CMC Supports Caritas Communities' 36th Annual Gala

Corcoran Management Company has supported Caritas Communities since its founding by P. Leo Corcoran in 1985 who was also a partner in Corcoran Management Company at the time. The inception of Caritas Communities stems from Leo's concern for the increasing rate of homelessness in the Greater Boston in the 80s. The word caritas is a Latin word defined as, "Christian love of humankind; charity". This is the perfect word to describe not only this organization as it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, but also Leo himself as he had a passion to help humankind. 

P. Leo Corcoran started Caritas Communities in the effort to alleviate homelessness and to aid in the prevention of this issue in the future. According to the Caritas Communities website, "Mr. Corcoran organized a Board of Directors who shared his belief that homelessness could be prevented through affordable housing. The Board chose the Single Room Occupancy (SRO) as its housing model with a focus on low- and extremely low-income working people. Conceptually, the Board felt that if Caritas were able to offer housing that was newly renovated, well managed and geared to meet the needs of the residents, then a stable living environment could be created for people who couldn’t make a living wage." Leo had a unique vision to specifically address low-income individuals who do not have access to affordable housing otherwise. He designed Caritas to support motivated working individuals who will use Caritas as the first stepping stone away from homelessness and toward a stable lifestyle with consistent shelter and support.  

P. Leo Corcoran, Founder of Caritas Communities

The first Caritas property is located in Quincy, MA and it continues to serve residents today. However, the portfolio of residences has grown to 30 locations across the Boston area which house over 1,000 individuals. This organization has brought thousands of people out of homelessness and into a place that they can call home. 

The First Caritas Property Located in Quincy, MA

Caritas Communities celebrated its 36th anniversary with its annual gala that was held on a virtual platform this year. The live-stream program involved the recognition of the P. Leo Corcoran Humanitarian Honoree, hearing the story of a Caritas resident, as well as a live auction to raise money for the organization. Quincy Miller, the President of Eastern Bank, was the 2021 recipient of the P. Leo Corcoran Humanitarian award for his efforts to help those who are less fortunate. Miller has dedicated his time to focus on the intersections of racial equity and income inequality through professional and personal volunteering efforts which are noted on the Caritas Communities website. 

Quincy Miller, President of Eastern Bank

The Caritas resident gave a moving speech about his experience of homelessness and his transition into a stable living environment in his Caritas home. He was taken off the streets of Boston and given a room that he was able to call his own. He received support from resident services to get back on his feet and now he has a job with a steady income and benefits as well as a place to come home to. He even saved up his money to get his license and buy his very own car. This goes to show that Caritas Communities has the incredible ability to turn people's lives around.   

Statistics Collected by Caritas Communities

Although the gala could not be held in person, Caritas sent a gourmet dinner box to every person who registered to attend. Each box was made for two people so each guest could invite a friend to join them to celebrate the occasion together. The outstanding dinner box was catered by Max Ultimate Food and it included a delicious first course of a salad and housemade breadsticks that guests could munch on at the start of the event. The entrees consisted of several mouthwatering options such as seared filets of Halibut, wood grilled beef tenderloin, shaved king oysters, or seared cauliflower steaks accompanied with a bottle of Gnarly Head wine. The gourmet meal concluded with curried carrot cake with cream cheese mousse for dessert. This effort highlights how much Caritas cares about its supporters just as much its residents which makes it such a wonderful organization to be a part of.

The ongoing success of Caritas Communities lies in its dedicated supporters who share Leo's goal to prevent homelessness. Please click here if you would like to take the opportunity to aid in the effort to prevent homelessness because everyone deserves a place to call home. 

Are you looking to work for a company that has a passion for helping humankind? Visit our careers page and become a member of our Corcoran community today!