On May 17, more than 200 supporters and friends gathered at the Hyatt Regency Boston to celebrate MHSA’s 15th Annual Home for Good: Solutions Start Here. Over $130,000 was raised at the event, which will support MHSA’s program development and help further its mission of ending homelessness in Massachusetts through advocacy, collaboration, education and innovation.
This year’s lead sponsors included Eastern Bank, Brian and Maryrose Sykes, Jay Cashman, Redgate, Linear Retail Properties LLC and United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. The evening featured a cocktail reception, silent auction and raffle, the presentation of the Bob Ray Partnership Award, and portraits by Mike Spencer Photography of tenants housed through the Pay for Success (PFS) program. PFS uses social innovation financing to provide housing for people experiencing homelessness. MHSA President & Executive Director, Joe Finn, also announced a new initiative to build “micro-units” and bring housing to scale for the homeless population in Massachusetts.
MHSA honored Greg Bialecki of Redgate with the Bob Ray Partnership Award for his outstanding contributions to ending homelessness in the Commonwealth. Most importantly for MHSA, Greg played a critical part in the Building for Success plan of 2013 that resulted in 1,000 units of supportive housing in the Commonwealth. He also played a key role in negotiating the first PFS for chronically homeless persons in the country. The award is named in honor of the late Bob Ray and recognizes those who, like Bob Ray, have made outstanding contributions toward ending homelessness. He was committed to the vision of a Commonwealth where homelessness no longer existed, and believed that each person should use his or her talents to make that vision a reality.
Several tenants housed through PFS were featured in a documentary photo project in partnership with Mike Spencer Photography, “Homes for Hope.” Tenants Peter, Juan and Nelida attended the event, and had the opportunity to share their stories with guests. MHSA would like to extend gratitude to all the vendors, auction and raffle donors, sponsors, volunteers, staff, and guests who helped make the 15th Annual Home for Good the most successful to date!