Six years ago, the Community Homes of Lebanon County Board of Directors decided to step forward and provide new, safe, affordable, handicap-friendly housing to qualified Lebanon County families and disadvantaged individuals in need. Their rent would be capped at 30% of their income. The units collectively are called the Canal Street Affordable Housing Development.

The dream became a reality this spring when the first eight units of a planned 23-unit development were completed. It was a joyous, life-changing experience for the occupants.

Let us share a story of one of them. Her name is Ivonne Torres.

Ivonne was born in Puerto Rico. Two weeks after her birth, she was given up for adoption by the birth mother to her aunt’s sister and her husband in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. She has been a Lebanon native ever since.

“I consider my aunt and uncle to be my real parents,” Ivonne says. “They raised me, were there for me growing up, and have been wonderful parents.”

Ivonne was educated in the Lebanon school system and graduated from Lebanon High School.

Her career path reflects her caring and compassionate personality. Her work choices included the medical field (duties at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center), where she was part of a traveling team providing pediatric care and echocardiograms in different parts of Pennsylvania.

She was slowed down due to a cancer diagnosis in 2006. She is, thankfully, in remission but still requires treatment to stay that way. She still works part-time in a local shelter for women.

She has taken work breaks due to burnout but has consistently bounced back.

She has lived in different places in the Lebanon area. A low point was living in a small apartment in a section of a barn; at that time, she was legally considered homeless.

But in the end, her spirit and strong faith prevailed. Ivonne is a member of Lebanon’s Calvary Chapel and worked for Pastor Thom Keller. Pastor Keller, who serves on the Board of Directors of Community Homes? Calvary Chapel played a crucial role in acquiring the land for the Canal Affordable Housing project. He helped Ivonne secure one of the eight units as her new home. She moved in this spring.

When asked how her life had changed, Ivonne was quick to respond. “I broke down and cried when I saw the place. I instantly felt safe and at peace. And I am so grateful for the support from the Community Homes team – Lori, Susie, Bonnie, and Charlie. They are walking with me on my journey. I never feel alone.”

Community Homes CEO Charlie Rush comments, “Ivonne Torres is just one story in our complex of 298 occupied units throughout Lebanon County. We take pride in being a positive factor in so many lives.”

Board Chair Glenn Wenger adds, “On the drawing board, there are 15 more units planned for the Canal Street Affordable Housing project. We are looking for the generous support of our Lebanon County businesses and individuals to continue so the project can be completed in the next several years.”

Guidelines for success

We have reviewed our Core Values previously in Charlie’s Corner blogs on our website.

Here they are again, they are for your reference: Truth, responsibility, hope, respect, compassion, fairness, and safety.

But – Unless action plans accompany these words, they are just “words on a page.”

So, I would like to show you an example of an action plan in this column.

We call it the StopLight Report.

Once annually, a team representing our Board of Directors has a sit-down meeting with residents of our Community Homes locations. The Directors exchange views with residents on a variety of topics and provide the residents with an opportunity to advise Community Homes on issues that could improve their lives.

The meeting report is written and becomes the basis of a subsequent follow-up meeting conducted by CEO Charlie Rush and Site Administration and Resident Services Department representatives. The information shows what tasks have been completed, works in progress, and what work has not been completed, with reasons why.

Using an example, Charlie Rush and Charlotte McNamara recently met with residents of Tulpehocken Terrace in Myerstown. The forum was relaxed and cordial, reflecting the relationship between staff and management. “It is vitally important that communication channels remain open at all times. Our resident community is delighted and grateful to live in a comfortable, affordable, and safe environment. Having systems in place like the StopLight Reports assures that we are living up to the commitment outlined in our Core Values,” concludes Charlie Rush.