1. matters
Spring 2011
Health, Homes and Jobs for Homeless New Yorkers
Howard Kelly:
Out of the House
and On the Job
H oward Kelly learned about Re-
newal House at Project Renewal’s
Third Street Detox, and started the
program on August 31, 2009. He began
Renewal House Celebrates 40 Years
work with the Alliance the next day,
and, in May of 2010, went on the Alli-
As a Community of Recovery
ance’s payroll as a part-time employee.
L
ocated in the Fort Greene area of Director Gil Fagiani and Associate Director Victor Sancho
Could you briefly describe your experience at Brooklyn, Renewal House isn’t (center) with residents
Renewal House? your conventional transitional the guidelines of the program.
I’m a two-time client, you could say, so housing program. Modeling the Thera- After 40 years in Brooklyn, Renewal
my experience this time is of a better, peutic Community approach, Renewal House will be moving to the Bronx
knowledgeable recovery. The program House has developed its own indepen- next year once the construction of
has a lot of structure to allow a person dent living community of 20-24 men the new residence on Fletcher Place is
that’s recovering to be independent. We working together on recovery and work finished. This will be a big change, as
have guys that have been together for a skills. Residents are given keys and the community has come to embrace
little while, so we start to develop a type the freedom to come and go from the and appreciate Renewal House and its
of unity. And it’s recovering a day at a house. However, in order to participate residents. “The neighbors treat us like
time, you know, it’s a recovery process in the program, residents are required to family,” says graduate Lance Frankie
- groups and meals, cleaning up, and have a previous amount of clean time, Tucker. However, Tucker believes that
getting along together. to participate in treatment groups at no matter where Renewal House is lo-
our Outpatient Clinic, and to accept cated, it will continue to be a place that
What did you like about the Renewal House job placement with the Times Square provides men with a chance to get their
program? Alliance. Responsibility is put on the lives together.
It’s a place to stay that’s drug-free, residents to maintain sobriety and obey
alcohol free, gives us freedom to come
and go, be responsible from the start,
do some things on your own, and come Times Square Alliance: Workforce Training
back. They send us to Times Square for Renewal House Residents
Alliance...and we’re there, like a training
For almost 20 years, Renewal House has part- proud of this partnership, “We have a longstand-
process, three days a week, and at the nered with the Times Square Alliance (TSA) to ing, familial relationship with Renewal House.
end of the eleventh month of working provide workforce training and development for Our sanitation workers come from the program,
there, there’s a possibility that we can residents. Among other things, the Alliance pro- and we’ve had phenomenal success. Our goal is to
get hired on payroll. So I got the job! It’s vides core neighborhood services with its Public have people come here first with the program and
a nice experience because I’m learning Safety Officers and Sanitation Associates. Up to 20 then to hire a percentage as part-time workers.
something and I’m working at the same Renewal House participants work on the Alliance’s We have Renewal House graduates as full-time
sanitation team at any given time. Tom Harris, the workers, and we even have some who are now
time, and it’s opened up new ideas. Senior Vice President of Security & Operations, is supervisors.”
continued on page 2

2. Dolan Byrnes on How to
Land a Job…And Keep It
M
y goal for my clients is to to stay in their jobs. We have an exten-
have the confidence to go in sive program where we follow individu-
and land a job. It’s a whole als for up to a year in their employment. Dolan Byrnes, Retention & Alumni Service Coordinator,
team effort taking clients through the We coach, council, provide a shoulder, with his team: Tanya Jenkins and Ashley Jones.
workshops and mock interviews. People and sounding board for them. We tell
with a criminal background are afraid them to never walk off the job or quit. My third goal is to help clients ad-
they’ll be asked about it. They are afraid They should call us and talk it through. vance in their job. We have people that
to even fill out an application because Problems with a supervisor or cowork- go in at a low level position and then
they don’t know what to say. They say, ers can be typical in a workplace so we become supervisors. One of our clients
“No one is ever going to hire me.” But talk with them about how to handle started in a maintenance position and
that’s not true…a lot of companies will it. We are on the phone with them is now a building manager. We are so
hire them. We walk them through that every week or every other week. We proud of this client because he worked
whole process…to not deny anything, have a 90% retention rate after 30 days, really hard. One of the things we do
to accept it and express regret for having 75% stay for 3 months, 60% stay for 6 is a quarterly recognition dinner. We
done it, to talk about what they have months and 50% will stay for a year. So announce who has been employed for
done since to make their lives better you can see from the beginning of the 6 months to a year. When they are on
and increase their skills. They should be process to the end, there can be quite a the job for a year we give them a golden
able to say, “As a result of this, I’m going drop off. Some clients have not been ladder pin as a medal of their success.
to be a much better employee for you to work in a long time or never had a They love it. Everybody needs recogni-
if you just give me the chance.” That’s job. That is the greatest challenge – tion. They know they are supported,
number one. keeping the greatest number of clients recognized, and always have someone to
My number two goal is getting them employed. talk to.
Howard Kelly...continued from page 1
Help a Client
What do you do for the Times Square Alli-
ance?
Why do you think the Renewal House pro-
gram worked for you?
Take the Next
I work on Duffy Square. Duffy Square
is the TKTS island, with the stands, and
Right now I’m one year, two months,
and three weeks clean and sober, and
Step to a Job
I do the maintenance work over there. that’s one thing. And the job oppor-
I talk to a lot of people, they ask me a tunity, with the aftercare as far as job Can you make an introduction
lot of questions about the shows, the readiness and learning at the Next Step to a potential employer?
days and times they’re opening. I was at program. We have outpatient counsel-
“Broadway on Broadway,” I saw some ing too where we learn everyday living For more information, call
of the acts. I get to see things like that; skills. I just look forward to being hired Monica Roquitte,
meet people, famous people and things full-time at this job, having some inde- Next Step
like that, news reporters, actors, singers pendent living, housing - just something Program Director
– I see all that stuff. And even on my off safe, clean, and I’m looking forward to 212-620-0340 ext. 355
time, I come by here, I shop and things my recovery to be ongoing.
like that – eat, movies. No Broadway
shows yet, but in the future – in the
future.
2 Project Renewal matters | Spring 2011

3. COOKING
UP NEW
SKILLS
By Octavia Penn,
Comfort Foods employee
W
hat happened was, I was us- Hughes, the Director, hired me for a per focused, and I’m doing something I
ing drugs, and I knew that diem position at Comfort Foods. I did love. Project Renewal gave me a chance;
that wasn’t the way to live a couple of catering gigs with her. She is they believed in me. They have my back
anymore. I tried a couple of different great because she is always open to new 110%. As long as I stay on the right
rehabs, but they didn’t seem to work. I ideas. road, I know I’m going to succeed.
knew I needed some long-term treat- I’ve been working at Geffner House
ment to re-establish myself. One of my for about five and a half months. The
peers was in culinary school at Project job that I’m doing is very, very good. I Comfort Foods
Renewal. He was telling me so much really enjoy it because I get to be cre- Catering to Your Needs
about it that I decided to try it out. ative. I like the challenge. I noticed that
The Culinary Arts Program was just since I’ve been here, my skills have en- Cater your next party, corporate meeting or
special occasion with Comfort Foods…or let us
what I needed because they don’t just hanced drastically. I’m getting muscles design and deliver a delicious, nutritious meal
work on your culinary skills, they help too; today I can lift those pots easily. I program for your organization.
you learn people skills as well. I could have high standards when I’m cooking. Each menu is tailored to meet your tastes,
call my counselor any time, and what- That’s very important to me. lovingly prepared by our experienced staff.
ever I was going through, she would Some days I might not be feeling so Together we’ll design a menu or meal program
always keep me uplifted. That’s what great, but I’m going to get through it that meets your requirements.
Comfort Foods Catering is a social-purpose
makes it totally different: they help you and I’m going to make the food even enterprise run by Project Renewal, offering
reach your personal goals and give you a better, and whoever eats my food is go- excellent food and stellar service while fulfilling
strong foundation. ing to enjoy it. I’ve learned that it’s not an important social mission: providing jobs for
Chef O’Connor is the best: he’s about you all the time, it’s about making graduates of our award winning Culinary Arts
compassionate with the students and he someone happy. When people enjoy my Training Program. Contact Barbara Hughes, Ex-
expects a lot. I graduated on time, and food, it makes me feel great. ecutive Chef at 212 533-8400, ext 162, barbara.
hughes@projectrenewal.org 
I was valedictorian of the class! Barbara I feel good today. I’m clean, I’m
Help homeless men and women
leave the streets for health, homes and jobs…
with your donation. It’s safe, fast and on-line at
www.projectrenewal.org.
Look for the “Donate Now” button on every page.
Project Renewal matters | Spring 2011 3

4. Making a Difference – One Stitch at a Time
Board of Trustees
S tudents at Frederick
Douglass Academy VIII
in Brooklyn brought holiday
Neil S. Mitchell
Chair
Alan Belzer
warmth to homeless men and Russell S. Berman
Suzanne Henry Boies
women. Twice a week after Colleen Cavanaugh
school 40 students, teachers, James S. Davidson
Anthony S. Kendall
and parents gathered to sew David J. Koeppel
sleeping bags that were hand The Honorable Richard B. Lowe, III
delivered to Project Renewal’s Mark H. Minter
Earl Monroe
MedVan. Rolled up inside each sleeping bag is a hat and toiletries. Each has a pil- Nan L. Perell
low with one seam open for stashing money, papers and other crucial possessions. Chuck Pol
Geoffrey Proulx
Genesis, a student said, “It makes me just want to cry to see how homeless people Mary Lynn Putney
can just be without sleeping bags. Together we make a difference.” Jules M. Ranz, M.D.
Paul H. Rich
Claudia Rosen
BT Employees Give Back Carl S. Rosoff
Laura J. Rothschild
BT employees reached out to Geffner House tenants with their annual holiday
food drive. Employees collected non-perishable food, beverages, and toi-
letries to deliver to the food pantry at Geffner House, just around the corner from
James W. Stevens
Caverly “Lee” Stringer
Mitchell Netburn
BT’s midtown headquarters. Ellis Eisner, Recreation Director at Geffner House, President & CEO
thanked BT staff for thinking of their neighbors. “Our residents are on fixed Junior Board
incomes, and the food pantry plays an Christopher M. Bellapianta Colin Meagher
Bernie Shaw (2nd from left) who organized the annual food Vijay Desiraju Keenan Reilly
important role for many who struggle drive at BT poses with her co-workers and the donations! Scott Donohue David Rowley
on a limited budget. Tenants can select Thomas Evrard Jenny Sharfstein
up to 6 items every other day, and it Brandl Frey Nicholas Sklar
Jeffrey Kirshenbaum Christopher Smajdor
means a lot to receive a donation like Robin Lee Frederick H. Volp
this which adds to the variety of items
PROJECT RENEWAL
available in the pantry.”
200 Varick Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10014
Thank you, BT employees, for the
212-620-0340 • www.projectrenewal.org
holiday cheer!
Junior Board’s Fall Ball a Great Success!
21st Annual Gala
Benefit & Auction
O ver 400 guests filled The Bowery
Hotel for the Fourth Annual Fall
Ball, a wonderful evening of music,
Junior Board Frederick Volp, Robin Lee,
and Jeffrey Kirshenbaum Thursday, June 9, 2011 at
The Waldorf=Astoria
raffle prizes, dancing, and cocktails.
Over $15,000 was raised to fund life- Save the date and join us for an evening to help
saving programs that help homeless men homeless New Yorkers. Live and silent auctions,
and women leave the streets and return cocktails and light buffet. Proceeds benefit
to health, homes, and jobs. Project Renewal programs. For information
on tickets, sponsorships, or auction donations
Thank you to our Junior Board and Junior Board Christopher Smajdor (center) with guests
contact Nicole Scanlin, Special Events Director,
Event Host Committee for their hard at 212-620-0340, ext. 323
work and dedication. A special thank
you to our beverage sponsors Diageo
and Yuengling. For more information
about the Junior Board, call Tiffany Liu
at 212-620-0340 x. 396.
4 Project Renewal matters | Spring 2011