Mark and Candace Care For the Homeless | Donor Dossier
Mark Woollett and Candace Clift are California natives – Mark hails
from Orange, CA and Candace from the greater Sacramento area. But they met in
Massachusetts, both acting in a production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They moved to
New York City in 2013, and as many artists who move here can attest, it can be
hard to pay the bills while following your dreams. They keep their toes dipped
firmly in the world of theatre by working at The Barrow Group Theatre Company
and School, where Mark helps in finance and Candace works in school operations
and teaches, in addition to several other jobs between them!
Q.
How did you first learn about Care For the
Homeless?
A. Mark heard an NPR story about a group in Boston that
provides Medical care for the homeless and was inspired to see if a similar
organization existed in New York City. A quick Google search brought him to
Care For The Homeless, and he was impressed by its mission and accomplishments.
But there is a deeper level to the story. We were distressed as a couple about
our almost daily experiences in the streets of New York; the human misery and
sickness we were walking by, not knowing how to help. Candace’s battle in 2016
with Triple Negative Breast Cancer also made us keenly aware of how lucky we
were to have insurance when we really needed it. Illness is vulnerability. We
were so lucky to face that fearful situation with a roof over our heads and
insurance to pay the bills. Our hearts were breaking for those we saw on an
almost daily basis struggling with illness on the streets. So we decided to
contribute towards a solution.
Q.
What compelled you choose CFH as a recipient
of your support?
A. We found ourselves overwhelmed by the homeless
situation and the complexity of each individual story. The causes of
homelessness are many, complex and intertwined, and there is no one solution or
magic bullet. One thing is certain though, everything is harder for those
struggling with ill health or mental illness. CFH has a pragmatic approach to
dealing with the wide-ranging medical needs of those who live on the street.
And to us that seems to be a compassionate place to start in tackling the
larger problem of homelessness in our city.
Q. Why did you decide to provide your support
as a monthly gift?
A. We support monthly because we witness human need daily
in New York. This way, our support is ongoing, like the challenges CFH, and
folks on the street, are facing.
Q. Why
do you continue to support the organization?
A. This year we had the opportunity to attend a couple of
events, one that described new initiatives that CFH is working on, the other a
celebration of success stories of those CFH supports. Both events were
inspirational, and we left with a lot of respect for and confidence in the
people doing the work at CFH.
Q. What would you say to someone to encourage
them to support CFH, and to consider signing-up for a monthly gift?
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