INHS’ Annual Meeting was full of inspiring speakers, toe-tapping music, impassioned performances, belly-aching laughter, and hearty applause!

The theme of the event, Meet the Mission, highlighted the breadth and depth of INHS and its programs throughout 2020 and 2021, as well as the people it serves throughout its seven county service area.

Click here to view the 2020/21 INHS Annual Report.

Below is a recap of the amazing efforts of INHS’s four lines of business (plus two other major projects) in both 2020 and 2021, INHS award recipients, and Annual Meeting keynote speaker, Richard Rivera.

Property Management

• INHS purchased a 46-unit senior property, Verona Village, in Ovid, NY, and welcomed two new staff members who’d been with Verona Village for over forty years!
• INHS was able to host a vaccination clinic for Newfield Garden Apartments, a senior property, in its community room for residents.
• Staff member Amber Compton called over 300 INHS residents to check-in and connect them to community resources during the height of the pandemic.

Construction Services

• Staff members renovated an unoccupied 1880 farmhouse in INHS’s Community Housing Trust in Ovid, NY.
• Provided free health and safety upgrades to 284 seniors, those with disabilities, and single heads of households with dependents throughout the Minor Repair Program in Tompkins County.

Homeownership Preservation/Lending

• Assisted 143 households with over $460,000 in rental assistance with repurposed grant funds in Schuyler, Seneca, Tioga, and Tompkins Counties.
• Helped 158 people with 59 first-time home buyer loans of up to $20,000.
• Over 1,120 people participated in either Home Buyer Education or one-on-one counseling services.

Real Estate Development

• Opened Glen Lake Apartments in Schuyler County, a new development with 34 units and a 7,000+ square-foot childcare center in Watkins Glen.
• Completed the renovation and new construction of Cayuga Flats, that included 29 apartments scattered throughout the City of Ithaca.

Other INHS Highlights

• INHS purchased Compass, Manufactured Home Community with intentions of improving the overall structure of the community, and provide health and safety upgrades, as well as energy efficiency upgrades. This is the first purchase of its kind for INHS.
• In a collaborative effort between Opportunities, Alternatives and Resources of Tompkins County, commonly known as OAR, Ultimate Re-Entry Opportunity for Tompkins County, also known as URO, and INHS, the Sunflower Houses went from an idea into reality. This program provides safe, affordable housing for 12 humans that are ready to change their lives. 

Florence Hoard Community Beautification Award

Named in honor of a revered member of the Ithaca Garden Club who was a symbol of, and voice for, beautification in the City of Ithaca. Noted for her efforts during the City’s centennial celebration, Florence Hoard organized “plant crusades” to get shoots from area gardens into the yards of downtown residents and was a founder of the popular Mother’s Day Plant Exchange, which is held each year at Ithaca High School.

Today we recognize another devoted community member who has brought the beauty of the natural world into the lives of many.

2020/21 Awardee: Jeanne Grace, City of Ithaca Forester 

Lucy J. Brown Leadership Award

Named for Lucy Brown who has made significant and lasting contributions to both INHS and the greater Ithaca community through her leadership and service. As one of the founders of INHS, Lucy was instrumental in its long-term growth and its commitment to mission.

Each year INHS awards the Lucy J. Brown Leadership Award to a member or members of our community who, like Lucy, exemplify a similar commitment to community and neighborhood, as a voice and advocate for those who have been typically under-represented, and whose efforts have made a difference in the lives of many.

2020/21 Awardees: Richard Rivera and Haley Romero of Sunflower Houses

INHS Exemplary Service Award

This new award was created in honor of recently-retired INHS board member David Sprague, who dedicated three decades of his life to serving on the INHS Board of Directors. His commitment and dedication to INHS is unparalleled!

2020/21 Awardee: David Sprague 

Keynote Speaker

Richard Rivera is the Associate Director of Cornell’s Prison Education Program. He is also the Outreach and Reentry Coordinator for Opportunities, Alternatives, and Resources (“OAR”) of Tompkins County. Richard is also an ethnographic researcher looking at the intersectionalities of mental health, substance use, and homelessness in Ithaca’s homeless encampments commonly referred to as “The Jungle.” A social justice advocate, Richard has published scholarly articles and has appeared on several panels covering such issues as the traumatic effects of serialized parole denials to pandemics and carceral environments.

Special thank you to Board Member Rachel Lampert who produced a wonderful show full of song, laughter, and passion that showcased INHS’ commitment to the community, and to the flawless performers!