Left to Right: special friend and supporter Kenneth Woodcock with LAH executive director Nancy Cooper, president Erica Harmon, and board members Nancy Inui and Mary Ellen Normen
On May 10th, 2023, LAH friends gathered for our Spring Event to enjoy a wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres in the beautiful historic College Club, reflecting founder Edward Everett Hale’s era. LAH friends from near and far came together to hear about the history of LAH and our mission, and to learn more about LAH’s work from one of our 125+ partner agencies. Guests viewed historic photos and a prototype statue by Bela Pratt of E.E. Hale that was used for the permanent Hale statue in the Boston Public Garden. LAH president, Erica Harmon, shared some wonderful and illustrative stories and bits of LAH and Hale history, and Executive Director Nancy Cooper presented on LAH’s accomplishments in the present day.
Guest speaker, Beckie Tachick RN, Street Team Manager with Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (a LAH partner agency) spoke about BHCHP’s unique day and night medical and relief work on Boston streets and highlighted the importance of the LAH partnership. Rather than wait for people to arrive in their clinics, staff and volunteers of BHCHP work to identify and build trusting relationships with “rough sleepers” in alleys, doorways, subway stations or under Charles River bridges, in an effort to provide comprehensive compassionate medical, behavioral, case management and recovery care. Their ultimate goal is to foster trust, taking care of people’s immediate medical needs and connecting them to their larger system of care, from street to hospital to home. Beckie Tachick described how helpful LAH grants are to their patients, particularly those making the transition into permanent housing. LAH’s low barrier to access aid means that BHCHP’s staff can help recently housed clients handle the inevitable emergencies that arise without burdensome paperwork requirements that can be impossible to meet quickly, but which are typical for aid programs.
Lend A Hand Society plays a key role in mitigating this housing crisis by providing emergency assistance to prevent eviction of families and individuals in MA and helping them to avoid the already under-resourced and over burdened State shelter system. Click here to donate and help make a difference in the lives of those who are homeless in the Greater Boston area.