My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report

My Home, Your Home Inc. 6200 W. Center St. Milwaukee WI 53210 (414) 874-2560 www.MHYH.org Our Mission: Bringing families hope, one individual at a time. My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report Introduction by Constance Palmer-Jones, Chief Executive Officer The year 2008 was one of joy, because of the many successes of our clients. It was also a year of sadness, because of the death of our agency’s founder, Mrs. Irma Walker. First, I want to tell you some of those success stories. The first is from our WRAPAROUND CARE program, which is for children with serious emotional and mental health needs and for their families. In 2008, Wraparound’s Care Coordination staff moved from our agency’s headquarters at 6200 W. Center St. to our auxiliary office at 1862 W. Fond du Lac Ave. Also in 2008, the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services gave our Wraparound Care program a vote of confidence by granting us a new contract for 2009. Constance Palmer-Jones Ricardo (not his real name) is an 18-year-old who recently “graduated” from Wraparound Care -- but he continues to receive support to help him learn to cook, mow lawns, and care for animals. Ricardo currently is living in an adult foster home, where he enjoys cooking. He also likes to help out when he visits the kitchen of his loving, supportive grandmother. Ricardo had previously lived with his mother, who helped the Wraparound Care team understand how to support Ricardo’s mental health needs. In fact, it was the persistence of Ricardo’s mom that made Ricardo successful in his transition to the group home. 2009-06-12 My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report Ricardo talks of his experience in Wraparound with appreciation. He often states that if he wins “80 million dollars” he is going to give it to all the people who helped him. Ricardo’s adulthood is full of promise. His generous spirit, passion for cooking, sense of humor, persistence, and charisma will allow him to make the most of all the opportunities life has in store for him. The next success story is from our TREATMENT FOSTER CARE program, which finds foster homes for abused and neglected children, and also trains foster parents. Treatment Foster Care provides safe and nurturing homes for the most severely abused and neglected children. Because of the trauma these children have suffered, they have a high level of medical, emotional or behavioral needs. Children in Treatment Foster Care range in age from newborn to as old as 19. June and Charles Brown, foster parents who were trained and licensed by our agency, were honored with a Governor’s Foster Parent Award in a ceremony held May 28, 2008 at the State Capitol. The award was presented to the Browns by Reggie Bicha, SecretaryDesignee of the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Bicha praised the Browns’ “ability to stabilize a youth with challenging behaviors whose team [of social workers] was recommending residential treatment after multiple disrupted placements.” Brenda Hoskins, Associate Director of June and Charles Brown My Home, Your Home, said: “Foster parenting is hard work, and being a Treatment Foster Care parent is even more challenging because the children have much greater needs than those in ‘regular’ foster care. The Browns – and the other wonderful and dedicated parents in our Treatment Foster Care program – are proving that all children and teens are capable of flowering if they are in a nurturing environment.” In addition to the recognition given to the Browns, another of our Treatment Foster Care families received an Achievement Award from New Horizon Center, a Milwaukee-based social services agency. 2 My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report LISSY’S PLACE, our haven for homeless women, is the source of many success stories. Each story is as unique as the individual woman. In 2008, Lissy’s Place once again won a grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development -- through a competition run by the Milwaukee Continuum of Care -- for $183,547, which covers about half of the program’s annual operating costs. (We raise the rest from private donors.). Alice (not her real name) was admitted to Lissy’s Place in August 2008. She had a history of mental illness, but it was not severe enough to qualify her for Social Security disability income. She had no money and was homeless. Alice struggled with her mental health during her entire stay at Lissy’s Place, and was prone to have angry outbursts. She was able to attend classes at MATC, but not able to hold a job for any length of time. The staff helped her to get food stamps and Badger Care medical assistance. The staff also made sure that she attended therapy sessions and obtained medications through the county’s Behavioral Health Division. Case Manager Carolyn SingletonMartin, resident Lashambre Alexander and Nzingha Thompson, Miss Black Wisconsin USA 2009 celebrate Christmas at Lissy’s Place. Ms. Thompson is the spokeswoman for Friends of Lissy’s Place. Alice’s outbursts were getting worse, however, and she was in danger of being told to leave. Alice found a treatment program that she wanted to enter, but it did not have an opening for two months. With intensive attention from the staff at Lissy’s Place, Alice was able to practice more self-control for those two months and then move into the treatment program. This was a success that Alice could feel very proud of, in view of her past difficulties. Alice had previously been in a treatment program elsewhere for three months, and had been terminated. But she was able to remain at Lissy’s Place for seven entire months, was able to complete the Lissy’s Place program successfully, and was admitted to the treatment program she wanted. Some of the most revealing comments about Lissy’s Place come in the exit interview, a conversation that is held between a woman and a staff member when the woman is “graduating” from the program. 3 My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report I am especially fond of one woman’s answer to the question, “What did you learn at Lissy’s Place?” Her answer: “I learned that if I love my freedom so much I need to get my stuff together and build a strong foundation so I won’t be in a situation like this again.” AMAD’S PLACE, our stabilization home and temporary shelter for adolescent boys, continues to be a model of how such a program should be operated. Because of the excellence of our program, Jessica Doyle, wife of Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, visited AMAD’s Place on August 20, 2008. Boys come to AMAD’s Place because parental maltreatment, emotional or behavioral problems have meant that these boys could not remain in their home or foster home. We determine the needs of the youths, offer structure and stability, and prepare them for their next placement. A 13-year-old boy who was admitted to AMAD’s Place in April of 2008 -- because he had been physically abused by a relative’s boyfriend -- was successfully placed in one of our Treatment Foster Care homes in September. This gave him a permanent placement in a safe and loving environment in which he can recover and flourish. There are many other success stories in these and our other programs. I wish I had the space to tell you about even more of them! As I mentioned at the beginning of my comments, 2008 ended with sadness because of the death of our founder, Mrs. Irma Walker. Here is Mrs. Walker’s obituary as published by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Nov. 30, 2008. (Reprinted by permission. Edited.) Shift Supervisor Tyreese Evans; Program Manager Rachel Villarreal; Associate Director Brenda Hoskins; Wisconsin’s First Lady Jessica Doyle; Gabe Doyle, son of Jim and Jessica Doyle; and Youth Worker Victoria Tharp. 4 My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report Family came first for Mrs. Walker By Alan J. Borsuk of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Family meant a lot to Irma Walker. Her six children are evidence of that. You can add the 15 foster children she and her husband, Aubrey, made part of their family. Then you can expand the circle to include the huge number of children and adults - a thousand or so yearly - who are served by My Home, Your Home, the agency that Irma Walker started. The organization runs programs and facilities to provide care and shelter, often to those who are the most challenging people for the social service system to deal with. Irma Walker loved this colorful mural in the lobby of My Home, Your Home Inc.’s Administration Building at 6200 W. Center St. One of the principles she was best known for in her work was her effort to keep siblings together when they needed foster placements. Even - maybe especially in emergencies, family was important. Mrs. Walker died Nov. 27 of cancer at age 66. The funeral was at Holy Cathedral Church of God in Christ. Entombment was at Wisconsin Memorial Park. "If you were to define her life, life was not about 'me,' it was about others," said one of her six children, Marc Palmer. His mother, he said, was convinced that no matter what your circumstances, you could get ahead in life. She faced difficult circumstances in life and overcame 5 My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report them, and she was determined to help others do likewise, especially young people. Irma Walker was born and raised in Fayette, Ala., and came to Milwaukee in her early 20s. Mrs. Walker worked for the city, Milwaukee County and the University of Wisconsin Extension. She decided she wanted to better herself and went back to school, receiving bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She went to work for YWCA Greater Milwaukee and was its chief operating officer in the 1990s. Julia Taylor, then chief executive officer of the YWCA and now president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, said Walker was the kind of person whose personal life and professional life blended because she was focused so much in both cases on helping people. Ms. Taylor said she learned from Walker "how important it is to be there for people and to not give up. “Irma was touching people at a lot of different points in their life and making a key difference." While at the YWCA, Mrs. Walker founded My Home, Your Home in the late 1980s. It grew, and in 1999, Mrs. Walker left the YWCA to become full-time president of the organization. Mrs. Walker retired from My Home, Your Home after 2007, as did her husband, who also worked for the organization. A daughter, Constance Palmer-Jones, is chief executive director. The group's focus has been on creating innovative residential situations for housing and helping at-risk foster children. The organization helps in placements of foster children and operates a home for young adults making the transition out of foster care or homelessness. Its programs also include a residence for teenage males who -- because of parental maltreatment, emotional or behavioral problems -- could not remain in their home or foster home. Son Aubrey Walker III said his mother was a big supporter of the arts and helped create the first African-American ballet school in Milwaukee. "She was a soldier for the community," he said. 6 My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report 2008 My Home, Your Home Inc. Programs and Annual Client Counts Data supplied by MHYH Performance and Quality Improvement program. ■ 72 HOMELESS/ABUSED WOMEN annually seek help at LISSY’S PLACE, where they receive shelter and assistance with life skills, schooling and jobs ■ 94 SEVERELY ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN annually are in TREATMENT FOSTER CARE, which finds homes and trains/supervises foster parents ■ 126 CHILDREN WITH SEVERE EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS annually are in WRAPAROUND CARE, which helps both the children and their families. ■ 75 ADOLESCENT BOYS annually get shelter and attention at AMAD’S PLACE, a group home. Because of parental maltreatment or emotional/behavioral problems, they could not remain in their home or foster home. ■ 509 ADULTS RECOVERING FROM ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE TO RECOVERY annually are in ACCESS Community Outreach in 2008 Each May, we hold a fund-raising GALA DINNER AND SILENT AUCTION for Lissy’s Place, our haven for homeless women At our 2008 event, held at the downtown Hilton, Lissy’s Place won accolades from Mayor Tom Barrett, County Executive Scott Walker and officials of the Milwaukee office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In proclamations, both Barrett and Walker declared May 22 to be Lissy’s Place Day in the city and the county. The mayor personally appeared at the event. WMCS-AM radio personality Cassandra McShepard emceed the fund-raiser for Lissy’s Place. The honorees were Delbert F. Reynolds, director of HUD’s Milwaukee Field Office, and Donna-Lou Hertz, who supervises HUD’s local programs for the 7 My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report homeless. Reynolds and Hertz presented My Home, Your Home Inc. with a Continuum of Care Homeless Award, certifying that Lissy’s Place would receive a $183,547 Supportive Housing Grant from the federal government. This covers about half the operating cost of the program; the rest comes from private donations. Entertainment included the Christopher’s Project jazz band and Music Makers Strolling Strings of Wisconsin, a Wauwatosa-based organization for young musicians. There were volunteers from the Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals and Chase Bank. Major sponsors included Delta Dental of Wisconsin, John and Mary Scheibel, Robertson Ryan & Associates, Badger Mutual Insurance, Holy Cathedral C.O.G.I.C. and Word of Hope Ministries, HRH/Frank F. Haack & Associates, Hupy & Abraham, Metavante Corp., Metro Home Health Services, Milwaukee Urban League Safe Alternatives for Youth, Reilly, Penner & Benton, Gay & Jake Ruby, Tim & Sherry Scheid, Kerry & Doug Schnier, Scott Coleman, Attorney Debra Slater of Weiss, Berzowski Brady, and US Bank. Other sponsors included: Wisconsin Energy Corporation Foundation, HGA Architecture , Clinicare Corporation, and Levy Restaurants at the Midwest Airlines Center. Another annual outreach event is PUMP UP THE YOUTH. About 200 people of all ages attended this noncompetitive talent show on June 28, held on the agency’s grounds outside our headquarters building. Young singers, dancers, poets and musicians – and even some adults – participated. The event also included deejay James M. Austin, the Dancettes Dance Team, face-painting and a visit from the Milwaukee Fire Department. The members of Music Makers Strolling Strings of Wisconsin performed at the fund-raiser. Gwen Spears, a staff member, paints a colorful design on a girl’s arm at Pump Up the Youth. 8 My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report New Comptroller In early 2008, BRIAN RESCH was hired as Comptroller of My Home, Your Home Inc. He is a member of the agency’s four-person Executive Team, which also includes Chief Executive Officer Constance Palmer-Jones, Associate Director Brenda Hoskins, and Director of Marketing and Development Michael Zahn. Brian is the first fulltime Certified Public Accountant in our agency’s history. In the past, our Finance Department has been headed by non-CPAs or part-time CPAs. Among his first accomplishments at MHYH was the creation of a new Financial Policies and Procedures Manual. Brian is the former Chief Financial Officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee, former Director of Finance and Administration of Public Allies, Inc., and former Controller of Next Door Foundation, Inc. Accreditation In 2008, the staff of My Home, Your Home Inc. continued to work on updating policies and procedures in pursuit of national accreditation, which we intend to achieve in 2009. Our goal of being endorsed by the COUNCIL ON ACCREDITATION demonstrates our intent to become the best social service agency in southeastern Wisconsin. Being accredited -which involves a more stringent review than being licensed -- will enhance our alreadystrong position with government and private funding sources. 2008 Board of Directors The Board of Directors, whose voting members are unpaid volunteers, establishes policy for My Home, Your Home Inc. In 2008, the Board met in February, April, June, August, September, October, November and December. The 2008 Board members were: TIM SCHEID, Board President; Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Lemberg Electric. DR. WARREN BRADEN, faculty member, Springfield College. MICHELLE BUCKINGHAM, Board Secretary; a community volunteer with over 15 years experience in non-profit program development and management. 9 My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report DR. VIVIAN CHEN, Health Operations Director, Milwaukee Health Department. CHRISTOPHER FOLEY, jurist, Milwaukee County Circuit Court. BILL HERD, former administrator with Milwaukee County’s Wraparound Milwaukee program. ED KONKOL, former Youth Services Division Administrator in Milwaukee County’s Department of Human Services. ERIC VON, talk radio personality. CONSTANCE PALMER-JONES (Non-voting), Chief Executive Officer, My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Financial Information ► Donations to My Home, Your Home Inc. are tax-deductible. Donations may be addressed to My Home, Your Home Inc., 6200 W. Center St., Milwaukee, WI 532102159. Donations may also be made by means of credit card on our Web site: www.MHYH.org. We are particularly in need of donations to Lissy’s Place, our haven for homeless women. ► My Home, Your Home Inc. is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and corresponding provisions of State law. Our IRS registration number is 39-1774893. We have State of Wisconsin charity registration license number 6097-800. ► We are audited annually by Virchow, Krause & Company, LLP, Certified Public Accountants and Consultants, an independent member of Baker Tilly International. ► We annually file U.S. Internal Revenue Service Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. ► We are happy to provide our Annual Audit, our IRS Form 990 and other information about our programs. Please contact Michael Zahn, Director of Marketing and Development at (414) 447-7017 or by e-mailing MichaelZahn@MHYH.org. 10 My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report Thank you to these 2008 Donors and Volunteers! Acuity LaKendra Adesuyi Aeropostale at Mayfair Mall African American Women's Fund Project Pamela E. and Thomas Albrecht America Postal Workers Union American TV & Appliance of Oak Creek Barbara J. and Merlyn Anderson Deborah Anderson and Mark Green Stephanie Anderson Apostle Presbyterian Church -- Presbyterian Women Assurant Health Helen Bader Foundation Badger Mutual Brown Deer Women's Amateur Golf Tournament Badger Mutual Insurance Co. Patricia and Vincent Banker Jean Barkow Marta Bartolacci Eileen Beard J. Andrew Bednall Jonathan Beggs Lee Beitzel Armand and Nola Belfor Maurice D. Berglund Jeanne Berner Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation BrewCity Bruisers Elizabeth A. Brinn Foundation Daniel Brophey Barbara Brunett and Mary Ellen Clinton Dr. Michael Bubon Michelle Buckingham Susan Burdett Mr. and Mrs. James Campbell Samantha Catena Dr. Vivian Chen Children's Family & Community Partnership Christ King Parish Clinicare Corporation James and Mary Ellen Clinton Christopher B. Cody Rosanne and Michael L. Coggins Scott Coleman Lucy Cooper Deborah Copenhaver Chris Covert Marie Cutraro Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. Patricia Davis Kate and Brian De Lorenzo Sheryl Dean Robert Deflieze Delta Dental of Wisconsin Do Something / Teens for Jeans Josh and Jennie Eckl Genyne Edwards Eisenhower Elementary School Clifton O. Facey Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Ferguson Mrs. and Mr. Rosie Ferguson Scott B. and Barbara J. Fleming Fohr Family Fund, Greater Milw. Fndn. Christopher Foley Taffie Foster-Toney Christina Fox Shirley Gates Sharon L. Gazzana General Federation of Women's Clubs -- Wis 4th District Gesu Parish Endowment Lisa Gibson Terrance and Bonnie Glynn GMR Marketing, LLC Madeleine Goggins Peter Goldberg Kristine Gossen Bonnie Jean Gray Greater Milwaukee Foundation Thomas and Peggy Grede Rep. Tamara Grigsby Sandee Gross Neal and Nancy Gunderson Caralee Hammerling Glenda Haynes Claudia Heller Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Henning Bill Herd HGA Architecture Holy Cathedral COGIC Bernell Hooker 11 My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church Brenda and Devon Hoskins Pam Hoskins Mr. and Mrs. Undraye Howard Hupy & Abraham, S.C. Barbara Hussin Dalonda Jackson Lynette Jackson Bevelyn Johnson Dionisia Johnson Kim Johnson Pattie Johnson Regina Johnson Robert Johnson JP Morgan Chase Foundation Kristina Kallenberg KAPCO Inc. Ellen Karrels Marge Kelley Tina Kelly-Beckett and William P. Beckett Timothy Kent Father Jack Kern Kettle Moraine Presbyterian Church -- Presbyterian Women Kids 4 Kids at Homestead High School Vivian King Karen Kirk Richard Kirsch and Linda Wittmann-Kirsch Kiwanis Club of Silver Springs Shores John Knapmiller Linda M. and Carl R. Knapp Herbert H. Kohl Charities Edward J. Konkol, Jr. Koss Corporation Lauren Howie Laur Robert Lemke Levy Restaurants (Midwest Airlines Center) Kim Yvette Linwood Ev. Lutheran Church of the Redeemer M&I Bank Janett and Martin Maier Sue Maisa Debbie Manville Mary Maronek MU Law School M-LINC (Karin Holmberg Werner) Linda Martin Sharon Mays-Ferguson Timothy Mc Elhatton and Barbara Armstrong Judy McCallum Margaret (Peg) McCarthy Pastor and Lady C.H. McClelland Laura McClone Metavante Corporation Metro Home Health Services Julie Mettlach Eugene L. and Laura Michna Kim Mickelson Dale Middleman Milwaukee Admirals Milwaukee Brewers Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee County Community Development Block Grants Milwaukee County Parks, Recreation and Culture Milwaukee County Zoo Milwaukee Urban League Safe Alternatives for Youth Marilyn Moore Pinkie Morrison Shirley Mueller Sparkle Negron Randy S. and Judy A. Nelson Wendy Nelson New Horizon Center Corinne Norman Office Furniture Options Kathy Orr Jeffrey and Genevie Osborn Pajama Program Richard and Jean Palen Charly Palmer Constance Palmer-Jones Kim Panenka Park Bank Foundation Jane and Richard Peldo Jay Peldo Scott Peplinski Oscar J. and Minu Perez Jane B. Pettit Foundation Brenda Pimentel Joan Prince Bruce Ratay Carmen Ray Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors Gary and Mary Refinski Michael and Ann Regenfuss Reilly, Penner & Benton LLP Brian Resch Donna Resek 12 My Home, Your Home Inc. 2008 Annual Report Delbert F. Reynolds Janice Rhodes Rose Roan Jeffrey J. Robb Robertson Ryan & Associates Karey A. Rodriguez Nerilee Rodriguez Christal Roundtree Ruby, Inc. Lawrence and Linda Jones Rufer Salvation Army Katie and Alex Sammarco John P. Savage Scheibel Halaska John and Mary Scheibel Tim and Sherry Scheid Doug and Kerry Schnier Amalia Schoone Ann Seifert Bruno Sekretarski Select Comfort/ Sleep Number (Mayfair Mall) Servant Manor, Inc Amy Shapiro Doris Sherman John A. Sikora Nancy Simpson Belinda Sims Debra Slater Gwen Spears Kelly Spence St. Aemilian - Lakeside St. Ann Center St. Catherine Parish St. Charles Youth & Family Services St. Matthias Parish St. Sebastian Congregation Mary Stadtmueller Carole A. Stark Barbara Stein Steinhafels Furniture James S. and Julie E. Swiderski Steven and Joanne Szymaszek The Tailor Shop Tank-You Aquariums and Maintenance, LLC Dorothea Taylor Terra Nova Integrated Systems Mr. and Mrs. Bob Theno Mary Thompson Nzingha Thompson Elizabeth Townsel Rachel Treinen Joyce Turnbull Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Underwood United Healthcare of Wisconsin, Inc. United Way of Greater Milwaukee US Bank US Bank's U.S. Bancorp Foundation Peter J. and Mary L. Van Sistine Rachel Villarreal Tim Voigtman Carl Wainscott Aubrey and Irma Walker Robert and Alyce Walker Robert and Iris Walker Alice Wandt James Ward Sue and Dean Wassenberg We Energies We Energies' Wisconsin Energy Corp Fndn Joanne Weintraub Weiss Family Foundation Ophelia Wells Paula Wells Barry R. and Serena B. White Grant and Robin Wiedenhoeft Rep. Annette Polly Williams Erika Williams WIllis HRH of Wisconsin Thomas B. Wilson III Leonard A. Wilson WJMR-FM (Saga Communications) Women's Court & Civic Conference of the Greater Milwaukee Area Lori and Bob Wucherer Lee M. Yang S. Howard and Deanna Young Larry Youngblood Andrew Zahn Michael Zahn and Marie Rohde Dean and Deborah R. Zemel Zion United Church of Christ 13