Heartline - February 2005 by Providence House

Providence House Heartline PROVIDENCE HOUSE, INC.

VOLUME XX. NO.1 February 2005

Providence House New Program Initiatives

ew programs are abuzz at Providence House! Through the support of two new grants from the United Way and Fidelis Care, we are able to enhance our existing services for the women and children at Providence House.

Nutrition Education Program Providence House was one of three grantees (out of a pool of sixty-nine) that received a United Way grant “Eat Well – Play Hard.” This grant provides the services of a Nutritionist for 5 months, who will work with program staff at Providence House in creating a Nutrition Education program for the women. The five session program will include components in healthy diets, budgeting, shopping, and meal preparation and will be first piloted at Providence House I, II and III. One of the goals of the program is to instruct Providence House staff on how to teach the curriculum, so that the program will continue after the grant period has ended. Karen Russell, our Assistant Director of Congregate Programs, will be overseeing the Nutrition Initiative and will add the curriculum as part of the Independent Living Skills she offers in the congregate houses.

Karen Russell, Assistant Director of Congregate Programs

Health Services Program When we heard that Fidelis Care New York was creating a grant fund to support health projects that would assist people in need, Providence House jumped at the opportunity to be able to offer health services to the women and families we serve. Fidelis Care awarded 7 grants in the Brooklyn Diocese, and Providence House was honored to be one of the fortunate grantees. The Fidelis Care grant has allowed Providence House to hire a part time nurse who will work with our programs in

Brooklyn and Queens. The Nurse Case Manager is responsible for conducting health assessments and referrals, and will build linkages with local health systems for the coordination and care of each of the residents. The new program‟s goal is to make health care services easily accessible to the women and families, engage them in their own care plan, and identify and stabilize chronic medical and mental health conditions to assure for their overall health and social well being.

Sister Karen Keegan, Nurse Case Manager

Sister Karen Keegen, RN, RGS joined the staff of Providence House on January 24th and her co-workers are thrilled at her arrival. Sister Karen comes to Providence House with a wealth of experience in community health and has served persons with needs similar to those experienced by the women and children of Providence House. The Providence House case managers will work closely with Sister Karen to assure that the resident‟s medical needs and overall health assessment are integrated into their overall care plan. Because the residents often have had very fragmented (if any) preventative health care prior to coming to Providence House, having a health professional on staff to review with them their medical histories and ensure that health follow up is done is a much needed service. Chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, will be able to be monitored as well as making certain that prenatal care is being received by those who need it. We anticipate that this program will serve as a safety net for the residents, facilitating better access to community medical resources not only while they are with us, but ensuring that these links continue when they transition from Providence House to their own independent housing. We welcome Sister Karen to Providence House and know her expertise will be well utilized in the months ahead! 

Letter from the Executive Director Sister Janet Kinney, CSJ Dear Friends: This past year has been a significant one for nonprofit organizations serving New York City residents who become homeless and need our services. In June 2004, Mayor Michael Bloomberg acknowledged that the shelter population had burgeoned to an unacceptable rate of over 36,000 individuals (with 15,000 of them children). In response to this crisis, he announced an ambitious five year plan to end chronic homelessness, specifically to reduce homelessness by two-thirds over five years. Within his address the Mayor also made a commitment to work with State and Federal partners to develop and fund 12,000 units of supportive housing. We have already begun to see some of his plan being put in place. In the fall, the NYC Dept. of Homeless Services began piloting a new homelessness prevention program in six locations in the City which have been noted to have the highest incidences of homelessness. This past December, DHS announced its new Housing Stability Plus rental assistance program, a program meant to replace the

„Section 8 vouchers‟ which has been the community subsidy by those leaving shelters. Unfortunately, Section 8 vouchers are no longer available; last year 7000 Section 8 vouchers were used to move families out of shelters. While it remains to be seen how successful the City‟s substitute program will be to meet the Section 8 gap, it is already abundantly clear that other types of subsidy programs will need to be created for those who don‟t meet the Housing Subsidy Program guidelines. The surge of numbers observed in the homeless population has also been attributed to the increased number of people being released from incarceration. For instance, in NYC between 1999-2002, at least 3 0% of the shelter population had recently left jail or prison. While no prevention program currently exists to specifically serve this group. Undoubtedly, „homelessness prevention‟ efforts will need to be looked at for them as well–better discharge planning, more assistance with securing employment, and most importantly, helping with their

HOUSING READINESS PROGRAM

By Kathy Fell, Director of Apartment Programs

new program, Housing Readiness, was introduced at Providence House VII in November of 2004. This program funded by the Petrina Foundation, Frank E. Clark Charitable Trust and the Martha Mertz Foundation, is designed to assist the residents with maintaining their own apartments when they leave the shelter and consists of eight classes taught over an eight week period. These classes include demonstrations and hands on exercises in budgeting, using basic tools, fixing small plumbing problems, understanding electricity, painting, maintaining a clean apartment, decorating on a budget and basic carpentry. The classes were held in a large room at the Administrative Office that was outfitted with work benches and tables for the participants. At the end of the eight classes participants earn a certificate and are awarded a tool box filled with the tools used during the classes (and more!): a set of screwdrivers, a hammer, pliers, tape measure, level, etc. In addition to the certificate and tool box, each participant receives a weekly incentive to help them with maintaining their current apartment in our shelter program. The program also offered a unique opportunity to showcase

the talents of several Providence House employees. Karen Russell, Assistant Director, Jackie Oyewole, House Manager, Lester Huggins, Maintenance Specialist, Kathy Fell, Director of Apartment Programs, and Mary Reichers, Case Manager, all taught classes and shared their expertise with the participants. Participants and staff all reported that they enjoyed their experience. The women from Providence House VII who participated expressed their appreciation for learning something new and practical, receiving such great incentives for their attendance and leaving with a tool box they can use in their new homes. Staff stated they had fun and enjoyed the experience of teaching and the chance to interact with the women in a different way. The classes will begin again in March and we are currently working with staff to enlist new teaching staff and to encourage resident participation from other Providence Houses. Flyers will be posted, Metro cards will be distributed and child care will be provided so these women from Providence House I and III can arrange their schedules and take advantage of this program. The program will be established as one of the enrichment services we provide to the women who come to live in our shelters.

re-integration back into the community through supporting and preparing their families who will be most affected by their return home. Combating the rising rates of homelessness in our City has no simple answers, yet the events of the past several months have made one thing exceedingly clear - New York City is on a new course – shifting public resources from temporary shelter to prevention efforts, rental assistance programs and additional investments in affordable housing. In upcoming newsletters you will be hearing more about Providence House‟s response to these new directions, and how we will be expanding our efforts and programs to meet these challenging times ahead. As always, I thank you for your continuing support of the mission and services we provide at Providence House!

Many Thanks To All Who Participated in our Annual Holiday Drives You Have Continued to Make our Holidays Special!

Thanksgiving And Christmas Drive Participants

Limited Brands St. Joseph High School St. Nicholas of Tolentine Christ the King Rosary Alter Society St. Kevin School St. Bonaventure Church Mary Louis Academy Holy Innocents School Saint Agnes Church St. Mark Parish St. Joseph’s College P.S. 29 St. Columba’s Parish The Cody Family St. Charles Borromeo St. Bernadette School/Parish Holy Family School St. Edmund Preparatory St. Robert Bellarmine School St. Luke School St. Rose of Lima St. Athanasius School St. Francis Cabrini The Laugh Factory Salem Baptist Missionary Church Immaculate Conception Parish

GRANTS Fidelis Care Diocesan Grant Frank E. Clark Charitable Trust Martha Mertz Foundation JPMorgan Chase Bank Switzer Foundation United Way/Nutrition Education Lifeline Ministry Fund

35,000 25,000 15,000 7,500 6,000 5,000 2,000

REMEMBER THE CHILDREN

ur theme for this year is REMEMBER THE CHILDREN. Everything we do and all the ideas for our workshops will be as a result of this thinking. Whatever we do to help the women who are sent to us, even if they don‟t have children with them, will benefit the adults of the future! Karen Russell, our Assistant Director of Congregate Programs has been working hard to implement workshops that will assist our women with their children in

mind. For the past six weeks, Sisters Coming Full Circle have been conducting a workshop on Women’s Health Issues. The women also welcomed an Employment Specialist who has been coming to each house to help with Job Placements. This has been a real service to our parole women especially. We are looking forward to our nutrition and parenting workshops in the weeks to come. A special project we are currently working on is a cook-

book that will be a combination of the many recipes that the House Managers teach the women as they prepare meals. If you have a favorite recipe that you think we could use, let us know!!! 

WOMEN SPEAK

“BECOMING A STRONGER WOMAN” By Latoya Wright, Resident

y name is week I participated in classes on Latoya different topics such as; cleaning, Wright, carpentry, tools, plumbing, painting and I live in and budgeting. I enjoyed the instructors Providence House and the classes were hands-on. I was with my four allowed to do things on my own and beautiful children, refreshments were served. I received Da‟zon (7), Danasia lots of gifts for my apartment. (6), Shamell (4), and The security guards and the staff Starasia (3mths). We members are very pleasant and helpful. became homeless in September of 2004 Being in the situation that I‟m in, and in this world today, it‟s very hard. makes me a stronger woman. There At the time we were going through were days that I cried to myself and the system, I was seven asked for God‟s help to put months pregnant. Being the “Everyday it me on the right track. God mother that I am, I held on said to me, “I‟m going to do just made very strong. There were my part and now you have to me become times when I wanted to turn do your part.” Everyday it around and walk out the just made me become stronger door, but always said to stronger and stronger. and myself that I have to make a Some women say it‟s stronger.” better living for my children. hard, but you have to have The first night in the patience. I have four lovely system, I was placed in an children and I love them overnight hotel. The next very much. Right now I‟m a day my children and I were single parent and my goal is brought to Providence House. We to go back to school to get my G.E.D., were placed in an apartment. I thank become a lawyer and buy a house for God for all the good things that he my children and I. I want to thank brought to me because the apartment is everyone in Providence House that beautiful. It was like having my own helped me and my children, because place instead of being homeless. My life itself is very hard and with out the children are so happy and comfortable. help that they gave my children and I, Being in Providence House I learned a we would not be blessed as much as we lot of things that I did not know. Every are, because God is good. other

PROVIDENCE HOUSE, INC. 703 Lexington Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11221 Website: www.providencehouse.org Email: info@providencehouse.org (718) 455-0197 phone (718) 455-0692 fax

ister Elaine Roulet, CSJ, Providence House Founder, was honored at the St. John‟s University Special Vincentian Convocation. She was awarded the Caritas Medal. This medal was created by the University to pay tribute to those whose service to the disadvantaged within the metropolitan New York area has been exemplary. The Convocation particularly recognized Sister Elaine and her ministry as enabling thousands of New Yorkers to live out their lives in dignity, sheltered by the love and commitment to their welfare provided by her.  Congratulations, Sister Elaine!

SAVE THE DATE Providence House, Inc.

Annual People of Hope Celebration Thursday, June 9, 2005 6pm Water Club, NYC For information and tickets Contact (718) 455-0197

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BROOKLYN, NY 11256 PERMIT NO. 84