Last week Carrie MacLean was recognized as a nominee at Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA’s 2017 Excellence in Service Awards ceremony. Interfaith’s Executive Director Rick Doane was honored to highlight her contributions to our organization.
Carrie’s involvement with Interfaith Social Services goes back decades. She has been volunteering with our organization and participating in our annual walkathon since she was a teenager.
In 2014 Carrie spearheaded the launch of a volunteer initiative between Blue Cross employees and Interfaith’s Food Pantry. Interfaith Social Services operates one of the largest emergency food programs in Greater Boston, distributing over 500,000 meals to hungry clients every year. Over the past three years hundreds of Blue Crew members have served in the pantry. They have distributed groceries for our clients, they have handed our Halloween costumes and Easter Baskets to kids in need. They have worked in our food pantry garden growing fresh vegetables for our clients. They have become part of our team.
In 2015 alone Blue Crew members assembled and donated 57 backpacks full of school supplies so that the kids served by our food pantry could start the school year off right.
Each month Carrie coordinates a team of Blue Crew members who volunteer serving in our food pantry. Not only does she make sure that each team has all of the information they need before they arrive, she follows up with them afterward. She sends us feedback about their experience. This is invaluable in helping to give future volunteers the best experience possible.
Carrie personally organizes a holiday food drive at BCBSMA’s Quincy office each year and transports the donations to our food pantry. She has been doing this each year this since 2014.
She is currently coordinating a clothing drive at BCBSMA for our Thrift Shop and Career Clothing programs. In addition to collecting pajamas for Room to Grow and other items needed by Cradles to Crayons.
She brought a team of her colleagues, friends and family to our 5K Race in April. This #StopTheStigma event shows that our community stands with those affected by mental illness or addiction.
Interfaith’s business model is structured around the principle of “neighbors helping neighbors.” We only have a few paid employees. Wherever possible volunteers staff our programs and provide services to our clients. Last year volunteers contributed over 23,000 of service through Interfaith Social Services programs. The teams of Blue Crew members that Carrie organizes make it possible for us to fulfill our mission. Our organization could not survive without this kind of support from the community.
Everyone here at Interfaith is so grateful for Carrie’s contributions. We also feel blessed to have a business like Blue Cross here on the South Shore; a business that not only supports but encourages and recognizes their employees who are invested in the community.
Depression. Addiction. Anxiety. These illnesses affect one in five adults every year. So why aren’t more people taking about these health issues? Interfaith Social Services’ hosted our 43rd Annual South Shore Walk & 5K Race on Saturday April 29, 2017. Our goal was to get people talking and to raise funding for those in need of treatment who had nowhere else to turn for help. Our community rallied – hundreds of people filled the streets of Quincy – mission accomplished!
The phrase “Stop the Stigma” was painted on almost all available surfaces at the event. From t-shirts to signs the 5K and family fun festivities afterward all focused on supporting community members affected by mental illness and addiction.
The 5K race followed a scenic and challenging course through Quincy’s Squantum neighborhood. The Boston skyline and Dorchester Bay served as a picturesque backdrop on this sometimes hilly but well-paved course, which started and ended at The Kennedy Center in Quincy.
Runners relaxed with a neck and shoulder massage from Body Benefit Massage Therapy.
What a night! On Friday December 9, 2016 over 500 guests filled Granite Links’ Ballroom in Quincy Massachusetts to set another fundraising record for Interfaith Social Services. Over $300,000 was raised to provide food, mental health counselling and emergency assistance to South Shore residents in need! Accounting for one-third of Interfaith’s overall annual budget, this Gala is incredibly important to our organization. We couldn’t keep our doors open without the support we receive on this special night each year.
Not only did guests enjoy amazing food, games and live entertainment they were treated to an assortment of adult beverages as well. There were two incredible wine tasting stations courtesy of Bin Ends Wine. Spirit tastings were scattered throughout the venue thanks to Bradford Distillery, Bully Boy Distillers and Boston Harbor Distillery. For the nondrinkers, like Interfaith’s executive director Rick Doane, Simpson Spring set up an array of their unique soda samplings from the oldest bottling plant in the United States.
Using BidPal’s technology guests bid on an amazing variety of silent auction packages including signed sports memorabilia, getaways, exclusive experiences and other one of a kind items. Yes, it is too late to bid on them but at least you can take a peak to see what kinds of packages to expect for next year…when you buy your tickets extra early before they sell out again 🙂
Emcee extraordinaire Latoyia Edwards of NECN/NBC Boston did an amazing job guiding guests through the evening’s program. Before the live auction began everyone got an update on Stephanie, a food pantry client who had spoken at last year’s Gala. Click 
After the program many guests danced the night away during the dessert reception. When they finally dragged themselves away from the dance floor, attendees received these awesome gift bags packed with treats from Gala sponsors and friends.
It takes a team to get the venue ready for the Gala every year. Thank you to our wonderful volunteers from Arbella, they transformed Granite Links Ballroom into a winter wonderland.
Una Armstrong received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Sociology from Emmanuel College in 1984. Following graduation she immediately started working for a software sales company. After working in the field of business for a few years she felt called to a different path. She enrolled at Boston College and earned a Master’s degree in Social Work. After graduation in 1991 she began working as a Case Manager for The State of Massachusetts’ Department of Children and Families. Una’s years of service working in child welfare fostered a deep interest in understanding the relationship between the various systems that serve to strengthen family life.
Kerry MacDonald has a master’s degree from Simmons School of Social Work. She has been a therapist since 2001 and began seeing clients through Interfaith’s New Directions Counseling Center in 2010. Her areas of expertise include: working with adults who are experiencing anxiety and depressive disorders; working with women who are coping with issues surrounding childbirth, infertility, and postpartum depression; helping adults cope and adjust to chronic illness or disability. Her unique specialty of helping clients adapt to blindness and vision loss stems from her own life experience in this area. Her motto as a therapist is: “Give each client the kind of individual attention and care they need to enable them to be empowered to reach their goals in life.”
Clara Sparks has journeyed around the world two times. She reached the Arctic Circle on foot with a 12-person expedition. She has traveled 1,000 miles, by ship, up the Amazon River and organized a trek to Mt. Kilimanjaro. She has lived in India, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Switzerland, and various locales around the United States including Hawaii. She has battled cancer, passed through the pain of losing a spouse and is one of the most positive and upbeat people you’ll ever meet. Clara is a graduate of Boston University (B.S.), Andover Newton Theological School and Boston College Graduate School of Fine and Applied Arts (M. Ed.) with a concentration in pastoral ministry. She is a Board Certified Chaplain in the Association of Professional Chaplains and is ordained in the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches. A lifelong educator Clara has taught children around the world at numerous schools including right here at Quincy’s Middle School. Since 2008 Clara has been working as Interfaith Social Services’ Chaplain.
George Fahey is a licensed independent clinical social worker. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in philosophy from St. John’s Seminary, and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Boston College. George joined the New Direction’s team in 2015. Since 2004, George has also worked as a therapist and social worker with the Charms Educational Collaborative in Stoughton. This has involved meeting with adolescents and their families over issues that might be impeding their education such as autism, non-verbal learning disabilities, or emotional dysregulation. From 1975 until 2004, he was a school adjustment counselor at Norwood High School and from 1970-75 served in a similar capacity at Waltham High. George was a therapist at Boston Psychiatric Associates from 1970-76 and at George Hyland Associates from 1976-83. He integrated therapy with sports and games during his time employed by the Cutler Clinic Gym from 1989-2003. Before his career as a therapist George was a sports broadcaster at WCAS radio station, and he played baseball in the Boston Park League for 2 years in the 1960s. George is a Dorchester native but has called Quincy home for the past four decades. He is a proud husband, father and grandfather. George enjoys sports, particularly baseball and hockey. He loves to read and enjoys caring for his two dogs: Tony, a Keeshond, and Clifford, a Daschund.