Chronicle SUMMER 2018
Four Walls and Some Lovingkindness “Home is the nicest word there is.” - Laura Ingalls Wilder
I
n Little House on the Prairie, the love within the walls of a log cabin mean comfort and security to the newly-settled Wilder family. Four walls and a roof provide physical shelter and emotional comfort–elements that, along with food and clothing, are essential for a healthy, stable life. Providing basic necessities to live a life with dignity is a core value of CCC. To embrace this more fully, CCC has established a separate corporate entity, Commonwealth Catholic Charities Housing Corporation, Inc., to provide affordable housing and housing-related services within the Catholic Diocese of Richmond.
“Staff's daily interactions with homeless individuals at our Housing Resource Center in Richmond make us keenly aware of the need for and challenges associated with locating housing," said Joanne Nattrass, CCC executive director. “Our five-year strategic plan included the formation of a housing corporation to focus on the development of affordable housing throughout the Diocese." “Those experiencing homelessness have some of the biggest challenges,” says Jay Brown, CCC’s division director of housing services. “Without a stable place to call home, routine tasks like preparing meals, getting ready for work, or following medication regimens are that much more difficult. Safe housing is essential to one's health and well-being.”
The Housing Corporation already has several projects in the pipeline. “We’re looking at housing types across the spectrum,” said Brown. “The housing needs of our clients are as diverse as the communities we serve, so whether its creating additional homeownership opportunities for low-income homebuyers, helping senior citizens age in place, preserving affordable units, or developing new multi-family or mixed-use facilities, we want to make sure the people we serve have access to safe and affordable housing that meets their needs and helps them achieve their goals." Whether a cabin in the wilderness or a one-bedroom apartment, a place to call your own as home provides immeasurable wellbeing and, it is, as Wilder said, the nicest word there is.
2018 Housing Corporation Board of Directors
Rosann Bocciarelli, Joseph Boisineau, James P. Carreras, Jim DePasquale, Scott Horchler, Paul Sinclair, Joanne D. Nattrass, ex officio
www.cccofva.org • Our mission is to provide quality, compassionate human services to all people, especially the most vulnerable, regardless of faith.