1. matters
Fall 2010
Health, Homes and Jobs for Homeless New Yorkers
Welcome
CEO Ed Geffner Mitchell Netburn
Retires The Board of Trustees announces
the selection of Mitchell Netburn
as President & CEO of Project
Renewal. A native New Yorker,
Ed enjoys speeches in honor of his lifetime of service Mitchell has over 20 years of public
A
interest experience, most recently as
fter 33 years of leadership, Ed ative” that kept Ed at Project Renewal Senior Vice President at F•E•G•S
Geffner retired as President & for more than three decades. What Proj- Health and Human Services System
CEO of Project Renewal. ect Renewal does best, in Ed’s view, “is where he managed a performance-
Trustees, government partners, and focus on taking care of clients, and a lot based welfare-to-work initiative
friends honored his remarkable leader- of that is figuring out what their needs serving 24,000 disabled clients
ship at a Tribute Party and at the annual are and what kinds of services we should annually. Prior to joining F•E•G•S,
Gala Benefit & Auction. be providing to help them achieve Mitchell served as the Executive Di-
As a kid growing up in a four-room independence and self-sufficiency. We rector for the Los Angeles Homeless
rent-controlled apartment in Brooklyn, created services with that in mind. We Services Authority.
Ed never imagined a career tackling is- want the outcomes for clients to be the “I have the utmost respect
sues related to home- best they possibly can be. For example, for Project Renewal’s unparalled
lessness. After college let’s say we have someone come in for passion and reputation for provid-
his involvement with detox or into a shelter, we can provide ing inventive, high quality, and
the civil rights and them with medical care, psychiatry, ad- comprehensive services focused on
anti-war movements diction treatment, housing, job training ending homelessness for men and
turned his interest in and placement, and so on. We meet a women,” says Mitchell. “I look
issues of social justice great many of the needs of people who forward to building on Project Re-
into a passion, and Linda Gibbs, Deputy come to us for service.” newal’s great platform of housing,
he decided to become Mayor for Health and Ed thanks the extended Project programs, and outreach.”
a lawyer. By the time Human Services, shared a Renewal family for a successful 33 years.
he finished law school, tribute to Ed and honored “As much as I enjoy hearing everyone
however, litigation his vision for a city that give me the credit for our success, I
can look after its most
had lost its appeal; he vulnerable citizens. know very well that it’s not just me. It’s
took a job at the Vera been my privilege to work with many
Institute of Justice, a criminal justice caring people over the years who gave
think tank. In 1977, Vera assigned him of their time and resources to build a
to one of its spin-off enterprises, Project support network for our clients – gov-
Renewal (then, the Manhattan Bowery ernment partners, private funders,
Corporation). “My driving passion was board members, and donors like you.
social justice, and certainly, people who We have the same shared values – that
were impoverished and on the streets are no one deserves to live on the streets,
an extreme example of the lack of social everyone should have a safe place in the Board Chair Mary Lynn Putney with incoming CEO
justice in our society.” community and a chance to live a life of Mitchell Netburn.
It’s “the ability and freedom to be cre- dignity.”

2. Friends and Donors Boost Gala Revenue
by 25% Over Prior Year
Our 20th Annual Gala Benefit and Auction was a tremendous success! Gener-
ous support from Trustees, individuals, and business partners raised $825,000, an
increase of 25% over last year. Proceeds directly fund life-saving programs to help
homeless men and women leave the streets and return to health, homes, and jobs.
Over 250 guests assembled on June 10 at the Waldorf=Astoria for a wonderful
evening with touching tributes honoring Ed Geffner, President & CEO retiring
after 33 years. Thunderous applause followed the exciting announcement that the
Trustees will re-dedicate our supportive housing residence, Holland House, as Gef-
fner House.
Our Silent Auction was filled with over 55 fabulous prizes, and Sotheby’s Execu-
tive VP Hugh Hildesley inspired lively bidding in our Live Auction. We thank our
auction donors and event supporters, and a special thanks to our corporate sponsor Gala Co-Chairs Shelly and Neil Mitchell. Neil is the
Capital One Bank for its generous sponsorship of the Gala since 2007. incoming Board Chair.
Joe Small (at podium) honors Ed’s influence on his life following tributes by Coun- Trustee Alan Belzer and Dr. Bradley Connor Trustee Colleen Cavanaugh (center) with Sue Waterbury (left)
cil Member Robert Jackson and Vera Institute Director Herb Sturz (seated). and James Rose (right).
Stay Informed with
our E-Newsletter!
To follow the impact of your finan-
cial support of Project Renewal, sub-
scribe to our monthly e-newsletter
at www.projectrenewal.org. You’ll
meet people like Joe Small (see story
on the following page) whose lives
are changed because of your support.
Trustee Claudia Rosen (right) with Maria Cristina Ocampo Left to right, former Trustee Bob Davis with Ed Geffner and
(center) and Michelle Adelman (left). Trustee Earl Monroe.
2 Project Renewal matters | Fall 2010

3. Gala Keynote Speaker Joseph Small
Project Renewal employee Joe Small man who was dressed in a suit and tie,
moved Gala guests in telling how Ed and accompanied by his family when
and Project Renewal helped him rebuild it slowly dawned on Joe – he knew this
his life. When Joe came to the 3rd Street guy! The last time Joe saw him was on
Shelter in 1993, he wasn’t ready to quit the streets when both were drug addicts.
his drug habit. He had been in and out That’s when Joe said to himself – if
of jail so many times, his parole officer he can change, so can I. Joe took full Joe Small
said obviously jail wasn’t a deterrent. It advantage of the programs at 3rd Street,
was the parole officer who dictated that working on recovery and planning his will never give up on you.” But he saves
Joe enroll in a treatment program, and future. By the time he left, 11 months his highest praise for Ed. “This city owes
so Joe found himself at our 3rd Street later, Joe had a job and a place to live. a lot to Ed. He brought down the crime
Shelter at age 42 with no plans, no Joe is now Head Custodian at Project rate just by taking drug addicts off the
goals, and no direction. Renewals’ Fort Washington Shelter and street and out of jails.” Ed has always
Soon after Joe arrived at 3rd Street, has been a valued employee for 17 years. impressed Joe as a caring person who
he attended a group meeting where He credits Project Renewal’s “full ser- embodies the Project Renewal philoso-
a successful graduate came to speak vice” program for getting him back on phy that “there’s no situation you can’t
about his recovery. Joe listened to this his feet. “They provide everything and overcome.”
Clinton Residence Celebrates 20 Years
The successes of the
Twenty years ago, no one knew what their community. The cost to taxpayers
supportive housing was. No one really - a small fraction of the typical public Clinton Residence
thought the most seriously mentally ill
New Yorkers, people who’d only lived
expense of keeping someone homeless,
or in a hospital or shelter bed, or jail
over 20 years:
on the streets or in institutions, could cell. And the local community has been ƒƒ 317 Residents have had a chance at
live independently. But Project Re- strengthened, with rising property val-
newal’s Clinton Residence has proven ues and neighbors who only have good
recovery.
everyone wrong. On June 18th Clinton things to say about those that live and ƒƒ 74% have been successfully
Residence celebrated two decades of work at the residence. housed from the residence into less
service with clients, staff, family, and Twenty years on, the Clinton Resi- supervised settings.
friends. Guests assembled in the Com- dence continues to change lives for the
munity Garden next door to the resi- better as so eloquently put by Marie, a ƒƒ Less than 3% have required a second
dence for tributes from staff, residents, resident for the past year: “In a sur- chance at the residence.
and neighbors. rounding where staff sees about your ƒƒ 70% of Residents are working,
The goal of the Clinton Residence is needs; a chef that prepares sumptuous
against all predictions and odds.
to link housing with services so residents meals; a family atmosphere that greets
learn to live more independent, healthy you walking in the door; a psychiatrist ƒƒ The cost per year remains steady at
and fulfilling lives. Many have returned that was able to get me off four medi- $26,000 per Resident (that’s $15,000
to work and are actively contributing to cations down to just one. That’s what less than the cost of living homeless
Project Renewal Clinton Residence
on the street).
means to me.” Marie has successfully
moved on to more independent living at ƒƒ 46% of staff has worked at the
our LeonaBlanche house. Clinton Residence for ten years or
more. This type of retention rate
is remarkable for the social service
Former Clinton resident Marie Taylor thanks Jim Mutton, field.
Program Director, (on right), for the role that staff played in
her recovery.
Project Renewal matters | Fall 2010 3

4. Capital One Volunteers Plant Roof Top Garden Board of Trustees
In addition to its financial support of volunteers broke out shovels, gloves, and Mary Lynn Putney
the Gala and of our workforce devel- pruning shears to bring life back to the Chair
opment program, Capital One Bank roof garden at Clinton Residence. Clin- Neil S. Mitchell
also provided volunteer support. As ton residents joined in the spring gar- Vice Chair
part of a week of service to the com- dening as well. The result? A beautiful, Mitchell Netburn
munity, Capital One Bank employees flowering roof garden where residents President & CEO
volunteered at Clinton Residence. Six can relax in the summer sun. Alan Belzer
Russell S. Berman
Suzanne Henry Boies
Colleen Cavanaugh
James S. Davidson
Michael Field
Anthony S. Kendall
David J. Koeppel
The Hon. Richard B. Lowe, III
Earl Monroe
Mark H. Minter
Nan Perell
Capital One employees Chuck Pol
put on the green gloves Geoffrey Proulx
to help Jim Mutton Jules M. Ranz, MD
(standing in back). Paul H. Rich
Claudia Rosen
Carl Rosoff
Laura Rothschild
Marc L. Silverman, Esq.
NEW EDITION OF James W. Stevens
Caverly (Lee) Stringer
Grand Central Winter Antonio Tedesco
in bookstores now! Junior Board
Christopher Bellapianta
Project Renewal Trustee Lee Nicole Bonica
Vijay Desiraju
Stringer shares his Stories from Scott Donohue
the Street in an expanded 2nd Thomas Evrard
John Flynn
edition just published by Seven Brandl Frey
Jeffrey Kirshenbaum
Stories Press. Lee chronicles his Robin Lee
years of homelessness and addiction as well as his Colin Meagher
Keenan Reilly
recovery at Project Renewal’s 3rd Street Shelter. This edition David Rowley
Jenny Sharfstein
features four new chapters and a “startling new ending.” Nicholas Sklar
Christopher Smajdor
Grand Central Winter is available for purchase in bookstores and on Amazon. Anna Valeo
Frederick Volp
Help homeless men and women
leave the streets for health, homes and jobs…
with your donation. It’s safe, fast and on-line at
www.projectrenewal.org. 200 Varick Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10014
212-620-0340
Look for the “Donate Now” button on every page. www.projectrenewal.org
4 Project Renewal matters | Fall 2010