Book Drive at The Lyndia

Thanks to coordination by Pine Street Inn’s volunteer team and the generosity of community members, the library at The Lyndia, Pine Street’s newest residence in Jamaica Plain, is now stocked with books for tenants to share and enjoy as they settle into their new homes.

The book drive brought in everything from cookbooks to literary classics that will welcome tenants and allow staff to promote opportunities for book groups and community building.

"I’ve been looking for an easy-to-follow cookbook to start making healthier meals for myself," says Jeannie, a Pine Street tenant who selected Joy of Cooking from the library. "I can’t wait to start reading and learning!"

Training Kitchen Garden Opening

Pine Street’s iCater trainees recently celebrated the opening of the new training kitchen garden. The garden will provide access to fresh ingredients as trainees deepen their education about nutrition, along with their culinary knowledge and creativity.

The opening featured a lunch service where trainees prepared and served dishes made with farm-fresh produce. During the lunch, trainees practiced customer service skills and gained experience working in a fast-paced environment, building skills for their future careers.

"We’re excited to be able to grow our own fruits, vegetables and herbs so that we can directly explore farm-to-table meal concepts and work with trainees to develop nutritious, healthy meals," says Melanie Cevetello, Pine Street’s job training program instructor.

Watch video coverage on Pine Street's Instagram.

International Overdose Awareness Day

International Overdose Awareness Day is August 31. As we approach the end of the month, Pine Street Inn would like to raise awareness of the overdose crisis and remember those we have lost to substance use. 

Andrea Cooke, a clinical director at Pine Street Inn, reflects on her role serving those in recovery. "Addiction and mental health issues do not discriminate," says Andrea. "We can all show empathy, kindness and compassion. Regardless of what someone is going through, the feeling of being seen and heard gives people the strength to overcome their struggles."