Commonwealth Corps Newsletter
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Commonwealth Corps Newsletter Volume 4, Issue 5 May— June 2016 MSA Welcome & Update ear Commonwealth Corps Inside this issue: Members, Host Site Partners, Alumni, and friends, Program Spotlight: 2 Community Healthlink As this service term comes to a close, we celebrate and thank our Member Spotlights: 3 Commonwealth Corps Members and Chenelle Archibald host sites for their commitment, Marion Calabro impressive service, and partnership. CC Program Manager, Susie Flug, and Program Program Spotlight: 4 Their dedication to their communities Assistant, Amy Mulvena, along with current Buz- New England Business and the impact they’ve had on their zards Bay CC Members, Lauren Vunderink and Associates individual clients and organizations as a Lynne Ribeiro, 2014-15 CC Alum and current whole is truly inspiring. Our members AmeriCorps Member Tanya Creamer, and 2012- 5 Member Spotlights: have given over 42,000 hours of service 13 CC Alum and current Outdoor Educator Cassie Raquel Maldonado and are pushing hard to finish strong Lawson during a Buzzards Bay learn to Quahog Wilmarie Reyes event and site visit. with the last days of the program year. Program Spotlight: 6 Breakthrough Greater Members’ stories about the Boston individuals whose lives they have touched, the ways they’ve focused on sustaining change within their organizations, and the growth they have experienced make us proud. Thank Member Spotlight: 7 you 2015-2016 Commonwealth Corps! You can hear more throughout this issue or by Raffi Pontes joining us at our Celebration of Service on June 20th at the State House. As these members become alumni and join 900-plus other Commonwealth Corps alums who hold Thank you to our 7 that title, we look forward to staying in touch with and supporting them as they continue Graduating Members to make ripples across Massachusetts, the country, and the world. In August, we will welcome 50 new Commonwealth Corps members to start their Alumni Spotlight: 8 Jessica Whitehead journey of service and growth with MSA. If you know people who might be interested, make sure to have them apply ASAP via the information at www.mass-service.org. May/ June Member 9 Development Sincerely, Susie Flug, Commonwealth Corps Program Manager and Members in Action 10 Amy Mulvena, Commonwealth Corps Program Assistant Celebrating the 2015- 11 2016 Commonwealth Corps Members Commonwealth Corps Members in Action: Stay Connected & 12 Thank you 2016-2017 Host Sites Northfield Mount Hermon Upward Bound CC Coaching4Change (C4C) CC Members Members Katy Purington and Jessica Sanon pose Sarah Yu and Diana Mendes join a group together at the Senior graduation ceremony. of their C4C SET graduates . Commonwealth Corps Newsletter Page 2 Program Spotlight: Community Healthlink provide services to clients at community drop-in centers, including the Salvation Army and the Mustard Seed soup kitchen. Marion has also proven to be a valuable member of the HOAP team. Marion performs outreach to homeless individuals in the community and refers them to housing, primary care, and government benefits. Marion has also taken the lead on laying the foundation Community Healthlink CC members Marion Calabro (left) for recruiting a team of volunteers from area colleges and Chenelle Archibald (right). who will help to sustain the outreach and engagement. The opportunity to serve at CHL has enabled Marion to The mission of Community Healthlink (CHL) is to develop the skills and confidence necessary to connect promote, restore, and maintain the physical and with homeless individuals. When Marion began her mental health, and dignity of adults, children, and service in August, she was unfamiliar with homeless families in Central Massachusetts who are experiencing populations and unsure about how to approach them. mental illness, addiction, or homelessness. Marion took advantage of the range of support from her supervisor and team members to build her skills CHL currently hosts two Commonwealth Corps (CC) and gain confidence in serving with homeless Members through its Homeless Outreach and Advocacy individuals. Through her gain in confidence she has Program (HOAP). Marion Calabro and Chenelle been able to help many homeless individuals, most Archibald serve as Outreach and Engagement notably a homeless veteran who suffered from Specialists whose goal is to improve the physical and depression as well as poor physical health. He refused mental health of homeless individuals by increasing the to stay at the local shelter and has difficulty following number of individuals using behavioral and primary up with medical and mental health appointments. health care. Additionally, they are helping to expand Marion was able to help get the client housed and HOAP's reach and effectiveness, by recruiting and connected to a primary care Doctor at HOAP. developing a team of committed college student volunteers to continue the members’ outreach and The Commonwealth Corps has helped Community engagement service after the service year is complete. Healthlink strengthen its service to the community and address the physical and mental health needs of As a result of Marion and Chenelle’s service, our homeless individuals in Worcester. The CC Members capacity to reach homeless individuals in Worcester has have not only increased access to health care for improved and expanded, including adding outreach to homeless individuals, they have created a reliable locations that we previously were not able to impact. connection to homeless individuals at local drop-in Thanks to Marion and Chenelle, more homeless centers and soup kitchens. This has helped to increase individuals in Worcester are receiving primary care, the number of community partners with whom CHL and behavioral health care, and case management than HOAP have a positive and meaningful relationship, ever before. These same individuals are also able to which ultimately improves the network of services that enroll in health insurance plans at a higher rate and homeless individuals receive. learn more about how to access health care and benefits. -Sarah Loy, CHL Director of Resource Development Chenelle is incredibly “Without Marion and Chenelle, a number of our hard working. She most at-risk homeless clients would not have has strengthened health insurance or the quality primary care the outreach capacity they’ve received at HOAP. Their service this Brian Bickford, year has been invaluable.” of the program and Community Healthlink, has improved our HOAP Director capacity to interact and Volume 4, Issue 5 Page 3 Member Spotlight: Chenelle Archibald Growing up in my com- community, clients, and the organization was helping to munity I have seen many establish the connection between the Salvation Army things: prostitution, drug soup kitchen and Community HealthLink. Through exten- dealing, addiction and sive outreach, I was able to reconnect current clients in homelessness. Through- one of Community HealthLink’s transitional housing pro- out the years it some- gram (Safe Haven) to case management services. This what became the norm, provided assistance in areas such as applying for housing, but I never imagined that income and MassHealth benefits. I would find myself per- As I stated before, homelessness is an experience that I Name: Chenelle Archibald sonally dealing with would never wish on anyone so, seeing one of my most Age: 34 homelessness. In 2002 I challenging clients, who has dealt with homelessness for Host Site: CHL ended up homeless with years, become housed was also an extremely rewarding Hometown: Christiansted St. three young children ag- moment for me. As each client has achieved a new goal, Croix U.S.V.I. es 4, 2 and a newborn. through my help and guidance, it has become a constant Current city/town: Worcester, Those seven months, reminder to be humble and appreciative for the things MA were the longest of my that we often take for granted. life. After that time, I de- clared that if ever given Because of the Commonwealth Corps, I have been able an opportunity for me to help someone else in that situa- to serve with an organization that is committed to pro- tion I would. That is what drew me to the Commonwealth moting, restoring, and maintaining the physical health, Corps. mental health and dignity of individuals in Central Mas- sachusetts who are experiencing mental illness, addic- I have accomplished many things throughout my service tion and homelessness. year, but a major accomplishment that has impacted my Member Spotlight: Marion Calabro I chose to serve as a full and case management services. I have been able to en- time Commonwealth gage individuals through street outreach at a variety of Corps Member because I locations around the city. Additionally, I have used my have always been drawn experiences with MSA and CHL to build a volunteer pro- to the idea of giving back gram resource manual for Community Healthlink to uti- to my community in a lize in future volunteer management. tangible way. Growing Serving individuals affected by homelessness has been a up, my grandfather, a humbling and inspiring experience. The most challenging World War II Veteran client interactions have often been the most rewarding. and leader in special Name: Marion Calabro Each client has taught me something I would not have needs programming in Age: 25 known otherwise. Serving people who face the barriers of public education, em- homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse has Host Site: CHL bedded the importance forced me to consistently strive to be more: more com- Hometown: Northbridge, MA of taking an active role in passionate, more diligent in the service I provide, more Current city/town: Auburn, shaping the communities open-minded, and more informed about the community MA that surround me. The and resources available. Every morning at HOAP provided Commonwealth Corps me with a new opportunity to develop my skills as a hu- provided a meaningful opportunity to serve and shape man service provider. the Worcester Community, of which I have become an active member.