“Our residences are full. Our treat-ment programs have waiting

lists. The shortage of affordable housing is hurting our clients.” CEO Ed Geffner responds to this urgent refrain with a solution that delivers more services to homeless and formerly homeless New Yorkers: more construction! Ed first took on the role of builder and develop-er in 1990 with the Clinton Residence on West 48th Street. Twenty years and four residences later, he begins his final building project on Washington Avenue in the Bronx.

The project provides two programs in one building by creating two residential wings around a shared courtyard. One wing includes studio apartments for homeless men and women living with mental illness. The other wing has a dormitory style layout and is a thera-peutic community for formerly home-less men recovering from addiction or substance abuse. Combined, the project offers the best of supportive housing to 105 residents. On-site services include psychiatric and medical care, substance

I had been homeless for seven or eight years, living in the streets in Jersey, with a major drug problem. I took a shower over at my sister’s house one day. I saw my ribs. That’s what made me realize I was killing myself. I ended up in the hospital for a few months, because I was homeless and I was in bad condition. From the hospital, they recommended me to New Providence Women’s Shel-ter, and that was the best thing they did.

At New Providence, the staff help you in a lot of ways. I had a roof, they gave me three meals, I had two counsel-ors, and a coordinator, Nina Rodriguez. She was my case manager too. Everyone there is beautiful. We had group ses-sions, art groups, Narcotics Anonymous groups, events for the holidays. I got involved in everything. That made a big difference in my life; before I just wanted to go out there and use drugs. This was a whole new life.

I was at New Providence for a year and a half. Everyone has their ups and downs there, but I kept on until I moved into Holland House on May 1, 2009. I liked it at New Providence, and now I like it here better. I have my own bathroom in my room and I love that. I clean my room everyday. I also love to cook. I have a kitchen on my floor. A lot of people here like my cooking.

My esteem is up. I have some medi-cal problems, but I still go on, I’m a

“Why We Build”... continued on 4

“We’re Building Again”... cont’d on 3

“Affordable Housing”... cont’d on 4

WHY WE BUILD:

Grezel DeSantos finds a home

Ed Geffner and architect Chris Benedict continue our track record of transforming once-vacant lots into attractive residences appealing to tenants and neighbors alike.

Affordable Housing Solution #2:Expand number of apartments under management

When LeonaBlanche House resident Genova Rivera was ready to take the next step in independent living, she faced a frustrating reality. Apartment rentals within her budget just didn’t exist. With a modest social security income, she couldn’t begin to afford the apartments in the Bronx neighborhood around LeonaBlanche where she had started to set down roots. Program Di-rector Peter Bazeley seized the opportu-

nity to help clients like Genova - for-merly homeless men and women living with mental illness - by securing new funding from New York State’s Office of Mental Health. The grant provides rental subsidies to allow Project Renewal to lease 20 apartments for tenants who have “graduated” from LeonaBlanche. Tenants pay a third of their income for rent and also receive ongoing case

We’re building again!Demand for housing fuels expansion

mattersSpring 2010

Health, Homes and Jobs for Homeless New Yorkers

2 Project Renewal matters | Spring 2010

Professional Chefs Prepare Gourmet Dinner for 3rd Street Shelter Residents How often do you hear shelter residents commenting “that apple tart was amazing” and “by far the salmon was the best, hands down.” They were treated to a specially prepared dinner by profes-sional chefs from some of the top private clubs in the city. The New York Chapter of the Club Managers Association of America picked the shelter as the beneficiary of a magnificent dinner which was also enjoyed by staff and local community board members.

Our thanks to the chefs and club staff members who prepared and served the dinner: pictured left to right: John Dorman, University Club, Kevin O’Brien, Yale Club, Rita Evans, Explorers Club, Martin Hale, Colony Club, Michael Hoskam, retired, Chef Florimond Smoor, Penn Club, Natalie Bobadilla, Linx Club, Gail Hochfeld, New York Yacht Club, Markus Sponring, sous chef, Penn Club, and Heba Elshinawy, Penn Club. Not pictured is Wesson Anderson, Penn Club Manager.

ScanVan Offers Breast Health Screening on Staten Island with a boost from Richmond County Savings FoundationLow-income women with little or no insurance find a warm welcome on the ScanVan thanks to a renewed grant from Richmond County Savings Foundation. Project Renewal’s healthcare program includes both primary care and specialty care like radiology and dental services. Mobile clinics deliver services directly to patients at community centers, shelters, and other easily accessible locations. We are grate-ful for Richmond County Savings and other generous supporters of the ScanVan!Cold weather doesn’t deter the ScanVan from its rounds on Staten Island. Pictured left to right: Debra Thomas, Radiologic Tech-nician; Barbara Smith, Richmond County Savings Bank; Nancy Moravec, Nurse; and Gina Cintron, Scan Van Driver/Receptionist.

Junior Board Fall Ball Draws a Crowd!

The Junior Board hosted its third annual Fall Ball on November 6th, 2009 at Studio 450. A great turnout of young professionals enjoyed drinks, dancing, and spectacular city views. Thanks to the Junior Board for spreading awareness about our mission. And a very special thank you to our liquor sponsor, Diageo! For more information about the Junior Board, call Herina Ayot at 212-620-0340 x. 396.

Jr. Board Member Vijay Desiraju with Jen Nelson, and Scott Botsford

Jr. Board Members Jeffrey Kirshenbaum and Robin Lee with Herina Ayot

Jr. Board Member Brandl Frey with Emanuel Moosbrugger

Stay Informed with our E-Newsletter! To follow the impact of your finan-cial support of Project Renewal, sub-scribe to our monthly e-newsletter at www.projectrenewal.org. You’ll meet some of the people like Venice Crafton (see story on the follow-ing page) whose lives are changed because of your support.

3Project Renewal matters | Spring 2010

Healthcare �Last year, mobile health clinics MedVan, and StreetSmart saw 2,500 patients in 6,500 visits. Re-turn visits indicate good follow-up and relationship-building. �The Mobile Psychiatric Outreach Program (MPOP) engaged 670 men and women at drop-in centers for psychiatric assessments and follow-up care.

Recovery �Primary care clinics, HIV Support Services, and the dental clinic saw 2,450 patients last year. Improved health includes basic primary care, managing chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, treating communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and hepatitis, and integrating

healthcare with substance abuse and mental health treatment. �Our detox programs saw 2,359 men seeking withdrawal help from alcohol and drugs. This is the first step in recovery with 55% accepting referrals for long-term treatment. �Our four shelters admitted 1,900 men and women last year with the goal of preparing them to live successfully in permanent housing. Social workers placed 546 residents into housing with 92% still housed after six months.

Jobs �We enrolled 1,261 clients in our education program covering literacy, GED prep, computer skills, effective communications, and English as a Second Language.

�We achieved 346 job placements with an average starting wage of $9.71 and 62% still employed after 6 months, significant for most of our clients who have never held a job.

Housing �Transitional housing prepares men and women with the life skills and stability needed to succeed on their own. Our four transitional residences, serving 234 men and women each night, helped 93 clients to reach their goal of moving to their own apartment. �Our permanent supportive housing programs provide studio apartments with support services to 568 formerly homeless and low-income tenants.

Help homeless men and women leave the streets for health, homes and jobs…with your donation. It’s safe, fast and on-line at www.projectrenewal.org. Look for the “Donate Now” button on every page.

Impact in 2009

abuse treatment, job training and place-ment assistance, individual case man-agement, and social activities to foster community-building.

Ed Geffner and architect Chris Bene-dict, RA are especially proud of incor-porating energy efficient, green building design into the project. The two wings form a central, multi-level courtyard that is landscaped and brightly lit by the sun for a good part of the day. Windows for the residents’ rooms face into this day-lit courtyard, creating a light-filled interior environment. The courtyard features indigenous plantings, and rain-water on the site is managed to keep the plants watered. The building is designed for maximum energy efficiency and with an eye toward durability and low-maintenance. Non-toxic, natural, and recycled materials are used in the design and construction. Projected opening date is spring 2011.

“We’re Building Again”....cont’d from 1

Project Renewal’s programs are designed to break the cycle of homelessness and to meet the needs of men and women suffering from mental illness and/or addiction. Our programs offer a range of solutions, under one organizational roof, to help clients overcome the issues that have prevented them from leaving the streets.

Your Dollars At Work

From Detox to Shelter to Home By Venice Crafton

I was homeless, living in the shelter, and in Project Renewal’s Third Street detox program when I found out about Renewal Farm. I needed to be stable, and I knew that was the best place for me: 25 men from different parts of New York City trying to get their lives together. We all help one another; it’s a real community. I learned how to drive a tractor when I was up there! They have a market where we sell and interact with the public. I got a kick out of that, es-pecially when I know all my plants and people ask me questions and I can give them the answers. It gives you a sense of pride when you look back at the end of the day, and you say you know what, I helped make this, or I helped plant that; I was a part of making that grow.

Project Renewal has helped me out a lot. Seeing how well I was doing, they

gave me an apartment. I live in a nice, quiet, building with good tenants. I work for the Parks Department now. I never thought I’d be able to work there, because I still had a record. But that just goes to show you that things do change. I’m a good-hearted person, I always was, but I wasn’t good-hearted when I was drinking. Now I feel like myself again.

4 Project Renewal matters | Spring 2010

Board of TrusteesMary Lynn Putney

Chair

Neil S. MitchellVice Chair

Edward I. GeffnerPresident & CEO

Bradley AbelowAlan Belzer

Russell S. BermanSuzanne Henry Boies

Colleen CavanaughJames S. Davidson

Michael FieldAnthony S. Kendall

David J. KoeppelThe Hon. Richard B. Lowe, III

Joseph P. MackEarl Monroe

Mark H. MinterNan PerellChuck Pol

Jules M. Ranz, MDPaul H. Rich

Claudia RosenCarl Rosoff

Marc L. Silverman, Esq.James W. Stevens

Caverly (Lee) StringerAntonio Tedesco

Junior BoardChristopher Bellapianta

Nicole BonicaVijay Desiraju

Thomas EvrardJohn FlynnBrandl Frey

Jeffrey KirshenbaumRobin Lee

David RowleyJenny Sharfstein

Nicholas SklarChristopher Smajdor

Anna ValeoFrederick Volp

200 Varick Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10014 212-620-0340

www.projectrenewal.org

fighter. My case manager here helps me so much. Sometimes when I feel down and out, I run towards him and receive a lot of support. The nurse here helps me a lot too.

I still get involved in everything. If I don’t find time to do things, I’m just going to go back, and I don’t want that. They have arts and crafts here; they have bingo. They even take you on trips. So, I love it. I go to the NA groups. It helps me to know how many years clean people have. It’s inspiration.

Eventually I want to move and get my own place. After that, maybe I could volunteer here, if not in a hospi-

tal, because I like working with people that cannot do for themselves. Every-thing in steps. Just like at New Provi-dence, everything is by steps.

I have been clean for three years now. I still go to New Providence on Thurs-days. I talk to the women who are there, and I tell them to give it a chance. Some of them don’t have any family or any-thing. I introduce myself and say I was here for a year and a half, but I made it. Now that you’re here, do something for yourself. Don’t just come here because you need a bed.

And I feel happy, because I know it worked for me. If it worked for me, it can work for anyone.

“Why We Build”....cont’d from 1

management, psychiatric and nursing care with LeonaBlanche staff as the “service hub.” This solution not only helps success stories like Genova, it also creates vacancies for LeonaBlanche. Peter Bazeley can turn to his waiting list and accept men and women who have been staying for a year or more at Bronx Psychiatric, Manhattan Psychiatric and Rockland State Psychiatric Centers -— men and women ready for a chance to achieve their goals for independent living.

“Affordable Housing”....cont’d from 1

After five years at LeonaBlanche, Genova moved out on her own. “I’m good now; it has been seven years since I have been hospitalized. I am on medication, and I take it as prescribed. I have wonderful doctors. I go to the gym now, something that I didn’t think I would ever do!... And I still use the supportive networks. I give Project Renewal all the credit for how happy I am today.”

Thursday, June 10, 2010 at The Waldorf=Astoria

Live and silent auctions, cocktails and light buffet, tribute journal. Proceeds benefit Project Renewal programs to help end homelessness.

For information on tickets, sponsorships, tribute ads, or auction prize donations, contact Laura Gilman, Special Events Director, at 212-620-0340 ext 323 or Laura.Gilman@projectrenewal.org

20th Annual Gala Benefit & AuctionHonoring President & CEO Edward Geffner on his retirement from Project Renewal

Save the date and join us as we celebrate the achievements of Ed Geffner after 33 years of leadership at Project Renewal.