St. Martin de Porres House of Hope Legacy Gala
In 1983, God connected me to an incredible business woman turned nun – the late Sister Connie Driscoll. Together, we opened the doors of St. Martin de Porres House of Hope on May 18, 1983.
Our original staff of two has now grown into 18, and with the help of hundreds of volunteers and supporters like you, who donate their time, talents, and resources each year to our ministry, we have been able to help more than 4,000 women and their children overcome the disease of addiction and resume healthy, productive lives.
My heart is filled with gratitude, as I reflect on the progress that we’ve made over the past three decades thanks to our generous supporters. We started from humble beginnings with donations from two people totaling $15. In fiscal year 2016, we received more than $500,000 in donations from individuals, foundations and corporations.
In the beginning, we focused primarily on providing temporary shelter to women and children in need. Later, substance abuse recovery became our core service. Today, we offer an array of programs to treat the mind, body, and soul including: medical assistance, mental health services, and GED Preparation.
As I celebrate the many achievements of St. Martin’s it is with great excitement for our future that I’ve decided to transition from my role as Executive Director. I am pleased to announce that Yaisa Hagood has been selected as the new Executive Director effective June 1, 2016.
Yaisa has a wealth of experience in fundraising and marketing in the education and nonprofit sectors. She has worked for the organization in many roles during the past year and successfully guided us in program development, fiscal management, strategic planning, and fundraising. A native of the Woodlawn Community, Yaisa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master of Science from Roosevelt University.
The mission to help women and their children recover from the disease of addiction remains deeply meaningful to me. St. Martin de Porres House of Hope continues to adapt itself to the changing needs of the community that we serve. I see continued growth for us in the years ahead. I’m looking forward to working with Yaisa, as she picks up the torch and leads St. Martin’s and the families we serve to a brighter future.
Please join me on September 29th at the Grand Ballroom as we pay tribute to our generous donors, and alumni, celebrate our many achievements and look ahead to a strong and vibrant future.
Sincerely,
Sister Therese O’Sullivan, IBVM