Parishioner Brian Benasutti with 3rd Way Coordinator Tracy Vicory

Tracy Vicory, the Volunteer and Family Support Coordinator for Third Way Network, worked from her makeshift office in an alcove on the first floor. She spends her Saturday mornings working at the site of this and other housing initiative projects. The projects are sponsored by St. Joan of Arc and other member organizations. The collaborative mission is to create affordable housing (costing not more than 1/3 of a person’s income) for people in need who are ready to take the next step to independent living.

The upper level of this duplex is rented at market rate to another family. After the renovation is completed, the lower level will rent at a lower rate to Third Way Network clients. This is made possible through the combined efforts of property owners, St. Joan of Arc and other member organizations, private donations, grants, and the many volunteers who provide the labor for the housing renovations.

Originally, the lower level of the Park Avenue duplex was a one bedroom unit. The lower level and a portion of the basement are being converted into a three bedroom unit. An egress door and windows are installed in the basement. A portion of it is being developed into a laundry room and two bedrooms. On the first level, the kitchen has been redesigned with an open view of the dining room and living room. This allows parents, particularly those with younger children, to oversee and communicate with their children while working in the kitchen.

Circle to Success

To be eligible for the renovated housing, families need to be earning at least $20,000 annually. This includes wages, food stamps, child support and other income sources. They must also complete the Circle to Success Program. This is an 8-week training program that meets each Thursday evening. Volunteers work as family mentors, youth mentors, training assistants and dinner assistants. The evening begins with a family meal prepared by volunteers. Many of the parents are single parents who appreciate having quality time to spend with their children. The children benefit by having their parents’ undivided attention during meal time.

After dinner, the adults receive training in budgeting, household management, leasing, tenant rights and credit repair. To graduate they must complete certain tasks such as establishing a filing system. The focus is on planning and problem solving. The goal is to prepare graduates for the next step – finding an affordable rental house, signing a lease, and establishing a stable residence.

Along with their parents, the youth also have a training program. It is taught by youth mentors who teach the participants to support their families in the move. They also learn other tasks, like how to plan for school the next day. They benefit throughout the process by having different people contributing to their lives and providing additional support outside of the school setting.

Once a family graduates from the program, Third Way Network helps them locate appropriate housing. This is one more step in a 5 year process that is designed to help families prepare for eventual home ownership. Vicory said, “If 75% of the families we place are stable after 3 years, that’s success for us. After 5 years, if 25% of those families are ready for home ownership, that’s success for us.”

SJA Volunteers

Barb McFarlane is on the Leadership Council of the SJA Housing Ministry. On Saturdays, she is a volunteer at the housing projects. Her newest task at the duplex was sanding and staining the dining room woodwork. With a power tool in one hand and a smile on her face, she gestured to the many changes underway since the project began.

When asked if she had any background with this type of work, McFarlane laughed and shook her head. She then explained how she and some friends were recruited to volunteer for the Circle to Success Program. After doing this for a while, McFarlane decided that she’d like some hands-on experience with the renovation work.

She enjoys learning new things while participating in the renovation process. When asked what she liked best, she said, “These families are so appreciative for what they’ve learned…It’s pretty amazing.”

Linda LaVoy(right) volunteered about a year ago. She was assigned to work on a project in Hawthorne Village. She laughed when describing it. “I was in the basement throwing cement on the wall. It was like throwing mud.” Although there is probably a technical term for this, all she needed was someone to show her how to do it. At the Park Avenue duplex, she worked in the yard, hauling dirt in a wheelbarrow and planting grass seed. She seemed to delight in the work as well as the early spring weather.

In addition to the renovation work, LaVoy is volunteer family mentor at Circle for Success. “I really enjoy the process of it,” she said. “It’s an evolving program. You learn, change, and try to make things work better for the committee and the participants. The real plus is concentrating on the families after graduation as they implement the things they’ve learned.”

Yet another parishioner, Brian Benasutti is a general contractor by profession. He began as a housing scout for Third Way Network. After completing a six-week training program, his job was to find properties for redevelopment. Over time, Paul Halvorson, the Executive Director of Third Way Network, asked Benasutti to do some work for the projects. Now he commits three days each week working at ˝ his usual rate to oversee the projects and train volunteers.

The biggest challenge is developing a time table. With his regular crew, Benasutti knows the people and how fast they work. With volunteers on a week by week schedule, he does a lot more estimating. What does he like about working on the projects? “Instead of swinging the hammer, I am coaching people.” From the looks of the house on Park Avenue, this quality coaching is paying off.

and

Danielle Engle is a new participant at St. Joan of Arc. She is a reporter with Access Press and Lakeshore Weekly News. In addition to journalism, she also writes fiction and non-fiction work, including program manuals, public relations documents, children’s stories, and short stories. Her goal is to become a contributing participant in the social justice and other causes at SJA. She can be contacted at engled974@comcast.net.

In terms of the people and volunteers on site this early spring morning, they had something special in common. Vicory captured it best in discussing how she got started at Third Way Network. “I’ve always had a huge commitment to social justice. It’s always on my mind how to make a difference.”

For additional information about Third Way Network and the Circle to Success, visit www.thirdwaynetwork.org or telephone (612) 332-1311.