Housing startssPring 2012

119 E. 25th StreetBaltimore, Maryland 21218

NON-PROFITORG

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT NO.

9221BALTIMORE, MD

2010-2012 Board of DirectorsJoyce E. Moskovitz, PresidentHeidi Hansan, Vice PresidentLynne Schaefer, TreasurerLinda Stone, SecretaryDianna Boucher, Past President

Ragina C. Averella Bethany HooperKenneth HuberJennifer KeyserAnne Y. F. LinMary Jo Minton

Austin Morris Jane RobinsonNita SchultzGeorge Thomas Deborah Whiteley

The WHC StaffJoann Levy, Executive Director

Karin Bluhm, Chief Financial OfficerEleanor Fried, Senior Program Director

Kim Hardcastle, Senior Case Manager

Kathie Kelly, Property Management Coordinator

Carla Neal, Case Manager

Tyshell Oliver, Case Manager

Clarice Page-Jackson, Office Manager

Pam Pryor, Case Manager

Shirley Zellars, Case Manager

Lisa Lynn Hansen, Consultant-Events & Marketing

Con Manning, Consultant-Grant Writer

WisHList

The Women’s Housing Coalition Comes to Reservoir HillWHC is working on renovating a building in Baltimore’s Reservoir Hill neighborhood. This property is known as the Gertrude Stein House, named for the early 20th century author and art patron.

The Gertrude Stein House is a late nineteenth century building that was originally constructed for the renowned photographer David Bacharach. Gertrude Stein, Bacharach’s niece, spent a summer there as a child with her mother’s relatives, the Keyser family.

The WHC has secured the funds to perform a historic renovation to this once grand home, including renovation of the detached building that housed a studio for the famed sculptor Ephraim Keyser.

The WHC will renovate the main house into four dwellings with the carriage house/studio renovated to provide an additional unit. WHC is working with architect, Kathleen Lechleiter AIA, experienced in renovation of some of Baltimore’s most important buildings. The award winning Southway Builders will provide general contracting services for the renovation of the buildings.

Ground “changing” (since we are not breaking new ground) will be in April and if all goes according to plan, families will be moving into the Gertrude Stein House in early 2013.

In the coming months, the WHC will need your support and donations for funds to open and operate the new Gertrude Stein House.

Programs, Progress and PromisesThe WHC provides homeless women and children with a range of housing options and opportunities in order to maximize their chances of future independence and self-sufficiency. In addition to quality housing, the WHC provides services to its residents as a central part to their success. Women respond directly to the value of the resources being invested in them. Self-esteem is a crucial component to success for the women in our programs.

Last fall, the WHC partnered with the Young Audiences of Maryland to create an inspiring program. The weekly workshop, titled SLAM, offered 15-20 residents the opportunity to learn about the art of writing poems. Each week, the residents wrote and presented their poetry to each other and their instructor. The nine-week course culminated with a performance night and it was a night to remember. There was much inspiration for all who participated!

Like the rest of the population, the New Year brought on new resolutions. WHC has partnered with People’s Community Clinic to offer smoking cessation support and so far, five residents have quit smoking! These women have agreed to form a support group to continue to encourage others who are fighting the battle of cigarette smoking.

From spooky Halloween nights to monthly movie nights, residents create gatherings to celebrate every day and special occasions. Recently, one house group celebrated Valentine’s Day with a theme “The Sweetest Day Ever.” The ladies had a ball and a real bonding took place! The room was filled with balloons and decorated with candy and all kinds of “sweet” and healthy treats. Valentine’s games were played and the group enjoyed taking pictures. After the activity was over, the residents reported that they continued to fellowship with one another for hours later. Expressions of love and appreciation were given and a real bonding took place.

It is these types of gatherings, workshops and programs that we applaud the residents for their continued progress and participation.

Our residents need new basic items to assist in their everyday lives such as: Utensils | Microwave Dish sets Glasses | New Storage Containers | Small TVs | Clocks & Radios | Pillows, New Double & Twin Sheet Sets | New Towels | Small appliances | Hygiene Products | Hair ProductsTo drop-off items or to make a donation, please call the WHC at 410-235-5782. Please designate the WHC for your United Way commitment (#4999) or through the Combined Federal Campaign (#27579). All donations are tax deductible.

Green our marketing! Register your email at www.womenshousing.org

From the directorDear Friends,

It is with bittersweet emotions that I depart the WHC after almost eight years as its Executive Director. I am going to CHAI (Community Housing Assistance, Inc.) to be their Director of Neighborhood Development. CHAI develops and manages affordable housing, rehabilitates housing and supporting repair services, promotes homeownership, and provides services to the most vulnerable populations in northwest Baltimore.

During my time with the WHC, the organization has done amazing things; many of which we could not have done without your support! In 2008, we opened the Margaret Jenkins House, providing permanent housing with supportive services to 22 formerly homeless women with disabilities. In 2009 we renovated the Calverton, our first tax credit project, and recently made the building energy efficient. In 2010, we opened The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Wellness Suite in the Margaret Bennett House, allowing us to provide much needed health and mental health services to our residents.

Also in 2010, we kicked off a major workforce development initiative (Women Working Wonders) and as a result, many of our residents who have been out of the job market for many years now have employment with a living wage. We are currently in predevelopment of the Gertrude Stein House, an historic property in Reservoir Hill; which will be 5 apartments for new families. The WHC has brought in countless experts to teach our residents about a variety of topics, from breast cancer to computer literacy.

Another significant change is that we are ending our 10 year partnership with the Susanna Wesley House. These 9 families have moved in to Scattered Site apartments which allow us to deepen our family program with a combination of community and WHC services. We are looking forward to the possibility of developing another building for additional families in the near future.

It is very difficult for me to put in to words everything I am feeling. WHC has an amazing staff and Board of Directors; coupled with such generous donors from the corporate and foundation community, not to mention the hundreds of individuals that write checks each year, despite the lagging recession. I have been very fortunate to have been able to lead such an incredible organization and will miss everything and everyone very much.

The Board of Directors is currently searching for a new Executive Director. I know it will be someone with vision, passion, and energy who can take the WHC to the next level. I know that all of you will support the new Executive Director and continue to support the WHC.

Thank you for all that you have done. I am looking forward to seeing all of you at our big event at Nick’s Fish House on May 14!

All the best,

Joann Levy, Executive Director, Women’s Housing Coalition

womenshousing.org | 410.235.5782

Holiday GratitudeOn behalf of the staff and residents of The Women’s Housing Coalition, we thank the following organizations and individuals for their holiday donations. WHC was thrilled with the success of this year’s holiday drive. From the canned food and turkeys at Thanksgiving to the winter wear, presents and financial donations at Christmas, the generosity from these folks was outstanding.

We are so very grateful and would not been able to provide for the items and experience were it not for your support. Thanks to: Calvert Hall College High SchoolEpiscopal Cathedral of the IncarnationGreetings & Readings in Hunt ValleyMrs. Claus Fundraiser hosted by MeganNeas and Erin LinkStony Run Friends SchoolUrban Chic

Thanks to WHC Board Members who “adopted” families for the season by providing gift items from residents’ wish list. Heidi Hanson Jen KeyserDiane SeegerDeborah WhitleyJane RobinsonBethany HooperSusan Rolle

And special thanks to: Larry Grimsley and Kristen Reich from Enterprise Community Partners

Kathleen Leichleiter A.I.A.

Holiday Appeal a Success!We thank all of you who contributed to the WHC annual Holiday Appeal. Your contributions added up to an astounding total that goes to help our residents receive the highest quality of services, keeping them on their path of self-sufficiency during the holidays—and year-round.

womenshousing.org | 410.235.5782

stony run Friends meeting “hats and gloves Project” BeneFits Whc residents By M. Denise Wible, Stony Run Friends

The Stony Run Meeting “Hats and Gloves Project” starts in October when I begin making calls to line up the players. Every year, I get jittery with the thought of how to get this project completed if they all don’t sign up. But usually on the other end of the line, I hear “we were just thinking of you” or “this project came up at our last meeting.”

There are five different groups that pull together to fill 100 gift bags for the residents of WHC with a hat and glove set and toiletries, including shampoo, moisturizer, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant and more.

One group—The Young Friends—are the Stony Run Meeting high school youth group and these young men and women spend a Saturday afternoon/evening baking homemade apple pies which then get sold before and after Sunday Meetings. During the course of the day, 40 pies are made and most are sold before noon on Sunday. The proceeds of this sale allows for the purchase of 60 gift bags and the toiletries that go inside.

The 3rd and 4th graders from the Friends School provide the remaining 40 gift bags. These children decorate white gift bags with holiday and winter scenes

and they and their families donate the toiletries for these bags.

Next, students and their families from Freestate Montessori in Harford County collect and donate 40 sets of hats and gloves. Additionally, Stony Run Friends Meeting families donate either hats and gloves or cash towards their purchase. With the cash, I can purchase hats and gloves in a volume which allows me to get an additional discount some years. The discount and tax exemption allow for the purchase of additional sets.

Finally, as the deadline nears, I am always still some number shy of the 100 sets needed to fill all gift bags. But the final player in this project is a women’s group from Hampton Lane United Methodist Church who we connect with through a member of Stony Run. Each year, they donate what is usually the final 10-15 hat and glove sets.

People always tell me how amazing it is that I coordinate this project for Stony Run, but the truth of it is, I make the phone calls and the players step up to the plate and do their share and all I do is pack it all up and deliver. The village comes together in support of the WHC.

roadnet technologies constructs and donates 30 Bicycles to the WhcThanks to the efforts of Roadnet Technologies, young residents of the WHC received new bicycles, providing a small injection of happiness and excitement into their world. The Baltimore-based vehicle routing, scheduling software and fleet management technology company constructed the boys and girls bicycles at a team-building event recently, and selected the Knights of Columbus Council 4011 Father O’Neill Charity and Women’s Housing Coalition as the beneficiary organizations in the endeavor.

“Our day-to-day business activities involve finding customized solutions to a company’s delivery challenges, so it seems apropos that our team is providing transportation assistance to youth in need within our community,” stated Len Kennedy, Chief Executive Officer of Roadnet Technologies. “What started as an exercise to foster company spirit and pride, soon was transformed into a worthy philanthropic activity to provide tangible benefits to area youngsters as identified by our employees,” he added.

“Bicycles provide valuable exercise and also help children without reliable transportation get to school and other essential places. This fills an important need,” explained Eleanor Fried, Senior Program Director of the WHC.

The WHC is grateful for the donation from Roadnet Technologies! If you or your organization is interested in exploring specialized donations to the WHC, please contact us!