Jared’s Goodbye to The Brick House

I showed up at The Brick House in September of 2003 in my clean, new AmeriCorps sweatshirt, not sure exactly what to expect. I certainly didn’t expect to be walking into an organization that would become such a big part of my life for the next 14 years.

As many of you know, I’ve made the hard decision to leave my position as Director of Operations at The Brick House — the position I’ve held for the last seven years. I’ve picked this opportunity to move on because I see that the organization is healthy and there are committed staff in place who have done an exceptional job building our programs and our organization.

I appreciate the kind words that many of you have already shared with me. If you’re in search of a gesture of thanks, please consider making a donation in lieu of gifts. I have plenty of wonderful memories, and the best gift would be knowing that The Brick House has your continued support. We don’t have much money, and we’ve learned to live on a lean budget. Much of our budget each year goes to staffing. This work is HARD. Some of the hardest work is done by direct-service staff. We want to continue to offer needed services, and to meet the needs of our community, while also being able to offer a living wage to those who make it happen. For this we have always relied on the support of our community.

I will greatly miss my days in Turners, chatting with neighbors while running errands on Avenue A. I’m so proud to see youth that have come through The Brick House Teen Center navigate the bumpy road to adulthood successfully, and to see them take on exciting new challenges — though it’s starting to make me feel old! I have worked alongside so many wonderful and talented people from the Gill-Montague Community School Partnership, GMRSD, town offices, service agencies, restaurants, and other businesses. I feel privileged to be part of this community.

With gratitude,
Jared