Through Our Door
Craig’s Doors - A Home Association Inc.
“Because everyone deserves a door of their own”
Shelter Season a Success!!
It was successful season at Craig's
Place Emergency Shelter. Opening in the
wake of the devastating October snowstorm which forced us to use flashlights,
things settled into an efficient routine after
power was restored. When we closed April
30th a total of 161 different guests had
been welcomed into the Fellowship Hall at
First Baptist Church, the congregation
which graciously hosts our efforts to keep
people warm, well fed, healthy and safe.
Craig's Place could not have been
successful without community partners.
The Town of Amherst directed Community
Development Block Grant funds to Craig's Place
and Amherst Public Safety personnel were
extremely cooperative and supportive.
Many volunteers from the community
participated. Health Services for the
Homeless and Elliot Community Human
Services alongside students from ―Homeless
Connect‖ at Amherst College and the UMass
―Rotaract Club‖ were routinely on site.
(Continued on Page 3)
A S o n g I n t h e Ke y o f L i f e
Marcos was back on the streets last
December without a job or a housing option.
―I had to do something else and somehow I
found myself at Craig‘s Place, ‗cause that was
the only available option. And you know what?
That was the best option.‖ Marcos said.
place where he felt he could be himself. The
profound impact Craig‘s Place had on Marcos
kept his spirits high in the dark winter months.
Inaugural Edition
A Space for Women
We appreciate any opportunity to
share the safety, warmth and caring
within Craig's Place. Our main goal is
to reduce the number
of lives lost due to cold
Please help
weather.
us create a
separate
This past winter
space for
Craig's Place and area
shelters documented
women with
an increase in the
your tax
number of women who
deductible
are homeless.
contribution!
In an attempt to
accommodate more
women we plan to expand capacity
by utilizing an additional room for
women at First Baptist Church.
Currently the woman‘s section is
behind curtains so having a separate
area will increase privacy and
security. By installing a third shower
and more sprinklers, the shelter site
could potentially accommodate as
many as eight more guests.
Representatives from the Amherst Police
Department, particularly Officers Linda
Newcomb and Mike Forcum also made a
lasting impression. ―They never judged
That decision saved his life, said Marcos.
He was treated with such kindness and respect anybody‖ Marcos said. Despite his comfort and Let‘s be sure each and every one of
appreciation, Marcos said he was motivated to our sisters are sheltered when the
by the staff and volunteers at Craig‘s Place
north winds begin to blow cold again.
that he felt comfortable and safe. It was also a take the next step. (Continued on Page 7)
Marking Our First Year...
Established last summer by people in our community who sought access to support services tailored to assist people to break the cycle of
to resolve the crisis of homelessness, Craig‘s Doors proved there is homelessness.
strength in unity. We were also able to accomplish a great deal
We will also continue to work to unite our community around a common
through the support of our neighbors, our gracious hosts at First
goal of ending homelessness while helping people to become empowered
Baptist Church and supportive officials from the Town of Amherst.
to improve the quality of their lives.
The open admissions policy at our seasonal shelter, Craig‘s
But we can’t accomplish this without help!
Place, worked very well and we are pleased to report that there
Because we know people like you share our optimism and our aspirations
were no deaths from exposure to the winter cold.
can you please partner with us by sending a tax-deductible contribution to:
Moving forward, we will work to identify and develop a longer
Craig’s Doors, P.O. Box 101, Amherst, MA 01004-0101
term site for Craig‘s Place. We will also strive to establish
We thank you in advance for your compassionate support. 1
transitional and permanent housing that is affordable and includes
From the Executive Director
In 2009, after being honored to serve for twenty
years as the Executive Director of Open Pantry
Community Services in my native Springfield, MA, I
volunteered to assist the Committee on
Homelessness in Amherst to establish a seasonal
shelter for people who are homeless.
homeless. Almost as soon as we were incorporated, the previous
managers of the seasonal shelter opted to withdraw and Craig's
Doors was designated by the town of Amherst to become the new
managers of what is now known as Craig's Place.
Craig‘s Doors is committed to helping people who are homeless remain safe throughout our cold New England winters, but we won‘t
Our goal was to establish a safe place in Amherst stop there. We believe in a wish voiced by Craig Lorraine to ―just
for people struggling to survive the winter cold. We have a door he could close‖, because ―everyone deserves a door‖.
chose as our model the ―houses of hospitality‖ opened in the
Craig's Doors is a secular agency which embraces compassion,
1930's by a journalist, Dorothy Day, and a philosopher, Peter
non-violence and respect for common human dignity. Yet our efforts
Maurin, founders of the Catholic Worker Movement.
have been blessed through cooperation and support from members
Our ―house of hospitality‖, the Warming Place, would accept eve- of a caring civic and interfaith community.
ryone, regardless of their challenges with issues of mental health
We have also been assisted by members of diverse backgrounds,
or substance abuse. Our standard for admission and our criterion
be they Atheist, Baptist, Catholic, Episcopalian, Evangelical Christian,
for continued stay was ―respect‖.
Jewish, Lutheran, Methodist, Muslim, Unitarian Universalist or
The Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst and MercyHouse
members of the United Church of Christ. Students from Amherst and
agreed to host the Warming Place but the facilities at First Baptist
Smith Colleges and from the University of Massachusetts have also
Church were more spacious and the most conducive to an
volunteered to assist us in this important work. Motivated by their
overnight, seasonal shelter. Since then, this seasonal refuge has
compassion, their sense of social justice or their personal faith
been graciously hosted and warmly embraced by members of the
journeys, they have all contributed to our local ―movement‖ which
diverse and compassionate congregation at First Baptist Church.
offers safety and hope for people who are homeless. They have not
just earned our thanks but also the appreciation of the people we
Last summer, with the support from the Interfaith Housing
serve.
Corporation, I successfully worked alongside Jerry Gates, a
housing developer and member of First Baptist Church, and Laura
I believe together we can achieve the goal to build and provide
Quinn, our founding Executive Director who now serves as a
doors to everyone who needs one. With their support and yours, we
member of the Amherst Housing Authority, to establish Craig‘s
can make ―houses of hospitality‖ no longer necessary.
Doors — A Home Association, Inc. The agency name was chosen
in honor of Craig D. Lorraine a former guest. Craig‘s Doors was
Peace,
founded to initially develop a longer term shelter site and then to
establish transitional and permanent housing for people who are
Staff Close-ups
Jennifer Blain, Advocate and Shelter Manager
Jenn, a native of Hampden County, began her time with
us as a volunteer at the Craig’s Place Shelter. Her
compassion, and her experience in the U.S. Army Reserves,
proved to invaluable. In February, she became part of the
overnight staff. This summer Jenn is using her grant writing and
resource development experience to help Craig’s Doors and will be
one of the managers at Craig’s Place the next shelter season. Jenn is an
active member of the LGBTQIA community and enjoys blacksmithing
and demonstrating 19th century living history.
Rebekah Wilder, Director, Craig’s Place Shelter
Rebekah grew up in Western Massachusetts and has been
heavily involved in the community from an early age. After 13
years of participation in 4-H, Rebekah went on to study at
UMass Amherst and graduated with a degree in Journalism.
Rebekah has been intimately involved in the operation
and administration of the emergency shelter since her graduation. This year,
we are happy to welcome her as the Director of Craig’s Place. Her blend of
enthusiasm and experience are an invaluable asset to Craig’s Doors and we
look forward to her leadership in the shelter season to come.
Through Our Door is published by Craig‘s Doors - A Home Association, Inc. P.O. Box 101 Amherst, MA 01004-0101
Board of Directors: Jerry Gates ~ Seren Derin ~ Jan Dizard,~ Andrea Lorraine ~ Jim Lumley ~ Gerry Weiss
Part time staff: Kevin J. Noonan, Executive Director ~ Rebekah M. Wilder, Craig‘s Place Director ~ Jennifer Blain, Advocate
Craig‘s Doors - A Home Association, Inc. is a 501(c)3, secular, human services agency.
Contributions are tax-deductible. Phone: (413) 437-0776 Email: info@craigsdoors.org
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Reflections on a visit by Craig‘s Sister
―We observed a scene within Craig's Place that to us could only be described as a ―different world.
Sixteen cots lined up neatly across the shelter floor, some containing guests already asleep or resting contently.
There was the hustle and bustle of the shelter staff and volunteers checking in and assisting additional guests,
preparing dinner or cleaning up in the kitchen… A policewoman smiled kindly as she said hello and checked in with
the shelter staff and guests…. A doorbell signaled newly arriving guests…Guests sat at the dinner table, joking,
bantering back and forth over a warm sandwich and a bowl of hot soup…. One guest was kindly being asked to
settle down so others could catch up on much needed rest…. Some faces looked either very or remotely familiar,
others we didn‘t recognize. I couldn‘t help but attempt to notice who was now sleeping in the corner cot once
frequently occupied by my brother.
When told I was Craig‘s sister, some of the faces lit up as they recalled a story or two of their time spent with him,
quickly followed by sorrow in their voices as they remembered his death, offering their condolences for our loss and
expressing how much they still miss him. Others had no idea who he was and probably wondered who we were and
why we were there but they were friendly just the same. When I asked one young man, who was off to the side
soaking his swollen feet, where he was from, he replied ―everywhere, really‖
We were struck by how kind and compassionate everyone was to each other no
matter if you were a shelter guest, a staff member, volunteer, police officer, familiar
face or stranger. We were in awe at the obvious commitment and selflessness of
the shelter staff and volunteers. We wondered where each of the guests would be
that night — both physically and emotionally — if it weren‘t for the shelter; especially
since some were visibly intoxicated and would most likely have been turned away
elsewhere.
Craig Lorraine with another
sister, Francine
We felt a deep sense of family and community that felt extremely meaningful
to be a part of. For me the visit really brought to the forefront our mission as Craig‘s Doors and the fact lives could
TRULY be transformed through compassion, community, caring and commitment. But what struck me most of all as
I walked out of Craig‘s Place around 12:30am after most of the guests were fast asleep, was how good I felt about
something WE all have helped to create. Thank you all for your continued commitment towards our journey.
Sincerely,
Andrea
Andrea Lorraine is also a member of the Craig’s Doors Board of Directors
Shelter Needs
Toiletries
New Pillows &
Vinyl Covers
Fitted Sheets
Blankets
Hand Warmers
Ear plugs
Hats
Gloves
Socks
Laptop
Router
Florence Savings
Bank is running
their annual
Customer Choice
Community Grant
Contest.
If you have a
deposit or loan
account at FSB,
please cast a vote
for Craig‘s Doors!
Your vote can
help us qualify for
a share of
$75,000!!
Successful Shelter Season (Continued from Page 1)
Hwei-Ling Greeney, of Amherst Community Connections,
coordinated and supervised the preparation and sharing of 3,660
hearty meals throughout the season and Kevin Eddings, our
volunteer breakfast chef, provided menu choices that made guests
smile.
Despite these successes there were also challenges. Craig's
Place has a 16 cot capacity which was rarely sufficient to
accommodate everyone in need of shelter. From beginning to end
there were more guests than cots. It was very difficult to turn
anyone away even though everyone was offered a hot meal and a
chance to warm themselves before leaving. Whenever space was
available we transferred guests to other shelters but there were
times a nutritious meal and a warm blanket were all we could offer.
As we seek creative ways to overcome these and other
challenges we continue to expand upon our network of staff,
colleagues and volunteers. Our goal is to assist people who are
homeless to find and utilize any tools available which will help them
to become empowered to improve the quality of their lives.
Together, with your help, we can end homelessness.
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Thank you to the following , organizations, business, and individuals for their generous support:
Amherst College Homeless Connect
Amherst Community Connections
Amherst Friends of the Homeless
Amherst Fire Department
Amherst Korean Church
Amherst Police Department
Town of Amherst
Amherst Survival Center
Amherst Woman‘s Club
Away 2 Go Taxi
Berkshire Blanket
Church of the Redeemer
CDBG Advisory Committee
Eastern Bank
Eliot Community Human Services
El Jardin Bakery
First Baptist Church & Volunteers
First Congregational Church
Food Bank of Western Mass
Grace Episcopal Church
Hampshire Hospitality Group
Health Services for the Homeless
Immanuel Lutheran Church
Arnie Alper
Kevin Eddings
Bob Kumin
Jess Andrews
Ethan Edmondson
Eurasia Lambert
Hoai Quach
Charles Atwood
Jan Eidelson
Rick Last
Laura Quinn
Emma Ayres
Kate Ewall, M.D.
Mary Latham
Josh Raskin
Kathleen & Lawrence Bame
Kyle Ferendo
Louise Lavine
Rafael Reyes
Maureen Perry-Jenkins
Jean Bergstrom
Erin Ferry
Kevin & Dania Lefever
Annette Roback
Carolyn Bernstein
Brigid Foley
Jeff Lee
Katharine Roback
Aaron Blodgett
Denia Fraser,
Meghan Lemay
Amy Rothenberg
Aaron & Patience Bousel
Thomas Fricke
Victor Lessor
Jennifer Russell
Ronald Boyko
Sarah Gamalinda
Stewart Longsworth
Chelsea Sabia
Christine Brathwaite
Jerald & Lois Gates
Andrea Lorraine & Jason Elliott
Annie Scarff
Brian & Wendy Breed
Frank Gatti & Ellie Manire-Gatti
Marcie Sclove
Elizabeth Briskin
Dawn & Mark Gatzounas
Dr. Ronald &
Nancy Loescher
Caroline Broder
Lynn & Alexander Brofos
Stephanie Gelfan
Larry Goldbaum
Sylvia Brofos
Irma Gonzalez
Kate Brown
Reikka Simula Gooden
Matthew Brown
Hwei-Ling Greeney
Lena Budinger
Spring Greeney
Anne Campbell
Rama Hagos
Jeff Campbell
Tyler Hands
Marcos Canon
Sam Hannigan
Clarice Carmichael
Joshua Harper
Kyle & Caroline Cave
Philip Hendrix
Integrity Development &
Construction
Tom & Gail Carpenter
Interfaith Housing Corporation
Jim Chambers & Bekki Spencer
Andre & Irma Hinson
Local 888 SEIU
Xian Chen
Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld
(Town of Amherst Employees)
Jaymie & Michael Chernoff
Jim Holden
Jewish Community
of Amherst
John Clayton
Tracy Conner
Paul Herscu
Sheryl Holmes
Jim Lumley
Julie Marcus
Brett & Jenna Marquard
Frank & Suk Massey
Jaclyn Martin
Felin Martinez
Courage Matiza
Deb Mc Intosh
Marcus Mc Grigg
Dr. Molly Mead
Neil Mendelsson
Adriana Meza
Christine Miranda
Jessica Mix Barrington
Eli McKenna-Weiss
Michael Mongeau
Tom Scriver
Anna, Elsa & Peter Seterdahl
Amanda Small
Justina Smith
Ruth Solomon
Linda Stenlund
Tina Swift
Derek Szafarowicz
Daniel Villamizar
Richard Vachet
Gladys Wang
Chris Watkins
Keegan Watters
Beverly Weeks
Gerry Weiss & Jennifer McKenna
Sarah Wilder
Wayne & Charlene Wilder
John & Heather Hornik
Nathan Salwen
& Sue Morello
Meg Wright
Yesel Yoon
Maple Farm Foods
Tom Connor
Ruth Hooke
MercyHouse
Emily Morse
Megan Conville
Abby Hopper
Navigators
Rev. Greg & Carolyn Mozel
Hannah Cooper
Monika Horava
Nicole Murphy
Craig‘s Place Staff
Panera Bread
Mary Cornell
Priscilla Hunt
John Musante
Jennifer Blain
South Congregational Church
Paula Costain
Dustin Incle
Sandy Muspratt
Leila Ehrenberg
Staff of Craig's Place
Edith Cricien
Antoinette Jean
Kathleen Nelson
Joe Fleming
Starbucks
Lauren Croce
Tony Jewell
Linda Newcomb
Joe Fox
Stavros
Diana Cruz
Betsey Johnson
Tapestry Health Systems
Kevin Noonan
Celeste Guhl
David Darks
Eric Johnson
David Nyachuba
Marcel Mangual
UMass Rotaract Club
Lauren Delapenha
Danielle Kadinoff
Jim Oldham
Lisa Mary Carabello
Unitarian Universalist
Society of Amherst
Vita Nova
Zugui Taxi
David O‘Connor and his staff:
Jason, Aditi, Kiley & Tasha at the
UMass Campus Center Hotel Laundry
Taro Abe
Steve Adams
Doug Adler
Atty. Don & Edie Allison
Eric Delisle
Samuel Kaira
Deb Neubauer
Erik Reinbergs
Seren Derin
Jessica Kaliski
Donvan Odhiambo
Nina Nicholson
Jeffrey & Karen DeSantis
Kelly Keane
Jale Okay
Dan O‘Shea
Joe Dowling
David Keenan
Isolda Ortega-Bustamante
Cindy Utama
Aiya Duffy
Fay Khudairi
Andy & Allie O'Shea
Rebekah Wilder
Sarah Duffy
Sophie Kim
Susan Pacheco
Maria Yorgakopoulou
Kellis Dunn
Hannah Kotoski
Henry Pacheco
Sharon Dunn
Deana Kovacev
Ted Parker
Kwadwo Eck
Tatiana Krayushkina
Jessica Pergolotti
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Interfaith Housing Corporation
It probably would not have been possible to start Craig‘s Doors — A Home Association, Inc. were it not for the
compassionate generosity and strong support of the Interfaith Housing Corporation, Inc.
Established in November of 1966, with assistance from First Congregational Church and other area houses of
worship, the Interfaith Housing Corporation worked to develop affordable housing in a university town, most
notably Village Park Apartments.
Jan Dizard serves as the current President of the Interfaith Housing Corporation and as a pivotal member of the Craig‘s
Doors board. As the second-longest serving member of the Interfaith board, Jan has many memories of the activities of the
Interfaith Housing Corporation. We have asked Jan to share a few of them with you.
Tom Hancock, is the longest serving member of the Interfaith
board. Tom is a longtime resident of Village Park who was
elected by the residents of Village Park.
Tom has served their interests ably for decades.
I joined the board in the late 80s - early 90s when the original
board was comprised, as the name suggests, mostly of clergy
and senior laypersons in the churches in town. I replaced Ted
Greene, a senior colleague at Amherst College, after he retired.
My interest, then as now, was planning for the heterogeneous
needs of the Town's residents: from the low income residents,
most of whom were coming to Amherst seeking better lives for
their children and themselves, to the young graduate students
and beginning professors who had to compete with 4 - 8 undergrads for entry level rental housing.
Village Park was intended to provide affordable housing for
the group which was being priced out of the market. Local
churches raised a significant sum with which, [along] with HUD
and other federal monies, they were able to attract a pool of
investors who put up the lion’s share of the capital to build Village
Park. Interfaith retained a small proprietary stake in Village Park
which went through several investor turnovers (tax write-offs for depreciation, etc.) and, in my tenure on the Interfaith Board, two different management groups. We often acted as a liaison between the
tenants and the management groups.
Maybe 8 -10 years ago, all the HUD and other arrangements expired when Village Park "went private” with the stipulation that it
would remain "affordable.”.
Recently, through a partnership with Valley CDC, the Interfaith
Housing Corporation has brokered a deal which will net 4 units for
very low income individuals / families at Olympia Oaks.
When Craig’s Doors appeared [with plans to develop housing for
people who are homeless] we leapt at the opportunity to help it get off
the ground.
We believe this will be a productive partnership as we continue our
mission to provide affordable housing to people in need in our
community.
Help Craig’s Doors win a $5000 grant
through the Summer of Excitement campaign of the
Berkshire Bank Foundation.
Go to www.facebook.com/BerkshireBank and click ―Like”.
Next click on the page tab ―Vote Here‖
Click Enter Sweepstakes‖ and then ―Go to App”.
Enter Craig’s Doors from Amherst, MA as your charity of choice
Organizations with the most votes in each of Berkshire Bank‘s regions
will receive a grant of $5,000. Vote online through August 31st, 2012
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Board Member Spotlight
Jan Dizard is a professor at Amherst College where he has taught since 1969.
He has served the town in a number of capacities - an elected town meeting
member, ten plus years on the Planning Board, a board member and now
president of Interfaith Housing which has been actively promoting affordable
housing for the past forty years.
He is a founding member of Friends of Amherst Recreation and has
volunteered for many task forces, most recently working with the Council on
Aging to facilitate a study of the needs of the town‘s elderly population.
Mission Statement
Craig‘s Doors is committed
to helping people to find
ways to become
empowered to improve
the quality of their lives
through the creation of safe,
respectful shelter and
housing.
Craig‘s Doors:
Challenges the stereotypes
and practices which
perpetuate homelessness;
Fosters sustainable
independence through
access to supportive
services;
Cultivates collaborative
relationships to generate
new opportunities;
Builds community which
inspires positive change.
A Thank You From A Guest
[We received this letter from a former guest who had stayed with us during the last shelter season.
Their perspective illustrates how Craig’s Doors and Craig’s Place helps to change people’s lives.]
―In December, I found myself outside this shelter, not knowing what to expect. I came in, quietly
asked for a sandwich, and expected to be on my way out of here in no less than a week. As it turns
out, my stay was much longer.
Over the course of my stay, I met a lot of people. Some didn‘t seem so nice, yet almost all were
just decent people trying to get back on their feet. We were all there using, depending on the services
provided by that staff. We got free sandwiches, soup, and coffee, anything I‘d ever take if I ever found
myself homeless.
I almost expected one night for this food to run out, for the people helping us out to realize that
they were giving away free food to people they didn‘t even know. But that never happened. In fact,
the staff always seemed to make it their personal mission that I didn‘t go hungry. It was an amazing
thing, to be able to depend on Craig‘s Place as a place for food, warmth, and even a bed. That made
things so much easier for me. I was able to concentrate on the day-to-day problems without having to
worry about if I was going to eat this week.
I would like to thank all the staff and all the volunteers for helping out this small part of the
community when they were knocked down. I would also like to thank quite a few people that helped
me out on many other things. It would have been a very cold winter without you guys. So thank you
for helping me out in a time of need. I hope you continue holding anyone else up that happens to
stop by at Craig‘s Place.
Board Member Spotlight
Gerry Weiss has been a family therapist for 36 years and has always
worked in Community Mental Health in order to serve-under privileged
individuals and families. He has also maintained a private practice in
Amherst for 25 years.
Gerry has been involved in several organizations working for peace
and justice. He was elected to the Amherst Select Board and served on that board for 6
years. His focus then, as it is now, is to find ways to help the underprivileged have a voice
in government.
Photo Courtesy of www.myhats.org
While on the Select Board Gerry helped get the Emergency Winter Shelter up and
running to give a warm place and a hot meal to homeless men and women who came to
the shelter. It will be a wonderful day in Amherst when there is a permanent emergency
shelter and housing for everyone who wants housing. I'm grateful for this opportunity to try
to make this dream a reality.
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A Song In The Key of Life (continued from Page 1)
Nothing feels better than getting to use your own key to get into your house
―The day I arrived it was my goal to be out of there and with
Marcos said ―I told them I didn‘t care what I did, as long as I could
everybody‘s help, I did it .‖ By late February, Marcos was given keys do something.‖ Marcos feels good having money in his pocket and
to an area apartment managed by the South Middlesex Opportunity said ―If I see something I want at the store, I can get it‖
Council (SMOC)! He was ecstatic about having his own key saying
―Nothing feels better than getting to use your own key to get into
your house.‖ Marcos now has a home where he can stay indefinitely.
“The grass may be greener on the other
side of the fence but I’m not going to forget
the side I came from”
There is a kitchen, a dinning room and a living room on the first
floor of this beautifully appointed, three-story brick home. It also has
bedrooms throughout and a full bathroom for every two tenants, so
Marcos no longer has to sign up for a shower! Aside from having a
house key, his bedroom door also has its very own lock. ―Its safe, its
Marcos has spent about $300 of his hard earned money to build a
sound, and its secure‖ Marcos said.
stunningly beautiful garden. He shares his herbs and vegetables
with everyone in the house. Taking care of his health, getting a
Once Marcos settled into his apartment, he took the initiative to
find a job and now works full time at a local restaurant within walking drivers license, and living in his own place are the new goals Marcos
has set for himself. ―The grass may be greener on the other side of
distance of his home and shared community.
the fence but I‘m not going to forget the side I came from‖
Craig‘s Place Emergency Shelter is graciously hosted by:
First Baptist Church of Amherst, Massachusetts.
November 1st through April 30th ~ 9:30 p.m.- 8:00 a.m.
Craig‘s Place has a behavior based admission policy.
We do not discriminate based on race, color, creed, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.
Services include:
Overnight Shelter
Medical Clinic
Dinner and breakfast
Referrals to social services
Access to showers
Housing referrals
Craig‘s Doors is committed to the long range goal of developing
transitional and permanent affordable housing with supportive services.
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A Man, A Marimba and a Mission
Craig D. Lorraine (1966-2011)
Craig‘s Doors was founded in the summer of 2011 and Craig‘s Place Emergency Shelter
opened last fall. Craig‘s Doors and Craig‘s Place were named in honor of Craig D. Lorraine
(1966 - 2011).
A 1984 graduate of Chicopee Comprehensive High School, Craig was a member of the St.
Regis Mohawk Tribe and a proud Navy veteran who served his country during the Persian
Gulf War. A beloved and cherished brother of four sisters and a talented street musician,
Craig played his wooden marimba on the streets as a way of giving back to the community.
Craig was well known in the communities of Northampton and Amherst and his untimely
death in February of 2011 saddened many.
On one cold night, at the end of a difficult day, Craig expressed this wish to a staff member:
―Sometimes I just wish I had a door … a door I can close!‖
This simple wish inspired us to establish
Craig‘s Doors - A Home Association, Inc.
Craig Lorraine playing his
treasured marimba on a
street in Northampton
(Photo Courtesy of www.myhats.org)
―Because everyone deserves a door of their own.”
Help us continue to provide shelter and services to those without a door of their own!
Please send your tax-deductible contribution today!
Donations by credit card can be made securely online via our website: www.craigsdoors.org/donate
Enclosed Check made payable to Craig‘s Doors
Please Send me more Information Regarding Craig‘s Doors
Name ________________________________________
Address_______________________________________
City, State, Zip _________________________________
Please return this coupon and your gift to:
Craig‘s Doors - A Home Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 101, Amherst, MA 01004 –0101
256 N. Pleasant St. Amherst, MA. 01002 –1729
Phone ________________________________________
E-mail address _________________________________
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