Renovation at Pine Street Inn Part of Grants To 14 Centers Statewide

BOSTON - The Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program will be able to renovate and reconfigure portions of The Pine Street Inn in Boston with new assistance from the Massachusetts Health and Educational Facilities Authority (HEFA).

Fulfilling its mandate to enhance the quality of life of the residents in the Commonwealth by enabling nonprofit institutions to reduce their cost of capital, HEFA today announced that it will provide grants to 14 local health centers totaling $336,736 as part of its Community Health Center Grant Program.

Among the awards is $21,450 to the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, HEFA Executive Director Benson T. Caswell said.

"Local health centers are critical to our communities because they provide care to those who are most in need. Unfortunately in the midst of this economic crisis, many nonprofit health centers have had to put important projects and improvements on hold," Caswell said. "We are thrilled to be able to help these deserving health organizations whose daily mission is to deliver high quality health care to all members of our community, regardless of their ability to pay."

"In these challenging economic times, the services that the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and The Pine Street Inn provide are more important than ever," said State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz (D-Jamaica Plain). "I am pleased HEFA is funding these necessary improvements, which will undoubtedly help some of Boston's neediest residents."

"With the HEFA grants I believe that the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program will be able to have a greater impact on the quality of life for the hundreds of people who come into the Pine Street Inn every day," said State Representative Aaron Michlewitz (D-North End). "With a renovated facility Pine Street will be able to have a larger and more lasting effect on those who depend on them for basic healthcare needs."

BHCHP is the face of health care for Boston's homeless individuals and families. Last year alone, BHCHP delivered services to more than 11,000 homeless men, women, and children. Over the last 24 years, BHCHP has evolved into the largest and most comprehensive health care for the homeless program in the country.

"Storing medications is nearly impossible for homeless patients who have no safe place to keep them refrigerated or protected from being lost or stolen," said Robert L. Taube, Executive Director of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. "The award from HEFA will allow us to ultimately reduce risk of lost medication or missed doses and allow staff to spend more time directly caring for patients."

From the Berkshires to Brockton, in Worcester, Lawrence and Springfield, deserving health centers will be able to make significant improvements and improve their services to those who most need it.

HEFA's Program awards money to worthy nonprofit health centers whose mission is to provide critical health care services to low-income and uninsured individuals. Since the program's inception in 2006, HEFA has awarded more than $1.5 million to community health centers around Massachusetts.

Many Massachusetts health centers recently received large federal stimulus awards, sharing more than $80 million. To ensure the largest impact from its program, HEFA made awards to health centers that did not receive stimulus funds, which include:

• Bowdoin Street Health Center in Boston, $20,000
• Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program in Boston, $21,450
• Hilltown Community Health Centers, Inc. in Worthington, $23,000
• Community Health Center of Franklin County in Turner Falls, $23,800
• North End Community Health Center in Boston, $24,100
• Greater Roslindale Medical & Dental Center in Roslindale, $24,386
• Brockton Neighborhood Health Center in Brockton, $25,000
• Caring Health Center in Springfield $25,000
• Community Health Center of Cape Cod in Mashpee, $25,000
• Family Health Center of Worcester in Worcester, $25,000
• Fenway Community Health Center in Boston, $25,000
• Greater Lawrence Family Health Center in Lawrence, $25,000
• Outer Cape Health Services in Eastham, $25,000
• Upham's Corner Health Center in Dorchester, $25,000

HEFA supports Massachusetts' nonprofit health care organizations by financing equipment, construction, renovations, and refinancing debt. Last year, HEFA financed 49 projects for hospitals and other nonprofit organizations across the Commonwealth totaling nearly $3 billion.

HEFA is fully self-funded, receiving no tax-payer dollars. HEFA also provides funding for higher education and cultural institutions, research and human services facilities, as well as energy procurement services available to all nonprofit and state and municipal facilities through its PowerOptions® Program. For more information, visit www.mhefa.org.