based health and exercise programs, nutritional and educational classes, nutritious lunches, social and recreational activities, assistance with entitlements and benefits, ESL classes, basic computer and internet classes, counseling, intergenerational programs, volunteer opportunities, local educational and recreational trips, as well as multicultural events.
Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens sees its mission as promoting unity among all persons by seeking to develop caring communities. Catholic Charities sponsors over 180 programs and services throughout the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.
A New Dream - Palladia's Parole Transition Program
John, a Parole Transition Program (PTP) participant since early December 2010 has led a hard life. It didn’t start out that way, and he is the first to admit that his troubles are all of his own making. “I grew up in the Bronx, not in a broken home. I had a mother and a father and a private house on Katonah Avenue.” John, who still holds a special affection for his mother, describes his parents as caring and responsible. “They were very ‘hands on,’” he says. “They were very hard workers.” His father was a truck driver and his mother did clerical work. They raised John and his brother and four sisters. “My dream was to fly airplanes,” he says of his childhood. His favorite hobby at the time was building intricate model aircraft. In his late teens he put his aspiration to become a real pilot into action when took a test to enter military service. But he soon squandered the opportunity. “The military was there for me,” he says knowingly. “But I went with the wrong crowd, and in a short span of time, I got into trouble. I paid for it half my life.”
Twenty-one years to be exact. Along the way there would be other opportunities to change things for the better, but the weight of his prison past was too much to bear. He would slip back into the wrong environment and the wrong attitude, what he calls, “the jailhouse mentality.”
From 1985 to 1995, John spent ten years in the Clinton Correctional Facility in upstate New York. He had been convicted of second-degree manslaughter, he says. Upon his release from prison he was determined to make it in society. He found employment, began to save money, took advantage of his family support network, and tried to put his mistakes behind him. For a time, it worked. “I had to reevaluate everything. I became a hard-working man. I put my best foot forward.” But he never really left the world of his criminal past. “I was in the same environment, around the same people, being laughed at for working every day.”
In 1997, two life events affected him deeply. His mother died, and he became the father of a son. John began abusing alcohol. “I didn’t know how to deal with this: a child being born and my favorite person passing away. Before I knew it, I was drinking.” That same year, he was seen getting into a car with two people who had committed a robbery. When the car was stopped by police several blocks later, everyone in the car was arrested. “I had a prior conviction. I couldn’t fight it. I tried.” He was sent back to Clinton.
It would be the same story five years later. He came home in 2002, found good jobs, and even completed Palladia’s Parole Transition Program (PTP) for the first time. But it didn’t take. He was found guilty of a parole violation and did six more years upstate.
In December 2010, John found himself once again on the doorstep of Palladia’s PTP facility on Third Avenue in upper Manhattan. “I asked to come back,” he says. “I need the structure. I need the reality check.” A proud man determined to make it on his own, John is newly realistic about what he takes to succeed. “I thought I had an awakening before, but I didn’t really grasp it.”
This time around John has embraced the difficult task of getting beyond corrosive self-deception. “It’s my second time here, but I still feel relatively new. I’m learning a lot about myself—and that’s tough.” Speaking of himself and others who have had trouble breaking the cycle of repeat incarcerations, he says, “When you look at yourself for what you really are, where you are at, that has caused a lot of people to relapse. They start getting high again, start drinking. They can’t accept the reality of their situation. They fool themselves.”
The antidote for relapse he says is structure. “Palladia is the home of structure. Palladia is the doorway out of prison. For a lot of people, PTP is exactly what they need. You have to have a good support system of family and friends, but you’ve good to have structure, too. That’s what I’ve acquired at Palladia.”
John is not the only one who thinks he’s going to succeed. Margaret Richardson, his case manager at PTP says, “John has made a lot of changes. He has a very positive attitude, and he helps and encourages other clients in the program.”
When asked what he thinks will happen if programs like PTP are no longer available for New Yorkers, he says, “A lot of men will get out of prison and go into the hands of their loved ones until their loved ones get tired of them, and then they’ll go back to the street. If they go to a shelter, they are going to have a jailhouse mentality. They’ll never lose it. You can’t take the jail mentality and bring it to society. It doesn’t work.”
Today at fifty, John has a commanding, athletic presence. He has been sober and drug free for nearly fifteen years. At Clinton, he earned a college degree in business administration and is currently looking for work in the food service industry. He reads the Bible every day and regularly attends church at Harlem’s famed Greater Refuge Temple. After years of absence, he is becoming reacquainted with his son, now thirteen. “I just want to be stable,” he says about his hopes for the future. “I just want stable employment, a residence, and a chance to be productive. I just want to be there for my son.” John also hopes that his story will inspire others in need of programs like PTP to seek help.
This time he knows he’s going to make it. Thanks to Palladia, he says, “I’m optimistic. More optimistic than before.”
The Parole Transition Program (PTP) is a 90- to 120-day community residence for adult males who are under the supervision of New York State Division of Parole (DOP); the program operates in three stages, from orientation to reintegration to stabilization and reentry. PTP offers an array of services that promote a drug-free lifestyle, a positive sense of self worth, and independent living skills.
Founded in 1970, today Palladia, Inc., is one of the largest not-for-profit, multi-service agencies in New York City. Palladia serves largely urban, poor individuals and families of color, and is nationally recognized for its innovative service delivery in the fields of substance abuse, homelessness, HIV, mental illness and trauma, domestic violence, criminal justice services, and family services. Palladia currently serves more than 2,000 persons per day in 28 distinct human service programs.
Ms. Stacey Bristow and STS graduates
Stepping Up - Safe Space NYC Inc.
When Tiana Marie Farmer enrolled in the Steps to Success program (STS), she was defensive and confrontational, frequently lashing out at others. An adoptee, she had family issues and financial difficulties, which at times made her feel that attending college wasn't possible.
As part of the STS curricula, Tiana worked on her emotional health through conflict resolution classes, group therapy sessions and one-on-one supervision with Ms. Stacey Bristow. "When I started, I had a bad attitude," she admitted, but Ms. Stacey helped change her mind. "It felt good to have somebody on my side…She really cared about me."
Tiana learned job readiness, interview skills and how to create a resume and cover letter. She also built up her vocabulary and even improved her presentation abilities. "I learned not to say 'um' or 'like' [during interviews]," she said.
One of the most effective activities was writing an autobiography, as Tiana found the process therapeutic. Her adoptive mother didn't like the idea of Tiana disclosing the family's information, but it eventually made them closer. "It was good to get it out," Tiana said, "to finally open up."
Through an STS contact, Tiana got an internship at the Possibility Project, a nonprofit, which gives youth the opportunity to express themselves through theater and dance. Then she decided to train for a job in a duty-free store at JFK International Airport. Now 20 years old, she is in her third year at Queensborough Community College and hopes to transfer to either Queens College or Molloy College on Long Island.
Her goal is to work in education. Said Tiana: "Thanks to Steps to Success, I'm ready to be a teacher."
Of the nearly 900,000 young adults ages 16 to 24 years in New York City, almost 25 percent live below the federal poverty line, compared with 19 percent of all New Yorkers, regardless of age.2 One in every eight New York City youth is disconnected from work and school. Disconnection greatly increases a young person's chance of experiencing homelessness, involvement in the criminal justice system, and irregular employment well into adulthood.3
Steps to Success is a youth employment program run out of Safe Space drop-in centers. Working primarily with teens who are still in high school, the program helps participants develop the basic skills necessary for locating, securing and maintaining jobs. Clients hone their interview and job-readiness skills, while learning resume writing and becoming more familiar with computers and worksite culture. There are also conflict-resolution services and a job bank of potential employers. Steps to Success served 72 participants last year.
With the strong belief that everybody deserves to live in a healthy and secure environment, Safe Space offers a wide array of services focusing on mental health, community health, at-risk youth, family support and school partnerships. Based in Southeast Queens with a strong presence in Jamaica, Far Rockaway and Richmond Hill, Safe Space annually works for more than 10,000 individuals, including some of the most disadvantaged children and families in New York.
>2 The New York City Commission on Economic Opportunity Report, "Increasing Opportunity and Reducing Poverty in New York City," September 2006.
3 Wald, Michael and Martinez, Tina, "Connected by 25: Improving the Life Changes of the Country's Most Vulnerable 24 Year Olds. "Stanford University, November 2006 at:
http://billwilsoncenter.org/Downloads/pdfs /FinalVersionof
DisconnectedYouthPaper.pdf
A New Lease on Life - Barrier Free Living
"Since being at BFL, I've made incredible progress in my life."
Rafael Figueroa
Rafael Figueroa was a client of Barrier Free Living's (BFL) Transitional Housing program, where he successfully transitioned from being homeless to living in his own apartment. He shares how he went from feeling helpless on the streets to gaining a sense of pride in his life. Rafael was the recipient of the Barbara S. Kleiman Award in 2009, recognizing the success of formerly homeless men and women.
"When I got to BFL's Transitional Housing I worked with my case manager, looking at my choices and used the computer room to improve my skills. I also connected with fellow residents like my friend Troy, who encouraged me to stay strong and find permanent housing. Now I have a one-bedroom, wheelchair accessible apartment. I want to move on to job training and school, and I also want to get back into playing wheelchair basketball, which I used to do years ago."
Supportive housing provides homeless clients access to services they need to maintain stable housing. By giving these families and individuals basic medical care, a place to live, substance abuse counseling, and psychiatric support, clients no longer need to rely on much costlier emergency services. Supportive housing programs across the nation have found that the reduced use of emergency services more than pays for the cost of supportive housing. In New York City, studies have found that supportive housing saves between $12,146 and $16,282 per client when compared to the use of emergency shelters and services.1
Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing provides safe shelter and case management services to people with disabilities who are homeless, including those who require the services of a homecare attendant. The BFL mission is to reintegrate residents into the community to live independently. BFL provides a range of services and linkages to other community resources, enabling individuals to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of living dignified, secure lives.
1 http://www.shnny.org/documents/Culhane.pdf
A Place to Turn - Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty - Agneta and Esther Welber Met Council client Agneta Welber, 54, selflessly spends her days caring for her older sister, Esther Welber, 60. Esther, who suffers from Parkinson's disease and a degenerative neurological disorder, is wheelchair bound and requires constant attention. Agneta worked in the offices of Maimonides Medical Center Hospital until 2000, but was unable to continue due to the demanding schedule of caring for her sister. Her current daily routine involves bathing and feeding Esther, as well as helping her with necessary exercises.
Although Agneta has experienced a revolving door of home health aids, she refuses to place her sister in a long-term care facility for fear of abuse or neglect.
The sisters live in constant financial strain. Together they receive a Social Security income of $1,724, but this is not enough to cover rent, utilities, food, medications, and other essentials.
Agneta first came to Met Council 20 years ago for help in caring for her sister and disabled mother. They were behind on rent, due to high medical costs and little income and Met Council was able to help the family through the crisis. Agneta has continued a relationship with the organization ever since, harvesting an especially strong bond with her case worker, Jackie Ebron.
In late 2010, Agneta fell behind on her monthly rent and reached out to Jackie and the Met Council Crisis Intervention department for help. Met Council, a beneficiary of UJA-Federation of New York, was able to cover her rent, utilities, and past doctor bills. The sisters' apartment was also freshly painted, and they received new door locks.
While Metropolitan Council was able to help with their immediate circumstances, Esther remains in great need of a hospital bed so that she can be comfortable and safe in her home time to make extra income by doing side jobs for others. She frequently works as a caretaker for other elderly people in the neighborhood. As an example of her extraordinary dedication, Agneta explained that she cooked Sabbath dinner for a man and his large family for two years in order to earn living room carpeting.
Met Council's Crisis intervention Services are available for clients who are in serious need. For crises such as eviction, utility shutoff, loss of income and medical emergencies, this department can provide emergency financial assistance and case management. Clients are analyzed on a case by case basis and range from families suffering a loss of income who are suddenly unable to pay rent or utilities, to seniors living on fixed incomes who can no longer pay for their groceries, to low-income individuals who need assistance with renewing their benefits applications.
Each month, Crisis Intervention Services helps over 250 individuals find lasting solutions to their complex problems. Crisis services are available at Met Council's main offices, at the Midwood Single Stop in Brooklyn, and at Jewish Community Councils (JCCs) located throughout the five boroughs.
Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty (Met Council) is one of New York's largest human services agencies, providing 100,000New Yorkers with critical services in their fight against poverty each year. Since 1972, Met Council has been a defender and advocate for New Yorkers in need and has raised awareness around the growing problem of Jewish poverty. Met Council's services include crisis intervention, immigration assistance, benefits outreach and enrollment, kosher food pantries and vouchers, career training and counseling, domestic violence aid, affordable housing, home care,and home repairs and furnishings.
Top Chef – Project Renewal - Anita Snype is a 48-year-old mother of eight with seven grandchildren. With the help of Project Renewal's Culinary Arts Training Program, she transitioned from a life of drug abuse and homelessness to one filled with sobriety, a home, and cooking. This is her story, in her own words.
"I was always interested in the fast life. I got mixed up in drugs; I guess I was curious. I didn't think I had a problem with anything. I kept getting arrested selling drugs. I lost my apartment plenty of times, but I had keys to my family's apartment. Believe it or not, I didn't know that I was really homeless because I didn't have my own apartment. It took me a while to really sit back and get humble, to accept all this and get honest with myself but I did. I entered a 6-month residential program. And I started to like cooking there.
"When I graduated, I was referred to Project Renewal's Culinary Arts Training Program. My classmates and I studied together, we quizzed each other before graduation; we worked hard. We worked as a team. I listened to everything the counselors taught me. They taught me about interviewing and about how to get a job, and set me up with interviews. And now I work at Project Renewal's Comfort Foods. My family laughs at me because before I couldn't boil a pot of water! "Today, I'm just grateful. I just celebrated three years of sobriety. My kids are in my life. I'm living with my fiancée. I am truly grateful to Project Renewal for giving me these skills and for hiring me."
Anita is not alone. Statewide, over 1.9 million New Yorkers (1.77 million adults and 156,000 youth ages 12-17) have a substance abuse problem. Helping Anita and other people in her situation is not only the right thing to do, it's also cost-effective. The price of treatment and job training is far less than the costs associated with someone like Anita in jail or providing her with only the bare necessities to live, such as emergency health care and emergency shelter.
Project Renewal's award-winning Culinary Arts Training Program prepares individuals to work in the food service industry, which offers a wide range of entry-level jobs and opportunities for advancement. More than 85 percent of graduates have been placed in jobs since the program's inception.
Project Renewal's mission is to renew the lives of homeless men and women in New York City. It focuses its efforts on the neediest and least-served of the city's indigent population - men and women who, in addition to being without a home, cope with mental illness and/or addiction to drugs or alcohol. Project Renewal is the only organization in New York that provides everything homeless people need to move from the streets to independent living.
From Foster Care to Philosopher - Institute for Community Living Beacon of Hope Honoree - Tyric Cuff considers himself a philosopher by nature. It's this nature that has helped him understand and make the most of his experiences, both the good and the challenging.
A Brooklynite through and through, Tyric was raised there by his grandmother until he was eight years old. Then, when she was unable to continue caring for him, he entered foster care. For the next twelve years, Tyric found himself shuffled in and out of six different foster care residences.
Now Tyric is 23 years old and living at an Institute for Community Living (ICL) apartment. He is, rightly, proud that he has an apartment he can call his own. ICL helped him make the transition from foster care into adult supportive housing.
From a young age, Tyric relied only on himself―he reached within himself to identify ways to cope, like writing in his journal, playing piano and writings songs―but ICL has helped him realize that all his problems can't be solved alone, no matter how many abilities he has and no matter how determined he is. This realization has not only helped Tyric make huge strides in his own life, it's given him a new focus on devising ways that he can help others.
For Tyric, the most important lesson he has gained from ICL is how to listen, not just with open ears but with an open heart. He wants to help kids and adults alike – who may be going through some of the same things he did – know that they are not alone. He goes out of his way to talk with them, whether that means meeting them in a residence or joining them on the basketball court.
According to Tyric, listening is a part of growing. Those words reveal wisdom beyond his years, and they also show great promise – of all the good he will continue to do in the years to come. Currently, Tyric is focusing on his own vocal training with the hope that he can make a career out of his musical passion.
Supportive housing is the foundation of stable community living and successful recovery for people with serious mental illness. In New York City, studies have found that supportive housing saves between $12,146 and $16,282 per client when compared to the use of emergency shelters and services. Most residents of ICL housing programs come from shelters, hospitals and the streets, and have long histories of homelessness and hospitalizations. Once housed, ICL staff members assist them with accessing health, mental health, addiction treatment, educational, employment and other services.
The Institute for Community Living Inc. assists individuals and families affected by or at risk for mental and developmental disabilities with services and support designed to improve their quality of life and participation in community living. Today, ICL has emerged as a local, regional and national leader in pioneering effective community living services for people with serious mental illness, as well as those with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. In recent years, ICL has reached out to even more New Yorkers, offering accessible, quality health and mental health care, family support, school-based services and more. Today, ICL touches the lives of over 8,000 people each year in NYC and Montgomery County, Pennsylvannia.
From Bullets to Books – Safe Space, Inc. - In 2008, an unconscious Christavious McAllister was rushed to an emergency room after being shot in the stomach during a gang-related incident. A few years later, in January 2011, the 18-year-old entered community college in Utica, where he is now studying media arts and advertising. He plans to transfer to a four-year university, to ultimately become the first college graduate in his family.
What changed? According to Christavious, Safe Space and its Far Rockaway Youth Drop-In Center kept him off the streets and gave him the impetus and skills to pursue higher education. Soon after recovering from his gunshot wound, he became a regular at Safe Space. "It kept me busy, kept me out of trouble," Christavious said, adding that without Safe Space, "I would've gone crazy…I would have ended up like my friends; nobody goes to college." Christavious loves Safe Space so much that he created rap songs in honor of the agency. One track, which can be heard by clicking here, http://www.safespacenyc.org/safespace/News/
Agency_Activities/attachment_1. describes a friendly environment where young people can learn, have fun, be safe, and get involved in educational and social enrichment activities.
In Far Rockaway, where Christavious is from, 26 percent of families with a child under 18 are below the poverty line and juvenile crimes occur at a rate of 15.2 per 1,000. It is due to these staggering statistics and the untapped potential of teens like Christavious that organizations like Safe Space are vital.
Youth Drop-In Centers offer a safe, positive environment where young people can acquire tools that can help them be successful. The centers offer a wide variety of services, ranging from substance abuse prevention to family mediation. For example, one program run out of the Drop-In Centers, Steps to Success, helps high school teens develop the ability to locate, secure and maintain jobs.
Safe Space, Inc. believes that everybody deserves to live in a healthy and secure environment; it offers a wide array of services focusing on mental health, community health, at-risk youth, violence prevention and school-based education enrichment. Based in Southeastern Queens with a strong presence in Jamaica, Far Rockaway and Richmond Hill, Safe Space annually works for some of the most disadvantaged children and families in New York State.
A Room of His Own – Palladia, Inc. - "I used to get spit on. I used to get beat up—I lost all my teeth. It was horrible," says FUSE resident Alberto of the years he spent living on the streets of New York. A shy, gentle Latino of slight build, Alberto grew up in the Bronx. But he hardly remembers those days. "I come from a broken family," he says. The second youngest of eight children, he explains that his father, a restaurant owner, died when Alberto was an infant. After that the family scraped by on public assistance. When his mother remarried, things went from bad to worse. "My stepfather was a violent alcoholic," he says. "He beat my mother for a long time. When I tried to help, he would beat me."
By his teen years, Alberto had fallen in with the wrong crowd. He committed a robbery and was sent to prison for five years. When he returned to his neighborhood at age 21, he was saddened to discover that the situation at home was just as he had left it. "The minute I stepped in the house the first thing I said to my mother was, 'Nothing changed!'" He lasted four days. Convinced that he would never be able to adjust back into society, he did the only thing he could think of to survive: "I did a crime so I could go back to jail." He stole a wallet and then passively waited to be arrested. He spent the next eight years in prison. "Up until then, I think the best time I ever had was in jail." He put the time to good use, playing baseball and becoming certified as a nurse's aide.
Life took a better turn when he was released in 1991. He found a job as a warehouse clerk at a prominent wine and spirits company, lived in Queens with his sister, and was stable for the next three or four years. But in the mid-nineties, he learned about layoffs at his company and became anxious and depressed. When an acquaintance offered him a chance to try heroin, Alberto took it and was instantly hooked. "I went on a fourteen-year drug run," he says.
Alberto spent the next decade and a half battling a $100-a-day heroin habit, sleeping in boxes on the street, and shuttling back and forth to Riker's Island to do time for petty crimes. Alberto says he was arrested at least sixty times in those years.
"I thank God I survived the street," he says. "I had some horrible experiences out there." Like the time in 2007 when someone hit him in the face with a baseball bat and knocked out his teeth while he was sleeping on a subway bench in Manhattan. He never saw who did it. A year later, he was finally ready for help. Thanks to a drop-in center run by a Catholic church in midtown Manhattan, he found shelter at the Bowery Residents' Committee and became an outpatient at a drug treatment facility. That's when Palladia came into his life to offer him a home, an extended family of experienced counselors, and a real chance at an independent life. "I'm really proud of Alberto," says Victoria Pamias, the caseworker who recruited Alberto in January 2009 for the Palladia Frequent User Service Enhancement (FUSE) program. "He was very self-directed and was able to be fast-tracked to supportive housing within three months." Victoria explains that from the start, Alberto took advantage of every service available to him at FUSE, from entitlements advocacy and personal counseling, to the weekly client workshops, vocational training, and the all-important outreach available from case manager to client when the daunting frustrations of adjustment need to be defused with a few words of encouragement. "Palladia case management is intense," says Victoria. "Whatever Alberto needed, we were there."
Alberto credits Palladia with saving his life. When asked what is so special about Palladia, he answers without hesitation: "They're consistent. They stay with you. Being able to get back to a routine—a normal life—it was hard to make that adjustment. They know it's not easy. They help you along the way."
When asked what he thinks would happen if FUSE and other programs like it were no longer available to New Yorkers, he says simply, "A lot of people would suffer."
Today Alberto is living on his own in supportive housing. ("His apartment is spotless," Victoria says proudly.) He has earned certificates in building maintenance and boiler repair. He is in good health (with a new set of teeth). He is actively seeking employment. And he is drug free.
Because of Palladia, Alberto says, "I have a place to live. I'm job ready. I have something to look forward to. There's hope." Palladia's Frequent User Service Enhancement (FUSE) Scattered-Site Housing Program services a unique population of single adults who have a substance abuse disorder coupled with a chronic history of incarceration and repeated episodes of homelessness within the last five years. FUSE provides 39 clients studio and one-bedroom apartments in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Brooklyn. Tenancy is for a period of three years and includes support services that focus on stability, recovery maintenance, employment, and financial management. FUSE is a collaborative coordination of services through the Department of Corrections, the Department of Homeless Services, and Palladia.
Founded in 1970, today Palladia, Inc. is one of the largest not-for-profit, multi-service agencies in New York City. Palladia serves largely urban, poor individuals and families of color, and is nationally recognized for its innovative service delivery in the fields of substance abuse, homelessness, HIV, mental illness and trauma, domestic violence, criminal justice services, and family services. Palladia currently serves approximately 1700 persons per day in 28 distinct human service programs.