SPRING 2013 · VOL. 07 · NO. 01 From the President and CEOThis summer—with your help—CAMBA will embark on one of the most exciting new directions in our 35-year history.

We plan to open the doors of the CAMBA Mental Health Center, an outpatient mental health clinic and our first initiative to provide direct clinical mental health treatment. Moreover, this service will be open to the community and—in another unique role for CAMBA —will accept private insurance and offer a sliding scale to uninsured neighbors.

The benefits will be enormous. Brooklyn suffers a severe shortage of accessible mental health services, coupled with many people who desperately need them. Whether it’s mild depression or crippling mental illnesses, our experts will provide treatment to help people become happier and more productive. And our neighborhoods will be safer and more secure.

CAMBA needs $200,000 to renovate our townhouse at 27 Winthrop Street into a fully-equipped clinic. We are halfway to our goal, and we need your help to finish the project and make our vision a reality.

We are calling on you to join our capital campaign. Please help us raise the remaining $100,000 by June 30, so we can complete construction and open the center’s doors late this summer.

CAMBA’s First Outpatient Mental Health Center to Serve Brooklyn Neighbors

Recent headlines make it clear: our nation urgently needs more and better mental health care. The shortage is even more acute in Central Brooklyn, where an estimated one in every 20 Flatbush adults suffers from serious psychological problems and where services are scarce.

To address this critical need, CAMBA is opening the CAMBA Mental Health Center, an outpatient mental health clinic in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, which will be available to all adults in the community. The center will offer an array of treatment options, including assessment, individual and group psychotherapy, family therapy and counseling, medication treatment and more. Crisis intervention services will be available 24/7. CAMBA is authorized through the New York State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to provide these services.

By filling this crucial gap in services, CAMBA’s Mental Health Center will

Help Us Build Mental Health Services CAMBA is asking our friends to help fund construction for the CAMBA Mental Health Center, an urgently needed new outpatient mental health clinic.

Goal: $200,000 by June 30To learn more and to make a donation, go to CAMBA.org/mentalhealth

Michael Erhard, above right, points to a ceiling that needs repair, part of the work that is required to transform 27 Winthrop Street (left) into a mental health center. Photos: Anthony Collins

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help individuals lead happier, more productive lives and create a stronger, safer community for all.

“Today, we are finding that more and more people need access to high-quality therapeutic mental health services,” said Michael Erhard, a CAMBA Senior Vice President. “CAMBA is excited about the opportunity to provide these services to Brooklyn communities.”

A double “first” for CAMBA, the center marks our first clinical health care program and first program accepting private insurance and offering a sliding

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Thank You! We salute the following donors for your generous support (Oct. 1, 2012 - Jan. 31, 2013):CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION DONORS

For news and updates, visit CAMBA.org.

INDIVIDUAL DONORS

KATHERINE O’NEILL Chairwoman

CHRISTOPHER ZARRA Vice President

REV. DANIEL RAMM Secretary/ Treasurer

SAL BACARELLA

JULIA BEARDWOOD

MATTHEW W. BOTWIN

GREGORY CELESTIN

PAUL GALLIGAN

TERENCE KELLEHER

ALLAN F. KRAMER II

BERNARDO MAS

RUTH O’BRIEN

DAVID H. SCHULTZ

Board of Directors

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

people with opportunities to enhance their quality of life.

A. Larovere Consulting LLCAlexander Gorlin ArchitectsThe Bank of New York MellonBE Furniture OutletBeardwood & Co. LLCBell Urban LLCBenchmark Title Agency LLCBethex Federal Credit UnionThe Briarwood Organization LLCBroadview Networks, Inc.Brown & Weinraub, PLLCBruno Frustaci Contracting CompanyBudget Business Supply Co.Carver Federal Savings BankCauldwell Wingate Company

Center for Student MissionsChadbourne & Parke LLPCHI Benefits by Corporate Health InnovationsChris McConnell Consulting, IncCitiQuiet WindowsCombined Coordinating Council, Inc.Curtis + Ginsberg Architects LLPDevito and Alvarado Pediatric Associates PLLCDunn Development Co.Eileen Abraham Insurance Agency LLCEmblemHealthEnterprise Community PartnersExtraordinary Building Consultants, LLCFeldman Lumber

Foliot FurnitureGalaxy General Contracting Corp.Garden WorksGroupe SanglierHarden + Van Arnam Architects PLLCHeidell, Pittoni, Murphy & Bach, LLPHome DepotHudson Housing Capital LLCInstitutional Investor, Inc.Interior Resources USAJames E. Rocco Associates, Inc.KNS Building Restoration Inc.Kord ConsultingLaw Office of Karen ShermanLedgewood Wealth Advisors, LLC Lee Weintraub

Landscape Architecture, LLCLutheran Family Health CenterMega Contracting Inc.Miller Cicero, LLCMorgan StanleyNeighborhood Opportunities FundNew York Community TrustNew York Jitnasonics Medical, P.C.New York Methodist HospitalO’Connor Davies Munns & Dobbins LLPPremier Ford Lincoln MercuryR&B Janitorial SupplyRadiation Therapists Associates, P.C.Ridgewood Savings Bank

Saretsky Katz Dranoff & Glass LLPSchmutter, Strull, Fleisch Inc.Service Directions Inc.Seyfarth Shaw LLPSheldon Lobel. P.C.Summit Ridge Group, LLCSUNY Downstate Medical CenterThe Parkside GroupThe Right ConnectionThe Rogosin InstituteUnited Neighborhood Houses of New YorkUnited Way of New York CityVertex SecurityWells Fargo Bank IRTWells Fargo Home MortgageWinnResidentialYork Group Associates

Vadim AbromoveRobert J. & Pamela BassJulia & Jonathan Willens BeardwoodRita BellevueMichael Hammond BerneRobert BerneAlan J. BernsteinThayyullat BharathanDavid BixbyPam BoothMatthew W. BotwinSally A. BrazilCaitlyn BrazillNeil BrazitisJefrey BrownJohn & Sharon BrownePeter BrunoRobert T. & Nicole C. BuckJeff CaltabianoJeanne M CampanelliBernard CarrPaul CatalanottoGregory CelestinCecily CohenAsher ColinRoger & Marina CunninghamAna CutterChristopher & Anita CzarThomas DambaklyLora Lynn DelaramaAngeles DelgadoPatricia DonelanTed & Kathy DrosValerie Barton- Richardson & Dwayne RichardsonClaudia Dymond

Joy ElliottMichael ErhardMert ErogulSteven EvansNeil FalconeCatherine & Gregory FarrellAlan FernandezPaul E. FordAlice F. FreedKatherine GallagherMary Kay GallagherWilliam Cullen & Brenda GannamSteven & Anne GarnerLiziamma GeorgeBenjamin K. GlaserLee GoldfarbAlexander GorlinPaula GreensteinJoan GrilloPrasad GudavalliMadhav GudiKenneth E. GunningAlison HaberlyHoward E. HallengrenJames HeinemanJohn HeitnerFoster N. HenryJamey & Leslie HewittSara HobelChristie HodgkinsNancy HofbauerDaniel & Mary Louise J. HogartyBelle HorwitzAnna IsaacRichard IsaacsonCharles Scibetta, Jr. & Jennifer Willig

Claire Harding-Keefe & William KeefeTerence KelleherElise KofflerEllen D. KolbaAllan F Kramer, IIRobin LandesLyle C.R. LandonMary Ann LanzettaJoan LeavittSanford M. LedermanChoichun LeungDavid & Ellen Winner LewisKathleen LewisShi Wen LiAlex LiberatoreRocco & Lorelie LombardoDiane Louard-MichelSarah LudingtonSamantha C MagistroAsim R. MalikNancy A MargroBernardo MasKevin Coffey & Kathleen A. MastersChristy McAvoyJoan McFeelyMarjorie McKenzieMark McManusParag MehtaPatricia MillerJanet MillerAnn MinogueRabia N MirShervin MirbahaMichelle MontgomeryCharles & Beverly MorrisFaraj MotahedehKevin Muir

Margaret R. MukherjeeDeborah MurphyNancy Owens Studio LLCJustin NardillaPramod & Kelly Ann NarulaChristopher NecklesRang NgoRobert NobileRuth O’BrienCharlie & Katherine O’NeillKaz & Joanne OplustilFrancine PalazzaDarshan PatelMonty PeffleySameer Rafla- Demetrious, M.D.Suhail RaoofJorin & Alexandra ReddishEileen ReillySandye RenzLuz RiveraRobyn RollerAimee RosenVern Bergelin & Mary Ellen RossDavid RoweOsei RubieThomas J. RussiMary P. SaladinoSalama SalamaAnthony & Adrienne SantolaEstelle SchafferJoshua SchillerRonald W. Schwartz, DMDKaren Segraves-PenderThomas & Dayna SessaRubina Shafi

Anjeli M. SharmaAdam J ShatzKirsten ShawStanley SherbellLeonard ShillerTodd SimonMarina SlepakDavid B SmithTony SmolenskiRonald SoaveLeonora SokolovaSusan K SolomonDaniel A. SterlingKesha SylvesterMargaret TaddyJeffrey TancilJoan M TedeschiWalker TisdaleHazel TishcoffRichard & Mary TorpeyWilma TorresAnthony J. TortolaniNancy TumposkyJosine VecaJonathan VelazquezDino J. VeronesePeter & Deborah VietzeJohn WardAisha WeathersBarry WechslerSimon WeifenbachCharles D. & Elizabeth Erin WhelanPatricia WillensSheree WilliamsSharon ZaneShahriar ZehtabchiMark ZimetMatthew & Myra Zuckerbraun

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fee scale for uninsured people. As usual, CAMBA will take Medicare and Medicaid clients.

The new center at 27 Winthrop Street, a three-story residential building constructed in 1903, needs extensive renovations to convert from housing to a fully-equipped clinic. Work will include upgrading bathrooms, removing a kitchen, repairing floors and ceilings and building offices and waiting rooms.

Total renovations will tally $201,200. CAMBA has raised more than half and is launching a capital campaign to raise the remaining $100,000 by June 30. Our goal is to complete renovations and open the clinic in late summer 2013.

The capital campaign will seed the CAMBA Mental Health Builders Fund for the creation and expansion of mental health services.

Run or walk for CAMBA on May 5 at CAMBA’s Healthy Way 5k.

Details at CAMBA.org/5kRace

Annual Spring Shona Sale, May 17 & 18, 1-6 pm.

Benefit Reception, May 16.CAMBA.org/Shona2013

Mark Your Calendar

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Join us on May 5 for CAMBA’s Healthy Way 5k. Details at CAMBA.org/5kRace

Cruz (last name withheld) remembers Oct. 29, 2012, as the most terrifying night in his 42 years of life. He was living in a two-story home in Beach Channel when Superstorm Sandy sent waves crashing up to the second floor. Cruz lost his housing. With no documentation, his unemployment benefits were swept away as well.

CAMBA Helps Sandy Victims Find Housing

Dedicated HomeBase staff members who aided displaced Sandy victims were only a few of our many “hurricane heroes” who braved the storm and its tragic aftermath to help others.

CAMBA’s 24-hour facilities—our homeless shelters and supportive housing residences—were staffed and operating

Destitute, he spent several frigid nights sleeping on benches, finally turning to the city’s Restoration Center in Coney Island for help. There, he was directed to CAMBA’s Zenelle Simon and Camille Hamilton. Within an hour of meeting them, Cruz was on his way to an emergency shelter and armed with information to help him regain his benefits—and his independence.

“Now, I’ve got somewhere to go. I won’t be out on the street,” he said with relief.

Immediately after the storm, CAMBA’s HomeBase staff swung into action, working with the city and FEMA to provide emergency housing services in Coney Island and Staten Island.

The HomeBase workers’ official role was to find housing for people displaced by Sandy, including FEMA-funded hotel rooms, shelter beds and referrals for permanent housing. Unofficially, our staff also served as frontline counselors to people in emotional crisis.

Hyergene Henry was one of the first CAMBA staffers to work at the Staten Island Restoration Center. With transportation disrupted, it took her

CAMBA’s ‘Hurricane Heroes’ Stood Up to Superstormsmoothly during the storm. Immediately after, our HIV/AIDS team was on the ground, checking on frail people living in scattered site apartments in the flood zones, to make sure they were safe and had food, heat and other necessities.

Our van drivers sat through long gas lines so they could drive clients

to services. Staffers at Liberation Diploma Plus High School, Coney Island, cleaned out the school. And legal staff addressed insurance claims. for foreclosure clients (see page 4).

Even staffers who lost homes returned immediately to work to help others.

several hours just to reach the center in the early post-storm days. “It was very heart-rending for me… People would come in yelling or crying. I would listen to them, let them express their feelings, and try to help them as best I could.”

“We had to let people know they had someone on their side,” added Tanisha Edwards, who also worked in Staten Island. “We let them know they are not going to be left in the street.”

Among their clients were people in shock —including those who had lost loved ones or been left destitute by the storm.

Kamina Louis said her experience in Staten Island showed her that “the information I can give to a client can change their life. And by listening to their stories, it gives them hope.” Camille Hamilton

Tanisha Edwards, left, and Hyergene Henry

From Foreclosure to Flood, CAMBA Proves a LifelineWinifred Alexander’s Coney Island home was awash in red ink and in foreclosure the night Sandy struck, destroying the first floor.

Mrs. Alexander, who has cancer, was in the hospital that night, recovering from a leg amputation. Her son and his children narrowly escaped the flood.

Could things get any worse for the Alexander family? Indeed they did, when their insurance company refused to cover the flood damage. With nowhere else to go, the family camped out on the second floor. Mrs. Alexander joined them in this precarious situation when she left the hospital.

CAMBA Legal Services, which was helping Mrs. Alexander fight foreclosure, stepped in to deal with her insurance claim.

With CAMBA’s help, the company finally agreed to cover more than $95,000 for damages to the home.

The Alexanders are looking forward to rebuilding and to working with CAMBA and the bank to resolve the foreclosure.

“I’m glad CAMBA is able to help hardworking families such as the Alexanders stand up for their legal rights against egregious bank abuse,” said CAMBA attorney Natalie Webb.

In 1970, Joni Mitchell sang, “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”

Today, CAMBA Housing Ventures is transforming a parking lot into a paradise of sustainable and affordable housing and social services—where families will flourish.

The parking lot that will be transformed is part of the Van Dyke Houses, a 22-building public housing complex in Brownsville, Brooklyn, which is home to more than 4,300 people. The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) recently named CAMBA Housing

CAMBA to Build New Brownsville HousingVentures as developer of the new 12-story building that will rise on a former parking area within the complex.

The development will include approximately 100 units of sustainable, affordable and supportive housing for families earning less than 60% of the area median income (determined annually by HUD). Leasing information will be finalized upon construction closing, expected to occur in Fall 2015.

CAMBA will provide on-site supportive services and job training opportunities to residents. Rendering of Van Dyke Building

CAMBA’s Party PipelineParty for a Pantry, April 23: An evening of food, drinks and a raffle to benefit our Beyond Hunger Emergency Food Pantry, hosted by the CAMBA Young Leaders Committee. More info at CAMBA.org/FoodDrive.

Healthy Way 5k, May 5: Our first-ever run/walk, through the rolling hills of Prospect Park. Sponsored by EmblemHealth. More info at CAMBA.org/5kRace.

Annual Shona Benefit Sale, May 16-18: Preview our collection of stone sculptures at the Opening Night Cocktail Reception (May 16) or come for the public sale on May 17 and 18. More info at CAMBA.org/Shona2013.

CAMBA Night Out, October 24: Save the date for our signature annual event. More info coming soon at CAMBA.org.