FEBRUARY
IS
BLACK
HISTORY
MONTH
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"Everything that you could possibly want, the thing that you‘re running after, is all inside of you. You want discipline? It‘s inside of you. You want faith? It‘s inside of you. You want courage? It‘s inside of you. And, if you want faith, you want that kingdom of God, that‘s inside of you and that will make everything else work.
”
Dr. Sylvester Outley
,
In his speech to the student body at Goshen College on October 21, 2002, when he received the prestigious Goshen College Culture For Service Award
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During Black History Month and throughout the year we salute and remember our founder Dr. Sylvester Outley who overcame, seemingly, insurmountable challenges and transformed his life. By age 30, Dr. Outley had been arrested multiple times for involvement with drugs and fraudulent behaviors. He received a 10-year prison sentence in 1955 and was isolated from the rest of Huntsville State Penitentiary because of his heroin addiction and placed in solitary confinement.
While in prison, he earned a graduation equivalency degree and after his release, on the advice of a social worker, visited Goshen College. In 1969, he received a social work degree from Goshen and earned masters and doctoral degrees before founding Socio-Emotional Learning Family i
n response to the City of Philadelphia's critical need to address the substance abuse problems of its homeless people. SELF, Inc. was formed in 1989 to deliver on site drug and alcohol counseling in City shelters. SELF's "clean and sober" supportive services program based on the principles of a therapeutic community of peers transformed the shelters from havens for addiction and crime into communities for recovery and wellness. It became the model for Philadelphia's entire shelter system.
Today, guided by the leadership of Board Chair and CEO Rev. Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr., and President and COO Mike Hinson, SELF (now Strengthening and Empowering Lives and Futures) carries on Dr. Outley's legacy daily delivering wellness and housing-focused services to more than 500 single-adults daily, at nine emergency housing sites.
(sources: Goshen College website, Vision Link)
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President & COO Mike Hinson and SELF Community Advisory Board Chair Marcey Canalichio Visit School Lane Charter School
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(Pictured l to r): Sixth Grade History Teacher and Ambassador Coordinator Victoria Fairburn, Principal David Robinson, and Vice Principal Sarah Minutelli.
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One hundred sixth graders at School Lane Charter School chose to help the homeless for their Martin Luther King Day of Service project. Students asked to learn about homelessness and how they could be of help. SELF President and COO Mike Hinson and SELF Community Advisory Board Chair Marcey Canalichio gave them first-hand accounts of their jobs, lived experiences, and how they could make a difference in the lives of men and women experiencing homelessness.
Mr. Hinson spoke with students about the faces of homelessness, having compassion, and underscored the connection between their service and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's Legacy of service.
Ms. Canalichio stressed that homelessness is not always what you think--having been a teacher with a master's degree. Ending up homeless was not something she would have predicted for her future. She said it was important to have a place like SELF to aid her in her recovery. Both Mike and Marcey thanked the students for their generosity.
After the talk, students made more than 200 personal care bags and gave them to Mr. Hinson for SELF participants.
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2018-19 School Lane Ambassadors
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Students Reese, Mia, and Marnaath make personal care bags
for the homeless as part of their MLK Day of Service
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Students Hailie and Gavin assemble personal care bags for SELF participants
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SELF WELCOMES NEW TEAM MEMBERS
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Luca Benson
joined SELF in January 2019 as a
Case Manager.
He holds a B.A in Criminal Justice with a minor in Political Science from Stockton University. Prior to joining SELF, Mr. Benson worked in customer service, airport security and community assistance. He's also worked with individuals with intellectual disabilities at Developmental Enterprise Corporation.
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Kevin Gause
joined SELF as part-time,
Residential Aide
at
Safe Haven
in December 2018. Mr. Gause comes to SELF with over five years experience working with the homeless population. Kevin holds a full time position at RHD Progress Haven (couples shelter).
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Angela Boyd
joined the SELF team in January 2019 as a
Residential Aide
at
Susquehanna House
. Having lived experience, Ms. Boyd worked for LGBTQ Home for Hope Recovery Shelter and for a women's re-entry program prior to joining SELF.
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Quibila Divine
joined SELF as
Director of Programs
in December 2018. Ms. Divine
directs year-round planning, execution and quality control of
program
activities throughout the SELF network of housing and human services. She ensures that participants have access to innovative programming that underscores their resiliency and aids them in their journey to self-sufficiency and wellness. Outside of SELF,
Ms. Divine chairs The NET (Northeast Treatment Center's) CUA (Community Umbrella Association) 7 Advisory Board, is an advisor to PARENT POWER (What Will You Do With Yours?) and is a graduate of both Drexel and Lincoln Universities.
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Telfa Wills
joined SELF as a full-time,
Residential Aide
at
Susquehanna House
in September 2018. Prior to working at SELF was House Manager at Why Not Prosper, a Coordinator at Women Walking into Victory, and Residential Aide for Stenton Manor.
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Monique Taylor
comes to SELF with lived experience and joined SELF as a part-time
Residential Aide
at
Susquehanna House
in September 2018. She is a certified forensic and peer specialist and certified mental health first aider for youth and adults. Prior to joining SELF, she was Residential Aid for LGBTQ Home for Hope Recovery Shelter.
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Alfred Zotter
was hired as part-time
Residential Aide
at
Outley House
in January 2019. He is a former participant at Outley House, where he served as a Peer Mentor.
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SELF Welcomes Over 30 New Team Members to
Ife Wellness Center!
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Ife Wellness Center, a safe space for personal achievement and healing, is the latest resource within a network of housing and human services provided by SELF. The word
Ife
means love in the Yoruba Language, which is spoken by nearly 30 million people primarily in West Africa. This center was endowed from a foundation of love for the community and love for those with the resiliency to recover from various societal and personal challenges. Using wellness-focused, case management and innovative programming combined with community engagement and access to timely medical, behavioral, and housing services, the team provides the support participants need to help advance them along their journeys.
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Thank you to our partners at NWON and UAC for helping us bring on our new team members.
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Congratulations to our President & COO Mike Hinson who was elected to serve on the Roadmap to Homes Board
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The Roadmap to Homes Board
representatives will oversee implementation of the Office of Homeless Services (OHS) 5-Year Plan and ensure ongoing opportunities for engagement and incorporation of community.
Hundreds of community members generously shared their expertise, wisdom, energy, and experience to shape the vision and priorities of the plan. Our President & COO Mike Hinson will be an asset to the board. He is driven by a relentless pursuit for equality and justice and his quest to address social determinants of health to ensure healthy outcomes for those experiencing homelessness.
As head of the largest provider for emergency housing and human services for homeless individuals, Mike not only advances organizational development at SELF, but is a leading housing policy advisor and maker. He is the former executive director of The COLOURS Organization, the Co-Founder of Philadelphia Black Gay Pride and a public policy advisor to Mayor John Street with a focus on child welfare, homelessness, education, health, human services, public safety and was responsible for the City’s LGBT-related policies and programs. For the last four years he has served as an Adjunct Professor at Cheyney University in its Master of Public Administration Program. Michael is a Summa Cum Laude Graduate of Peirce College with a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies. At Peirce, Michael was a W.W. Smith Academic Scholar, a Peirce College Legal Studies Scholar and received the Peirce College Academic Leadership Award. He holds a Master of Public Administration from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, with a concentration in Nonprofit Management. Michael completed his doctoral course-work at Capella University.
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Outley House Program Manager Frank Richardson Receives Grant from TD Charitable Foundation Grant
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The TD Charitable Foundation approved SELF’s proposal to support Program Manager Frank Richardson's enrollment in the Villanova University SHRM Program. "This is exactly the way we should support our talented team members," said Mike Hinson. "I appreciate that Frank did the leg work and found this opportunity. SELF was able to support by completing the application and securing the grant."
CONGRATULATIONS TO FRANK RICHARDSON!!
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Safe Haven Overdose Reversal Training
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In January, Safe Haven held an overdose reversal training. Team members and participants learned how to use Naloxone (Narcan), a medication that reverses an opioid overdose. "It is important that our entire community at SELF receives this important training which is a key component in our overall approach that uses practical strategies and ideas aimed at minimizing negative consequences
associated with drug use, drug policies and drug laws," said Mike Hinson, SELF President & Chief Operating Officer.
(Trainers simulate an overdose in the above photo)
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The infographic below provides a glimpse into the number of Philadelphians we proudly serve each day.
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THANK YOU
for your generous donations and support of our End-of-Year appeal. Your support makes a difference in the lives of hundreds of people experiencing homelessness. We appreciate your
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