WINTER 2019 A New Job Transforms a Guest’s Life Our President on Our Holiday Spirit Ways to Get Involved This Month The 2020 Census
NEWS
A Winter Wish List End-of-Year Giving
Q&A
SWEENS SMITH
SENIOR ADVOCATE, ROSIE’S PLACE
Lupita, Gianlucas and Andrew Senior Advocate Sweens Smith has devoted her career to helping women in need. Prior to joining Rosie’s Place in 2014, she worked for many years with women experiencing domestic or partner violence at Casa Myrna Vasquez. Fluent in Haitian Creole, Sweens is a resource in the Advocacy department for our Haitian guests, and for all women seeking assistance in the areas of housing and job search, rent and utility assistance, wellness care, and more. She enjoys contributing to an uplifting holiday season at Rosie’s Place. What is distinctive about Rosie’s Place at holiday time? Many of the women we see at Rosie’s Place are not connected with their families or are new to Boston, and they will end up spending the holidays alone. So our staff is committed to making them special. We trim trees and decorate the Overnight shelter and Dining Room, and we plan for a festive Christmas. When guests spend the day with us, they are welcomed into an upbeat, cheerful and fun atmosphere of good company, food, and music. We want to make sure our guests are part of some kind of celebration. Through our activities and Holiday Store, we try to show women that they are valued and that Rosie’s Place cares. What do we offer at the Holiday Store? Again this year, we are planning an on-site Holiday Store in mid-December for our guests. Thanks to donations from businesses and friends in the community, we’re able to offer women a choice of new gift items, such as bath and body gift set, hats, scarves and mittens, toys, perfume, a gift card and more. (See Wish List on page 4 to help.) The store concept means that guests can choose items they would like for themselves, or they can select gifts they will give to others. We provide wrapping paper, too. Last year we provided gifts for more than 500 women and we hope to serve even more this season. What challenges do our guests face during the holidays? The holidays also mean winter is here. It’s cold to be outside but many women can’t afford public transportation to get to appointments, go to work or run errands, so they must walk instead. And of course, there are many women who live on the streets. Guests often do not have enough warm clothing and come to us looking for a coat, hat, sweater and socks. Women face larger utility bills and often have to make hard choices such as cutting their food budget to stay warm. And the winter holidays bring extra pressure to provide gifts and big meals for family, which makes the reality of having little money more difficult. That’s why Rosie’s Place makes an extra effort to brighten the days of our guests at this time of year. What are the best ways to get involved during the holidays? People can review some of the Ways to Give (on page 3) and sponsor a donation drive or make Rosie’s Place the beneficiary of a holiday gathering. Another way to make a difference is to keep us in mind after the rush of the holidays. Volunteering in our dining room and throughout Rosie’s Place is one way to extend holiday giving. We are so lucky to have the generous support of our friends all year long.
A Guest Finds a Career, and a New Start This fall, Shamika’s long-delayed dream started to become reality: She was taking the first steps toward not just a new job, but a career. Finally, she was on her way to true independence, and it felt great. But the road forward was long and hard.
Returning to find hope
Shamika suffered the first in a series of crises and setbacks in her life even before she left high school. A promising basketball player, she got injured her senior year, and was crushed when her college scholarship disappeared. However, going to college was important to Shamika and she was able to piece together enough money for one semester at a school in Virginia, hoping she’d figure out a way to continue. But when she returned home on break, she discovered that her mother had lost their house and Shamika was left to fend for herself. School was out of the question, as she had to focus on navigating her new life of homelessness. “I wanted to cry and hide,” she says. “It was terrifying for me. I was clueless about everything and too afraid to ask for help.”
“I was homeless but for all those years I couldn’t accept that I was a homeless person,” she says. “When I finally decided to stop the denial that this was my life, things started to happen for me.”
After exhausting the hospitality of friends and family, Shamika found a bed at Rosie’s Place. With the help of one of our Advocates, she began filling out housing applications and enrolled in a Certified Nursing Assistant training program we suggested for her. She loved the course, which was paid for by an education fund at Rosie’s Place, but the program unexpectedly closed before Shamika would have graduated. When she learned she couldn’t transfer her course work to any another school, she felt knocked down again. “I went blank for a while, hung out with friends,” she says. “I just lost focus on everything.” Over the years, Shamika tried other training programs but they didn’t lead to the solid job she had hoped for. She went to work for a temp agency, for a while holding down two jobs, seven days a week. She was able to manage this while still homeless, moving between Rosie’s Place and different shelters in the area. With this life wearing her down, Shamika abandoned her goal of building a career and took work as a housekeeper at a B & B in Cambridge. During this time, Shamika began renting an apartment with her girlfriend, finally settling into a permanent home. But, eventually, the relationship became abusive, and she had no choice but to leave and return to the streets. “I couldn’t fathom that I was ending up here again, homeless,” she says. “I told myself, ‘This time, I have to turn this around.’”
Shamika’s life reached a turning point this spring when she came back to Rosie’s Place. She once again stayed in our Overnight Program and started to intently focus on her housing applications.
Shamika had been talking to our job specialist about options for a second job to augment her housekeeping earnings. Meanwhile, the job specialist was looking to fill two jobs with the Demolition Union. She thought of Shamika right away, but it would mean quickly leaving her long-term job and starting an intensive training program. At first, she was afraid to change her life so suddenly, but soon felt that longdormant spark of hope return. This could finally be the career she wished for but had given up on. Shamika (and another Rosie’s Place guest) did take the offer and started their training. There were a number of fees and logistical issues to manage, though, and Rosie’s Place stepped in. We helped with funding for the steel boots and hard hats required for the work, as well as the final test and license fees. Both women passed every requirement and started work this fall, earning a starting hourly rate of $40 hour. With this job opportunity, Shamika has become even more comfortable accepting help from Rosie’s Place. Our Legal Program was able to resolve an issue with her former apartment, which then cleared the way for Shamika to receive her long-awaited Section 8 voucher. We are providing her with budgeting and debt advice; after initial meetings, our mental health counselor connected her with a psychiatrist to address untreated depression; and an Advocate is working to obtain a bed and other furniture for Shamika’s new apartment. She is hopeful about her future. “Everything’s completely new for me—this fantastic job is new, having my own place is new. I feel like I’m a student—of life—all over again, learning the basics of taking care of the day to day. I really rely on my ‘team’ at Rosie’s Place to make sure I’m on point. I’m not going backwards.”
Our President on the Holiday Spirit Alive at Rosie’s Place
Beacon Hill Sledders by Sam Vokey
Dear Friend: Every winter—days get colder and darker for our guests. The temperature drops and the need for a hot meal, a warm coat, a place to sleep for the night and basic medical care—only rises. Severe weather can be life-threatening to women living on the streets, while high heating bills can tip precarious budgets over the edge and force women to make impossible choices. Pay rent or pay for heat? Stay warm or buy groceries to feed your family? And every winter—Rosie’s Place gets even busier, brighter and warmer. In fact, the holiday season is one of my favorite times of year here. Perhaps it is because of the heightened need— or perhaps it is in spite of it—but you can feel a brimming, almost palpable spirit of camaraderie, generosity and joy. This spirit arrives online or by mail, appears at our door or often pulls up in front of our building to unload. It’s in bags of groceries for our Food Pantry collected by your child’s school. An armful of winter coats that a friend brings in each year, a tradition she organizes with her book club. It’s in the stitch of the dozens of scarves a guest has been knitting since last November—lovingly created one-of-a kind items for other women at Rosie’s Place. It’s in the voices singing during a December dinner performance in our Dining Room. It’s in the pink glow of the Prudential Center lit up in our honor, and in the sparkle of a necklace bought from our Women’s Craft Cooperative for your best friend. It’s in the hum of volunteers working in the kitchen to prepare the day’s lunch. You rally around our guests, reminding them that even, and especially, in these cold and dark days—their community cares. It is friends like you who recognize that as important as our services are, so too is the manner in which they are delivered. Kindness, welcome, compassion and commitment form the foundation upon which we build each resource available at Rosie’s Place. Because we understand that hunger can exist in one’s soul too, and that the heart also craves warmth. Thank you for your partnership in our work, and for prioritizing our guests in the coming months and all year through. Your friendship is our best gift. Heartfelt wishes for the holiday season,
iday C 5 Ways to Spread Hol Every holiday season we make a special effort to reach out to often forgotten women and provide them with warmth and comfort. Help us spread holiday cheer by getting involved in any of the following ways: 1. COLLECT NEEDED HOLIDAY ITEMS Coordinate a drive with your workplace, school or family to collect holiday gifts for our Holiday Store. For more information, visit www.rosiesplace.org/drives. Our mostneeded items include: • $25 gift cards (CVS, Walgreens, Target, Old Navy) • Bath and body gift sets with lotion, body wash and body spray (from stores such as Bath & Body Works) • Pajama sets • Slippers and robes • Sets of hats, scarves and gloves • Throws and blankets • Hooded sweatshirts • Perfume (individual bottles and gift sets) • New gift wrapping supplies (bags, ribbons, tape)
Rosie’s Place accepts no government funds and relies instead on committed supporters like you!
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2. CATER A MEAL IN OUR DINING ROOM Gather a group of up to 10 coworkers or friends to prepare and serve a meal for 150 to 200 women. Underwrite the $350 cost for the entire meal by splitting the donation among your group or by finding a sponsor (such as your employer or place of worship) to support you. Contact volunteer@rosiesplace.org to book a date in 2020. 3. SEND CUSTOMIZED HOLIDAY CARDS Support Rosie’s Place by ordering our 10-packs ($20), variety packs ($26) and custom orders of 50+ cards, available in nine classic Boston scenes by renowned local artists Thomas Dunlay and Sam Vokey. Visit www.rosiesplace.fenwayprint.com to design and order your custom cards or browse pre-packaged options at www.rosiesplace.org/holidaycards. 4. BENEFIT ROSIE’S PLACE WITH AN EVENT Consider making Rosie’s Place the beneficiary of your community event or holiday gathering. Check out our Event Toolkit at www.rosiesplace.org/give/fundraising_events or contact Shelli at sstevens@rosiesplace.org. 5. DONATE TO ROSIE’S PLACE Visit www.rosiesplace.org/give to support our vital programs and services for 12,000 women each year with a one-time gift or a convenient monthly donation that supports our work year-round!
Leemarie Mosca
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We understand that hunger can exist in one’s soul too, and that the heart also craves warmth.
“We are very proud of our longstanding relationship with Rosie’s Place, an organization that fits perfectly with our mission to serve all in need, without distinction…Our nursing students say, at first, that they’re giving to the guests but realize, when they are done, that they have received more than they’ve given…It’s been 25 years, and we look forward to another 25, as we bring the excellent care they deserve to the beloved women of Rosie’s Place.”
please support
Rosie’s Place
by making a donation online at www.rosiesplace.org/winternews19 or by sending a gift in the enclosed envelope. we thank you! ROSIE’S PLACE NEWS is published three times a year to inform our friends about activities and events taking place throughout the Rosie’s Place community. OUR MISSION is to provide a safe and nurturing environment to help poor and homeless women to maintain their dignity, seek opportunity, and find security in their lives. President/Executive Director Leemarie Mosca Director of Communications | Editor Michele Chausse Communications Coordinator | Contributor Mikayla Mercado Design Colette O’Neill We’d love to hear from you! Please contact us with your comments at mchausse@rosiesplace.org or 617.318.0210.
Excerpted remarks from Regis College President Antoinette Hays, given at the September 19 celebration of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Rosie’s Place Wellness Center.
Antoinette Hays
QUOTABLE
“Every once in a while the load on top of us just gets too heavy to bear alone and we are forced to ask for help. And that’s when the most beautiful thing on earth happens, which is happening now. We get a sister to the left of us and a sister to the right of us—and with that kind of support, we can begin to withstand any load. That is what Rosie’s Place is doing…” Glennon Doyle, New York Times bestselling author of Love Warrior and Carry On, speaking about the importance of “sistering,” or supporting each other, excerpted from her keynote presentation at the 2019 Funny Women…Serious Business luncheon on October 16.
Liz Baum
Glennon Doyle “Over the years, I have volunteered at Rosie’s Place in different ways but I always wanted to offer my legal skills to the guests. When the Advice and Referral Clinic opened, I began volunteering and immediately was hooked. I am in awe of the legal staff for the thoughtfulness, kindness, and advocacy they show guests who seek their help. It is my honor to be able to help them and the guests; I am humbled by everyone I work with and for at Rosie’s Place.” Volunteer attorney Liz Baum on her experience assisting guests in cooperation with the Rosie’s Place Legal Program.
Communityof
Friends
October 16 was an extraordinary day of celebration and community, as our annual Funny Women…Serious Business luncheon raised a record-breaking $970,000! Many thanks to the 1,800 attendees, table hosts and sponsors whose generosity was critical to the success of the event, including Presenting Sponsors Bank of America, Brightsphere, Globalization Partners, Christina and Michael Gordon, J. Jill, Anne Kubik and Michael Krupka, Kristen and John Maxwell, Michele May and David Walt and Deb and Mark Pasculano, as well as Presenting Centerpiece Sponsor Neiman Marcus. The women who brought the program and videos of guest stories to life are, from left, Amaka Ubaka, 7 News WHDH/WLVI; coemcee Susan Wornick; Rosie’s Place Board Chair Deb Pasculano; featured speaker, author Glennon Doyle; Rosie’s Place President/Executive Director Leemarie Mosca; co-emcee Karen Holmes Ward, WCVB 5; Vanessa Welch, Boston 25 News; Kate Merrill, WBZ-TV/CBS Boston; and Latoyia Edwards, NBC Boston. Massachusetts First Lady Lauren Baker and Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh also were on hand to lend their support.
A celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Wellness Center was held in September. The event brought together leaders of the three organizations that partner with Rosie’s Place to provide free basic health care and referrals to our guests–Regis College Young School of Nursing, Health Care Without Walls and Boston Health Care for the Homeless– as well as Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and local legislators and community supporters. (From left, Regis College President Antoinette Hays, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Health Care Without Walls founder Dr. Roseanna Means, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Assistant Medical Director Melinda Thomas and Rosie’s Place President/Executive Director Leemarie Mosca.)
Caitlin Mahoney (left) of athenahealth, Inc. recently delivered close to 150 toiletry kits to Rosie’s Place staff Ellen Braverman (center) and Alyssa Schoppee (right). The kits, filled with a variety of essential personal care items for our guests, were put together by employees in athenahealth’s Watertown office.
Taking Action at Rosie’s Place
Looking ahead to 2020, a range of issues that impact our guests will continue to emerge: community services for substance users in and around Rosie’s Place are changing, with greater focus on recovery and shelter; Massachusetts is increasing its investment in critical areas such as food access and housing; and the presidential election will take place on November 3. What connects the interest in these developments is the 2020 Census. The census count allocates more than $16 billion in federal dollars to Massachusetts, accounting for more than $1.4 billion to food and nutrition services, $9.9 billion to MassHealth, and $2.2 billion to affordable housing. For every person counted in the census, Massachusetts receives an annual average of $2,372 in federal dollars for 10 years. Yet far too many people are not counted in the census, especially hard-to-count communities, which include poor and homeless women. Thankfully, a potential barrier to participating in the 2020 Census was eliminated this summer when the Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling preventing the administration from including a question about citizenship. The 2020 Census will be the first to be conducted online. Each household will receive a postcard telling them how to participate. If residents do not complete the census online, they will receive mailed reminders. Those still not participating will receive the census form by mail, followed by phone calls and canvassers going door-to-door. For people experiencing homelessness, the census will conduct a “group quarter” count that intends to count all those who are staying in a shelter on Census Day, April 1, 2020. While this is an effective way to ensure that as many people in shelter are counted as accurately as possible, it is likely many Rosie’s Place guests will still be missed. Like many people who are homeless, guests may be staying with friends or family on that date who will not consider counting them as members of the household, or they may be staying outside, rather than at a shelter. To ensure that they are counted, Rosie’s Place will host computer labs to assist guests in participating in the census. We urge everyone residing in Massachusetts to look for the first mailer, and make sure you count! Check this space going forward for news about our Public Policy efforts and ways you can get involved. To learn more, please visit www.rosiesplace.org/publicpolicy.
Did K ? You
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We’re sure you’ll find something for everyone on your holiday shopping list at the Women’s Craft Cooperative, where our guests create a wide selection of striking jewelry and gift items. You can also choose from an array of tree ornaments, including our new spiral design (in photo), key chains crafted with crystal beads and different styles of bookmarks. Order online at www.rosiesplace.org/shop or visit our workshop by appointment, Monday – Thursday mornings!
This fall, Rosie’s Place partnered with 11 other nonprofit organizations to host a Boston City Councilor At-Large candidate’s forum focusing on homelessness and poverty. A total of 75 guests, community members, and partners were able to learn about all eight candidates’ positions on these critical issues. Post-election, we look forward to working with the City Council to improve the well-being of poor and homeless women in Boston.
Rosie’s Place recently has been appointed to an advisory task force that will work with the City of Boston on their plan, “Melnea Cass / Mass Ave 2.0,” to tackle issues in the area around Melnea Cass Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue. The task force will meet monthly to discuss progress and provide recommendations for the plan, which seeks to increase treatment, recovery and assistance efforts for substance users while ramping up police and public safety enforcement.
The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Rosie’s Place. Just start shopping at smile.amazon.com and select Rosie’s Place as your charity of choice. Please keep this in mind the next time you shop at Amazon, and spread the word to your friends and family!
This holiday season we celebrate the 15th anniversary of our wonderful relationship with renowned local artist Thomas Dunlay. Starting with Winter Snowfall (pictured), Mr. Dunlay has generously allowed us to feature a number of his beautiful paintings depicting Boston in winter on our holiday cards. His enduring and popular images have been instrumental in our holiday card program raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to support our work.
The winter months are upon us and the need for warm clothing and other essentials continues to grow. Whether spending long days–and for many, nights–outside or coming inside to visit our Food Pantry and Dining Room, our guests know we are there for them when they need us. And we, in turn, are grateful that we can count on you to help us provide them with the items below: • Hats, scarves, mittens and gloves • New underwear and socks • Coats and jackets, especially larger sizes • Non-perishable food, especially peanut butter, tuna and rice • New hair brushes and combs • Reusable shopping bags/totes • Holiday Wish List items
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROSITY NOW AND ALL YEAR THROUGH!
winter WISH LIST
Your Legacy, Her Opportunity
Holiday Wish List • $25 gift cards (CVS, Walgreens, Target, Old Navy) • Bath and body gift sets with lotion, body wash and body spray (from stores such as Bath & Body Works) • Pajama sets • Slippers and robes • Sets of hats, scarves and gloves • Throws and blankets • Hooded sweatshirts • Perfume (individual bottles and gift sets) • New gift wrapping supplies (bags, ribbons, tape)
As we approach the end of the year, please consider a taxdeductible donation to Rosie’s Place. Your support allows us to keep our doors open to every woman who seeks our help.
MAKE A GIFT
TAX-FREE FROM YOUR IRA IRA Charitable Rollover If you are 70½ or older, you may take advantage of the IRA charitable rollover. You can donate up to $100,000 to satisfy the minimum required distribution of your IRA account, while also reducing your taxable income. Your gift must pass directly from your IRA administrator to Rosie’s Place, and any transfer must be completed by December 31 of the corresponding tax year. For more information, please contact Matt DeAngelis at 617.318.0294 or mdeangelis@rosiesplace.org.
More Ways to Give
The following are some types of gifts that also provide additional tax benefits. Gifts of Stock Donate an appreciated stock and avoid capital gains tax, while receiving a charitable deduction of the full fair-market value. To arrange a wire transfer, please contact Matt DeAngelis at 617-318-0294 or mdeangelis@rosiesplace.org. Donor Advised Fund Recommend a one-time or recurring grant to Rosie’s Place from your Donor Advised Fund. Contact your fund representative for details. For more information, go to www.rosiesplace.org/give. Thank you! Rosie’s Place is a 501(c) (3) charitable organization. Gifts made to Rosie’s Place are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. EIN: 04-2582187. We are proud that 86 cents of every dollar raised goes directly to services for poor and homeless women.
Safe & Sound Gala
DATE SAVE THE
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 Cyclorama at Boston Center for the Arts Please be our guest for a special evening of food, friends and philanthropy! Our annual Safe and Sound gala features signature creations from the best of Boston’s culinary talent along with expertly paired wines and the opportunity to bid on exclusive, insider-only silent and live auction packages. Sponsorships are available and tickets begin at $500. For more information, please contact Shelli Stevens at 617.318.0211 or sstevens@rosiesplace.org.
www.rosiesplace.org 889 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118
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