1. matters
Fall 2011
Health, Homes and Jobs for Homeless New Yorkers
SCOTT MCDONALD’S
JOURNEY TO ALBANY
“I’m a person
not a pie chart.”
S cott McDonald stood on the George
Washington Bridge in the middle of
winter, exhausted and alone. “There is
nothing else for me in life, I am done.”
He stood on the bridge for three or four Who Cares? I Do.
hours. “I seriously considered going off
the bridge. I would put my foot on the
Supporters Rally to Preserve Safety Net
railing then put it down.”
After living a “normal American life,”
Scott lost his marriage, home, and job
when pressures drove him to alcoholism
I n a fight to preserve the safety net for
vulnerable New Yorkers, Project Re-
newal staff, clients, and partners made
nately, emergency shelter is currently
the fastest-growing part of the homeless
system. Investment in supportive hous-
and depression. The low point came their voices heard when proposed state ing and other solutions help clients exit
the day he stood on that bridge. “I gave and city budgets threatened to cut or the revolving door between the streets
everything away and had nothing left. eliminate life-saving programs. Proposed and institutions.
At the end of it I decided to take a walk cuts would have made it more difficult While the State budget was on time
instead. I checked into Bellevue. But for clients to find a path out of poverty and balanced, it did not contain much
it wasn’t until I got to Project Renewal and homelessness. In a unified effort to good news for low-income and homeless
that I tried to start dealing with things.” draw attention to our plight, we joined New Yorkers. All the same, the advocacy
Our Fort Washington Men’s Shelter the Human Services Council’s Who was successful in convincing the State
was there for Scott at the lowest point Cares? I Do campaign to raise awareness to allow the establishment of behavioral
in his life. Shelter Director Etta Graham about the budget impact. A series of ral- health organizations and special needs
voiced the importance of the program lies, letter-writing campaigns, and trips managed care plans for individuals with
that helped Scott and so many others to meet legislators in Albany delivered a mental illness. The fight was also critical
like him. “Our shelter provides a place strong message on behalf of those who in convincing the State to invest in a
where people can begin to rebuild their are easily ignored or forgotten. new rental subsidy program to be devel-
lives one goal at time. The services that Project Renewal advocates pointed oped jointly by the City and the State.
each staff provides to the men that are out that proposed cuts for shelters and In the City budget, the news was better.
in our care are invaluable and to have rent subsidies would have cost govern- Project Renewal was able to preserve
these services cut or reduced would not ment a lot more to deal with the result- medical and psychiatric services in our
only affect the men, but it will affect ing crisis of homelessness than it would shelters which are critical for helping
all of us in the Human Services world. to invest in helping people to get stable residents regain their physical and
Our main goal in the shelter is to help housing, employment and help with mental health. In addition, funding was
our clients re-capture their humanness addiction or mental illness. The elimina- continued for case management services
and decrease the stigma that is attached tion of rental subsidies would just cause for people living with HIV/AIDS in our
continued on page 1 the shelter system to grow. Unfortu- supportive housing residences.

2. Scott McDonald..continued from page 1
21st Annual Gala to being homeless, mentally ill, and
poor by providing our clients supportive
A Great Success! housing and services that will increase
their self-worth.”
Scott agrees. “What Fort Washing-
ton did for me is I went from being
foggy with no direction to being on
a straight path. The people at Fort
Washington were able to gently and
respectfully get me back to where I can
function with normalcy.” After renew-
ing his life at Fort Washington, Scott
From Left: Gala Chair Jim Davidson, Board Chair Neil Mitchell, McDonald fought to save the programs
News Anchor Erika Tarantal, President & CEO Mitchell Netburn. that saved his life. Speaking in Albany,
Scott urged legislators and state officials
O
n June 9th, over 250 guests Our Keynote Speaker, Geffner to protect funding for homeless services.
gathered for our 21st Annual House chef Octavia Penn, shared her “I never thought I would have gone
Gala Benefit & Auction at the personal story from a life of addiction to Albany in my past life, but now I
Waldorf=Astoria. The event raised over to a life of culinary creations through would. It was vital for them to see a
$770,000 to fund life-saving programs Comfort Foods and the Culinary Arts person there instead of pie charts and
to help homeless men and women leave Training Program. “Project Renewal numbers.”
the streets and return to health, homes, gave me a chance; they believed in me. I
and jobs. feel good today. I’m clean, I’m focused,
Guests won fabulous auction items, and I’m doing something I love. Project HELP A CLIENT
sipped cocktails, savored delicious Renewal is second chances.”
cuisine, and embraced the mission of Thank you to our corporate sponsor TAKE THE NEXT
Project Renewal. NBC News Anchor Capital One Bank and everyone who
Erika Tarantal emcee’d the program and helped make the evening a success: pa- STEP TO A JOB
Christie’s auctioneer Brian McComak trons, auction prize donors, volunteers, Next Step has pre-screened and
inspired lively bidding. and Trustees.
motivated job candidates seeking jobs in
maintenance, food service, stock room,
construction, customer service,
and more…
If you’re hiring or able to able to make an
introduction to a hiring manager,
call now.
Monica Roquitte, Next Step
Guests bid generously in Live Auction. Octavia Penn Program Director
212-620-0340 ext. 355
From Left: Mark Kraehling
Trustee Ashley Venetos (center) Trustee Geoffrey Proulx (center) and Steven Jones, Project
with guests. with Elizabeth and Alvaro Ortiz. Renewal CFO.
2 Project Renewal matters | Fall 2011

3. IT’S A KNOCKOUT:
Culinary Arts Training Program Graduate Wins
a Job at Iron Chef’s Top NYC Restaurant
L
aura Ramirez was a Golden job in mind: to be a chef in one of the
Gloves championship boxer as a city’s top restaurants. With her resume Iron Chef Marc Forgione (right) with Culinary Arts
high school student in the Bronx, and her determination, Laura went Chef Instructor Anthony O’Connor.
but when it came to a career, she hung from one restaurant to another, literally
up the gloves and put on the chef ’s hat. knocking on the door and asking if the the Culinary Arts graduation in May
Laura was referred by VESID, a state chef was hiring. Fifty restaurants later, and continues to thrive on the job. “I
employment services agency, to the Laura knocked on the door of Marc am very fortunate to be in the position
Culinary Arts Training Program last fall. Forgione, owner & chef at Restaurant that I am in today. Working with Marc
After excelling in the classroom train- Marc Forgione on Reade Street and Forgione and his staff, I learn something
ing, she began a 3 month internship at 2010 winner of the Food Network’s new every day. I’m grateful for Project
AIG’s corporate dining room. Many Iron Chef. Marc was impressed and Renewal staff and my classmates for
students are hired at the place where hired Laura as a “garde manger” or salad never giving up on me and pushing me
they intern, but Laura had a different person. Laura invited her new boss to to work harder.”
Friday Morning Job Club Gives Clients a Boost
N
ext Step Job Placement is understanding of the employer’s per- and the Hotel Association of New
giving clients a boost in this spective by explaining what skills and York. In the first six weeks of the club,
tough economic climate positions employers are seeking, how nine clients obtained employment,
through the Friday Morning Job Club. to apply for them, and what employers 15 were accepted into Metro Scan-
The biweekly club helps motivate expect of their employees once they are ning’s training program (the successful
clients and connect them to employers hired. completion of which guarantees well
from targeted industries. It encourages Some of the employers hosted paid employment with the company)
clients to network and communicate include Affinity Health Plan, Geffner and 26 clients are in the process of
with potential employers. Professionals House, Metro Scanning (a not-for- applying for various positions with Af-
from fields like Human Resources host profit Social venture), Shamrock/ finity Health Plan.
the club. They help enhance clients’ EDC, the Third Street Men’s Shelter
Project Renewal matters | Fall 2011 3

4. It’s Time to Move In at
Board of Trustees
the New Fletcher Street Neil S. Mitchell
Residence Chair
C onstruction is complete at our
newest residence in the Bronx and
we’re getting ready to welcome 105 new
Susan M. Akselrad
Pamela J. Bell
Alan Belzer
Russell S. Berman
tenants in this supportive housing devel- Suzanne Henry Boies
opment. One wing includes 55 studio Colleen Cavanaugh
James S. Davidson
apartments for mentally-ill men and Anthony S. Kendall
women living independently. The other wing is a therapeutic community for 50 David J. Koeppel
men in recovery from alcohol and/or substance abuse. This model has proven effec- The Honorable Richard B. Lowe, III
Mark H. Minter
tive because it is based on both individual and group counseling and a job program Earl Monroe
at the Times Square Alliance. The new building helps to meet the growing demand Nan L. Perell
Chuck Pol
for affordable and safe housing for formerly homeless New Yorkers. Geoffrey Proulx
Mary Lynn Putney
Jules M. Ranz, M.D.
Capital One Employees Claudia Rosen
Carl S. Rosoff
Volunteer at Comfort Laura J. Rothschild
James W. Stevens
Foods Caverly “Lee” Stringer
Ashley Safronoff Venetos
Comfort Foods chefs had many helping
hands when Capital One employees Mitchell Netburn
signed up to volunteer in the kitchens President & CEO
during the bank’s “One Week” na- Junior Board
tionwide volunteer event. “The timing Christopher M. Bellapianta Colin Meagher
couldn’t have been better,” said Director Vijay Desiraju Keenan Reilly
Scott Donohue David Rowley
Barbara Hughes, “We usually rely on Brandl Frey Jenny Sharfstein
Culinary Arts students to help the chefs Nicholas Hemmerly Nicholas Sklar
Lilah Hume Christopher Smajdor
as part of their training experience, but Jeffrey Kirshenbaum Amanda Tomasello
this was a week between Cycles when Robin Lee Frederick H. Volp
there were no classes and no student
help! We’re all grateful for the enthusiasm and energy that the 19 volunteers PROJECT RENEWAL
brought to the kitchen. It took a lot of stress off our staff in getting thousands of 200 Varick Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10014
meals prepped that week.” 212-620-0340 • www.projectrenewal.org
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streets for health, homes and jobs…with your donation. It’s safe, fast and
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4 Project Renewal matters | Fall 2011