News and Updates - Commonwealth Land Trust

Commonwealth Land Trust | Winter Newsletter

Winter Newsletter

Hello friends,

Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season from CLT! We hope you and your chosen family are happy, healthy and ringing in the new year on a positive note.

Once again, we would also like to express our ongoing gratitude to CLT’s supporters, community partners, donors, and more who have helped us in big and small ways to house and support individuals experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity throughout Massachusetts.

We hope our work continues to inspire you to support us. Join in the cause by donating to our general fund today! Your tax refundable gift goes a long way to help us provide the best support we can to Greater Boston’s most vulnerable families. To donate click here.

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Announcements!

Health Clinics:

CLT works with high-risk clients that face a number of physical and mental health challenges that make our work extremely important during a public health crisis such as COVID-19, and now Mpox. That makes vaccination and testing of our clients and staff all the more imperative.

We have been able to continue to hold vaccine clinics, now for both Mpox and COVID-19. In addition, we have launched a series of onsite STI testing clinics available to all clients. Knowing your status is the first step to safer sex!

Harm Reduction Training:

CLT has been expanding its Harm Reduction efforts to ensure our residents are safe and that our staff can meet them where they are in their journey. This past year we have created a Harm Reduction Program Manager position to lead CLT’s harm reduction initiative, provide trainings, and work directly with clients.

We brought the entire staff in person to have Harm Reduction Program Manager, Marc, conduct an Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution training. Staff left the training with a better understanding of Opioid use and addiction, how to recognize an overdose and how and when to administer Narcan. These can be lifesaving steps and will make our housing safer for residents and staff.

Art Therapy:

CLT is constantly expanding its services to meet the needs of residents. This includes our new Mental Health Counselors servicing our Boston and Lawrence residents. On top of group and one-on-one therapy sessions, Mental Health Counselor Melinda has begun hosting Coffee Hours and Art Therapy classes to help clients process their emotions and get the creative juices flowing.

Residents have been excited to have these activities on-site and the art therapy sessions have been well attended. Melinda plans to continue to host these as long as residents are excited to participate. Check out some of the great artwork residents created this past fall!

Retirement:

Congratulations to Teresa Perry on her Retirement! Teresa has been a pillar at Commonwealth Land Trust for the past 25 years and her presence will surely be missed.

Teresa originally joined the CLT team in 1997 as an AmeriCorps member. She has served as the Supportive Housing Manager for CLT’s largest property in Downtown Boston.

We hope all the best for Teresa in this next chapter in her life!

Resident Spotlight: Robert

Growing up in the foster care system, CLT resident Robert expressed a sense of not feeling at home since the age of twelve. This extended to his time spent in a cycle of incarceration and dealing with addiction starting from a young age. The current prison systems make reentry into life outside very difficult, including major roadblocks to housing and employment. These difficulties played a large role in Robert’s homelessness. After his last experience with incarceration, Robert found shelter and support at a Boston based shelter and utilized a network of support from local organizations. Still struggling with addiction, Robert was at risk of being re-incarcerated, but thanks to the support from these networks, he was able to avoid further incarceration.

While he was still working towards sobriety, Commonwealth Land Trust was able to open its doors to Robert. Thanks to CLT’s Housing First and Harm Reduction models, Robert has been successfully housed with us since the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, stable housing has allowed for Robert to become sober, avoid incarceration and get back to spending time doing things he enjoys, like listening to music.

Robert emphasized that a desire to put his energy into something good has made this all of this possible. He was able to volunteer at a local nonprofit for 6 months, and has since been hired as a full-time employee. Robert is excited to continue working and has been a great asset to CLT. We look forward to seeing Robert flourish at his work and continue to grow in his personal life!

Apply for Housing!

If you would like to learn more about our housing opportunities, please review our property descriptions here and contact our Director of Marketing and Outreach, Steve Wilkins, if you would like to meet for a housing assessment, intake, or tour of our properties

Steve Wilkins: 617-445-4075 ext. 208

swilkins@commonwealthlandtrust.org

617.445.4075 | commonwealthlandtrust.org

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