Harvesting a Spirit of Generosity

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Madison Moller

Left: Produce is first brought to the CMC teaching kitchen each Monday for THP residents. Right: Food that remains after the residents' Monday night class is placed on the food pantry shelves in the CMC lobby.

Left: Garden produce is first brought to the CMC teaching kitchen each Monday for THP residents. Right: Food that remains after the residents’ Monday night class is placed on the food pantry shelves in the CMC lobby.

The Gateways Garden, an outdoor space with raised garden beds developed with the help of many community partners and managed by the Catherine McAuley Center’s Transitional Housing Program (THP), now has fresh produce ready for harvest!

Many of the fruits and vegetables are used for the THP residents’ skill-building classes, where they learn how to can and how to cook healthy meals, but the garden yields more crops than can be used by THP participants alone. In the generous spirit of Catherine McAuley (foundress of the Sisters of Mercy), residents give the extra produce to CMC’s food pantry that many students in CMC’s Adult Basic Education Program access on a weekly basis.

Anne Dugger, Immigrant and Refugee Coordinator, explains that this fresh food is significant to students, “first and foremost for the health benefits. Right now produce is hard to come by if you don’t have a lot of money. It also feels good to know that the CMC community cares.”

CMC is blessed with an incredible and supportive community made up of volunteers, financial supporters, and corporate sponsors, but to see a spirit of giving among our clients is to see CMC’s vision of empowering individuals in action.

CMC also accepts fruits and vegetables from home gardens. If you or someone you know has extra produce, please consider donating it to the Catherine McAuley Center to provide a healthy meal for a student or resident.

Garden Project Continues to Grow

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Madison Moller

Four years ago, the Catherine McAuley Center adopted Gateway Garden, a plot owned by the Wellington Heights Neighborhood Association. Designed to “create opportunities for the women to learn about fresh foods,” according to Jennifer Tibbetts, Transitional Housing Program Manager, the garden has provided residents with fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs. This year, thanks to a grant from Soroptimists of Cedar Rapids/Marion,the Center will complete the largest scale effort yet to improve the garden’s function and accessibility.

At this year’s United Way Day of Caring, employees from Rockwell and Transamerica helped prepare the garden and install raised beds to make the plots more accessible and increase resident participation. With a plan to grow 800 pounds of produce, the residents have teamed up with Cedar Rapids-area Master Gardeners for their expertise in garden design, planting, and cultivation. Plans include twice-monthly sessions where Transitional Housing Program (THP) residents will learn about gardening basics like healthy plant growth, harvesting, canning and preservation. “Part of the project is learning how to give,” says Master Gardener Diane Wiesenfeld. Residents will gain access to fresh produce and donate excess food to CMC’s Adult Basic Education Program and area homeless providers. Cooking classes led by the Soroptimists, the ISU Extension Office, THP staff and other community volunteers will be held in the program’s teaching kitchen (an earlier Soroptimist-sponsored project) and will teach residents how to best use the healthy and essential food options the garden provides.

Karen Vlasek, a Soroptimist member, says that although the monetary donation is paramount, this project “couldn’t happen without community involvement.”
In the end, the grant will allow a greater number of current and former CMC residents to reap the benefits of gardening. Beyond affordable access to fresh produce, the garden is a valuable therapeutic tool. According to Jennifer, “It allows women to explore their interests and gain a sense of accomplishment.” Another bonus? “I call it ‘dirt therapy.’ When women are outside and working in the garden, they start to talk to each other and build sisterhood.” It’s a community garden in every sense.

CMC hosts Open House to Celebrate Transitional Housing Program Kitchen Remodel

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Madison Moller

The Catherine McAuley Center will be hosting an Open House on Wednesday, February, 19 from 4:00-6:30pm to celebrate the completion of the Transitional Housing Program learning kitchen remodel. The project’s success was made possible by the dedication of many volunteers and local businesses, groups, and sponsors. The Open House is open to all and will give community members the opportunity to see the remodeled kitchen, meet the hard-working and generous individuals behind the project, and enjoy fresh-baked treats from the new oven. The event will take place at the Catherine McAuley Center, 866 4^th Ave SE, Cedar Rapids.

The Transitional Housing Program strives to help homeless women address the issues contributing to their homelessness in a safe, supportive environment that prepares them to establish and maintain permanent housing. The Program fights to break the cycle of poverty and nurture healing and recovery for survivors of trauma, including victims of domestic violence. It provides long-term, individualized case management and support services as the women confront substance abuse, seek treatment for mental health issues, learn the skills needed to find and maintain employment, develop healthy relationships, gain financial stability, and employ healthy living skills.

Prior to the remodel project, the existing kitchen had three major problems. First, it could only be entered through a narrow doorway, and the small, confined space could be a trigger for survivors of violence. Second, the space limited opportunities for hands-on programming and cooking demonstrations, despite strong interest from community partners in providing such programs. Finally, the space was not functional for preparing healthy meals, with outdated and broken appliances and cabinetry, and very limited work space.

The previous kitchen was outdated, cramped, and uninviting.

The project initially got off the ground with the partnership of the Cedar Rapids Soroptimist Club, which provided a $9500 grant to partially fund the remodel and assisted with leveraging other partnerships and donations in the community. Local businesses generously donated materials, expertise and countless hours of labor to design and install the new kitchen. The combination of donated materials, funding, and services covered the entire cost of the nearly $60,000 project.

The end result is a beautiful open and inviting kitchen, with new, functional appliances, ample cabinet and counter space, and a large center island and cook-top, ideal for group cooking demonstrations. The new space will significantly impact program participants’ ability to learn and practice healthy living skills to take with them when they complete the program.

The project was made possible by the generosity of the following sponsors and donors: Soroptimist Club of Cedar Rapids, the Ar-Jay Center, Benchmark Construction LLC, Brecke Mechanical Contractors, Cabinets Galore, Housing Fund for Linn County, Home Appliance, Koch Cabinets, Ladco, Local 125, Plumb Supply and “Old Farts” Electric.

For more information, call (319)731-0448 or visit https://cmc-cr.org/tag/kitchen-project/

FY13 Housing Program Overview

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Madison Moller

78 percent of women are unemployed when entering the program and have an average monthly income of $244. The average age of residents is 45. 45 percent of residents in FY13 have a post-secondary education

2013 Resident Demographics

“I know deep down in my soul that if I didn’t have Catherine McAuley, I probably wouldn’t be here today. I never would have found out who I am and who I could become and I wouldn’t have had the people to push me to get me there and to realize it.” Lori, Resident

Did you know? The Aftercare Program contributes significantly to long term success and stability. After discharge, 100 percent of women who utilized Aftercare services had maintained their housing 3 months or longer.

Transitional Housing: Taking the First Step Together

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Madison Moller

Individualized Support Essential to Success in Transitional Housing

Women in the Transitional Housing Program heal and learn through hands-on projects.

Significant changes in the homeless service provider system have brought clients with higher levels of need to CMC. We now see more chronic mental health symptoms, depression, and anxiety that has gone untreated for a long period of time. Ninety percent of residents coming to CMC are accessing mental health or substance abuse services and getting the help they really need, often for the first time. “When you live that life for so long…you think that’s the way life is. I finally got to that place where I know I do deserve to have that nice place, I do deserve an education,” says former resident and Aftercare client, Rochel.

“It is most effective to address mental health issues first, and then we can focus on social, life and coping skills. This is a key step in helping someone get to the point of maintaining permanent housing,” says Housing Program Manager, Jennifer Tibbetts.

Because of residents’ chronic mental health and physical issues, daytime case management staff spends more time arranging long-term support. Tibbetts explains, “When you are dealing with depression and anxiety, it can prevent people from taking the first step out of fear and worry. Having someone who can walk beside them in that first step is crucial.

In FY13, CMC received a grant to provide more one-on-one contact and hired a part-time support services coordinator, Chelsea DeLarm. Although every woman has barriers unique to herself and her situation, many women must confront issues of negative body image, the need to be perfect, and anxiety over participating in new experiences.

“They help you. They give you the tools you need to succeed but they are not going to do it for you. You have to put the work in yourself. If you don’t put anything into it, you’re not going to get anything out of it. You have to help yourself in order to make change.” ~Rochell

“My interactions with the women tend to be away from offices and desks. When I first meet a new resident, I invite her to join other residents and myself for yoga or swimming at the YMCA. The first couple of classes are nerve-wracking experiences. Women are self-conscious about their appearance and their physical ability level,” says DeLarm. “I encourage the women to push themselves outside of their comfort zones to attend physical fitness activities or participate in volunteer experiences where they can build confidence in themselves. I get to support women as they explore new opportunities to enrich themselves.”

Recipe for Empowerment: Kitchen Remodel Sponsors

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Madison Moller

We want to thank the amazing local businesses and organizations who have made our kitchen remodel project possible.

With the support of these organizations, we were able to entirely fund our nearly $60,000 project to create a learning kitchen for the residents at CMC. Together these organizations provided the design, cabinetry, counter tops, brand new appliances, and all of the labor necessary to complete the project! Be sure to check out our progress on our kitchen project blog and read more from Karen Vlasek, Mary Van Houten, and the Soroptimists in the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Tapestry

Local 125

Old Farts Electric

PODS

Brecke

Adam’s Tile and Stone

Big Creek Granite, LLC

Vlasek Plumbing and Heating

Cedar Rapids Electrical Contractors Association

A special “Thank You” to the kitchen remodel project committee who have dedicated countless hours to planning and building.

Melissa Knoot, Ar-Jay Center
Tom Podzimek, Benchmark Construction
Marci Wertzberger, Cabinets Galore
Karen Vlasek, Soroptimist of Cedar Rapids/Marion

And the CMC Staff on the planning committee:

Paula Land, Executive Director
Tina Gossman, Volunteer Coordinator
Nicki Ross, Development and Communications Manager
Jennifer Tibbetts, Transitional Housing Program Manager
Christina White, Operations Coordinator

Seeds of Change: A Recipe for Empowerment

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Madison Moller

Transitional Housing Kitchen Remodel Project

Transitional Housing Program strives to continuously assess and improve services that address the current and most pressing needs of residents. First and foremost is the need for a secure and healthy home. Over the past several years, through community grants, CMC has been able to make much needed improvements to our housing program facilities, keeping them safe and functional. But our facilities are also an important part of programming outside the need for shelter. A recent partnership with the Cedar Rapids Soroptimist Clu

b has opened an opportunity to dream a little bigger for our facilities and the programming that we can offer.

The Healthy Women’s Series, a group learning and treatment model, often addresses issues of health and wellness. Many women in poverty lack the resources or know-how to prepare healthy meals. Through our partnership with the Soroptimists and other community

support, we hope to remodel and transform the current kitchen space in our main building to provide a functional, classroom-style kitchen for residents. The current kitchen has limited workspace that is not conducive to group learning and has outdated appliances and cabinetry. The kitchen space is so limited that only two women at a time can use it comfortably. These confining conditions can be a trigger for survivors of violence. Our new kitchen design takes into account best practices for dealing with trauma and will allow all of the women to feel safe in the space as they cook for themselves and learn as a group.

Can You Help?

We’ve dreamed, we’ve planned, and now we need your help!

To achieve our dream and build a better, more efficient and accommodating kitchen, we continue to rely on grants and community partners. Our dream is big and comes at a cost of more than $50,000. We hope to cover much of this cost through donated labor, appliances, materials, and funds. We’d like you, your organization, or your business to be our partner in making this dream a reality. Please consider contributing to our project in some way. Every partnership is another vital ingredient in this recipe for empowerment.

For more information on how you can help click here to read our complete Kitchen-Project-Proposal!

Meeting Changing Needs

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Madison Moller

From the Director’s Desk…

One of our main goals of the Catherine McAuley Center is to ensure that our programming is relevant and sufficient to meet the needs of our clients and the community. To that end, the Transitional Housing and Adult Basic Education programs are continually assessing our services and client needs.

In the education program, we are seeing an increasing number of students who have limited or no literacy in their home language. These students require a higher level of support from staff and tutors. Wendy, our Education Program Manager, is working on effective solutions using technology to supplement one-on-one tutoring strategies.

We continue to see an increase in the number of people wanting to become students. As of this writing, we have 70 people on the waiting list and 32 students who want more time with a tutor. Why so many? Students with limited academic proficiency or no English recognize that in order to integrate into our community and gain financial stability, they need to be able to effectively communicate. They hear about us from family and friends, and just like Monica, who shares her story in this issue, they come to CMC for hope.

To help reduce our waiting list, we have begun offering small group classes for those with similar educational needs. Unfortunately, for every four to five people who come off the waiting list, there is that many and more to replace them. To really meet the existing need, we need volunteers who are willing to become a tutor for one hour a week. Could this be you or someone you know?

Our Transitional Housing program is also experiencing a shift in the needs of our clients. Because of changes in funding priorities at the federal and state level for homeless individuals, our clients come to us with more significant barriers to overcome. To better meet these needs, we have added a part-time Support Services Coordinator who will be available to meet with the residents in the early evenings and weekends to help them build skills, make connections and gain successful employment. Jennifer, our Housing Program Manager, participates in several councils and collaborations that look at the spectrum of services in our community. Funding changes have resulted in eliminating or shortening program length and creating gaps in service for homeless individuals with serious issues like mental illness and domestic violence.

At CMC we strive to stay abreast of these changes, and recognize how they will affect our clients and identify how we can be a part of comprehensive solutions for our community and those in need of services. Thank you for being part of the solution through your support of CMC.

Empowerment Retreat an “Extraordinary” Opportunity for Growth

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Madison Moller

Seeds of Change, from The Mustard Seed, Winter/Spring 2013

The Women’s Empowerment participates in a drum circle at the Fall 2012 retreat

Each fall, the women in the Transitional Housing Program (THP) attend a retreat at Prairiewoods. The retreat is designed to help program participants bond with one another and to give individuals an opportunity to focus on self-growth without any outside distractions. In 2012, eleven residents attended the retreat along with two clients who graduated the program and currently participate in aftercare services. Because the average length of stay for residents is 9 months, some women enter and graduate the program before participating in the retreat. Holding a retreat twice a year would allow all residents at least one opportunity to benefit from the retreat. During a recent survey, several residents suggested adding another retreat.

The retreat has had a powerful impact on program participants. A strong sense of community is vital to the success of the housing program and this event helps women build relationships with one another and staff. “This is a very needed part of the program. It allows us to get to know the [other] women in the program better, but most importantly it lets us examine ourselves closer,” said current resident, Mary Ann. During the retreat, the women focus on personal reflection and individual growth with the help of Housing Manager Jennifer Tibbetts’ innovative new curriculum that utilizes guided journaling, expressive artwork, and meditation techniques. One participant wrote, “The retreat was extraordinary. The inner-strength and growth I received while there was awesome.” The retreat is unique, as no other programs in the area offer any similar opportunity, and it is a key factor in the Housing Program’s success. According to Tibbetts, “It’s through activities like the retreat that each woman is really able to engage and grow.”

The Empowerment Committee works year-round to make bracelets, lanyards and buttons that are sold in the community to raise funds for supplies, the Emergency Fund, and the fall retreat. In order to fund the retreat, the women are doing everything possible from increasing jewelry sales to collecting cans from the community. If you would like to help the women reach their goal, please stop by the Center to purchase a beautifully handcrafted piece of jewelry from the committee.

Catherine McAuley Center

A Place of Welcome

Category Archives: Transitional Housing Program