Mercy Strong ~ Celebrating Thirty Years

Fall 2013

Non-Profit US Postage

PAID Hartford, CT

Permit No 672

Because of You

Your Generous Gift….

$50 gift will provide 12 nutritious meals to feed hungry individuals and families

in The Friendship Center.

$100 gift will provide a safe home for a day in our AIDS residence.

$500 gift will keep our Jumpstart to Jobs program open for two days.

$1,000 gift will provide an adult with severe mental health disabilities twenty-

four hour care and housing for seven days.

It all began with one program, St. Elizabeth House, and the mission of serving homeless individuals and families.

Today, Mercy Housing and Shelter operates nine programs at six sites throughout Hartford and Middlesex Counties.

Mercy Housing and Shelter Corporation Administrative Offices

211 Wethersfield Avenue

Hartford, CT 06114

Phone: (860) 808-2055

Board of Trustees Bradley Venne, Chair

Brian Rich, Vice Chair

Gene Arnold

Charles Brooks

Steven Cote

Thomas Daily

Sister Eileen Dooling

Sister Claire Filippone

Richard Gentile

Dennis Gilligan

Melissa Gran

Claudette Labbe

Patricia McKinley

Ira Mozille

Austin Perkins

Shyamala Raman

Kellyanna Thompson

Kathleen Voelker

Sister Patricia McKeon,

Executive Director

Mission Mercy Housing and Shelter Corporation

provides housing assistance and

supportive services to persons who are

homeless or at risk of becoming

homeless. Mercy works to empower its

clients to become independent, so they

may live and work with dignity and

respect. Mercy seeks to end

homelessness by advocating for

changes in the social systems that

perpetuate homelessness. Mercy

welcomes and serves all in need in the

tradition of the Sisters of Mercy, who

founded the organization in 1983.

A Publication by Mercy Housing and Shelter Corporation

Colleen Boccaccio Corriveau, Director of Fund Development: (860) 808-2036, ccorriveau@mercyhousingct.org

Ginger Vendrillo, Development Assistant: (860) 808-2055, vvendrillo@mercyhousingct.org

Your contribution invests in the future of people’s lives!

Ways to give:

Use the enclosed envelope to make a gift or pledge by cash or check.

Donate Online: www.mercyhousingct.org We have partnered with PayPal, allowing you to make a secure online

gift by credit card.

Planned Gifts: Consult with your accountant or attorney for ways that you can make a long-lasting gift to benefit

generations to come.

Matching Gifts: Many companies match an employee's charitable donations or have an Employee Volunteer Hours

Program. Please inquire about matching gift opportunities with your employer. Sometimes they will even match

gifts made by spouses, and retirees.

For more information contact Colleen Corriveau, Director Of Fund Development (860) 808-2036

ccorriveau@mercyhousingct.org

Our Current Needs

Due to the stalled economy, Mercy’s single greatest need continues to be financial. With your financial contribution, you are investing in the future of people’s lives and together we can make homelessness history. Right now there are a group of clients ready to move out of our transitional living program and into their own homes! We need your help! As they prepare to move out, many of them are in need of basic items to set up their homes. Items needed are:

Food: to help start them out in in their new home

Bed Linens: New Twin sheets, Blankets

New Towels

Kitchen: cookware, cooking utensils, dishes, forks & knives

Bathroom: shower curtain, bath mat, toilet paper, toiletries

Cleaning Supplies: dish soap, laundry detergent, bathroom cleaner

St. James Episcopal Church, Higganum St. James's Episcopal Church, West Hartford St. Mark the Evangelist Church, West Hartford St. Mary Church, Newington St. Mary Church, Simsbury St. Mary's Home/Sodexho St. Paul Church, Glastonbury St. Peter Claver Church, West Hartford

Keysha Starks Strategic Staffing Solutions Joan Taraskiewicz Chyrl-Lynn Tatun Ted's Montana Grill Temple Sinai Betty Terrasi Harris AgriScience & Technology Center The Wise Old Dog The Church of the Good Shepherd The Claypen The Crown Supermarket The Hartford The Hayber Law Firm The Mark Twain House & Museum The McCauley The Mill Museum Reid and Riege, P.C. The Russian Lady The Tavern Terri Therrien Three Angels Church Marilyn Tiberio Town and Country Early Learning Center Travelers

Travelers Championship Trinity Greg Tucker Amy Tupper Michael Turgeon United Technologies Corporation Benedict Valentine W. B. Mason Co., Inc. Waterford Group Charitable Foundation Sandra Welch Wells Fargo Advisors Wells Road Intermediate School Tory Westbrook Wethersfield High School Margaret Wiernasz Nancy Wyman Eric Zacher Zanger Company

THANK YOU!!

Mercy Housing and Shelter Through the Years...

Community outreach has been a vital part of the success of Mercy Housing and Shelter’s programs during our thirty years of working with homeless individuals and families in greater Hartford and Middlesex County. Corporations, businesses, clubs, and faith based communities have dedicated countless hours and financial resources to assist the agency in providing for the needs of the poor and homeless. Part of our mission is to advocate for changes in the social systems that perpetuate homelessness and these relationships are critical to increasing awareness about the needs of homeless individuals. Mercy’s programs and services are further enhanced by hundreds of volunteer hours and generous donations of food, toiletries, bed linens, towels and housewares. On behalf of the more than 5,640 individuals who were helped through Mercy’s programs this past year we would like to thank the following individuals, volunteer groups and businesses who generously gave their time and resources to Mercy from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013:

Collaborating in Our Community

AdviceOne LLC Aetna Hartford Volunteer Council Ahlstrom Nonwovens LLC AIG Benefit Solutions Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity-BSL Chapter Hector Alvarado

American Clock & Watch Museum Americorps Avon Memorial United Methodist Bank of America Barteca Restaurant Group Bellini's Italian Eatery Petal Benjamin Mr. and Mrs. Jean-Paul Berard Berkshire Bank Estelle Berube Birch Mountain Day School Bob's Discount Furniture Mr. and Mrs. Jon Bonet John Bosacker Chessa Bossy Mark Boxer Brodeurs' Pest Management Services Carol Brown Margaret Brown Tom Brown Carbone's Restaurant

Carrie Cascian Catholic Daughters of Americas Mr. and Mrs. Paul Cavalieri Center Framing and Art Central Optica Chapel of His Glory Charter Oak Cultural Center Chaseland Painting Cigna City Steam Brewery Cafe Raffaella Coler Connecticut Young Lawyers Association Connection Light and Power Corpus Christi School CT 1 Media Dept. of Mental Health & Addiction Svcs Nelty Curley Christine Curry Catherine Cyr-Sinicrope Brian Czak & Barbara Taylor Penny Defrino Anne DeLucco Chris Delzangle Linda DiCaprio Matthew DuPuis Essex Steam Train & Riverboat Farmington Educators Association FEA Feng Asian Bistro Margaret Ferron Fiduciary Investment Advisors First and Last Bakery Cafe Franklin Trust Federal Credit Union Christine Franklin Trish Gavagni Orlando Gonzalez Don Gove Goya Foods, Inc. Grants Restaurant Andrea Greene Griswold Middle School Harriet Beecher Stowe Center Hart Mechanical Hartford Elks Hartford Restaurant Group Herb's Sport Shop Michael Herwood Hill-Stead Museum Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center Hot Tomato's Peter Hughes Irish American Home Society Ines Kallmeyer Karen Elizabeth Salon and Academy Karol Opticians

Kennedy's Barber Club Kenneth Cole Productions Paul & Claudette Labbe Lake Compounce Theme Park John Larson Jodi Latina Carl LePage Kathleen Lilley Lincoln Culinary Living Rock Church Longhorn Steakhouse Louis Toffolon School Lux Bond & Green Chelsea Maikath Lori Ann Marchese Marco Polo Ristorante Marsh USA Inc. McCarter & English, LLP Lee McCoy Michele McDonald Deborah McGrath Marianne McKeenzie McLadden's Irish Publick House Mercy Associates Mercy High School Frances Meyer Middlesex Fruitery, Inc. Middlewoods of Newington Robert Mittica Hallie Moore Murtha Cullina LLP Ellen Murtha Muslim Coalition of Connecticut Mystic Aquarium Mystic Seaport NECO Alliance New Britain Museum of American Art North United Methodist Church Martha Obando Thomas O'Keefe Oliver's Restaurant & Taverne Mary Onidi Our Lady of Fatima Kurt Pahl Robyn Peters Sandra Pons Mary Anna Poole Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Pratt & Whitney Global Supply Chain-Mechanical Components Pro Soccer Experience LLC Quest Global Services R.C.C.G. Church Shyamala Raman

Sister Maureen Reardon River Valley Services Robert H. Lord Company Elizabeth Rocco Rock River Yoga Rockville Bank Roger Rodrigue George Romania Ruth's Chris Steakhouse Ralph Sacco Sacred Heart Church Sage Park Middle School Sai Baba

Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish Salute Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Sarpu Aneela Shah Shairon's Salon John Sheehan Laura Shiembob Social Security Administration Sodexo Food Service Morgan Sones South End Bakery & Pastry Shop SS. Cyril & Methodius School St. Catherine of Sienna, Simsbury St. Dominic Church, Southington

Dear Friends, Celebrate with us!! This month Mercy Housing and Shelter Corporation is 30 years strong and growing! Thirty years ago the Sisters of Mercy of Connecticut took a risk and bought a building to prevent 65 people from losing their housing and becoming homeless. That was the first step in a, to date, 30 year journey of working to end the social evil of homelessness and meet the real needs of real people without housing, food, and resources. It has been exciting!! Imagine being part of an organization whose founders, board, administration, and staff were on the cutting edge, as they addressed the emerging epidemics of homelessness, deinstitutionalization, and AIDS. In the 1980’s, deinstitutionalization from State psychiatric hospitals was putting people with serious mental illness who had spent years in institutional settings back into the community with little support for the transition. Many ended up homeless or worse. Mercy stepped up with a program to help them settle back into the Hartford community. We wrapped support around them. That program has evolved into our current Mental Health respite and supported apartment programs. The beginnings of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980’s were confusing and frightening for the general population. There was lots of fear, isolation, and no medicine. For homeless persons who were sick with this new, deadly disease, it was terrifying. Shelters were not able to meet their needs and, in fact, posed a risk to their lives if the person next to them had a cold or flu which could kill a person with a compromised immune system. Mercy knew there had to be a place where sufferers could be when they were sick. Mercy stepped up! A new program was begun. We created one of the first residences in Connecticut for persons suffering with AIDS. Many lived there and died there in those first years. That program has grown and evolved into residential and scattered site permanent supportive housing services to meet the needs of homeless persons with the virus today.

Of course all this happened while Mercy was trying to address the emerging homeless crisis. The increased numbers of homeless persons through the 1980’s, 1990’s, and now beyond the first decade of the 21st century, has propelled Mercy forward as its programs evolved to meet the needs of today’s homeless persons. Our goal is not to simply manage and meet people’s basic human needs while homeless, but to give them the tools and resources that will empower them to end their homelessness so they may live and work with dignity and respect. There is so much to be told of the history of these 30 years. The lives of the more than 150,000 women, children and men who have benefited from Mercy’s hand-up tell it best. We are grateful to all who have helped us over these 30 years. We wish to thank:

Our administration and staff who have made real the mission of Mercy on a daily basis; Our generous and hard-working Board of Trustees who have taken their responsibilities for the mission and strength

of the organization so seriously; Our volunteers who do everything we need, when we need it; Our donors who have invested in the work and success of Mercy Housing and Shelter; Our government funders who have provided the core funding sustaining our work; Our partners who have given us strength through their collaboration; Our clients who have shared their stories and allowed us to be part of the journey of their lives; The Sisters of Mercy whose risk of buying a building 30 years ago impacted more than 150,000 lives.

Thank you for these 30 years! Thank you from those you have touched through Mercy—from those who would say, “Mercy saved my life!” Walk, run with us into the future. There is more to do and we need you to keep Mercy strong and growing! In Mercy,

Sister Patricia McKeon, RSM

Giving From The Heart

As Mercy celebrates our thirtieth anniversary we recognize the support of the law firm of Reid and Riege who have been involved since 1983. This longstanding collaboration has been instrumental in the success of Mercy Housing and Shelter. Since the very beginning, a lawyer has served on the Board of Trustees. “A former partner, Robert McNally, was very involved with Mercy and believed strongly in their work, in community involvement and issues of social justice,” said Eric Henzy, Attorney at Reid and Riege (and a former board member). In addition to having a member of the firm on Mercy’s board, the law firm volunteers once a month at the Friendship Center. Many of the firm’s lawyers and family members volunteer on “Soup Kitchen Saturdays.” Each month the firm purchases, prepares, and serves breakfast for 150 people in the Friendship Center. Their support continues by giving annually to Mercy as well as matching employee contributions.

Over the years employees have held fundraisers to help purchase needed equipment for the Friendship Center and recently two employees initiated some new projects. Sherri Hill and Sylvie Poulin, Legal Secretaries with the firm, enthusiastically participated in Mercy’s back to school backpack drive and coordinated Christmas gifts for a large family in need. Sherri and Sylvie were in constant contact with Mercy in their quest to find just the right supplies for backpacks and gifts for their Christmas Family. Sadly, Sylvie passed away in August. Sherri and Sylvie’s passion was from the heart, they understood what these items meant to Mercy’s clients and their children. “We realize that we are not only coworkers, we are a community of caring people, and we are also part of a larger community of people with different circumstances and needs, many of whom need assistance and deserve our attention and compassion,” said Karen Brand, Attorney at Reid and Riege (and a former board member). Since 2000, Reid and Riege estimates they have given more than $100,000 to Mercy Housing and Shelter. “We work in Hartford and want to do our part to support this community. We admire Mercy’s mission to help those in need and provide long-term solutions to the problem of homelessness. We are totally inspired by all of the work of Mercy’s dedicated staff, because of this we are very supportive of our employees as they engage the work of Mercy,” said Craig Sylvester, Managing Partner. “Reid and Riege has been helping Mercy for thirty years. They have been here since the founding of Mercy Housing and Shelter. I am deeply grateful to their commitment and continued support of Mercy,” said Sister Pat.

Volunteer groups, like Reid and Riege, who provide and prepare food for the meals program and respond to the needs of clients, greatly enhance the services that Mercy offers and helps the agency.

Creating Catherine’s Place In 2004 Sister Patricia McKeon, Mercy’s Executive Director, and Father Jim Hynes, former Pastor of St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church in Hartford, met to discuss the needs of homeless individuals. For years the parish and Franciscan Center had been responding to the needs of poor people in Hartford. Father Jim knew that he had some resources and hundreds of active parishioners ready to help. That winter a collaboration was created between Mercy Housing and Shelter and the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry to open a “no freeze shelter.” One year later Catherine’s Place, a transitional living program for fifteen homeless women recovering from addiction, opened its doors. For the past eight years, up to fifteen homeless women struggling with addiction have had a safe and beautiful transitional living program to help them as they worked to move out of homelessness. While Mercy provides the trained case managers, treatment is provided by Alcohol Drug and Recovery Centers (ADRC), and the University of Saint Joseph nursing students work with clients to improve their health and wellness. Student volunteers from Saint Joseph also assist with recreational groups and workshops.

The Franciscan Center and parish support the program with financial and in-kind donations. The financial commitment made by the Franciscan Center is considerable. “The Franciscan Center had space available, and Mercy had the trained staff, so this collaboration offered each organization an opportunity to expand its services,” said Father Thomas Gallagher, OFM, and Pastor of St. Patrick-St. Anthony Parish. Catherine’s Place has a large presence in the parish community with more than 130 volunteers preparing and serving dinner, planning activities such as knitting and painting, and scheduling future meals each month. In addition, the Franciscan Center and parish provide all the furniture and linens. “We are gifted with a number of individuals in our communities who strongly support those in recovery and working to end their own homelessness. Many of those individuals volunteer their time, talent and financial resources at Catherine’s Place,” said Trudi White, CVA, and Director of Volunteer Ministry at St. Patrick-St. Anthony and the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry. “Catherine’s Place has had a tremendous positive impact in the lives of women who stayed there. The generous support of Fr. Gallagher and the Franciscan Center is inspiring. The unique partnership between four entities, each bringing expertise and working together make Catherine’s Place successful,” said Dave Martineau, Director of Program at Mercy.

“We are a community of caring people”

Since 2005, Catherine’s Place has been home to 179 homeless women overcoming the complexities of addiction. Women can live at Catherine’s Place, a transitional living facility, for up to one year. Case managers work daily with residents to set goals and help them to gain the personal and vocational skills they need to obtain stable employment and permanent housing.