FALL/WINTER 2013 · VOL. 07 · NO. 03 From the President and CEO

Once you fall into homelessness, it’s tough to regain your footing.

Just ask Adrian Morrisette, who lost his apartment and turned to CAMBA’s Atlantic House Men’s Shelter. There, he found vital resources and CAMBA staffer Ernestine (Ernie) Washington, who helped him get back on his feet.

Under Ernie’s guidance, Adrian saved money, got his health and medication on track, and qualified for a studio at 97 Crooke Avenue, a supportive and affordable housing development built by CAMBA Housing Ventures (CHV).

Adrian describes the day he got the key to his new home, “I came in here, I looked around and I said, ‘This is mine.’” Having a stable home spurred Adrian to complete a college program in green maintenance and earn certifications in additional fields. Today, he is working full time and preparing for a self-sufficient future.

97 Crooke Avenue is far more than a roof and walls.

As supportive housing, it provides around-the-clock security and on-site CAMBA case managers who work closely with tenants to help them achieve stable, productive lives. That can range from helping with medication and doctors’ appointments to arranging GED or college programs to providing employment assistance and fostering life skills to preventing or managing crises.

Supportive housing like 97 Crooke Avenue provides a cost-effective, comprehensive and successful approach to ending homelessness and helping tenants flourish.

CAMBA’s Supportive Housing Rebuilds Lives

“We often know everything that’s going on in the lives of our tenants,” says Elizabeth Warren, 97 Crooke Site Director. “Many have had tumultuous pasts and they don’t trust themselves to move forward. We are a safety net – they can talk to us; they can vent and stomp their feet. But they always know that we will help them solve their problems.”

97 Crooke Avenue’s residents also enjoy a beautiful facility and landscaped gardens. “Our people take pride in this building,” says Elizabeth. “The gardens are tranquil – they offer clients a place to get away and take a breath.”

Friends and supporters joined us this fall to dedicate 97 Crooke Avenue to Rev. Dan Ramm and celebrate the building’s 52 studio apartments.

97 Crooke Ribbon Cutting

Adrian Morrisette proudly displays his work ID

One in every 150 New Yorkers is homeless, New York Magazine reports.

That statistic is shocking, and it compels us to

work harder than ever to ensure that our neighbors have decent, stable homes.

More than two decades ago, CAMBA reached out to homeless mothers in city shelters with empowering services that enabled them to regain control of their lives and return to housing. We realized that the condition of being homeless could be profoundly traumatizing, and we devised supportive services to help people readjust successfully to their new homes.

It was clear that a cookie-cutter approach could not work, so CAMBA created a range of programs and services to meet people wherever they were on the path out of — or into — homelessness.

Today, we provide homelessness prevention, emergency and transitional housing, housing relocation and permanent, supportive housing. All are coupled with services that help our clients become healthier, happier, better educated and more financially secure, so they can remain housed and flourish.

CAMBA Housing Ventures, Inc., our housing development arm, pairs excellent design and sustainable, energy-efficient buildings with CAMBA’s life-changing supportive services.

Recently, the National and New York Housing Conferences named CAMBA/CHV its Nonprofit of the Year.

But the best tribute of all is meeting our clients and seeing their progress to regain their independence. This issue introduces you to two such people — Ernie Washington and Adrian Morrisette. I invite you to get to know them at camba.org/success. Thank YOU for making our work possible!

PHOTO CREDIT: VANNI ARCHIVE

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Thank You! We salute the following donors for your generous support (July 1 – Nov. 30, 2013):CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION DONORS

For news and updates, visit CAMBA.org.

INDIVIDUAL DONORS

SAVE THE DATE

CAMBA’s Healthy Way 5k Run/Walk: May 4, 2014

A. Larovere Consulting LLCAdmiral Air ConditioningAdmiral Insurance BrokerageAeon SolarAlexander Gorlin ArchitectsAlliance Bernstein Foundation FundAlloy Development HoldingsB & V Contracting Enterprises Inc.Bank of America Merrill LynchBarone Steel FabricatorsBE Furniture OutletBEC New Communities

HDFC, Inc.Bell Urban LLCBenchmark Title Agency LLCBorah, Goldstein, Altschuler, Nahins & Goidel PCBreeze National, Inc.Broadview Networks, Inc.Brown & Weinraub, PLLCBruno Frustaci Contracting Inc.Capital One BankChadbourne & Parke LLPChase Manhattan BankCHI Benefits by Corporate Health InnovationsChicago Title Insurance Company

Chris McConnell Consulting, IncCombined Coordinating Council, Inc.Community Service Society of NYCUNY Campaign For Charitable GivingCurtis + Ginsberg Architects LLPDattner ArchitectsDesign 2147 Ltd.Deutsche Bank Americas FoundationDP Group General Contractors and Developers Inc.Drillco Equipment Co. Inc.Dunn Development Co.

EmblemHealthEnterprise Community PartnersExtraordinary Building Consultants LLCFeinstein FoundationFeldman LumberFerrante PLLCFood Bank for NYCG & W Food Products, Inc.Galaxy General Contracting Corp.Groupe SanglierHenry H. Korn, ESQ., PLLCHirschen Singer & Epstein LLPHudson Housing Capital LLCInterior Resources USA

James E. Rocco Associates, Inc.JP Morgan Chase & Co.K&K Tile Corp.KNS Building Restoration Inc.Liberty Mutual SuretyLutheran Family Health CenterMega Contracting Inc.Merrill Lynch Wealth Management BOA CorporationMorgan StanleyNapoli Painting Services, Inc.New York Methodist HospitalO’Connor Davies LLP

Onofrio Lo Duca PlumbingPremier Ford Lincoln MercuryPS 139R. Acevedo ContractingRuth and Ezra Chesky Foundation TrustSaretsky Katz Dranoff & Glass LLPSchmutter, Strull, Fleisch Inc.Seyfarth Shaw LLPSheldon Lobel. P.C.Smith Street SolutionsSt. John-St. Matthew- Emanuel Lutheran ChurchTarget Corporation

TD BankTD Charitable FoundationThe Bank of New York MellonThe Hudson Companies Inc.The McCance FoundationTriState Apartment FurnishersTriumph HospitalityUnited Neighborhood Houses of New YorkUSI Insurance Services, LLCWells Fargo BankWells Fargo FoundationWhitsons Culinary GroupWinnResidential

Lois AbramchikRichard AcevedoJoan AdamsAllison AdlerLawrence AdlerLiena AdlerArlene Adler-KleimanSamuel AgeloffCatherine AksAmy AlthoffKathleen AmesKara AndersenAnnMarie AndersonKaral AndersonJennifer AntoineCassie BachovchinTeresa BaileyMary BakijaJeronimo BarreraNancy BeranbaumBarry and Sharon BermanSteve and Sheila BernardMichael BerneLauren BesserEllen BilofskyHannah BlitzerSamantha BloomPamela BoothMatthew BotwinBrian BoutonAriella BowdenChantall BrachmannMegan BrackneyCaitlyn BrazillKimberly BrownJohn and Sharon BrowneKari BrownePaul and Claire BrutenJoanna ByrneAlyssa CambronEmily CampbellVantella CampbellDiana CannonAmanda CantrellMegan CareyCorinne CarlPaul Catalanotto

Margarita CearaGregory CelestinChristina ChavezLina CherfasMonica CopelandJill CornellLeah CoverZaida CruzMary Jo CullinanJohn CumminsLisa DahlgrenCasey DalyThomas and Jennifer DambaklyPatti DarwinSteven DavidsonSherry DavisJanice DeanLora dela RamaAngeles DelgadoArthur and Debra DelorenzorSalvatore DestroJamie DobiePatricia DonelanPeter DorisSarah DouganChrissie DowlerJohn DowlingLisa DrahoTed and Kathy DrosAnita EmertPaula EnninJohn EpsteinMichael ErhardMert ErogulAlicia EspinozaNeil FalconeNancy FarranSara-Ann FearonBarbara FeasterFrank FerranteMark FinkelsteinDavid FirestoneElizabeth FisherAnn FixlerJoshua Fixler

Paul Ford and Maureen FlahertyMariel FrankAnna FrischEdward FuscoJessica GallagherMary Kay GallagherPaul GalliganWilliam Cullen and Brenda GannamGretchen GarnechoNicole GiambroneClaudia GilchriestJillian GladstoneDeborah GoldsteinJanelle GooleyJonathan GraboyesPaula GreensteinJill GregoryJoan GrilloStephanie GrossAudrey GrossmanKelley GrowCarlos GuevaraKenneth GunningAlison HaberlyIan HalbwachsWilliam Keefe and Claire Harding-KeefeKamilah HarperWilliam HawkinsJeanne HawsJosephine HealyJames HeinemanAndrea HeissAmy HemphillBeverly HenleyJames HerreroJamey and Leslie HewittSharelle HicksJudy HilkeyMark Bisard and Christie HodgkinsCraig HollandHeidi HooverSadie HughesGoldie HurwitzMargaret Iannuzzi

Chris ImperioliMiranda JohnsonAlex KaniSylvia KaplanLaura KatesTerence and Margaret KelleherGeorge and Janet KennedyAitche KetonSilvana KimClaire KirkNathaniel KnaebelAaron KoffmanStefanie KoseffAllan KramerLia KudlessManfred LabesDonna LalwaniRoger LamarqueSamantha LambertGertrude LampartRobin LandesMary Ann LanzettaMelinda LaRoseRobert LarsonAnne LazovikAmanda LeisChristie LeliChoichun LeungKristy LeviKimberly LewisDavid LiaoJon LindsayDavid and Chris Lindsay-AbaireRocco and Lorelie LombardoDiane Louard-MichelGeorge LovellBeth MachlanMatthew MacLeanCaolan MaddenMichael MaggioreMichael MallonKristie MancellLee MandellKoren ManningBarbara Martin Diaz

Angie MartinezBernardo MasKevin Coffey and Kathleen A. MastersSarah MatzaToyanna MayoIan McAlpinNanci McAlpinRegina McCarthyKathlene McDonaldJoan McFeelyPhoebe McGinnMark McManusMichael McWattersCarlos MejillonesElizabeth MercerAdrienne MerjianJessica MiksisJanet MillerTodd MillerElissa Miller-KayAnna MinzerRegina MitchellDaniel MonteroMichelle MontgomeryAmir MoosaviAndrea MorrellCharles and Beverly MorrisMelissa MoweryKevin MuirJustin NardillaRachel NavarroChristopher NecklesMaria NewhardRobert NewmanRang NgoLee NorsworthyCharles and Katherine O’NeillVanessa O’NeillJessica OngKaz and Joanne OplustilScott OrganElean OrtayFrancine PalazzaJames PalazzaTom and Beth Parker

Ana PatelHilda and Irma PayneRobert PerezChrysi PhilalithesMeredith PhillipsSteven Cohen and Caroline PielaWesner PierreJennifer PinkowskiCalliope PiperidesMajid RadaeiGeorge RaptisJorin and Alexandra ReddishJason ReigalHyon RhoDwayne and Valerie RichardsonBreukellen RiesgoLuz RiveraWilla RobertsMichael RobinsonAimee RosenJocelyn RosenbergJon RosenbergVern Bergelin and Mary Ellen RossDominic RovanoDavid RoweHeidi SandersJoshua SchillerSusan SchlanskyDavid SchultzMichael ScottoRobert SeidelElizabeth SermanAnjeli SharmaGigi SharpStanley SherbellCarolyn SilverRegina SimmonsDavid SmilowDian SmithAmy SodaroLeonora SokolovaBailey SomersSara SorbelloMeema Spadola

Allison StearnsSusanna SteinSylvia SteinDaniel SterlingJulia SubrinMike SweeneyKathryn SweetmanMargaret TaddyAntigona TaftsiouJeffrey TancilChristopher TaylorRoseann TebayLydia TomJennifer TreinskiJohn TsevdosDerek TutschulteJoseph UlittoHeather VarianJonathan VelazquezChaim WachsbergerRonald WalcottAmanda WallaceVirginia WatersSanura WeathersKevin WegnerKarin WeidenmuellerSimon and Alanna WeifenbachNoa WheelerNora WhelanDaniel WilchinsRosemary WilliamsAndrew WilshinskyKaren WinstonJoshua WitzJoseph WongR.C. WrightJames WuAntonia XereasChristopher Zarra and Leslie YoungLiena ZagareAngelo ZarraShahriar ZehtabchiTelly ZervoudisMark ZimetPauline Zwaans

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KATHERINE O’NEILL Chairwoman

CHRISTOPHER ZARRA Vice Chairman

REV. DANIEL RAMM Secretary/ Treasurer

SAL BACARELLA

JULIA BEARDWOOD

MATTHEW W. BOTWIN

GREGORY CELESTIN

PAUL GALLIGAN

TERENCE KELLEHER

ALLAN F. KRAMER II

BERNARDO MAS

DAVID H. SCHULTZ

MOLLY WILKINSON

Board of Directors

CAMBA is a non-profit agency that provides services that connect

people with opportunities to enhance their quality of life.

CAMBA helps 45,000 New Yorkers every year.

CAMBA Brings Resiliency to Rockaway’s Sandy VictimsCAMBA and CHV Named Nonprofit of the YearCAMBA and CAMBA Housing Ventures (CHV) were honored for our high-quality, sustainable, affordable and supportive residential buildings by the National and New York Housing Conferences at their 40th Annual Awards Program in December.

CAMBA and CHV “have made a positive impact on countless lives, and their beautiful buildings have helped to strengthen communities,” said Judy Calogero, NY Housing Conference CEO. The Housing Conferences are comprised of affordable housing leaders nationwide.

Watch a video honoring CAMBA/CHV, which premiered at the event, by scanning this QR code.

Betty Martinez-Tucker watched from her third-floor window as Superstorm Sandy hurled ashore, swamping her Ocean Village residence, an affordable housing complex in the Rockaways. “There were explosions, the lights went out. Then everything got dark and still.”

The next morning, Betty ventured out to find mountains of sand, boats in the street and neighbors crying.

Now Betty and CAMBA colleagues are deployed to Ocean Village (recently renamed Arverne View) under a new initiative to bring economic, legal and case management services to residents still struggling and help them become more resilient for future crises.

Even before Sandy, the area was struggling, with 36 percent of residents unemployed, more underemployed and 75 percent low-income. Many of the complex’s 1,093 apartments were in disrepair after years of neglect.

Just before the storm, L+M Development took over the 11-building complex and has been making much-needed renovations and repairs. CAMBA’s Arverne View Recovery Project will ensure that residents, too, get the help they need, as part of a community-wide transformation.

CAMBA will help tenants obtain living-wage jobs, repair credit, escape excessive debt and get access to healthcare. “The services we’ll bring to the residents of Arverne View, and to members of the surrounding community, will meet some of the greatest needs in an area ravaged by Hurricane Sandy,” says Sharon Browne, Executive Vice President for CAMBA/CHV.

The program is funded by the federal Superstorm Sandy Social Services Block Grant, administered by the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

“Now we’re rebuilding,” Betty says, “and we’ll be better and stronger than ever.”

Flatbush Ninth-Graders Get on Track for CollegeFor many East Flatbush teens, college may seem like an impossible dream. When CAMBA identified neighborhood needs as part of our Flatbush Promise Neighborhood Initiative two years ago, we found that only half of local students graduate from high school and less than 30 percent go on to college. Parents, educators and students agree: this is unacceptable.

In September, we launched a new, two-generation initiative called Collegiate Express, to put 50 ninth-graders on track to college. With support from the Pinkerton Foundation, the four-year college-readiness program provides intensive academic support, test prep, financial aid information, college visits, after-school activities and even paid internships. (CONTINUED ON BACK PAGE)

In a truly innovative approach, we’re giving parents the skills and support they need to develop a college-ready kid. We match

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDHempstead, NY

Permit #133

1720 Church AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11226CAMBA.org

Neighbors Buy Turkeys for 500 FamiliesGenerous New Yorkers contributed more than $11,000 this fall so CAMBA’s Beyond Hunger Emergency Food Pantry could purchase 500 turkeys for hungry clients through a drive sponsored by the Ditmas Park Corner blog.

Recipients included Heidi, a former resident of CAMBA’s Broadway House Women’s Shelter, who was finally in her own apartment and longing for the kind of big Thanksgiving celebration that had been a tradition in her family.

But after her SNAP food stamp benefits were cut, Heidi wasn’t sure she could swing it — until the pantry gave her a

turkey and all the trimmings. Heidi fired up her oven and invited her grown son, relatives and her friends from the shelter over to enjoy the holiday.

Every month, CAMBA’s pantry helps ensure that 5,000 Brooklynites have the food they need to stay healthy. Keep the pantry

shelves stocked at CAMBA.org/donate.

Scenes from CAMBA Casino Night Out

Heidi was delighted to receive a turkey.

parents with peer coaches, other parents from the community who’ve already gotten their children into college and can help address the many hurdles families face.

Student Diandre Alexander enrolled in Collegiate Express and has enjoyed tutoring and learning games based on shows like Jeopardy. “It is helping me focus and be more optimistic about a successful life and going to college,” she says.

CAMBA is currently seeking funding to support a new cohort of families in 2014.

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