Joseph & Mary's Home newsletter showcases renovation of new, modernized space for men

Monday, November 04, 2024

Tags: Joseph and Mary's Home , Joseph & Mary's Home , Outreach

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The recent issue of The Journey, the biannual newsletter of Joseph & Mary’s Home, features a cover article about the renovation of a new space for Joseph’s Home that will be modernized and 100% handicapped accessible, and “A New Home for Healing” fundraising campaign that is helping make it possible. The newsletter also features a staff spotlight on the first full-time nurse at Joseph & Mary’s Home, news updates and more.

Below is the text from the cover story. Read the complete newsletter here.

A New Home for Healing

Joseph’s Home Renovation and Relocation Underway as Campaign Raises $2.35 million of $2.5 million Goal

Since the first resident arrived at Joseph’s Home on August 3, 2000, hundreds of men experiencing homelessness with acute medical needs have had a chance to heal and begin the next steps in their journey. In 2022, the next step in our journey began with the opening of Mary’s Home to provide the same nurturing, caring environment to women and the new organizational name of Joseph & Mary’s Home.

This year, Joseph & Mary’s Home is making another major step in our growth as an organization with the renovation of a new space for Joseph’s Home that will be modernized and 100% handicapped accessible. Construction will begin in October. The new and improved Joseph’s Home for men is located side-by-side with Mary’s Home in the same building at 2302 Community College Avenue. With the move, all staff and services will be located in one facility, which will improve care coordination.

Medical Respite Care for an Aging Population
The need is greater than ever to provide an updated medical respite care facility as the number of seniors experiencing homelessness is projected to triple by 2030. The current Joseph’s Home building has provided a supportive space to heal for hundreds of men, but has limitations because it is not fully handicap accessible and lacks private bathroom facilities.

At the renovated 9,600-square-foot space, men will benefit from private, furnished rooms; wide hallways; private, accessible bathrooms; and a single-floor facility without stairs or elevators that will offer ease of movement for adults who use mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers and rollators. Once it opens, there will be modern men’s and women’s medical respite facilities located side-by-side in one building with 24/7/365 staff, a clinical and behavioral health support team, and staff offices located on the same floor as resident rooms, which will help increase communication and collaboration to support residents in connecting to housing resources and benefits.

For residents like Dennis who have limited mobility, the new facility will better accommodate their needs. Dennis, a Marine Corps veteran in his 60s undergoing cancer treatment, uses a cane to walk and has limited use of his left arm from an old rotator cuff injury.

“I’m grateful for the staff who talk with me about my health and housing situation. They give me inspiration to keep moving forward. They’re here to give you that push and get you going in the right direction,” said Dennis. “It’s hard to be broke. The staff encouraged me to pay my back rent. I took care of my bills so that I can get on my two feet again,” said Dennis

A Capital and Operating Campaign
The renovation and relocation is being made possible through “A New Home for Healing” campaign, which publicly launched in June 2024. The campaign has raised $2.35 million to date of the $2.5 million campaign goal. The renovation and relocation is expected to be completed in summer 2025, marking the 25th anniversary of Joseph & Mary’s Home. Of the $2.5 million goal, $2.2 million is supporting the renovation, while the remainder will help build the endowment and assist with operating costs to ensure resident needs are being met long into the future through sustaining support.

“We are still actively seeking donations, but the campaign is going very well. It was publicly announced on June 16 and we’re already within 10% of our goal, which shows the outstanding performance on the part of our fundraising team,” said Campaign Chair Thomas Tyrrell. “With all services located in one building and no need to walk between separate buildings, there will be more quality time to attend to residents. The campaign is providing the opportunity to build a new future for Joseph & Mary’s Home.”

Joseph & Mary's Home is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System.