1. Donor Newsletter Fall 2012
matters
Out of Jail… In this Issue
AND INTO A Health, homes and jobs for homeless
HOME, AND A New Yorkers
p. 1 ����� Out of Jail, and Into a Home
FRESH START
W
p. 2 ����� Volunteers Bring Art to Men
hen men and women with
in Crisis
a criminal history carry the
added burden of mental p. 2 ����� Engineering Creative Ways to
multidisciplinary team to help them
illness life can be a struggle, and Give Back
transition to community living.
when they try to turn their lives
p. 3 ����� Jobs Training and Hope at
around the doors to permanent Many of the men and women in PSTP
Renewal Farm
housing are often shut to them. have never had a permanent place
This year Project Renewal created to call home as they are more than p. 3 ����� Year in Review
twice as likely as other ex-offenders
permanent housing for graduates of p. 4 ����� Gala Recap
to have come through the foster care
our Parole Support and Treatment
Program (PSTP), giving these vulner- system as children. p. 4 ����� Jobs for Veterans and New
able men and women a foundation Graduate Michael K said:
Housing
on which to build a stable future.
“What I remember is that Project
PSTP is an innovative program Renewal has always been there for
launched by Project Renewal, with
the Department of Corrections and
me. Helping me with budgeting,
and encouraging me to take my
Learn More!
the state Office of Mental Health,
piloting new strategies to help
medication. Now I know why! Having
my own apartment in the Bronx I am
Follow us Online
50 mentally ill men and women able to do these things independently.
successfully transition from prison I have a checking account with direct Listen to a podcast by author
to a productive life in the commu- deposit, and my own computer.”
nity. Last year 20 clients successfully
and Project Renewal Trustee
Robert Blocker, PSTP Program Direc-
moved into independent housing.
tor, said “I am still hoping for the day Lee Stringer, view Gala photos,
Counselors start working with that all Project Renewal clients who and see the impact of your gift
clients while they are still in prison put in the hard work toward positive
to prepare them for life on the change in their lives, have an appro- online at :
outside. Once released, clients move priate place to call home. These guys http://blog.projectrenewal.org
into shared apartments where they are certainly our role models.” n
receive intensive support from a
2. Page 2 Project Renewal matters | Fall 2012
Young Volunteers…
Volunteers
Bring Art...
Making a Difference
To Men in Crisis Before After
P
amela Bell wasted no time
once joining the Board of
Trustees, serving on the
Strategic Planning committee,
chairing our 2012 Gala and most
impressively, founding a volun-
teer arts initiative for the men at
3rd Street Shelter.
The Bowery Arts Program, less
Artist Katie Reidy with Shaniece Delgado, staff
than a year old, is an informal cre-
Katie Viki
ative class where volunteers and
clients connect while making all
forms of art. The classes – held . The Medical Clinic . Former Next Step
on Wednesday and Thursday at the Ft. Washington Men’s Shelter intern Viki Lazar created a fund-
mornings--provide men strug- has a new mural to inspire the 750 raising event around her big
gling with addiction a creative men who visit the clinic each year. decision to cut her “beloved
outlet to express their emotions dreadlocks” after 9 years.
Volunteer artist Katie Reidy, a
and foster new friendships. student at the noted art school She set up a page online, asking
At the 22nd Annual Gala Benefit Savannah College of Art and Design friends and family to make a gift
and Auction 40 pieces of client (SCAD) painted a mural depicting to Project Renewal to mark the
art were auctioned off, raising an optimistic city scape with these occasion. She has raised $4,000
more than $5,300 for Project inspiring words: which she will match with $1 for
Renewal. A very big thank you to every $2 donated for a total gift
The ultimate measure of a man is
Pamela and an amazing group of of $6,000.
not where he stands in moments of
volunteers who attend the work- comfort and convenience, but where Why Project Renewal?
shops each week including Shel- he stands at times of challenge and “Next Step is an amazing place
ley Sonenberg, Shelagh Herzog, controversy. where clients find people who
Erika Scully, Laura Rothschild,
believe in them again. Many of
Caryn Levitt, Jemme Aldridge Martin Luther King Jr., the formerly homeless clients at
and Susan Minot. n Strength to Love, 1963 Next Step are in recovery or were
recently incarcerated. Despite
Volunteer Erika Scully having lived lives I can’t even
creates the art display begin to imagine, these strong and
for the silent auction Interested in brave people want to turn things
Volunteering? around. It was life-changing to
watch clients realize that they do
I
f you are interested in have something tremendous to
volunteering with the contribute to society.”
Bowery Arts Program, please
contact Pamela at volunteer@
projectrenewal.org.
3. www.projectrenewal.org Page 3
Our Mission is to End Homelessness...
And We Mean Business
Last year Clients achieved
456 91%
men and
women
moved from
our shelters to permanent
316 of tenants in our supportive
job placements, an increase of
housing are still housed after
94% 3 years 10%
homes with
still housed after 6 months. over the previous year
signifying an effective
end to homelessness
Garden Variety Job
Training...
From the Streets of
NYC to the Farm Renewal Farm client Richard Emde displaying his favorite of
the 1,000 petunias he planted.
Over the past 16 years while helping to renew the lives thanks to our partnership with the Franciscan Friars of the
of hundreds of homeless New Yorkers suffering from Atonement.
addiction, Renewal Farm has also faced its own need for
Today, men like Richard Emde are still able to experience
renewal. And, like a stubborn sprout pushing its way up
the opportunities for self-renewal offered by the
through hard soil, the farm continues to grow and thrive.
program. When asked how he felt on first joining the
The program first took root at New York City’s largest program Richard said it was:
homeless shelter, Camp LaGuardia in Chester, NY. With
“a second chance at life, to take advantage of the full use
the closing and sale of the property we relocated to St.
of the program and to learn to live out the rest of my life in
Christopher’s Inn at Graymoor where Project Renewal
sobriety”.
provides transitional housing for formerly homeless men
from New York City. He’s still amazed at “how one little seed can grow to a full
plant”. Richard like so many of the men who participate
Shelters At A Glance:
Tillable land is a rare commodity in the Garrison area
with its beautiful forest covered hills and ridges. But with
in the program find intensive substance abuse treatment
is much easier to continue and to absorb when they can
some innovative thinking the farm once again blossoms
be also be involved in other purposeful activities and one
on an acre size old tennis and handball court, complete
step at a time build job skills and self-esteem. n
with large plant beds and a greenhouse, at Graymoor
4. Page 4 Project Renewal matters | Fall 2012
22nd Annual Gala Benefit and Auction Recap
T
hank you SO much to all of our wonderful Trustees, Patrick Lee spoke about how Project Renewal supported
staff, volunteers, and supporters who made the his journey from addiction and homelessness to a new
Gala a great success! life. “I wake up in the morning and I sit in my bed and say,
“Wow, this is mine, this is life, this is wonderful...”
We raised over $780,000 to help homeless New Yorkers
find health, homes, and jobs—bringing them so much A special thanks to Ed Helms, Gala Chair Pamela Bell, MC
further on their journey towards a new life. Erika Tarantal, Auctioneer Hugh Hildesley, and Special
Guest Patrick Lee. Please join us next year for the 23rd
Gala Host Ed Helms entertained and inspired guests to
Annual Gala.n
support Project Renewal. Former shelter resident
Gala Host Ed Helms Board of Trustees Chair Neil Mitchell (left) and Gala Special Guest Patrick Lee (left) and Gala Emcee and
Chair Pamela Bell (right) NBC 4 News Anchor Erika Tarantal (right)
In the Works…
Save the Date! Project Renewal launches new
Junior Board Fall Ball initiatives to reach more homeless
November 2, 2012
New Yorkers in need
Find us online! nn The Culinary Arts Training Program will launch a new cooking school
projectrenewal.org this fall at the Borden Avenue Veterans Shelter to train homeless veterans
for jobs in food services.
nn We began renovating our newest shelter, our first in the Bronx. The
shelter will help meet the increased demand for shelter by offering 108
homeless New Yorkers a safe and supportive setting and assistance in
moving into permanent homes.
#ProjectRenewal nn Project Renewal received a $100,000 grant from the US Department
of Labor awarded to provide employment services to homeless
veterans! We were one of 2 new grantees in New York City selected in
this national competition. Funding will expand the reach of our Next
Step Employment Program to homeless veterans: we will offer vocational
counseling, job training, and job placement services to help vets get back
ProjectRenewalMedia to work!
