not your average joeand our fears. i wasn’t afraid to ask questions. it was a very ... and...

Not your average Joe

Joey Cintron, back, has some enthusiastic helpers with his gardening at the YMCA: fromleft, Isaac Smith, Nikolas Bray and Janaysia Copeland.

Cintron turned his life around at Lynn YMCA

Lynn Community Health Center

OB/GYN patients share experiences PAGE 2

BY PAUL HALLORAN

Joey Cintron has done a lot of growing at theLynn YMCA, in more ways than one.

By his own admission, Cintron was anythingbut the ideal member of The Core, the LynnYMCA’s youth drop-in program, when he firstjoined in June 2008.

“I was kind of aggravated,” he said. “I waslooking for attention and I didn’t like being toldwhat to do.”

Audrey Jimenez, executive director of theLynn branch, recalls speaking with the directorof the program at the time, shortly after Cintronstarted attending the Y. The message was clear:“This kind of behavior is unacceptable.”

Fortunately for Cintron, he managed to keephis head above water until last November, whenGregg Ellenberg took over as the director of

SSeeee YYMMCCAA PPaaggee 55

NeighborhoodDevelopment Associates

New housing at old Waterworks PAGE 5

Elder Service Plan of the North Shore

PACE helps elders stay independentPAGE 4

Girls Inc. of LynnInvesting in technology

and girls’ futures PAGE 3

Serving People in NeedSPIN partners with United Way to

help people achieve financial stabilityPAGES 6-7

All Care HospiceHitting a home run for hospice patients

PAGE 9

Catholic Charities NorthOn a mission to feed familiesthrough brown-bag campaign

PAGE 10

BridgewellAttorney Vitali to be honored

for Excellence in ServicePAGE 12

P R O J E C T G I V E S WO M E N A N E W P L AC E TO C A L L H O M E . PAG E 1 1

BY MEAGHAN CASEY

At Lynn Community Health Center, the road to motherhood is beingreinforced by the bond of sisterhood.

The health center is offering a new Centering Pregnancy programthrough its Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. The programoffers group visits to mothers-to-be with similar due dates andprovides a setting for them to discuss their shared experiences.Participants receive regular prenatal care and are taught to take theirown blood pressure, check their weight, protein and glucose levels andchart their personal progress.

“It’s a beautiful thing to go through together,” said Dr. KristenCotter, one of the center’s four OB/GYN physicians.

“They’re able to share very personal stories with each other anddevelop friendships,” said Leanne McDermott, obstetrics nursemanager. “They gain a very important social support system.”

A growing movement throughout the nation, Centering Pregnancyhas been found to empower women throughout the gestationalprocess, including labor and delivery. There is also evidence that linksit to lower rates of premature births and higher birth weight amongbabies.

LCHC midwife Reagan Crowley advocated for the program inLynn. Thanks to her efforts and grant funding from the March ofDimes Foundation, the Marblehead Junior Aid Society, and theUnitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lynn, LCHC was able toadopt the model in June. The center has since formed three groups -for English- and Spanish-speaking patients - and hopes to introduce afourth group to serve the Somali population. Crowley, who earned hermaster’s degree in Nurse Midwifery from Yale University, leads mostof the sessions at the Union Street location, and Dr. Anna Rabkina, aphysician specializing in Family Medicine, leads the sessions at thehealth center’s Market Square practice.

Lynn resident Mabely Cepeda, who has three children ranging inage from 11 months to six years, is expecting her fourth child. She

was excited to join the Centering Pregnancy program and findcommon ground with the other women. “Even though I’ve had threechildren, there’s always more to learn,” she said.

Mary Vaughan of Lynn is expecting her first child in December.She, too, has had a positive experience with the program. “Reagan wasphenomenal and made us feel at ease,” she said. “We had the medicalcheck-ups, but we also learned yoga and talked about our excitementand our fears. I wasn’t afraid to ask questions. It was a verycomfortable and friendly atmosphere.”

The Centering Pregnancy program is one indication of the LCHCobstetrics department’s growth in the last decade. McDermott, who isin her ninth year at the center, remembers a time when the departmenthad only one obstetrician. There are now four OB/GYNs, twomidwives, a nurse practitioner, four nurses and three family medicinephysicians. The team now delivers about 500 babies a year at theSalem Hospital.

“I believe in what we’re doing,” said McDermott. “Every day, we’rehelping people in this community and connecting them to muchneeded services. Our staff is able to collaborate with otherorganizations to provide them with the social services and support thatthey need, long after they’ve delivered.”

Dr. Alexy Kochowiec, LCHC’s chief of OB/GYN and vice chair ofthe OB/GYN department at North Shore Medical Center, is in hiseighth year at the center. Kochowiec, who speaks English, Spanishand Russian, earned his degree at Vanderbilt University’s School ofMedicine and completed a residency in OB/GYN at Brown UniversityWomen and Infants Hospital.

“It’s a privilege to work here,” he said. “Your day is never boring;you might have a patient who last gave birth at home in Guatemala,and then she comes to us. Through our patients, we gain an insightinto different worlds and cultures.”

“I feel incredibly lucky,” said Cotter, who earned both her medicaldegree and her master’s in international public health at the Universityof Pittsburgh and completed her residency in OB/GYN at BrownUniversity. She spent time in Indonesia before coming to Lynn a yearago. “There’s satisfaction in being able to provide care to people whomight not otherwise have had access and to work with a team ofevidence-based, smart and caring providers.”

2 — THE CONNECTOR Autumn 2009

LYNN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER

Lynn Community Health Center has a history of providing accessible,comprehensive health care to all membersof the greater Lynn community regardlessof ability to pay, and is the largest providerof outpatient care in Lynn, caring for morethan one in three residents.

Its health care providers have advanced credentials in their fields of practice andprovide services in more than 20 languages.The center is committed to providing the

highest quality primary care, behavioralhealth, and, in collaboration with NorthShore Medical Center, specialty servicesincluding: endocrinology, cardiology,pulmonology, ophthalmology, general surgery, and podiatry.

LCHC opened Market Square FamilyHealth Services and a nearby WesternAvenue site in 2002-03.They offer primarycare, prenatal care, adolescent health,behavioral health and social services. Inaddition, LCHC's six school-based healthcenters within Lynn Public Schools providestudents with access to physical and mentalhealth care.The health center operates adental clinic on Union Street and recentlyopened a new eye care service in collabo-ration with the New England College ofOptometry, and a new clinical pharmacyprogram in conjunction with NortheasternUniversity School of Pharmacy.

The LCHC has been accredited inAmbulatory Health Care and BehavioralHealth Care by the Joint Commission onthe Accreditation of Health Care organizations since 2000.

Motherhood, sisterhoodOB/GYN patients share experiences at LCHC

Mary Vaughan, above, isan OB/GYN patient atLCHC; at right, clinicalassistant Virginia Diaz

demonstrates relaxation techniques

on Dr. Kristen Cotter.

Focusing on nonprofits and their contributions to the community

BY MEGHAN WEBER

Investing in girls recently gainedinternational prominence as a crucial causeduring this year’s meeting of the ClintonGlobal Initiative (CGI), a results-orientedconference attended by world leaders todevise practical solutions to the world’s mostpressing issues.

One practical means of taking action is toinvest in successful organizations that benefitgirls at the local level – organizations such asGirls Incorporated of Lynn (Girls Inc.), anaffiliate of the national non-profit dedicated toinspiring girls to be strong, smart and bold.Girls Inc. has been making headlines for itswork benefiting generations of girls since1942.

Girls Inc. provides vital, educational after-school and summer programs to high-riskgirls age 6-18 from an underserved area. Theorganization seeks to level life’s playing fieldfor the more than 1,500 young people servedannually by exposing them to special learningopportunities, better technology and tools toensure a brighter future. Many girls involvedwith Girls Inc. come from disadvantagedsingle-parent homes supported by incomesbelow $25,000 a year, do not have computersat home and rely on Girls Inc. for its uniqueeducational opportunities.

Girls Inc. has taken a giant step forward bydrastically improving its technology andupgrading its facilities through an $11 million

capital campaign led by Thomas L. Demakes,president of Old Neighborhood Foods, andcampaign chair Jansi Chandler. Althoughactual construction of a new facility wascompleted in June, Girls Inc. has until Dec.31 to raise the last $1.5 million necessary forfunding the project and meeting requirementsto retain an $850,000 Kresge Foundationgrant. Girls Inc. is striving to reach its goaland is seeking cash donations and pledges (up

to five years) from existing and new donors tomeet the deadline.

Formerly housed in a dilapidated buildingon Broad Street, Girls Inc. is now located onHigh Street in a new 28,000-square-foot,state-of-the-art facility. The new spaceincludes a renovation and restoration of theShoe School building, a historic landmarkcirca 1858; a modern gymnasium; spaciouslobby; PC computer labs, with a total of 45laptops; a Macintosh editing suite; multi-purpose rooms and dedicated rooms forscience and art programs; a commercial-gradekitchen; administrative offices; a professionalconference room for 40; and an outside playspace.

Technology and architectural upgrades tothe building have enhanced and expanded theprogramming offered by Girls Inc. and weredesigned with girls and the local communityin mind. The gymnasium now provides GirlsInc. with improved means to encourage andsupport girls’ physical activity, an increasinglyimportant part of a healthy lifestyle withchildhood obesity on the rise nationally.Community organizations are encouraged toutilize the new building’s gym and conferenceroom. A local adult female basketball league,among other groups, uses the gym duringsome off-hours.

“Digital technology has increased the levelof integrated programming and experiential

learning possible in Girls Inc. programs,” saidPat Driscoll, Girls Inc. executive director.“From laptops in the kitchen for hands-onlearning about nutrition, to designing businesscards for a mock business, to creating apublic-service announcement aboutpregnancy prevention in the editing suite, toworking up a sweat with Dance, DanceRevolution on a Wii, learning opportunities atGirls Inc. are increasingly interactive thanksto our donors and the new facility.”

THE CONNECTOR Autumn 2009 — 3

Sarah Fox of Girls Inc. works in a computer lab with, from left, Erica Doeun,Adama Kuyateh and Katherine Diaz.

Joelli Rodriguez takes advantage of one of the 45 laptops at Girls Inc.

Autumn Rhapsody Hawthorne Hotel, Salem

Thurs., Nov. 5 — 6:30 p.m.

An evening of fine food, wine,music, live auction and raffles.

Tickets: $75 Proceeds benefit Girls Inc. programs.

For more information, contact JoanLawrence at 781-592-9744, ext. 262

or [email protected]

Technology lives at Girls Inc.New building

offers girls

new possibilities


4— THE CONNECTOR Autumn 2009

Ask any daughter of an aging relative, navigating theoptions for long-term care can be a complicated process ofpatching together resources and family members to help keepmom at home.

“There are many organizations out therethat provide care for elders, but no onehas the complete service package like wedo with our PACE program,” says RobertWakefield, executive director of ElderService Plan of the North Shore (ESPNS).

PACE – or the Program of All InclusiveCare for the Elderly – provides nearlyeverything to help an elder remainindependent at home. The strength in theirapproach stems from a multi-disciplinaryteam of medical and social serviceprofessionals coordinating a care plan thatmoves seamlessly from the PACE center,the home, hospital or long-term carefacility.

By definition, all PACE clients are eligible for placementin a nursing home. Allowing them to stay either in theirhomes, assisted living or with a family member not only addsto their quality of life, it also costs significantly less than

other long-term care options. Breaking out of the fee-for-service model, PACE pays for

coverage as an HMO would, with a fixed annual cost perperson, paid through Medicare and Medicaid.But unlike an insurance company, coverage isdecided by the medical team that actuallyknows the participant.

“We refer to our clients as participants,rather than patients,” says Joe Stanley, sitecoordinator, “because we really see them ashaving a say in their care. To us, they are partof the team.”

Sue Ann MacLean couldn’t be happier to bea part of this team. A graduate of the nursingschool at the former Lynn Hospital, sheworked as an obstetrics nurse for 25 years.After suffering two detached retinas andundergoing five eye surgeries in one year, shewas left legally blind. After a stint in arehabilitation facility, she came to PACE in

July 2007.“PACE provides me with comprehensive medical care,”

said MacLean, who lives on her own, with assistance from apersonal care assistant 3-4 times a week and a companion

once a week who takes her out to do shopping and errands. “They have a plan for your care and you’re involved in

that plan,” MacLean added. “Your medication gets deliveredto you, and I got to keep all my specialists. All theinformation is documented and my doctors know exactlywhat is happening.”

Each PACE site is limited to about 150 total participants,of which 60-75 visit the site every weekday. “When yourdoctor is a geriatric specialist that only has 100-150 clientsand is supported by a team of other professionals ingeriatrics, you are going to have better care than with aprovider who has several hundred patients,” Wakefieldnotes.

“Each site has its own personality, based on the staff andparticipants,” says Stanley. “It’s meant to give participantseverything they need under one roof.”

And now there is one more roof in the PACE program.This month Elder Service Plan of the North Shore will opena new day center at 20 School St., Lynn. The organizationformerly leased the space, before recently purchasing it andcompleting an extensive renovation.

This will be the seventh PACE center for ESPNS; four arelocated in Lynn, two at the Cummings Center in Beverly andone in Gloucester.

Sue Ann MacLean, center, loves the care and attentionshe receives at the PACE program from dedicated staffsuch as Joe Stanley and Jacqui Trainor.

Keeping mom at homePACE program helps elders maintain their independence

PACE provides me with comprehensive

medical care.They have a plan for your care and you’re involved

in that plan.

Sue Ann MacLeanPACE participant and retired nurse

“



The Core. And that, by all accounts, is whatturned him around.

“Gregg understood what I was going through,”said Cintron, who had been dealing with mental-health, anger-management and respect issues.“He talked to me about the way I talked to

others.”“Joey is a very

bright kid,” Ellenbergsaid. “He was awareof his actions and hewas clever enough torationalize what hewas doing.”

Less than a yearlater, Cintron’sturnaround has beendrastic. Not only ishe now consideredone of the leaders inThe Core, he is thede facto junior mayorof the YMCA, able tohold court with adults

and youth alike. And he will not turn 15 untilDecember.

When the Food Project – a nonprofit groupthat engages young people in personal and socialchange through sustainable agriculture – built acouple of gardens outside of the YMCA anddonated some seeds, there was a need forsomeone to oversee the gardening efforts.Jimenez approached Cintron who, although notthat interested at first, agreed to take on theproject.

“I learned how to garden from mygrandmother. She taught me how to plant, waterand weed.” he said. “I got eight Core kids to helpme. We planted the seeds and watered everyday.”

The results were impressive: snap peas, stringbeans, collard greens, romaine lettuce, eggplant,cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, peppers,scallions. Cintron harvested the crop and set up amini-farmer’s market in the Y lobby, raisingabout $30 for The Core youth program.

“Joey was used to people telling him when hedid something wrong,” Ellenberg said. “We gavehim opportunities to do things right. We put himin a leadership role and gave him the chance to

be successful.”The attitudinal change in Cintron has been

evident in settings other than the Y, namelyschool. While he was a regular visitor to the

principal’s office in middle school, he willproudly tell you he “hasn’t gotten into anytrouble” for almost a year. As a freshman at LynnTech this year he plays on the freshman footballteam and enjoys his shop classes, especiallyelectrical.

He said his church – East Coast InternationalChurch – has also been a factor in his turnaround.At the Y, he is a frequent MVP, an awardpresented daily to The Core participants who bestdemonstrate the YMCA core values – Respect,Honesty, Responsibility, Caring. A core value ofthe day is discussed at the beginning of theprogram. He has gone from the boy constantly introuble to the leader who counsels peers.

“I tell kids that if you do something bad,everybody knows about it, but if you do good,not everybody necessarily pays attention to it. Idid bad things because people didn’t always payattention to the good things I did,” he said.

It’s safe to say those days are gone.The Core is the youth drop-in program based

at the Lynn YMCA youth center. The program isfor youth ages 5-14. There are about 500members and 120 regulars, including 80-100who come every day.

YMCA: from Page 1

Joey Cintron

YMCA helped Joey Cintron turn his life around

The fourth annual online auctionto support the Greater LynnYMCA runs from Oct. 12-Nov. 6.There are more than 100 items,from sports tickets to getawaypackages to spa treatments to aBoston Harbor cruise for twowith lunch and drinks.

The auction will raise funds foryouth and teen programs at eachof the branch locations located inLynn, Saugus, and Peabody.

Visit www.greaterlynnymca.cmarket.comto see the online auction.

AUCTION!

BY PAUL HALLORAN

For 30 years, Neighborhood DevelopmentAssociates – formerly known as the LynnCommunity Development HousingCorporation – has been revitalizingneighborhoods and creating home-ownershipopportunities.

Perhaps no project better illuminates thepositive impact NDA can have on aneighborhood than the redevelopment of theWaterworks site in West Lynn.

NDA took a property with a 120-year-oldbuilding that had been vacant since 1991 andcreated a mini-neighborhood, building 10single-family homes on Childs and Flint streetsand two 2-family rental units on Walnut Street,where the former pumping station had stood.

“This project reflects our commitment tocreate housing opportunities in neighborhoodsthroughout the city,” said Charles Gaeta,executive director of the Lynn HousingAuthority & Neighborhood Development, theadministrative agency for NDA. “There arenow 14 units of quality housing on a site thathad been abandoned for almost 20 years.”

The project began in June 2004 when NDAreceived the support of Mayor Edward J.“Chip” Clancy Jr. and the Lynn City Council,

led by Council President Tim Phelan and Ward7 Councilor Rick Ford, and the property wasturned over to NDA by the city. Phase 1consisted of the construction of five single-family homes on the back part of the property– three on Flint Street and two on Childs.

Phase 2 commenced with a neighborhoodmeeting in July 2007 at which theapproximately 50 neighbors in attendanceunanimously agreed the Waterworks buildingneeded to be demolished.

Because the property was deemed“architecturally significant” by the

Massachusetts Historical Commission, theNDA had to agree to some conditions in orderto get approval for demolition of the building.One was that it contract with a professionalphotographer to document for posterity thehistoric value of the site.

Once NDA received permission from theMass. Historical Commission and the city todemolish the building and permission from theBoard of Appeals to construct the new homes,the redevelopment began. Working with theLynn Historical Commission it salvaged somecomponents of the building, such as the

archway, which has been used in acommemorative garden on the property.

After the Waterworks building was takendown, the second group of five single-familyhomes was built – two on Flint Street and threeon Childs – and the land where the buildinghad stood was cleared. The final piece of thepuzzle was the construction of the two 2-family units on Walnut Street.

The project has been a financial benefit tothe city, as a parcel that had been vacant foralmost 20 years is now producing $50,000 inannual property taxes.

Positive developmentWaterworks

project creates

new neighborhood

Residents of the new housing units at the former Waterworks site as well as the surrounding neighborhood participated in theribbon cutting for the new development: front from left: Beatrice Chipouras,Aliya Rock, Mark Tobin, Kyle Candilieri, Mike Desantis;back, Kathy Reed,Ward 7 Councilor Rick Ford, Mayor Edward J. “Chip” Clancy Jr., Kathy Byrne, Cyrus Rock,Tracy Rock, Jeff Rockand Meghan Nickola.


6 — THE CONNECTOR Autumn 2009

HOME-MAKING

After driving his wheelchair 3,335 milescross-country in 2008, Matt Eddy returnedhome, questioning if the homecoming would beliteral or just figurative.

Faced with foreclosure at the onset of hisfour-month voyage, Eddy, a32-year-old with a severe formof muscular dystrophy, wasforced to try to find either anew handicap-accessibleapartment or financing topurchase the current home hehad been renting at 155Lawton Ave.

“When we left here, hethought he had no place tocome back to,” said Eddy’scaretaker, Ron Steenbruggen,a respiratory rehabilitationtherapist at the Shaughnessy-Kaplan Rehabilitation Centerin Salem.

Thanks to the efforts ofAffordable HousingAssociates, Inc. and the LynnHousing Authority &Neighborhood Development,Eddy is adjusting comfortably to his newlyrenovated quarters. Affordable HousingAssociates funded the renovations, includingconverting the upstairs unit into anotherhandicap-accessible apartment.

“This is a win-win for all involved,” saidCharles Gaeta, LHAND executive director. “Weare happy to be able to help someone like Matt.We can all be inspired by his courage and thededication of those who care for him.”

Nine years ago, Steenbruggen had the samesentiment, when he took matters into his ownhands, helping to raise $30,000 to retrofit andrenovate the first-floor Lawton Avenueapartment to meet Eddy’s disability needs.

Steenbruggen, who is married and has threegrown children, has evolved from Eddy’srespiratory therapist at Spaulding to his primarycaregiver, financial provider, life coach andfriend.

“He just has a spark abouthim,” said Steenbruggen. “Hewants to live. I couldn’t bear thethought of him living the rest ofhis life in an institution.”

Eddy was four years oldwhen he was diagnosed withDuchenne muscular dystrophy,a severe form of the geneticdisorder that involves rapidlyworsening muscle weakness. Byage 10, he stopped walking. Byage 20, he was hooked up to atracheotomy tube and ventilator,which he will forever bedependent upon.

Prior to living independentlyin his own apartment, Eddy washospitalized several times. Sincehis move, he has had nomedical issues or infectionsrequiring a visit to the hospital.

“It just goes to show you that people arehappier and stay healthier in their own homes,”said Steenbruggen.

That’s the philosophy behind Matt’s Place, anonprofit organization that aims to improve thelives of individuals such as Eddy living withdisabilities. The mission of the organization,initiated by Steenbruggen in 2006, is to buildaccessible housing, broaden communityawareness and education, and provide personalcare staff assistance and help with the transitionfrom health care facility to home.

For Eddy, self-sufficiency has been the keyto his success and happiness. “I try to do asmuch as possible on my own,” he said.

BY PAUL HALLORAN

Serving People in Need has joined forceswith the United Way to put people on the roadto financial stability. A key stop on that journeyis the new United Way Financial StabilityCenter, powered by SPIN, which had its grandopening Sept. 22 in the former Eastern Bankbuilding on Union Street in Lynn.

The United Way of Massachusetts Bay andMerrimack Valley has pledged $1 million to thecenter over the next five years. In addition toSPIN, the center brings together a network ofmore than a dozen organizations in order tooffer a wide range of programs and servicesdesigned to help people make better choicesand become financially self-sufficient.

Among the most important programs areVoluntary Income Tax Assistance (VITA),promoting the Earned Income Tax Credit(EITC).

The VITA program provides volunteers whoassist people in preparing their tax returns at nocharge. The returns can be filed online directlyfrom the financial stability center, so those whofile will receive refunds more quickly.

EITC is a federal credit based on income thatis designed to assist lower-income workers byreturning to them a percentage of what theyearned over the course of the year. The IRSestimates that $3.2 million in EITC money isnot claimed by eligible workers in Lynn eachyear. The Financial Stability Center will raiseEITC awareness.

Financial education classes at the center meetonce a week for 10 weeks. Participants will becounseled on VITA, matched savings accounts,credit repair, computer and job-related skills,

housing services referral, foreclosureprevention, and basic banking information.

“What we know, from both national researchand from working with the best health andhuman service agencies in our region, is thatsafety nets and benefits alone aren’t going to beenough to empower families to climb out ofpoverty,” said Michael K. Durkin, president andCEO of United Way of Massachusetts Bay andMerrimack Valley. “They need skills, jobs,savings and assets to build brighter futures.Bringing together organizations from across thecommunity around this important issue is themost effective way of building lasting financial

stability in Lynn.” “Our goal at the center is to break the cycle

of intergenerational poverty,” said SPINExecutive Director Mark DeJoie. “We want toget people ready for the next step, and givethem the skills and support to succeed.”

Lynn Mayor Edward J. “Chip” Clancy Jr.said the Financial Stability Center provides “atremendous opportunity to allow people to getback on solid financial footing, especially inthese difficult economic times. This is a greatexample of the impact that can be achievedwhen the community comes together.”

Victor Campusano of Lynn was one of the

first clients of the Financial Stability Center.The single father said he is grateful for theassistance.

“I’m finally in a program that’s family-oriented. We feel we are not alone, notabandoned,” Campusano said. “I’m trying toput everything in order for my future and mychildren’s future.”

That’s exactly what United Way had in mindwhen deciding to get behind this project,according to its Senior Vice President ofCommunity Impact, Jeff Hayward, a Lynnnative.

“When parents look into the eyes of theirchildren, they see oceans of opportunity, hopesand dreams. That’s what we’re trying to deliverwith this partnership,” Hayward said. “UnitedWay is so proud to be a part of this. This is stepone. If we work together, we can only imaginewhat’s possible.”

The organizations partnering with SPIN inthe United Way Financial Stability Centerinclude: Affordable Housing Associates ofLynn, Catholic Charities, Community CreditUnion, Compass Working Capital, InternalRevenue Service, Lynn Housing Authority &Neighborhood Development, NeighborhoodLegal Services, North Shore Career Center ofLynn, North Shore Community College, ProjectCOPE, Project Safe and Willow Labs andMedical Center.

The center is operating in 13,000 square feetof space in a building owned by Willow Labs.DeJoie said SPIN and the United Way aregrateful to Willow Labs President and CEO Dr.Brian Strasnick for providing the space virtuallyrent-free.

Matt Eddy is happy in his newly renovated home, thanks to the efforts of, from left, NormCole of the LHAND, Danielle Steenbruggen and Ron Steenbruggen.

Affordable Housing helps Matt Eddy

in his quest to live independently

We are happy to be able to help someonelike Matt.We can all be inspired by hiscourage and the

dedication of those who care for him.

Charles GaetaLHAND Executive Director

“

From left, Mayor Edward J. “Chip” Clancy Jr., Jeff Hayward of United Way, Myra Kraft,United Way CEO Michael Durkin,Victor Campusano, Marques Benton of FederalReserve Bank of Boston, Dr. Brian Strasnick of Willow Labs and Mark DeJoie of SPINat the grand opening of the United Way Financial Stability Center powered by SPIN.

SPIN partners with United Way to help people become self-sufficient

Serving People in Needof financial stability

Case manager Marisol Ferrer works on English literacy with Gladys Lorenzo atthe United Way Financial Stability Center powered by SPIN.

Myra Kraft, right, chats with Heather Hildebrand, left, and June Blair of SPIN

Paula Chaput and Wolde Woldesadik attend a financial education class at theUnited Way Financial Stability Center.

From left: Jeff HaywardUnited Way Senior VPJeff Hayward, translatorAmantina Payano andVictor Campusano andUnited Way CEOMichael Durkin.

THE CONNECTOR Autumn 2009 — 7Focusing on nonprofits and their contributions to the community


All Care Visiting NurseAssociation and Hospice16 City Hall SquareLynn, MA 01901(781) 598-2454www.allcare.org

Boys and Girls Club of Lynn25 North Common St.Lynn, MA 01902(781) 593-1772www.bgcl.org

Bridgewell471 BroadwayLynnfield, MA 01940(781) 593-1088www.bridgewell.org

Catholic Charities North55 Lynn Shore DriveLynn, MA 01902(781) 593-2312www.ccab.org

Cerebral Palsy of Eastern Mass103 Johnson StLynn, MA 01902-4001(781) 593-2094www.cerebral-palsy-help.com

Children’s Law Center ofMass.

298 Union St.Lynn, MA 01901781-581-1977www.clcm.org

Community Minority CulturalCenter

298 Union St.Lynn, MA 01901781-598-5761

Elder Service Plan of theNorth Shore

37 Friend St.Lynn, MA 01901781-715-6608www.pacenorthshore.org

Family and Children’s Servicesof Greater Lynn

111 North Common St.Lynn, MA 01902781-598-5517

www.fcslynn.org

Girls Inc. of Lynn 50 High St.Lynn, MA 01902781-592-9744www.girlsinclynn.org

Greater Lynn YMCA20 Neptune Blvd.Lynn, MA 01902781-581-3105www.lynnymca.org

LynnArts Inc.25 Exchange St.Lynn, MA 01901781-598-5244www.lynnarts.org

Lynn Community HealthCenter269 Union St.Lynn, MA 01901(781) 581-3900www.lchcnet.org

Lynn Economic Opportunity &Head Start Program156 Broad St.Lynn, MA 01901781-581-7220www.leoinc.org

Lynn Home for Women

144 Broad St.Lynn, MA 01901781-592-2037www.lynnhome.org

Lynn Housing Authority &Neighborhood Development

10 Church St.Lynn, MA 01902781-477-2800www.lhand.org

Lynn Museum & HistoricalSociety

Lynn Heritage State Park590 Washington St.Lynn, MA 01901781-581-6200www.lynnmuseum.org

Lynn Shelter Association

91 Liberty St.Lynn, MA 01901781-581-0739www.lsahome.org

My Brother’s Table98 Willow St.Lynn MA 01901781-595-3224www.mybrotherstable.org

Neighborhood Legal Services37 Friend St.Lynn, MA 01902781-599-7730www.neighborhoodlaw.org

Operation Bootstrap156 Broad St.Lynn, MA 01902781-599-8543www.operationbootstrap-lynn.org

Project COPE117 North Common St.Lynn, MA 01902781-593-5333 www.projectcope.com

Raw Art Works37 Central SquareLynn, MA 01901(781) 593-5515www.rawart.org

Serving People in Need270 Union St.Lynn, MA 01901(781) 598-9467www.spinlynn.org

There can be no debatethat nonprofit agenciescontribute to thebetterment of the localcommunity and society asa whole. Nonprofits maydiffer from otherbusinesses in missionand/or structure, but theyare very much valuable

assets to the local business community.From a financial perspective, nonprofits fuel

the local economy by: purchasing goods andservices from local vendors; employing workerswho spend money in the city and pay incometaxes; and renting space from landlords who payproperty taxes. Much of their revenue is derivedfrom grants and other funding emanating outsidethe city, with the money being spent in the city.

A nonprofit may have a significant positiveimpact on economic development, as evidencedby Girls Inc. revitalizing an entire neighborhood

with its multi-million-dollar rehabilitation of theformer Shoe School in the Highlands. Projectssuch as that, or Neighborhood DevelopmentAssociates’ redeveloping the Waterworks site onWalnut Street, would have little chance of beingundertaken in the private sector due to theeconomic realities involved.

More important than any economicstimulation they offer, our nonprofits provide asignificant social benefit by the very nature ofthe work they do and for whom it is done.Whether it is the YMCA offering valuableprograms for youth, PACE and All-Care VNAtaking care of the elderly, SPIN opening the doorto financial stability, Project COPE treating thoseplagued by substance abuse, the LynnCommunity Health Center and Bridgewellproviding quality care, or Catholic Charitiesdelivering basic services to those most in need,the nonprofits give direct assistance to those inthe economic margins.

Gordon R. Hall is chairman of the LynnBusiness Partnership.

Published by

Grant Communications Group85 Exchange St., Suite 218

Lynn, MA 01901781-598-8200

www.grantgroup.com

For information contact:Jansi Chandler

[email protected]

Nonprofits are valuable tothe business community

Gordon R. Hall

It is my pleasure towelcome you to the firstof four editions of TheConnector. Great thingsare happening in thenonprofit sector of ourcommunity, and we aredelighted to highlightour services, programs

and successes. The nonprofit sector is the essence of

democracy in our country — citizens committingtime and resources for causes they believe areimportant and add value.

The nonprofit phenomenon is unique andempowering. In the U.S., the nonprofit sectorgrew out of pioneers settling in North America

from Europe. These individuals utilized theirresources and skills to come together to createplaces and opportunities which served the “publicgood” rather than individual need. With theirearly efforts as our foundation, there are morethan 1.3 million nonprofit organizations in theU.S. today. These agencies provide anastounding range of cultural, recreational,educational, medical and social services.

Whereas for-profit corporations exist to earnand distribute taxable business earnings toshareholders, the nonprofit corporation existssolely to provide programs and services that areof public benefit. Often these programs andservices are not otherwise provided by local, stateor federal entities.

While they are able to earn a profit – more

accurately called a surplus – such earnings mustbe retained by the organization for its futureprovision of programs and services, and earningsmay not benefit individuals or stakeholders.

Underlying many effective nonprofit endeavorsis a commitment to good administrative and fiscalmanagement. Years ago, the term “management”was distasteful to many in nonprofit organizationsbecause of its connotations of “business.”Nonprofits prided themselves on being free of thetaint of commercialism and undue considerationof the bottom line. Now, a consensus hasdeveloped within the nonprofit sector thatnonprofits need good management as much asfor-profit enterprises. The nonprofits are, ofcourse, still dedicated to “doing good,” but theyalso realize that good intentions are no substitute

for organization and leadership, accountability,performance and results.

To that end, the nonprofit sector represents awide variety of successful long-term localbusinesses which collectively fuel a substantialeconomic engine in our community, providingthousands of jobs to local citizens, pouringmillions of dollars into the local and stateeconomy through salaries and wages and thepurchase of goods and services from localvendors. The nonprofit sector is a solid anddependable contributor to the community notonly making the quality of life better for everyresident, but also supporting the economic growthand development of our community.

Mark S. Kennard is president of the LynnNonprofit Business Association.

Mark S. Kennard

DIRECTORY

Teamwork helps nonprofitsmaximize service


I was proud to be afounding member of theLynn Nonprofit BusinessAssociation. Thispartnership of nonprofitswas created eight yearsago to maximizeopportunities foragencies to collaborateand serve. As the then-executive director of

LynnArts, Inc., I and my fellow nonprofitdirectors realized that we could do even more ifwe worked together. Since then, the associationhas grown to 25 member organizationsrepresenting more than 3,500 paid and 4,000volunteer jobs in and around Greater Lynn.

In these tough economic times people are inneed of help. The diverse members of the LynnNonprofit Business Association provide servicesranging from job training, education andworkforce development to shelter, food, andclothing. All ages and populations are served.

Nonprofits contribute to Lynn beyond thearea of their direct services by promotingeconomic development, partnering withgovernment and other businesses, and creatinginnovative responses to community needs.

As a state representative serving the 11thEssex district, I see firsthand the servicesprovided to my constituents. When people callmy office for assistance, I am grateful to be ableto refer them to an agency in the Greater Lynnarea, confident that no matter how serious orcomplicated the problem, they will be treatedwith dignity, competence and respect.

The valuable work nonprofit agencies providestrengthens our community and our economy.The economic development statistics alone arestaggering, but the work to help human kind isimmeasurable. Nonprofits are people helpingpeople, and the contributions these organizationsmake deserve our appreciation and support.

State Rep. Steven M. Walsh was a foundingmember of the Lynn Nonprofit BusinessAssociation..

Steven M. Walsh

Service is a community business


BY MEAGHAN CASEY

David Weinburgh is a double amputeebattling cancer and diabetes. Despite hisadversities, he is living each day to thefullest with the help of All Care Hospice.

“I was originally afraid of the idea ofhospice, thinking, ‘Do I have to bebedridden?’ ” Weinburgh said. “The answeris no. They encourage me to continue to dowhat I can and want to do, and they’vehelped me to relax and have moreconfidence in myself.”

That support has been a welcome relieffor Weinburgh, a Lynn resident who can beseen driving his power wheelchair to LynnBeach, cheering on his beloved Red Sox orcollecting tickets at a North ShoreNavigators game. A U.S. Army veteran,Weinburgh, 68, worked for 30 years atGeneral Electric. He retired in 1999 to carefor his younger brother, who wasrecuperating from a stroke. During that time,Weinburgh was also fighting his own battlewith diabetes. After suffering a heart attack,he underwent bypass surgery and had bothlegs amputated. Four months later, he wasmanaging to care for himself again.

In 2005, Weinburgh faced anotherchallenge when he was diagnosed withkidney cancer. He again accessed the

services of All Care Visiting NurseAssociation (VNA), while maintaining hisindependence at the Louis BarrettResidence, located on Washington Street.

“I told the physical therapist I wanted todo everything necessary to be independent,and I accomplished that,” he said.

The cancer has since spread to his spineand lymph nodes. Within the last year,Weinburgh entered All Care’s Bridge toHospice program, which provides acontinuum of care between VNA andHospice. He entered All Care Hospice twomonths ago. The goal of hospice care is toenhance the quality of a person’s life, whileoptimizing the time spent with family andfriends. Hospice support empowers patientsto live with dignity, grace and fulfillment.With a focus on caring, not curing, peoplereceive services in their home, nursing

home, hospital or residential facility“I didn’t want to go to the hospital,”

Weinburgh said. “I preferred to stay at home.I feel very fortunate. I know hospice is just aphone call away and they’ll come to me anytime, 24 hours a day. It takes away all thestress.”

As a result, Weinburgh has continued todo the things he loves. In September, he andhis niece, Ruthi Wurth, traveled to FenwayPark to watch the Red Sox triumph over theTampa Bay Rays. Thanks to the efforts ofthe All Care Hospice team, Weinburgh alsohad the opportunity to go onto the fieldbefore the game and meet first basemanKevin Youkilis.

“He was awesome,” said Weinburgh. “Iwas chatting and joking with him about hisbatting style. The whole experience was adream come true.”

To help patients such as Weinburgh stayin the community, All Care raises fundsthrough special events and memorial gifts toprovide much-needed home care andhospice services.

For nearly a century, All Care hasremained dedicated to improving the qualityof its patients’ lives. The organizationspecializes in rehabilitation services, supportfor elders to maintain health andindependence and compassionate end-of-life

care. All Care Hospice’s interdisciplinaryteam of nurses, aides, social workers,chaplain and volunteers work with patientsto provide physical, emotional and spiritualsupport. Hospice care is available 24 hours aday, and includes regular nursing and homehealth aide visits; medication; medicalequipment and supplies; licensed socialworkers; spiritual care; bereavement support;and volunteer companionship.

All Care hits a home run for hospice patients

David Weinburgh, with his niece,Ruthi Wurth, went to a Red Soxgame and met Kevin Youkilis.

A Matter of Taste8th annual Charity Wine Tasting andAuction to benefit All Care Hospice

Sponsored by Salem Five Charitable Foundation

Nov. 12, 2009 — 6-9:30 p.m.Danversport Yacht Club, Danvers

Tickets: $50 per person

Special guest auctioneer:Billy Costa of TV Diner & KISS 108

Getaway of a Lifetime RaffleWeek’s stay at Tryall Club’s Trinity Village,

Montego Bay, Jamaica$13,000 value

Tickets: $100 — only 175 will be sold

For tickets and information: 800-246-2449x119 or [email protected]



BY MEAGHAN CASEY

Nine thousand six hundred and sixty.That’s the number of requests for

food, utility, mortgage, and rentalassistance that went unmet this time lastyear in Eastern Massachusetts. In onlythe first seven days of September lastyear, Catholic Charities fulfilled 976requests for food assistance, but couldnot meet another 950 requests.

In the past three months this year, justat the Lynn-based Catholic CharitiesNorth office, 123 requests for food, 191requests for utility assistance and 200requests for mortgage assistance wentunmet due to lack of resources.

According to Virginia Doocy, directorof Catholic Charities North, the numberrequests will only continue to grow.“We’ve had more calls than ever frommiddle-class families,” said Doocy.“And I expect all needs to increase withwinter approaching.”

These unmet needs led to the creationof the Friends Feeding Families BrownBag Campaign, designed to raise bothfunds and awareness of the growingneed of families in the communities theagency serves. By simply filling abrown paper bag with non perishable

foods, a family in need will not have tochoose between a meal and paying rent.

Last year, the campaign raised$324,000 agency wide and more than1,000 pounds of food, helping theorganization to fulfill 143,399 requestsfor Basic Needs Services.

This year’s Friends Feeding Familiescampaign goal is to raise $350,000 and50,000 bags of food by Dec. 31.Supporters are encouraged to become abrown bag sponsor, buy grocery storegift cards, host a brown bag party, orbring a bag of food to a local CatholicCharities food pantry.

“Last year, hundreds of brown paperbags were returned to our pantries filledwith foodstuffs,” said Tiziana Dearing,president of Catholic Charities ofBoston. “Whether it’s a corporate party,a holiday party or an afternoon offootball, it’s really very easy for anyoneto help us feed those in need. Everyonehas a brown paper bag at home, and ifthey fill it and bring it to the pantry, thatcan feed a family for several days.”

The Bostonian Group has been a keysupporter of the brown bag campaign.Last year, the company held a party atwhich it collected 60 bags of food —enough to fill the empty shelves at the

Yawkey Center food pantry inDorchester. The company will sponsor abrown bag party again this year. Other2009 sponsors include McCusker-Gill,Bay Point Capital, Century Bank andseveral individual donors.

“It was an incredibly rewardingexperience and we had a lot of fundoing it,” said Bostonian Group SeniorVice President Peter Pedro Jr. of Lynn, alongtime supporter of Catholic CharitiesNorth. “We can only do better this year.”

For 90 years, Catholic Charities Northhas demonstrated leadership inproviding essential services to those inneed on the North Shore, includingprograms for young parents, BasicNeeds Services, homeless prevention,counseling, child care, and educationand training for youth and adults.

As a community service center ofCatholic Charities, Archdiocese ofBoston, Catholic Charities North servesindividuals and strengthens families inmore than 13 communities in Essex andMiddlesex counties through its mainoffices in Lynn, Salem, and Gloucester.To discover the work of CatholicCharities, visit www.ccab.org.

For information about hosting abrown bag party, visitwww.50000bags.org.

Catholic Charities:On a mission to feed families6,729 Number of individuals requesting

food assistance in September 2008

116 Number of individuals whose needs were unmet that month

364 Requests for heat/utility assistance in September 2008

124 Unmet requests for heat/utility assistance in September 2008

512 Requests for rent/mortgage assistance

134 Unmet requests for rent/mortgage assistance

976 Households served in the first 7 working days of September 2008 in Eastern Mass.

950+ People turned away in those same 7 days due to lack of funds.

FOOD FACTS



Project COPE was established in 1970 in response tograssroots efforts by local citizens to provide accessibleservices to individuals coping with substance-abuse issues.Over time, the types of services provided have expanded inresponse to the changing needs of the community.

Among the services, a residential substance-abuse treatmentprogram for women was opened in 1985 and, eight years later,beds for pregnant and postpartum women were included todecrease risks resulting from substance abuse during pregnancyand to support women in the early stages of recovery whilebonding with their newborns.

Women can enter the program while pregnant or withchildren up to three months of age. These women and theirbabies may remain in the program for up to a year – twice aslong as the normal stay – receiving a range of servicesincluding access to proper pre- and post-natal care, parentingskills, vocational training, and family reunification.

Since 1993, the women’s residential program has beenlocated at 117 North Common St., Lynn, in a building that alsohouses the agency’s administrative offices. Most of the bedsare located in the basement in a dormitory-style arrangementthat offers little privacy and creates an institutional feel. That isabout to change.

Project COPE has purchased a building on Johnson Streetthat previously housed a nursing home that had been vacant forfour years. The agency plans to renovate the facility and movethe women’s residential treatment program there. The buildingwill be designed to better meet the needs of the women andbabies who will live there, many of whom lacked a safe and

stable living environment before entering the program. “The new facility will provide a significant upgrade to the

space this program currently has,” said Project COPEExecutive Director Mark Kennard. “It will have much more ofa home-like feel to it.”

The new facility will have a large living and dining area,spacious kitchen, multiple bedrooms that will each house only2-4 residents, a library with computers, office space on eachfloor to increase access to staff, and private space for meetingswith visitors.

“By diversifying the space, we will be able to increaseopportunities for multiple service needs to be met in thefacility,” Kennard said, noting that the women entering theprogram are presenting with an array of issues in addition tosubstance abuse, including mental-health issues,unemployment, homelessness and a history of being victims ofdomestic violence.

“The early stages of the process of recovery from substanceabuse and life traumas require providing a safe and stableliving environment,” Kennard said. “This new facility willallow us to provide clients with the tools needed to increase thelikelihood they will achieve success and maintain a drug-freelifestyle after completing the program.”

If a woman is not emotionally or financially ready to liveindependently, the new facility will offer an interim placementon the third floor that is less structured than the residentialprogram she has just completed, but more structured than otherhousing, providing her the additional time and support sheneeds to ensure a successful reintegration into the communitywhile maintaining her recovery.

In addition to providing a better living environment for itsclients, Project COPE will be upgrading the neighborhood byrehabilitating an abandoned building that had become a havenfor illicit activity.

“This will improve the quality of the neighborhood, increaseproperty values and lower crime rates,” Kennard said. “This isa positive development for COPE, the neighborhood and thecity.”

A place to call home

Project COPE will make significant renovations to the building at 66 Johnson St.

Women’s residential treatment program moving to 66 Johnson St.



BY PAUL HALLORAN

As Bridgewell heads into its next 50 years as a leadingprovider of comprehensive services for individuals withdisabilities and other lifechallenges, it is fitting that itrecognize someone who hasplayed a key role in theorganization for most of itsexistence.

Lynn attorney Samuel A. Vitaliwill be presented the Excellencein Service Award at Bridgewell’sannual Imagine the Possibilitiesgala, to be held Nov. 6 at theSeaport Hotel in Boston. Theaward goes to someone who hasshown great commitment toBridgewell and exemplified itsvalues.

Bridgewell opened in 1958 asthe Child Guidance Center,providing consulting services toschools with students who hadvarying degrees of mental illness.Over time the agency shifted itsfocus to adults and becameknown as Greater Lynn Mental Health. In the early 1970s,when Massachusetts started deinstitutionalizing individualswith mental retardation, Greater Lynn Mental Health began todevelop community-based housing.

Deinstitutionalization provoked serious opposition to grouphomes for the developmentally disabled. Vitali, serving on theboard of the Greater Lynn Special Needs

Housing Corporation, worked tochange people’s

attitudes. Through community meetings and educationaloutreach, he helped residents and political leaders graduallybecome more responsive, and succeeded in getting grouphomes sited in Lynn and other communities.

Over the last 30 years, Bridgewell –which took its current name in 2005 –has expanded its scope, both in the typeof services it provides and itsgeographical reach. The agency offersmore than 80 programs in 18communities in Essex and Middlesexcounties, providing residential care, dayhabilitation, housing, employmenttraining and transportation for individualswith a wide range of developmental,psychiatric and physical disabilities.

As Bridgewell has expanded intocommunities outside Lynn, Vitali hasoften represented it before municipalboards as part of the permitting process.He has seen resistance decrease somewhatover the years, but educating the publicon what Bridgewell does and why its roleis so important remains critical.

“We identify people’s concerns andaddress them,” Vitali said. “Society has amore enlightened point of view now

about who has the right to reside in communities, but we stilldo a lot of community intervention and outreach.”

A lifelong Lynn resident and graduate of Lynn English,Boston College and Georgetown University Law School,

Vitali has been practicing lawsince 1967. He started hiscareer working for the statelegislature on a

Ford Foundation Fellowship. His first experience in the areaof mental health came when he worked as counsel to aspecial investigation of Foxboro State Hospital.

Bridgewell CEO Robert Stearns said Vitali has been aneffective and valuable advocate for the agency. “Sam hasbeen there for Bridgewell time and again over the last 35years,” he said. “He has provided us with his expertise,leadership and, most importantly, his passion for our mission.It would be hard to find a more deserving recipient of thisaward.”

Also to be honored at the event is Dr. Donald C. Goff, whowill receive the Visionary Leadership Award. He is thedirector of the schizophrenia program at Mass. GeneralHospital and a professor of psychiatry at Harvard MedicalSchool. He is also medical director of the Freedom TrailClinic at the Erich Lindemann Mental Health Center inBoston.

Excellence in ServiceBridgewell recognizes Vitali’s commitment

Bridgewell’s annual Imagine thePossibilities fundraising gala will be held Nov. 6 from 5:30-9:30 p.m. at theSeaport Hotel in Boston.The eventincludes a cocktail reception, silent and live auctions, dinner and program.

Two major awards will be presented: Lynn attorney Samuel A.Vitali will receive the Excellence in Service award, while Dr. Donald C. Goff will receive the VisionaryLeadership award.

Tickets and sponsorships are available. For information, contactCarol McKean at [email protected].

Attorney Samuel Vitali visits with Bridgewell clients atthe Boston Street facility.

Imagine the Possibilities


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