September 2011
September 2011
This month marks my first year at Depaul USA. I would like to thank Depaul House residents and Depaul USA's staff, board of directors, and supporters for a wonderful first year. During the past year, Depaul House has continued to make a difference in the lives of scores of men, providing them with the peace, stability and intensive supports they need to make the transition from homelessness to independent living.
This past year saw many accomplishments. Under the direction of Program Manager Sandra Guillory, we developed and submitted an excellent funding proposal for a new Philadelphia permanent supportive housing project and staged our first headline-grabbing, head-turning, resident-directed art exhibit, "Shooting Back". The Depaul House staff led by Michelle Abbruzzese, Gerald Lockhart, Lynn Giordano, and Lorre Jackson has done an unparalleled job of making men feel at home here and getting them moved out and on to independence! Peggy Robertson, Director of Development, spearheaded the growth of our foundation giving program. Today, 24 foundations support Depaul USA's work. Ten of these foundations are first-time supporters. Our Finance Director Dave Vogelbacker developed expert tools to track our grants and expenditures, enabling us to better manage our resources.
During the last 12 months, we also made significant progress in opening exciting new programs in Macon and New Orleans and seeded ideas for projects in Chicago and Niagara Falls. We also developed an expertise in social entrepreneurism and hope to launch our first business franchise early next year. Earlier this month, we added four new members to our board. Oliver Miller recently joined the staff as our new Executive Associate and he is buzzing with energy and ideas and has lots of that always welcome "tech savvy".
This year, despite the successes, I have learned that the path forward for our men and for this organization is not always straight and it will not always be easy. The road to independence for the men of Depaul House is full of twists and setbacks. Unrelenting addictions, health problems, family tragedies, the flat economy- all will knock you sideways. The road to building a sustainable, effective organization also has its share of bumps and dead ends. You can be sure despite these challenges that our residents and this organization will push forward. We welcome your help and ask for your solidarity.
Chuck Levesque
