50 Years of Yeast and Love

The Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism (BINJ) has collected first-person accounts from people who have been involved in Haley House, including co-founder Kathe McKenna.

BINJ's Chris Faraone continues the story:

If hungry people had to count on seasonal compassion, the poor would likely starve but for the holidays. The government only assists so much; in Boston, for example, it's been two years since the closing of critical services on Long Island, and the impact of that loss still weighs heavily on many who relied on those facilities for food, shelter, and jobs.

Thankfully there is another safety net, however strained, in which people who have been abandoned and rejected can find hope. Plus a warm bed. And perhaps even employment. We hear a lot about our first responders and about the heroes who dart into burning buildings and such. But much less celebrated are community members who endure emotionally strenuous tasks, in some cases crusading against challenges like homelessness that rage for generations with no end in sight.

For half a century, Haley House has underpinned a major slice of the Hub's grassroots social service sector. First as a temporary shelter, then through the years as much, much more. Following the Catholic Worker traditions of hospitality and volunteerism that inspired Haley House, the operation has adapted to the needs of those they serve. In the words of co-founder Kathe McKenna, "First we saw that people were homeless and needed a place to stay. Then we saw that they were hungry and they needed food. Then we figured out that people needed permanent housing. And then jobs."

What no one needs is yet another rags-to-riches ode to meritocracy. Far more central to the fostering of real equality are rags-to-restoration tales in which those who have historically lacked fortune and luck are treated with respect and dignity. There aren't nearly enough stories like that, especially ones that reveal the gamut of experiences, from the mundane to the moving, of those who dedicate their lives to lifting those in poverty. So for the 50th anniversary of Haley House, we asked Executive Director Bing Broderick to assemble a roundtable of voices to dredge up memories for us to spin into an oral history. Documented in detail, it should serve as an inspiration to us all.

You can read 50 Years of Yeast and Love at:
https://medium.com/binj-reports/haleyhistory-ea421a341f12#.58cc3mnhg