My Place Germantown News
Mary Ellen Graham accepts award from Vincentian Mission Certificate Program for My Place Germantown,
which hosted a program cohort who received their V. M. Certificates in May, 2011.
At her left, Joseph Clay, currently the MPG Property Manager, and Father John Kettleberger, CM.
CITY HONORS MARY ELLEN GRAHAM
Mary Ellen Graham received an Access Achievement Award from the Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities
of the City of Philadelphia on October 21, 2011. She was honored “for outstanding commitment to increase access for
people with disabilities through the removal of physical and attitudinal barriers.” This award recognizes Mary Ellen’s
creation of My Place Germantown, Philadelphia’s first permanent supportive housing for homeless men
with mental and physical disabilities.
A VISIONARY MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE
Mary Ellen Graham was the subject of the article “A Visionary Makes All the Difference” in the Fall 2011 issue of EqualwRites,
one in a series of articles “focusing on exceptional women of faith and their gifts to the world.” EqualwRites co-editors,
Mary Whelan and Ellie Hart, interviewed Mary Ellen about her founding of My Place Germantown.
The article closed with the interviewers’ assessment of Mary Ellen:
“This is the vision that became a reality and this is the visionary that made a difference.”
Mary Ellen shared some of the highs and lows of the seven year struggle to bring My Place Germantown to life.
“Most difficult were all the no’s,” she admitted in the interview. “Being turned down by funders, organizations, individuals,
even the archdiocese… unable to see us, an unknown organization with only grass-roots support, as credible was the worst.”
The interview also highlighted the successes to date, including HUD funding on the first attempt, neighborhood buy-in after
initial opposition, and now a full house of formerly homeless men. EqualwRites is a quarterly publication of
Southeastern Pennsylvania Women’s Ordination Conference, P.O. Box 27195, Philadelphia PA 19118. |
