Louison House 25th Anniversary Fetes Namesake
 Terri Louison, with Mayor Richard Alcombright, was honored for her efforts in helping the homeless and in establishing Louison House family shelter. |
ADAMS, Mass. — Louison House namesake Theresa Louison said she didn’t think she deserved it, but plenty of other people disagreed — and feted Louison for her contributions to the Northern Berkshire community and especially to the cause of solving homelessness in the region.
Louison was surrounded by nearly 50 friends and family at the Adams Council on Aging on Thursday as part of a celebration marking 25 years since Louison House and the Family Life Support Center opened. The agency, focused on homelessness and its causes, has assisted thousands of residents in its history. The agency typically shelters between 100 and 150 homeless people a year and provides other services to as many as 300 other clients who are not sheltered, according to Executive Director Lindsay Errichetto.
"When the Northern Berkshire community coalesced around the issue of homelessness over 25 years ago, it was a powerful moment that brought together people in government, journalism, education, and the business community to join with leaders of the human services sector to address an urgent need," said Mark Gold, who served with the original group that launched the Louison House concept.
"Terry did not provide just expertise and good judgment," Gold continued. "She provided inspiration. Here was a woman who devoted herself tirelessly to improving the lot of others. We knew statistics; she knew people. She knew their stories. She knew their despair and hopelessness."
Not surprisingly to those who know her, Louison shared the credit with others.
"I wasn't alone – lots of willing people also helped, and thanks go to everyone," she said. "I loved every minute of it."
Louison’s daughter, Susan Nolan, reminded the audience that Louison did it all while raising seven children. (Louison now has 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren as well.)
The shelter's board Chairman Mark Farrington said her "good work is being carried on" and added that Louison House is "full to capacity most of the time." He thanked the Lions Club for a recent donation of $7,500 for capital improvements and Berkshire Community Action Council for fuel assistance.
Al Bashevkin, executive director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition – then the Northern Berkshire Health and Human Services Coalition – said Louison, in the face of such challenges, "didn’t say I have too much work to do. Terry has been a very influential person in North County. When we started the Health and Human Services Coalition, Terry was out in front.
"When we started talking about homelessness, Terry was out in front."
As Gold recalled, the community raised enough money to purchase the house on Old Columbia Street in Adams; General Electric provided appliances, and "an army" of GE employees showed up to paint and restore the house.
State Rep. Gailanne Cariddi, who presented a proclamation from the state Legislature thanking Louison for her "endless devotion to the community," said Louison "has had a long-term vision for people in need.
"I remember as a city councilor shivering in a cardboard box in early November, bringing awareness to the homelessness. I've never forgotten about that. She had that vision, she brought people together and it stuck with so many people," Cariddi said. "She had that long-term outlook but also had her feet on the ground and she was ready to dig in. It’s one thing to know what you need, and it's another to actually put it all together, bring people together and get the job done."
Tags: homeless, recognition event, shelter,
