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From YouTube: Elizabeth Stone House Topping Off
Description
A small tree perched upon the final beam of the new Elizabeth Stone House in Roxbury signifies a new beginning for the organization in its mission to provide shelter and resources to survivors of domestic violence. Mayor Walsh, City Councillor Essaibi George, State Representative Liz Malia, as well as project and community partners, celebrate this significant milestone.
A
A
We're
here
to
celebrate
an
important
milestone
in
our
journey.
Our
new
building
is
by
far
the
single
biggest
accomplishment
that
I
have
seen
since
coming
to
the
Elizabeth
stone
house
20
years
ago.
Actually
more
than
20
years
ago,
our
organization
has
helped
thousands
of
families
since
we
started
in
1974,
but
we
have
always
been
constrained
by
space.
A
Our
new
home
will
allow
us
to
make
a
much
bigger
difference
in
the
lives
of
our
families
and
the
surrounding
community.
We
could
never
have
achieved
it
without
the
encouragement
in
support
of
our
partners
and
our
special
guests
here.
Mayor
Marty,
Walsh
Anisa
I
said
that
by
George
and
Liz
Maya
who's
been
coming
to
the
stone
house
for
years.
A
Every
project
needs
a
team.
We
are
fortunate
to
have
one
of
the
strongest
teams
in
town
from
the
Stonehouse
Board
of
Directors,
under
the
leadership
of
our
President
Mary
Ann
Sotelo,
who
woke
up
one
morning
having
dreamed
of
a
new
home
for
us,
the
indomitable
stone
house
staff
on
the
front
lines
every
day.
A
To
the
architects,
the
narrow
gate
and
studio
MLA
to
the
fantastic
del
Brooke
jks
team
and
the
sub
contours
their
subcontractors,
who,
under
the
leadership
of
Mike
fish,
are
bringing
this
dream
closer
to
reality.
Every
day
to
our
amazing
finance
partners,
elected
leaders
and
generous
donors,
TD
Bank
Boston,
private
c-dac
children's
investment
fund,
ffh,
L
Bank,
Boston,
Massachusetts,
Department
of
Housing
and
Community
Development,
Massachusetts
Department
of
Early
Education
and
care.
A
A
Halloween
is
a
big
deal
at
the
Elizabeth
stone
house,
our
kids
all
get
dressed
up
in
costumes
and
go
trick-or-treating
from
office
to
office.
It's
complete
chaos,
but
it's
one
of
the
best
events
of
our
year
since
Halloween
is
next
week.
I
just
can't
help
myself
I'm
standing
here,
imagining
all
of
you
and
superhuman
superhero
costumes.
A
You
are
heroes
to
us.
You
are
the
reason
we're
gathered
to
get
to
celebrate
our
progress
without
your
heroic
efforts.
We
wouldn't
be
here
to
sign
the
final
steel
beam
on
our
new
home
as
unbelievable
as
it
sounds.
The
Boston
Police
Department
made
almost
19,000
service
calls
related
to
domestic
violence
last
year
and
even
more
unbelievable,
there's
evidence
that
only
one
incident
in
four
is
reported.
You
do
the
math.
The
long-term
consequences
are
devastating
not
just
to
the
adults
but
especially
to
the
children.
A
Yet
today's
events
are
all
about
hope.
We
are
telling
our
community
and
the
world
at
large
that
the
Elizabeth
stone
house
and
every
individual
every
organization
represented
here
today
is
absolutely
committed
to
ending
that
devastation.
Today,
we
take
a
huge
step
forward
towards
achieving
that
goal.
When
we
open
the
doors
to
our
new
home
next
year,
we
will
welcome
families
who
need
us
to
a
refuge
with
32
units
of
affordable
rental
housing,
a
childcare
center
on
site
and
space
for
counseling
support
services
and
community
programming.
A
A
B
Thank
You
Nancy
I
want
to
thank
you.
Nancy
I
want
to
thank
the
board.
Everyone
Elizabeth's
own
house.
Thank
you
for
what
you
do.
My
involvement
Elizabeth's
own
houses
is
pretty
pretty
simple.
There's
a
guy
in
my
neighborhood
his
name
was
Joe
Jason
and
he
told
me
his
niece
worked
for
the
Elizabeth
stone
house
and
he
said
you
have
to
help
them
and
it
was
I.
B
Not
helping
and
I
want
to
thank
Mary
Ann,
who
Sierra
and
Jason
and
Joe
who's
looking
down
on
us
today,
for
if
you
knew
Joe
Jason
a
nice
in
those
Joe
Jason,
because
she
was
part
of
the
Civic
Association,
he
was
a
guy,
he
couldn't
say
no
to
he
just
and
he
wouldn't
ask
you
anything.
He
would
just
tell
you
to
do
something
and
you
had
to
do
it
I'm.
So
it's
so
exciting
to
be
here
today.
B
I
want
to
thank
the
elected
officials
as
well
state
representative,
Liz
Maya,
who
goes
back
with
the
stone
house,
Elizabeth
stone
house
a
long,
long
way
and
in
in
City
Council
nice
rossabi
George,
who
is
focused
her
career
and
a
lot
of
ways
on
young
people
and
families,
and
and
what
we're
doing
here
today
fits
right
in
with
what
she
does.
So
thank
you
to
all
the
partners
today.
B
B
Nancy
talked
about
this.
Everyone
deserves
a
safe
place
to
live
and
a
place
to
call
home
every
single
person,
it's
fundamental
to
our
well-being.
That's
that's
one
of
the
things
that
gets
stolen
by
predators
of
domestic
violence.
What
should
be
a
safe
haven
becomes
a
place
of
trauma,
fear
and
no
way
to
escape
from
there's
a
lot
to
rebuild
and
restore
that's
that
safe
haven,
law
enforcement
and
justice,
safety
and
protection,
financial,
rebuilding
and
job
training,
childcare,
counseling
for
kids
and
making
sure
that
people
feel
safe
and
women
feel
safe,
healing
and
therapy.
B
The
Elizabeth
stone
House
makes
all
of
that
possible.
We
break
a
lot
of
grounds
in
Boston
and
we
we
go
to
a
lot
of
buildings
and
I'm
downtown
a
lot
and
I
talk
about
this
great
building.
It's
gonna
house,
2,000
employees
and
people
are
gonna,
make
all
kinds
of
money
I
go
to
another
building.
This
building
is
gonna
house
400
residents
and
it's
in
the
middle
of
the
heart
of
Boston.
B
This
is
a
new
five-star
hotel
that
we're
doing
all
these
great
things
that
we
do
around
the
city
of
Boston
to
grow
our
city,
but
but
today
is
really
probably
the
most
important,
because
what
we're
building
here
is
a
home
a
place
to
be
safe,
a
place
to
heal
a
place
to
be
home
again.
32
units
of
housing
connected
with
new
space.
For
all
incredible
people
and
incredible
services
to
help
those
people
get
back
on
there
like
it,
did
get
back
on
their
feet.
B
These
will
be
homes
designed
to
rebuild
a
sense
of
being
at
home.
Domestic
violence
is
Nancy,
said
it's
far
too
common
in
2018,
and
she
said
the
Boston
Police
Department
reported
making
19,000
service
calls
for
domestic
violence
incidents.
Out
of
those
calls,
nearly
half
were
in
neighborhoods
that
will
be
served
in
this
new
facility.
The
Elizabeth
stone
house
saves
lives
and
it's
soon,
gonna
be
able
to
save
more
lives.
I
think
we
should
thank
the
people
that
are
here
today
that
work
with
the
people
who
were
close
with
someone
else.
B
Our
goal
in
the
city
with
Liz,
Maya
and
Anissa
is
to
support
survivors
and,
ultimately,
to
end
domestic
violence.
The
Boston
Public
Health
Commission,
the
Family
Justice
Center
works
with
the
Boston
Police
Department
in
the
District
Attorney's
Office
Flake
organ
with
organizations
like
Elizabeth
stone
house
to
coordinate
services,
all
of
our
departments
from
women's
advancements.
The
Neighborhood
Development
are
committed
to
partner
as
well.
We
are
proud
to
provide
2.1
million
dollars
grants
as
part
of
the
financing
package
for
the
facilities
we've
created
over
6,000,
affordable
subsidized
housing
units
under
a
housing
plan.
B
These
32
units,
as
I,
said
earlier,
expected
more
special
because
they
come
with
so
much
support
that
they
need
to
make
and
deserve
so
people
can
can
understand
and
help
and
know
that
we
love
them
all
I
want
to
thank
the
little
bit's
own
house
and
all
the
partners
and
the
dedications
for
their
dedication.
I
want
to
thank
the
board
when
I
met,
Mary,
Ann
I
think
it
was
five
six
years
ago,
seven
years
ago,
this
was
a
dream.
This
is
a
dream
and
I
thought
to
myself.
B
While
this
dream
will
happen,
I'm
just
not
sure
when
it's
gonna
happen
and
I
can't
I
can't
tell
you
I,
don't
know
all
the
board
of
directors,
but
I
know
that
there's
probably
no
more
dedicated
board
of
people
than
this
board,
because
you
dug
in
you
fought
hard
in
this
beautiful
building.
That's
being
built
behind
me
is
because
of
you
and
the
people
that
you
you
represent
on
that
board.
So
I
want
to
thank
everyone
for
being
here
today.
I
want
to
thank
you
all
and
want
you
all
not
to
know.
B
A
A
There
are
many
stories
explaining
why
buildings
under
construction
get
topped
with
trees
to
the
Vikings
and
other
northern
European.
The
tree
signified
completion,
placing
a
tree
on
top
of
a
building
meant
it's
time
to
celebrate.
Some
tales
attribute
the
ritual
to
Native
Americans,
who
believe
that
no
structure
should
be
taller
than
3,
whatever
their
origins
today.
A
This
tree
signifies
that
the
steel
framing
is
complete
and
expresses
a
wish
for
continued
good
luck
for
the
project,
its
builders
and
for
its
eventual
occupants
and
like
this
tree,
Elizabeth
stone
house
celebrates
new
growth,
environmental
consciousness,
safety
and
progress
for
the
building
team.
Most
importantly,
we
wish
for
continued
strength
for
our
organization
and
for
the
thousands
of
families
who
will
benefit
from
this
new
home
I.
Thank
you
all
for
being
with
us
on
this
journey
to
safety
and
wellness
for
the
thousands
of
folks.