PUBLISHED BY MOSHOLU PRESERVATION CORPORATION

Concourse House Celebrates 15 Years of Second Chances

By NORA BYRNES

Concourse House, a nonprofit shelter for women and their children, celebrated 15 years of service last month in a ceremony that was both emotional and joyful.

Employees, volunteers and residents were treated to Salvadoran food and Hula dancers, as Rebecca Peterson explained to the packed auditorium how the shelter helped transform her life.

“In my time of need, they were there for me,” said Peterson, 27, who sought services from Concourse House when her son became very ill. “When I was here, I finally decided that I have to stand on my own two feet.”

Concourse House was founded in 1991 by Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation (FBHC), a nonprofit that owns dozens of apartment buildings in the area, to provide safe transitional accommodations for mothers and their children. The shelter has served over 1,300 women and 2,000 children from all over the city. In addition to free accommodations, the facility also provides help in finding and maintaining permanent housing.

Homeless shelters can evoke images of threatening, unkempt and overcrowded facilities. Patrice Jordan, 24, was similarly nervous about moving into a shelter, but she says finding Concourse House was a blessing. “All the girls here, together we all build a family,” said Jordan, a single mother of two.

Single women who are pregnant, or those who have no more than four children under the age of nine, are referred to Concourse House by the city Department of Homeless Services. Most families live in the shelter between six and nine months before they move into permanent housing.

Each of the 42 families has their own individual apartment, with smaller families sharing a bathroom or kitchen. The women spend much of their time with one another, taking their children out to play and eating Sunday dinner together.

In addition to childcare and counseling, the organization helps the women develop an extended support network of residents, staff and community members. Neighbors often donate food, toys and, most importantly, their time.

The celebration particularly honored Florence Maduro, who has volunteered with children at the shelter for 13 years. “I get as much pleasure out of it as the kids,” said Maduro, laughing. “It’s a joy [to be] with them.”

Jordan said Maduro made her children feel at home. “My kids were always asking me if they could go read with Flo,” she said. Even after they move out of the shelter, Peterson and Jordan both say they will come back to visit with Maduro and the rest of the staff.

In her speech, Manuela Schaudt, Concourse House’s executive director, stressed her agency’s role in providing women with a rare opportunity for a second chance. Peterson attested to that gift.

“They believed in me even when I didn’t,” said Peterson, who is moving into an apartment on Park Avenue and hopes to become a police officer. “They help you restart your life.”

Back to Features Index Page