The reality of saying goodbye to Grace House I — May 14, 2012
When we first received the news that the lease between Grace House I and St. Joan of Arc would end, I was in shock and then feelings of bittersweet nostalgia overcame me. I felt we were “losing” a piece of our noble history. Although I understood the rationale for the church’s decision, the news was still quite a shock. Grace House I, after all, was the second home in the Twin Cities dedicated specifically to HIV/AIDS.
Since 1990, hundreds of HIV-positive men and women have lived at Grace House I. We estimate 96 people died there. At Clare Housing, we talk a lot about giving folks a sense of “place” and a sense of “home” and Grace House embodied those sentiments for 22 years.
After about a week of grieving, the staff and I realized we had to get busy. We needed to make pro-active, smart housing placement plans for the residents so that they could land safely within Clare Housing’s programs. We met with clients, their families, and their social workers to start the planning process. We worked hard and were focused on one thing – a smooth transition in finding a new home for each resident!
We moved David to Clare House and Terry to Damiano, there they receive the same hands on care they received at Grace House I. Greg was ready to live more independently and moved into the supportive services program at Clare Apartments. Unfortunately, Blaine passed away during this planning phase, an unexpected yet symbolic event that reflects the still-unpredictable life of HIV.
Once the residents settled into their new homes we began purging, packing, labeling and boxing 22 years of belongings in the house. Clients’ belongings had to be packed and moved; house belongings had to be sorted through. We hauled many household items to our other housing programs. My motto to the staff during this time was “hard work is good for grief, keep working!” Several staff members went above and beyond the call of duty to make it all happen.
It has been 6 weeks since we turned in the Grace House I keys to St. Joan of Arc and in that time David, Terry and Greg have settled into their new homes. Unfortunately, we had to lay off a full-time position since there were 4 fewer residents to care for.
I visit regularly with David, Terry and Greg at each of their new homes. They are doing so well adapting to their new space, roommates and caregivers and, most importantly, adhering to their HIV meds to stay healthy.
I am proud of the staff and caregivers who were there every step of the journey to say goodbye to Grace House I. In the end, I know we will learn how to do our good work with 5 community care homes, instead of 6. And moving forward, I know we will undoubtedly develop new housing opportunities for people with HIV/AIDS in the Twin Cities. Even without Grace House I, the staff at Clare Housing remains dedicated to providing stable and caring homes to people living with HIV/AIDS.