REACH NEWS

December 2020
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REACH has a threefold mission:
  • Caring for housing deprived people during winter and enabling them to find permanent housing.
  • Creating more affordable housing for very low income people.
  • Advocating for change in housing policy to ensure that there is justice.
Because we believe that Housing is a Human Right.

To all of our readers we wish you the Joy of the season and hope that all will stay safe during this extraordinary time.
Notes from the Board

  • We decided to move our regular meeting from the first Monday to the second Monday to make reporting and end of the month matters easier.

  • Kyle Geer, our Treasurer gave the Board an Introduction to Not-for-profit accounting procedures. We appreciate the professional approach to our finances that Kyle brings to the table.

  • We accepted and approved the nomination of two new Board members to fill in the unexpired terms of two members who has resigned during this past year. These two new members will be introduced and take office as of January 2021

  • We congratulated Board Member Samra Brouk for her successful campaign to become a NYS Senator.
Shelter Committee
REACH is re-inventing itself to meet the challenges of the COVID 19 pandemic. Yes, we do not have a shelter this winter, but our team is busy working collaboratively in the street to contact housing vulnerable people, bringing them a friendly greeting, supplying some of their basic needs, and helping them work on safe housing. To read Andy's Report click here.
We are at the Rodeway Inn, a collaboration with the House of Mercy, and the Open Door Mission, helping people find ways to shelter safely. Here Amy, one of our case workers is assisting Shadrick as he gets ready to move into his own apartment. To learn something of Shadrick's story click here. We wish Shadrick well as he starts on this new journey.

We were in the Spectrum News. Here is a clip,
Each Tuesday and Wednesday a team leaves the Montgomery Community Center and walks to Jefferson Ave. to meet people on the street. Here, Andy, Michael, and Deb prepare the bags of items for distribution. This outreach is a collaboration with REACH, MCCollaborative and Southwest Area Neighborhood Association, (SWAN).



Here is Andy talking with Chett on Jefferson Ave. Chett is clearly pleased to see Andy and it is this kind of connecting that makes REACH's mission so effective. Although it is early in the winter season we have assisted several housing vulnerable people to some form of shelter or permanent housing. At the heart of REACH's mission is: housing is a human right.

Each Thursday and Friday a team is on N. Clinton making contact with people on the streets in the neighborhood. Here the team is preparing bags with items to give away. They include sandwiches some of which are being made by REACH members.
The N.Clinton outreach is a collaborative outreach with REACH, MCCollaborative and the Fr. Tracy Advocacy Center whose Executive Director, Rudy Rivera is also a member of the REACH Board.
Andy Carey, co-chair of REACH and co-founder of MCCollaborative was on the WXXI program Connections this past week, Monday, December 7. Here is the link to Connections. If you wish you can go fast forward 27 minutes to hear Andy. He did a great job at the end by steering the conversation to the issue of housing!
How you can make donations for our Outreach Teams and the work of the Shelter Committee.

  • We need gloves, hats, and heavy socks. The best way to do this is through Amazon. Please go to our Amazon Wish List to donate. But if you need to contact us for a pick up or to make a delivery, please email Deb Peiffer at reachdonations20@gmail.com.

  • Donate money by sending a check to REACH Advocacy, P.O. Box 10845, Rochester, NY 14610 or by going to our Website.


A huge thank you goes out to those people who helped REACH Advocacy raise $1,672.15 during our first ever ROC the Day on December 1! Let's see if we can double this next year!
The Tiny Home Committee
Last month we told you that this project was a finalist at the Community Design Center Awards night. We did not win, but if you would like to see the recording of the awards event go to https://youtu.be/7wVzeY8Ldxo. It is well worth your time to listen to the keynote talk by Danielle Ponder.
REACH Advocacy began a fundraising drive on November 1 by sending a letter to previous donors.  In this letter donors were given the opportunity to designate $250.00 or more to the building of our Tiny Home Village.  Anyone may take part in this program by sending a similar donation indicating you would like to also be named a Founding Member of the REACH Tiny Home Village.
Thank you to the following people who are Founding Members and donated almost $26,000 to the Tiny Home Village Fund:
Pamela Bradley
Edward and Patricia Carey
Barbara and Romine Deming
Laura Despard
Carole and John Hoffman
Carolyne Garman
David and Jean Gloss
Stephen Lane
Christopher Nuccitelli
Peter and Sarah Peters
Margret Roberts
The Rochester AM Rotary
Callie Whitfield
We have a long way to go, but these Founders have voted in favor of our Tiny Home Village as a way to offer truly affordable and supportive housing to the housing deprived men and women of our community.

If you would like to become a Tiny Home Village Founder by making a donation of $250 or more, please send your check to REACH Advocacy, P.O. Box 10845, Rochester, NY 14610 and mark your check "Tiny Home Fund". Thank you, every gift helps us to get to our initial goal of $250,000.
Advocacy Opportunities etc.
  • To become more informed about the current eviction concerns see this helpful article from the Democrat and Chronicle. Even with moratoria many are asking how can people who have lost work and income due to COVID pay the rent arrears that have accumulated?

  • Do you know anyone who has been denied or sanctioned by DHS? Have them send their story to the RASE Commission

  • Join the Homeless Union on 12/19 Saturday @ 1:00pm: Winter Homeless Offensive Right to Housing, No More Death in the Street: Car Caravan. For more information contact rochesterhomelessunion@gmail.com or Sabine Adler 585-474-5630

  • RMAPI (Rochester-Monroe Anti Poverty Initiative) is calling for a week of action. For details click here. Your editor knows that this is now a week later, but feels that it is a good campaign and it is never too late to let Albany know.

Thank you for your interest and support of REACH.
For more information please check out our Website
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