9th Annual Key to Hope Luncheon Breaks all Plymouth Records …and Closes the Campaign!Over $690,000 was raised at the most successful Luncheon in Plymouth’s history

Capital Campaign continued on Back Page

1. Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, NJ delivered an inspiring keynote to more than 1,200 Plymouth Housing Group supporters on September 28th at the Westin Hotel. The mayor received a standing ovation.

2. Sustaining Hope Capital Campaign Co-Chairs Paula Reynolds and Stewart Landefeld with Mayor Booker.

3. Joyce Taylor (left) from KING5 TV served as emcee and shared the stage with Plymouth Housing Group’s Executive Director Paul Lambros (center) and King County Executive Dow Constantine (not pictured) who spoke about Plymouth’s solid partnership with the county and Plymouth’s successes. Longtime Plymouth supporter Patti Payne (right) took a break from her usual spot on stage to enjoy the program as a guest.

4. Seattle Dances! Alumni Celebrity Dancers had a mini-reunion at the Luncheon: (l to r) John Rubino, Nancy Pellegrino, Carese Busby, Dean Jones, Laura Lohman.

The Key to Hope Luncheon was co-chaired by Plymouth Board members Tracey Wickersham and Mercedes Fernandez and all event expenses were completely underwritten by sponsors (see back page).

$22 Million Sustaining Hope Capital Campaign Closed! Donors respond to call to action and meet challenge

Thanks to the generosity of our community, Plymouth Housing Group is able to end

the Sustaining Hope Capital Campaign and proceed with the opening of our 13th building and the remodel of two historic buildings.

The campaign closed at the September 28th Luncheon thanks to a persuasive ask by campaign co-chairs Paula Reynolds and Stewart Landefeld and the generosity of so many donors. Attendees were able to stretch their contributions with a boost from the ‘Leading to the Finish Line’ challenge match of $250,000, a

Building Hope T R A N S F O R M I N G L I V E S

fund led by David and Joanna Beitel and joined by several other generous donors. Every gift of $250 or more was matched by this fund.

The Sustaining Hope Campaign will fund the new Pat Williams Apartments in South Lake Union opening in February 2013. The Williams Apartments will provide homes for 81 formerly homeless adults; 40 of the apartments are reserved for veterans. Williams residents will participate in Plymouth’s new Recovery Support program for formerly homeless adults intent on recovery. This new supportive housing

program will include special on-site support and counseling for those focused on recovery from substance use disorders and the special needs of veterans. These services are designed to help residents regain health and rebuild their lives.

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FALL EDITION 2012 | www.plymouthhousing.org

PLYMOUTH NEWSPLYMOUTH

PLYMOUTH NEWS FALL 2012

BOARD OF TRUSTEESAngus Cunningham, PRESIDENT

Stewart Landefeld, VICE PRESIDENT

Mercedes Fernandez, SECRETARY

2113 Third Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98121 > 206-374-9409 > 206-374-0602 FAX > email@plymouthhousing.org > www.plymouthhousing.org

David Poston, TREASURER

Lynn Beck, IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

David BeitelStuart C. Campbell

Diane CastanesRobert D. CookGregg DeRitisTyrone Edwards

Jessica GibsonBetty HenryJohn McHaleBarb Nystrom

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Time is the longest distance between two places.~Tennessee Williams

Sometimes the hard-est reality we face

at Plymouth is that it takes a long time to end homelessness. We’ve made a great deal of progress over

the years, and we still have work to do; end-ing chronic homelessness is a process, not a quick �x.

The federal de�nition of chronic home-lessness is to have been homeless for 365 consecutive days—and the truth is, most chronically homeless have been living on the streets for much longer—some for most of their adult lives.

Some people who have been homeless for long periods have struggled with serious and untreated mental illness and/or chemical addic-

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORPaul Lambros

© 2012 Plymouth Housing Group All Rights Reserved

tion. They’ve lived without support or security and lack the trust needed to form relationships with people who can help them.

Chronic homelessness is not about unem-ployment or the “working poor,” it’s about mental illness, addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s about problems that take time to solve.

The good news is that we have the solution. We know that Plymouth’s supportive housing model works. Ending homelessness requires a greater supply of support services (trained and compassionate case workers, mental health and health care specialists) and more supportive housing programs like Plymouth.

Plymouth currently provides housing and supportive services to nearly 1,000 adults. And yet, there are still 8,830 homeless individuals in King County.

It takes time. And it takes hope. We use the word “hope” a lot at Plymouth; it’s often in the title of a campaign or an event. We use this word because we are motivated by hope. When our residents feel hope, often for the �rst time in

Jon OkadaApril PaceErin PageCraig Parsons

Maria RoyerTracey Wickersham

their lives, they begin to heal.And when a community feels hope, they

tackle problems that were once thought to be impossible to overcome.

From hope, momentum has risen to inspire extraordinary generosity here at Plymouth. The hope of our supporters helped us close a $22M capital campaign on September 28th. Individuals and foundations raised $4M of this in just 18 months. This outpouring of support gives me hope that we will reach our goal and end homelessness.

On the next page you will see why the community-at-large is hopeful too. Plymouth’s model of care dramatically reduces tax dollars spent on uncompensated crisis care. In a time of economic uncertainty, the work that Plymouth carries out makes good �scal sense.

In time, we will end homelessness, and our economy and community will be better for it.

Volunteers for United Way Day

of Caring Helped Plymouth on

September 21st

E ighteen volunteers from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Raikes

Foundation/North Forty Staf�ng took the day off from their day jobs to give their time to Plymouth Housing Group on this year’s United Way of King County Day of Caring. The Day of Caring is a wide-reaching

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Bill Gates Sr. and Jeff Raikes join their staff as volunteers at Plymouth

Housing Group on behalf the United Way Day of Caring. Photo: ©Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/Barbara Kinney

volunteer effort comprised of 400+ projects across King County, involving over 12,000 volunteers and bene�tting local non-pro�ts. Plymouth received two volunteer groups this year—the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Raikes Foundation/North Forty Staf�ng. Volunteers spent the day helping staff

assemble Key to Hope Luncheon materials as well as helping us brighten the common areas of our historic Scargo/Lewiston buildings by doing some serious cleaning. Many thanks to the generous gift of time from these two foundations and their very special staff who made a difference that day!

We are ending homelessness in real time

PLYMOUTH NEWS FALL 2012

Plymouth Housing Group works to eliminate homelessness and stabilize homeless and very low-income people in housing by preserving, developing and operating safe, decent affordable housing and by providing opportunities for homeless and very low-income people to improve their lives.

WE CARENewsletter printed on an FSC certi�ed 30% recovered �ber.

Plymouth’s Model Saves Our Community Money

OUR MISSION

Research shows our program saves millions of dollars in medical bills for county hospital

Our Begin at Home program is the cornerstone of Plymouth’s supportive

housing. It was designed to deal with the core issues our most traumatized residents face when they �rst come into our pro-gram, often after being homeless for many years. Our case managers provide them with intensive, focused counseling and care to help these fragile individuals achieve stability.

Most Plymouth residents enter this pro-gram with severe mental illnesses, chemical addictions and chronic medical conditions. Their lives are de�ned by a constant cycling between the streets, hospitals, emergency services and sometimes the court system. These individuals are often referred to as “high-utilizers” of expensive health care and law enforcement services.

Plymouth made a commitment many years ago to reserve 50% of our apartments for this high-need population and �ll them with refer-rals from organizations such as Harborview, the Veterans Administration and the county Sobering Center. This is called our “set aside program” because we hold and prioritize homes for this highly vulnerable population. Referrals are made for people who are severely mentally ill, and who frequently utilize costly emergency room and acute care resources.

The �nancial impact on our community was recently tabulated by a group of researchers who followed 20 high-utilizers placed in the Begin at Home program at our Plymouth on Stewart building. They tracked and compared their use of Harborview one year prior and one year following their housing placement at Plymouth �nding that total charges to Harbor-

view after one year at Plymouth were reduced from $1.4M prior to placement to $500,000 after living in Plymouth for one year, a 63% reduction. During this year at Plymouth, visits to Harborview were reduced by 95%.

At Plymouth, we know that for a person coming from long-term homelessness the �rst year is crucial to their long-term success, so our case managers are keenly focused on chronic disease management and behav-ioral health needs. Chemical dependency specialists support cessation or reduction in substance use and help residents develop self-suf�ciency. A registered nurse is on-site to provide medical oversight and avoid un-necessary trips to the emergency room.

Plymouth is very proud of the work we do, with such positive outcomes for our community and our residents.

Donations from your Closet and Cupboard Can Help Plymouth Residents

Every year during the holiday season people ask the question, “How can I make this

year meaningful?” How can we celebrate the spirit of giving in a way that is more than just purchasing something at the mall at the last minute? After the holidays are over, what we remember most is how we felt, and how we made others feel. Our memories are rooted in what “home” means, sharing with those we love, being in a place both comfortable and familiar. It is easy to be overwhelmed by

the commercial hubbub that surrounds us, but there are simple ways to make the season more ful�lling and memorable for yourself and others. Think about what makes home home – a soft blanket, a warm cup of tea, padding around in cozy socks, framed photos on the wall, sharing stories with those we hold dear.

You can make a big difference this holiday season to help Plymouth residents feel at home and cared about. New or gently used

items such as hats and scarves, warm blankets, and kitchenware for home-cooked meals can make this winter cozy and comfortable for the hundreds of formerly-homeless living in Plymouth housing. Volunteering your time to get to know those living in our community is another way to make this holiday season meaningful and memorable. If you would like to donate or volunteer, please contact Elisabeth Vasquez Hein at 206-374-9409, ext. 135 or visit www.plymouthhousing.org.

Editor: Rosemary Coleman Contributors: Courtney Casady ,Tara Connor, Elisabeth Vasquez Hein, Mary Ann Lambert, Kathy Roseth

Draft FCB volunteers serving Gatewood residents a special meal.

The Gift of Food at Thanksgiving

T hanksgiving is a special day at Plymouth, a time for our residents to enjoy a home-

cooked meal with the good company of their Plymouth community. Thanksgiving at Plymouth brings connection and comfort to formerly homeless individuals who may no longer be in contact with family and friends.

Plymouth relies on individuals, fami-lies and organizations to help us provide Thanksgiving dinner by donating the food needed that day. Please consider joining this effort and contributing a food item.

We are in need of donations of cooked turkeys and hams, casseroles, stuf�ng, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pies for over 600 Plymouth residents expected to join us for dinner.

As you shop for your own meal, we hope you will add an extra turkey to your order or another pie to your baking list. These and side dishes would be valuable donations to our residents.

Food can be delivered on Thursday morning, November 22 at one of our buildings. For more information on how you can help, please call Elisabeth Vasquez Hein at 206-374-9409, ext. 135 or email evasquezhein@plymouthhousing.org.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

Cascadelink Marpac Construction, LLC

National Equity Fund Perkins Coie

SMR Architects Tri-Film

Union Bank

NON-PROFITUS POSTAGEPAIDSEATTLE, WAPERMIT #222113 Third Avenue

Seattle, Washington 98121www.plymouthhousing.org

Inspired by America’s popular reality TV dance show, “Dancing with the Stars,” Plymouth features Seattle-area business luminaries who serve as “celebrity dancers” and dance with professional partners to wow the audience. Past celebrity dancers Stacy Lill and Carese Busby will serve as the co-chairs for this year’s event.

The event will be held at Fremont Studios in partnership with Hallie Kuperman and the Century Ballroom. Puget Sound Business Journal columnist Patti Payne will serve as emcee.

Mark your calendars and get your table reservation in now—seating is limited.For Information call 206-374-9409 ext. 144

The most thrilling gala in town is back!

S A V E T H E D A T E

Mosaic Project Mobilizes Plymouth Community

E very Tuesday and Wednesday from August to October, the community

room of Plymouth’s Lewiston/Scargo building was transformed into a kaleidoscope of colors as volunteer Majken Ryherd spread out hundreds of ceramic fragments that became part of a unique mosaic mural. This project drew in tenants, staff and community volunteers who

became absorbed in the creative process of placing, cementing and grouting glass tiles, broken bathroom tiles, and donated objects like keys, bolts, and broken ceramic lamps. The three-panel design was developed by Majken and a group of tenants and staff. Our Native American residents in�uenced the design of a Native American totem pole, while Pike Place Market and the Space Needle represented the local community that Plymouth residents call home. Majken is a longtime friend of Plymouth, both in her professional role as a public affairs consultant and through family ties—her husband Mike James is Plymouth’s Database Administrator.

S A T U R D AY, M A R C H 2 , 2 0 1 3

Capital Campaign continued from Front Page

Thank you.

Campaign revenue will also fund the remodeling of two historic buildings currently in Plymouth Housing Group’s Portfolio: The Paci�c Apartments (across from the Rainier Club) and the Lewiston Apartments, both in downtown Seattle. They will each receive a “green” remodel to achieve energy-savings and lower operating costs.

Over the past year, many foundations and individuals contributed to the success of this campaign and we are more grateful than we can say.

B N B u i l d e r s

4th Annual

Key to Hope Luncheon Sponsors