Historic Cambridge Housing Program
for Women with HIV/AIDS Moves to Victory Programs
Ruah House Finds a New Home Under Victory Programs’ Umbrella of Services
Cambridge/Boston (February, 2010) – Cambridge Cares About AIDS (CCA), a provider of services to people living with HIV/AIDS for more than 20 years, and Victory Programs, Massachusetts' leading residential treatment and housing provider for those living with substance use disorder and HIV disease, have announced an exciting change in programming. Effective February 1, 2010 Ruah House for women with HIV/AIDS, a supportive housing site of CCA since 2003, has moved under Victory Programs’ umbrella of health and housing programs. Victory Programs is committed to honoring the original intent and mission of Ruah.
The decision to form this new alliance came after a long and thoughtful community process funded by The Boston Foundation. Over the past year, Cambridge Cares About AIDS and Victory Programs collaborated with New Sector Alliance, a national social impact consulting and leadership development firm, to explore the strategic management and feasibility of moving this important community housing program to Victory Programs.
“In working together it became very clear how the goals of Ruah house are directly in line with the mission and philosophy of care at Victory Programs”, said John Gatto, Executive Director at CCA. “Victory’s commitment to providing housing stability and HIV support to the most vulnerable members of our community ensures that the women at Ruah will have the best possible services and infrastructure to support their home in Cambridge for years to come.”
Victory Programs Executive Director Jonathan Scott commends Cambridge Cares About AIDS for its progressive and forward thinking process. “I have the deepest respect for John Gatto and Cambridge Cares Board and staff for having the foresight to engage this comprehensive analysis of Ruah, and for then taking such a bold step that helps all of us.” Scott further comments that adding Ruah within the VPI network of HIV housing, “further demonstrates that healthy organizations can work together in alliance to make innovative decisions that capitalize on their complementary core competencies.”
Ruah House was created in the early 1990’s by Sister Jeanette Normandin after she and others recognized the great need to find safe housing for homeless women living with HIV/AIDS in the Cambridge area. Ruah house, named for the Hebrew term for “Breath of Life,” provides permanent housing to seven formerly homeless women living with HIV/AIDS. Ruah joined CCA in 2003 as a part of their housing service continuum. “As the housing needs of people with HIV/AIDS continue to evolve we feel that this is the right time to transfer Ruah to an organization with an even stronger housing-specific focus like Victory Programs,” said Gatto. With this newest alliance, Ruah House becomes Victory Programs’ 17th program and the first Victory Programs residence located outside of the City of Boston.
About the Organizations
For more than 20 years the mission of Cambridge Cares About AIDS (CCA) has been to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic by serving those most impacted by social and economic inequality. CCA provides accessible prevention, education, advocacy, and support services in accordance with harm reduction principles to help people meet self-identified goals.
Victory Programs, established in 1975, is a non-profit organization based in Boston that provides housing and direct care services to individuals and families. The organization’s mission is to open doors to recovery, hope, and community to individuals and families facing homelessness, addiction, or other chronic illnesses. With the addition of Ruah House, Victory Programs’ umbrella of services now includes 17 programs.
Victory Programs and AIDS Housing Corporation Join Forces
BOSTON (June 25, 2009) – Victory Programs, Massachusetts' leading residential substance use disorder treatment and transitional housing provider, and AIDS Housing Corporation (AHC), a nationally recognized leader in advocacy and technical assistance services addressing the housing needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and other disabilities announced today that they have merged. The Boards of Directors for both organizations unanimously approved this union. This merger will add AHC’s well known and respected housing related Technical Assistance services to Victory Programs’ suite of services.
Victory Programs and AHC have worked closely together over the past 18 years to advance their shared mission of bringing housing and supportive services to some of the most vulnerable people in our society. “As we began exploring the possibility of a merger it became clear that formalizing our long-standing partnership in this manner made a great deal of sense,” said Joe Carleo, AHC’s Executive Director. “The joining of these two organizations will enhance our overall capacity to help people living with HIV/AIDS, substance use and other disabilities to find places to call home.”
Jonathan Scott, Executive Director of Victory Programs added that he is delighted to be merging with AHC. “This is a true marriage of like minds where it is clear that together we can offer more than we can separately,” said Scott. “This new partnership will combine the Victory Programs and AHC models to help other agencies and communities achieve great results in ending chronic homelessness.”
“I applaud the merger of Victory Programs and AIDS Housing Corporation” said Mayor Thomas Menino. “These two non-profits have provided vital and compassionate services for the people of Boston for decades in substance abuse treatment and technical assistance for housing for people with HIV/AIDS. Together they will be a powerful social service provider making all their programs more efficient and effective. This is an innovative venture in an uncertain economic climate, and the people of Boston are well served by the merger.”
The discussions on what a merger would look like, which began many months ago, were greatly bolstered by the generous support of The Boston Foundation. Financial support from The Boston Foundation enabled Victory Programs to engage a team from New Sector Alliance to guide the two organizations through a formal and extensive review process looking at all of the aspects of a merger. “This part of the process was invaluable and we are very grateful to The Boston Foundation for their support,” said Scott. “Partnership with members of the philanthropic community like The Boston Foundation can truly help non-profits explore creative new ways to increase capacity and enhance services.”
Jonathan Scott will remain as Executive Director and President of Victory Programs. Joe Carleo will take on a new role within Victory Programs as the Director of Community Affairs. The organization will retain the name of Victory Programs.
About the Organizations
Since 1991 AIDS Housing Corporation (AHC) has been a leader in addressing the housing needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and other disabilities in both the local and national arenas. In addition to serving the local Boston and Massachusetts areas AHC serves as a lead member of the national Technical Assistance program for housing for people living with HIV/AIDS with a direct service region that includes all of New England and extends down the coast to as far away as West Virginia.
Victory Programs, established in 1975, is a non-profit organization based in Boston that provides housing and direct care services to individuals and families. The organization’s mission is to open doors to recovery, hope, and community to individuals and families facing homelessness, addiction, or other chronic illnesses. With AHC on board, Victory Programs’ array of services now includes 16 programs.
Home • Board • Leadership • Annual Report • Strategic Alliances/Mergers • Standards of Excellence • Privacy Policies • Our Programs
Victory Health • Victory Housing • TAP • ReVision Urban Farm • Our Clients • Donate • Volunteer • Careers • Victory News • Contact Us