Dear Friends,
I hope everyone has been enjoying the summer. This season has given us an opportunity to reflect on our belief that our responsibility doesn’t end when someone gets the keys to their apartment. Providing safe, affordable housing is our foundation, but we want our residents to feel supported, connected, and at home in their communities. That means paying attention not only to the housing itself, but to the experience of living there.
We’ve made it a priority to put our residents at the center of our work. Our Resident Services team has helped dozens of tenants navigate challenges that could otherwise put their housing stability at risk, while connecting them with resources ranging from food assistance to health care and employment services. They also hosted their first-ever large event, bringing residents and their families together for an afternoon of fun and connection. You’ll read more in this newsletter about several of the different ways we’re helping residents, and how you can contribute to our mission to support our tenants.
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Thank you, as always, for being part of the WCHR community.
Best regards,
N. Paul TonThat
Executive Director
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Family Fun Day Was a Success!
If you read our last newsletter, you saw that we were gearing up for our inaugural Family Fun Day. We are happy to report that it was a wonderful success! On June 30, tenants from across our family sites gathered at our King Street Property. The afternoon was filled with games, pizza, a bouncy house, and an ice cream truck that quickly became the crowd favorite! Beyond the fun, it was wonderful to see children making new friends and families getting to know their neighbors. By the end of the day, kids were already asking when we could do it again. We’re grateful to everyone who joined us and helped make the day such a success!
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Please Welcome Our New CFO: Cristina Coulter
Join us in giving a warm welcome to Cristina Coulter, our new Chief Financial Officer. Cristina joined WCHR at the end of June and brings over twenty years of nonprofit finance, accounting, and organizational leadership experience. In her own words, she joined WCHR because of “the organization's commitment to expanding housing opportunities and strengthening the community.” We are excited to have her aboard to help us modernize our financial systems, strengthen reporting and internal controls, and support long-term planning. Welcome, Cristina!
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Resident Voices and Impact
Resident Services is one of our newest initiatives, and the team has been hard at work. Over the last year, our staff assisted a total of 89 tenants with services. Our staff prevented 3 evictions, referred all 89 tenants to other resources (like food pantries, English as a second language classes, employment assistance, primary care physicians, and more), and assisted 10 tenants in maintaining MassHealth and SNAP benefits. These services are more essential now than ever, as federal requirements change and maintaining benefits becomes more burdensome. Tenants have been so grateful for this support. One of our SRO tenants breathed a huge sigh of relief after we helped him maintain his tenancy by helping him apply for RAFT. He said, “I was in a very difficult situation after my work permit was stopped, and I did not know what to do. Without your help and guidance, I could have lost my home and become homeless. Now I feel relieved and hopeful about my future. I am very thankful for all your support. Without your help, I could have lost everything.”
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Updates on the REACH Program
As you may remember from last year, WCHR's community loan fund, WCHR Securities, Inc., is the statewide administrator of the $2 million REACH loan program. This is a loan product designed specifically for receivers and funded by Attorney General Andrea Campbell's Office. Receivers are individuals, usually smaller construction companies, attorneys, or nonprofits, who are designated by housing courts to repair properties when an owner cannot repair significant housing code violations. The REACH program allows receivers to fund repairs with a competitive interest loan from WCHR Securities, Inc. A new policy allows vacant receivership properties to be sold directly to nonprofits to be redeveloped as homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers. For nonprofits, WCHR Securities will provide a zero percent interest rate loan for these types of projects. Since we launched this loan fund, we've received a $1 million commitment from a local foundation to increase our funding for loans. We've also gotten two loans into the closing phase, with more to come! If you would like more information on the REACH program and how to apply, please click here.
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Help Us Welcome Our Neighbors Home
A new home is more than four walls - it’s a fresh start. That’s why we’re putting together “Welcome Home” kits for new tenants moving into Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) units. For many, moving into their new unit marks an important step towards stability and independent living. Each kit provides everyday essentials to help make their new unit feel like home: basic toiletries (toothpaste, body wash, shampoo, toilet paper, etc.), towels, personal care essentials (like razors), and laundry detergent. A Welcome Home kit costs $45 per resident. Our goal is to provide 50 kits by the end of the year. Will you sponsor a Welcome Home kit or donate towards our goal? Every gift, no matter the size, helps a neighbor begin this next chapter with dignity and comfort. Make a donation today.
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