| | NOTE FROM JODY RUDIN The past month presented opportunities to celebrate and to recognize the work that remains ahead of us in supporting people to get better. The reopening of Nevins Street Apartments, a $72 million affordable and supportive housing development in downtown Brooklyn, followed by our 35th Anniversary Gala were a reminder of how much we have accomplished, our innovations, and our staff’s efforts to support each person who walks through our doors. However, many people continue to struggle to overcome mental health and substance use challenges. At our Mental Health Awareness Month event last week, we heard from clients about the services and supports they still need, with one person offering, “We all need to have the right team around us to support us.” | | | | | | |  | Team ICL showing up and shouting out at City Hall for the #JustPay rally. | | | | | | And we continue to face funding gaps for staff salaries—something we are pushing for the city to address in the budget that begins July 1. Our staff does some of the hardest work in the city, helping people overcome the challenges that lead to homelessness and substance use disorder and supporting people with serious developmental disabilities. Yet they get paid poverty wages dictated by city contracts. There remains much work to do to help our neighbors—and our peers. At ICL, we are committed to seeing change happen. Please read more about our celebrations and the work ahead in the stories below. Onward, Jody | | | | | |  | ICL CEO Jody Rudin visits Christopher and his baby in their new apartment. Christopher and his partner moved to Nevins Street Apartments after living at ICL’s Livonia Residence for youth aging out of foster care. | | Introducing Nevins Street Apartments On May 9 we celebrated the reopening of Nevins Street Apartments, the first ICL program that opened 35 years ago. We were joined for the celebration by Mayor Adams and officials from state and city agencies. "We need to solve the crisis of homelessness with the crisis of housing, and I am proud to have supported a project as Borough President and now as mayor that helps us do exactly that," said Mayor Adams. "This project represents exactly what we need more of in New York City: collaboration between city and state to provide affordable homes for families in shelters, New Yorkers struggling with mental health challenges, or veterans who have served our country bravely and need a place to call home." | | | | | | Veterans find a Place to Call Home Alan Crosby appreciates a good night’s sleep. But for the proud Army Veteran, that wasn’t always possible. For six months, Alan was living in a homeless shelter, an experience that exacerbated his post-traumatic stress disorder. He witnessed violence and substance misuse. He wanted a safe, comfortable place he could call home. While living in the shelter, he was referred to the ICL Medical Respite Program. The ICL team provided him with case management services and helped him monitor his medication and scheduled transportation to his medical appointments. They also helped him apply for housing at the newly opened Nevins Street Apartments, a place he is now delighted to call home. | | | | | | | |  | | | | | On May 19th we gathered to celebrate 35 years of helping people get better with us. We honored ICL heroes - clients, staff, and partners - whose dedication to improving health and wellbeing are commendable. Learn more about them in this video. And watch this video to learn more about our 35-year journey and the story of just one of hundreds of thousands of people we supported. | |  | | | | | Clients Speak Out: May is Mental Health Awareness Month Over 100 ICL staff members tuned in to a webinar we hosted, featuring four clients who talked about their struggles and about the services and supports that make a difference in getting healthier and addressing mental health challenges. The themes were consistent. What people need are the same things we all need: to be treated with dignity and respect, to be listened to, and to have a caring team to back you up. And that’s exactly wat we offer at ICL. We are grateful to the clients who participated and gave the ICL team a chance to hear from them about what we do that they find most helpful. | | | | | | | |  | Creating a Lifeline is an exhibition of work by artists who participate in programs offered by the Institute for Community Living (ICL). For more than 15 years, we have had the privilege of partnering with the Brooklyn Museum. Before the pandemic hit, every year special docents led ICL artists on tours of Museum exhibitions. The year culminated in a group show of works by the artists inspired by what they saw and learned at the Museum Like everything else over these past two years, the artists were not able to go on their year-round visits. But their perseverance in continuing to create art is evident is the pieces you see in this show, Creating a Lifeline. We are moved by their courage and prolific dedication to their creative process. For many, the seeds for this passion for doing art were planted in visits to the Museum in earlier years.
We are very grateful for the more than 15 years of this unique and dynamic partnership between the Brooklyn Museum and ICL. We look forward to continuing this collaboration for many years to come. It is truly a lifeline for all of us. | | | | | | | | Institute for Community Living ICL helps New Yorkers of all backgrounds and ages living with serious mental illness, substance use disorder, and developmental disabilities achieve greater health and independence. From housing to care coordination to office- and school-based support, our innovative whole health approach addresses behavioral and physical health as well as the social determinants of health such as housing and food security. | | | | |  | Call 844-ICL-HOPE (844-425-4673) to connect to resources. Visit iclinc.org to learn more about ICL programs and services. | | | | | |  | | | | | | | Contact Us Institute for Community Living (ICL)
125 Broad Street, Third Floor
New York, New York 10004
212-385-3030
info@iclinc.net | | | | | | | | | | | |
