Dear Friends,

Throughout 2006, the staff and volunteers of Grace Church Community Center (GCCC) continued to struggle with the poverty, hunger, homelessness and despair that persist in our affluent community.  What sustained us was the courage and resilience of the individuals we serve and the generosity of those of you who supported our mission. In the end, our triumphs were tallied in the faces of the more than 3,000 individuals whose lives were touched, and changed, by the love, compassion and kindness of our staff and donors. 

Together, we take great pride in the accomplishments of 2006, a year that saw the implementation of a new program, growth in existing programs, new collaborative efforts and the renovation of the Parish Hall of Grace Episcopal Church, home to many of our programs.

Of particular note is the fact that Project Trust, our new day services program for the chronically homeless, completed its first full year of operation.  Funded through a Federal SAMHSA grant under the auspices of Westchester County’s Department of Community Mental Health, this program had a dramatic impact on the lives of almost 1,000 homeless men and women, finding housing, jobs and treatment programs for many individuals who had previously refused to be part of the “system”.

We watched as the Grace Church Parish Hall was transformed during eight months of renovations spearheaded by the generosity of developer Louis Cappelli and further funded with grants from the Empire State Development Corporation and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.  Renovation efforts culminated in December when our Soup Kitchen, Samaritan House Women’s Shelter, Rainbow Outreach & Drop-In Center for developmentally disabled adults and Open Arms Men’s Shelter Annex were able to re-open in the beautifully rejuvenated space.

One of the most gratifying moments of the year was seeing the reaction of the first thirteen women who moved into Samaritan House. During the preceding months most of these women had lived in the Drop In Shelter System, being shuttled nightly from one women’s shelter to another…never knowing where they would end up. Because they usually arrived at their final destination very late and were required to be bused out very early the next morning, they seldom got more than four hours sleep.

After a few good nights rest at Samaritan House, the women expressed their overwhelming appreciation for their comfortable new surroundings which had been generously outfitted and decorated by the Junior League of Central Westchester and the caring support of the shelter staff. The message they received was that their lives were worthwhile and that they deserved a chance to turn those lives around. This is at the core of our Mission!

All significant accomplishments in an organization like ours are the result of vigorous coordination and collaboration between our various programs, other service providers and our volunteers and donors. In 2006, GCCC and the individuals we served benefited from some important collaborative relationships.  In the future we will work to strengthen and expand these efforts.

• Cappelli Enterprises Inc. invested over 2.4 million dollars in renovating our program spaces.

• The White Plains Presbyterian Church responded in a time of need, opening their doors to welcome our Soup Kitchen which was displaced during renovations. Their efforts, combined with a generous gift of $40,000 from an individual donor, ensured that the poorest residents of White Plains could continue to receive a free mid-day meal.

• With leadership from the Westchester Coalition for the Hungry and Homeless, GCCC and other housing providers worked with County Legislator Lois Bronz to secure $400,000 of additional funding from the county to meet the needs of the growing number of individuals in Westchester County at risk for eviction and homelessness.  The impact of the additional funds will be felt in 2007.

As we look back on our accomplishments, we want to thank our staff, board and supporters for making 2006 another landmark year for Grace Church Community Center. 

Thank you all for joining with us to serve the disadvantaged, underserved, unprotected and unheard in our midst.

Paul Anderson-Winchell	Kenneth Berman
Executive Director	Board Chair