Helping Neighbors.
Transforming Communities.
Reimagining Trajectories.

Way Finders Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report

A Message From Our CEO

Fiscal Year 2022 At A Glance

Helping Neighbors

At Way Finders, we help people who are facing real challenges—with housing, jobs, money, and other cornerstones of daily stability—to find real solutions. We support, believe in, and lift up those in need.

We all need help sometimes

—to see our options, to see our way forward, to see hope for a better future. The right help at the right time? It can positively change the trajectory of someone’s life.

In our client's own words

We help people through a crisis

—to secure emergency housing, pay for housing, avoid eviction and foreclosure, keep utilities on, and recover from trauma.

In our client's own words

We help ease daily struggles

—via help to find a job and reliable daycare, pursue education, manage money, access food, secure transportation, and make home modifications for greater accessibility.

In our client's own words

We help people work toward long-term goals

—for education and training, a higher living wage, economic stability, stronger credit, homeownership, and entrepreneurship.

In our client's own words

Transforming Communities

Way Finders helps revitalize places—equitably, sustainably, collaboratively. To drive big-picture change, we take big-picture actions: We partner, advocate, educate, build, manage, invest, activate, and inspire.

We drive change in the regional housing landscape: We finance, build, rehabilitate, and manage affordable rental properties.

128 College Hwy, Southampton, MA 01073

Southampton Meadows

Southampton Meadows is a 40-unit senior housing property built in 1989. Way Finders acted as the nonprofit sponsor for this HUD 202 project and assumed responsibility for management in 2008. Refinancing through HUD/FHA provided capital for upgrades and repairs 2012.

96 PLEASANT STREET, NORTHAMPTON, MA 01060

The Lorraine

The Lorraine is a rehabilitated 28-unit historic building for single occupancy including two handicapped-accessible units and two commercial spaces. Completed in 2001, funding sources include City of Northampton CDBG, Housing Innovations Fund II, Housing Stabilization Fund Rehabilitation Initiative, and Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston’s Affordable Housing Program.

155 West Street, Northampton, MA 01060

Paradise Pond

Paradise Pond is a 12-unit family rental property, including four units for formerly-homeless families. Completed in 2006, funding sources include HOME, Housing Stabilization Fund, Housing Innovations Fund, CDBG, HUD Supportive Housing, Affordable Housing Trust, and Massachusetts Housing Partnership Fund.

155 Pleasant Street, Northampton

Live 155

70 units (studio and one-bedroom) offer ease of access to downtown, the bike path, and bus service. Includes 2,600 square feet of retail space.

180 Earle St, Northampton, MA 01060

Earle Street

Earle Street is a 16-unit rental property that includes 14 single person occupancy units and 2 apartments. All units receive project-based Section 8 rental assistance. Way Finders assumed property management responsibility in January 2012.

256 Pleasant Street, Northampton

Lumber Yard

55 units (one-, two-, and three-bedroom) at the site of the former Northampton Lumber Company property. Includes 5,400 square feet of commercial space.

82 Bridge Street

Sergeant House

31 affordable studio apartments - 15 renovated, 16 new. Valley Community Development has owned and operated this antique building (circa 1820) in Northampton since 1990 as a traditional 15-room Single Room Occupancy with 1 common kitchen and 4 common bathrooms. Prior to 1990, the building served as a family homeless shelter and a former lodging house. Located on a ½ acre lot in a high-income neighborhood in downtown Northampton.

71 Parsons Street, Easthampton, MA 01027

Parsons Village

Parsons Village is a 38-unit family housing property developed by Valley Community Development Corp in partnership with Way Finders and completed in September 2015. Funding sources include Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Affordable Housing Trust, Housing Stabilization Fund, permanent financing from Easthampton Savings Bank, TD Charitable Foundation Housing for Everyone Grant, and project-based Section 8 from DHCD.

50 Clinton Avenue and 1035-1037 Dwight Street, Holyoke, MA 01040

Dwight Clinton

Dwight Clinton is a 19-unit property developed in partnership with Housing and Economic Resources for Women, Inc. Sixteen of the units receive project-based Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program assistance and nine units provide permanent supportive housing for pregnant and young parents.

193-203 Chestnut and 210 Elm streets, Holyoke

Library Commons

38 units (two- and three-bedroom), plus community facilities, support services, and our Holyoke Housing Center.

13-15 Hamilton St, Holyoke, MA 01040

Verano

Verano is a 44-unit family rental housing property originally purchased by Way Finders and Nueva Esperanza in the mid-1980s. Way Finders re-capitalized and comprehensively rehabilitated the project with Low Income Housing Tax Credits, HOME, Affordable Housing Trust and permanent financing from Massachusetts Housing Partnership.

151 Walnut Street, Holyoke, MA 01040

Carlos Vega Townhomes

Carlos Vega Townhomes is an 18-unit property, providing housing for 18 farmworker families. At the request of the USDA, Way Finders developed the property in 1987 in partnership with Valley Housing Development Corp. The property was financed and continues to be subsidized by USDA Rural Development.

21 Campus Plaza Road, Hadley, MA 01035

Mountain View Apartments

Mountain View is a 25-unit senior and family housing property. Way Finders purchased and rehabilitated the property in 2003 with funding from USDA Rural Development.

85 Olympia Drive, Amherst

Olympia Oaks

42 units (one-, two-, and three-bedroom) of family housing within walking distance of downtown. Includes garden space and a shared community building.

12 Longmeadow Drive, Amherst

Butternut Farm

27 units (one-, two-, and three-bedroom) of family housing in a quiet rural setting with ease of access to surrounding towns via public transportation.

501 Newton Street, South Hadley

Plaza Apartments (In Development)

60 mixed-income units (one-, two-, and three-bedroom) featuring a suburban setting in proximity to services and amenities.

12 Chestnut St, Ludlow, MA 01056

Stevens Memorial Housing

Stevens Memorial Senior Housing is a 28-unit rental property redeveloped by Way Finders in an historic building originally used as a recreational facility for workers at the Ludlow Mills. Funding sources included HUD 202 as well as state funds consisting of HOME, Housing Stabilization Fund and Affordable Housing Trust Fund. These units were completed and occupied in the fall of 2014.

68-70, 76, and 84-88 Byers Street, Springfield, MA 01105

New Court Terrace

New Court Terrace is a 44-unit property located in three buildings. Substantially rehabilitated in 2005, funding sources include Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Historic tax credits, Weatherization Assistance Program, Lead-based Paint Hazard Abatement Program, HOME, and Affordable Housing Trust.

Springfield, MA 01105

Kenwyn & Quadrangle Apartments

Kenwyn and Quadrangle is a 60-unit, two property project redeveloped in 2015. Kenwyn Apartments include 27 units of affordable housing for families. Quadrangle Court Apartments include 33 family rental units.

68 Church Street, Ware, MA 01082

Church Street School

Church Street School is a historic school building converted into a 29-unit property for senior citizens and those with disabilities. Way Finders completed development in fall 2008. Funding sources included USDA 515, Low Income Housing Tax Credits, historic tax credits, Affordable Housing Trust, and HOME.

1–5 Ahrend Circle, Southwick, MA 01077

Ahrend Circle

Ahrend Circle Apartments is a 40-unit senior housing property owned by a local single-purpose nonprofit and managed by Way Finders since 2010.

586 Mill Street, Agawam

Rosewood Way Townhomes (In Development)

62 mixed-income units (one-, two-, and three-bedroom) in a suburban setting that is both walkable and commutable.

1 Royce Lane, Wales, MA 01081

Silver Meadows

Silver Meadows is a 20-unit, one-bedroom senior housing property developed and managed by Way Finders. Completed in 2000, the property was financed by the HUD 202 program and state resources, and is owned by a local non-profit, Silver Meadow, Inc.

239-247 Southbridge Road & 22-30 Harrington Road, Charlton, MA 01507

Woodland Walk Apartments

Woodland Walk is a 39-unit family housing property acquired by Way Finders in 2010. Way Finders assumed the existing USDA mortgages, and completely renovated the property using Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Tax Credit Exchange, HOME, and Affordable Housing Trust funds. USDA Rural Development also provides rental assistance for all units.

Great Barrington, MA 01230

Windrush Commons

49 affordable apartments near downtown Great Barrington, opened for occupancy in July, 2023. Developed by Way Finders in partnership with the Community Development Coporation of South Berkshire. Managed by Berkshire Housing of Pittsfield, MA.

Ludlow, MA

Greenstead Grove (In Development)

Way Finders is developing a 43-unit affordable rental family housing development on a 5.3-acre parcel in a spacious suburban setting, minutes to I-90. The project prioritizes the space needs of families, as approximately three-quarters of units have two or three bedrooms.

We activate resident leaders at the grassroots level

by helping residents of Holyoke and Springfield advocate for their neighborhoods.

What does that look like?

Way Finders on the JumboTron? Yes! A video we created in celebration of our Community Building and Engagement team’s dream—a fully Spanish Resident Leadership Program—won a MACDC Impact Award! It aired at Worcester’s Polar Park at the 2022 MACDC Convention.

Watch the video

“My vision for Holyoke? I’d like people to have more jobs in the community. I want a clean community. And a community together—not one where everyone is separate. We are supposed to be together, you know, be helping each other.”

-Community leader Gerardo Torres, who completed the Resident Leadership Program in Spanish

We champion the local economy

—for example, Way Finders’ subsidiary Common Capital responsibly lends money to entrepreneurs, especially those who face challenges in securing loans via conventional ways.

What does that look like?

“Common Capital has been a big part of growing our business. Helping out with the accounting, always having ideas and things to help us with infrastructure. Making sure we are making some of the right choices.

They’ve also put us in touch with grant money that is out there, that we wouldn’t have otherwise known about.”
-Christie Phinney, Elliott Fire | Eliott Properties

We promote education and action—through an informed housing lens.

We commissioned a second Springfield & Pioneer Valley Housing Report, produced by the UMASS Donahue Institute, to better inform both our work and that of law makers and housing advocates.

The first housing study (March 2021) captures a baseline of housing and economic data for our region. The second report (March 2022) further considers housing affordability and production issues; the impacts of COVID-19 on housing; the relationship between place and access to opportunities; and how to address both segregation and housing gaps in the area.

What stands out to us in the March 2022 report? The need for regional collaboration to make new choices—where to build, who to build for, how to invest in people, how to prioritize housing stability—plus the need for more housing options for people of all income levels.

Read the Study

The pinch of the “mismatch”

Across all incomes, the lack of suitable housing (by cost, condition, size, location) drives up prices

An urgent need to build

To relieve housing pressure, we need 17,000 more affordable rental units

A heavy cost burden

More than half of renters pay 30% or more of income on housing

Reimagining Trajectories

Upward. Forward. Toward better—for themselves, for their families, for their communities. Through their relationship with Way Finders, our client’s stories often unfold in ways they never dreamed possible. Such is the power of support, belief, and actionable information.

Client Stories

“I’ve reinvented myself, I feel so great, so powerful. At Way Finders, they know you have a story, they take the time to get to know you.”

From hurricane to homeownership: the reinvention of Idalis Rios

When Idalis Rios and her daughters left Puerto Rico for Springfield in 2017, in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Maria, she arrived with $600—a gift from her grandfather to help her survive.

For years prior, she’d weathered different kinds of storms on the island, including a domestic violence situation with her now ex-husband, who was sent to prison. “It’s not a good story,” says Idalis. “Thank God I got out. After, I got my Section 8 voucher and I was able to be with my daughters at a safe place.”

But next steps—finding a job, navigating childcare—proved hard. “As a single mom, everyone used to judge me, like ‘Oh, she doesn’t do anything for her life.’ In Puerto Rico it’s very difficult to find a job, and I didn’t have help from anyone. I wasn’t going to leave my kids alone, I needed to protect them.”

Which she managed to do, until she couldn’t: After the hurricane, there was no electricity, no water, no food. “It was very difficult, I started to get very anxious. I walked in the streets to get help, to get water. My daughters were like, ‘Mom, I’m hungry.’ I had an EBT card but the system didn’t work. I thought, ‘Oh, my God, what am I supposed to do?’”

When Idalis looks back at this dark time, and the journey stateside that was to come, she’s adamant about one thing. “I’d change absolutely nothing in my past. If I did, it’s likely to change the present. And I don’t want to change my present,” she says. “I’m blessed, everything has turned out so beautiful.”

No small statement coming from a woman who started a new job at a Springfield hotel—as a receptionist—right before the COVID-19 pandemic. Who before that had been working 10-hour days at an Amazon warehouse in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, as a stower (“You had stand in the same place all the time to scan the merchandise, no matter how heavy, and quickly put it in boxes, it was very tiring”). The Amazon job was the first she landed in the area, but she wanted to find something else, something better.

After Idalis lost her short-lived hotel job in 2020, she didn’t consider collecting unemployment (“I didn’t want that for me, I needed to work”). So she talked her way into a part-time job at a laundromat (“I’ve never worked with clothes before, but please show me, I need a job!”). And kept looking for other work.

Her resolve paid off: “I got a job as an administrator for customer service at Dream Decor, a furniture store here in Springfield, making fifteen an hour,” says Idalis. “Wonderful people, I loved it there.”

Today, Idalis works full-time as a customer support administrator for a lease-to-own company, making nearly $20 an hour. In February 2022, she purchased a three-bedroom home in Springfield, which she shares with daughters Yanir and Rinay, ages 19 and 16 (“It’s the same letters for both, Rinay is Yanir backward”). She loves working from home (“My company sent me everything I need—my headsets, a monitor—I’ve been there almost a year”) and spending time in her yard, where there’s space for her two Pomeranians (“Toby and Mimi, they are my life, watching them run is my best hobby ever”).

“I’ve reinvented myself. I feel so great, so powerful,” says Idalis. “In Puerto Rico, there were no doors opening for me, not even windows opening for me. But I wanted better, I searched for better. I never threw in the towel, I was never done. I came here and received so much help from so many people. At Way Finders, they know you have a story, they take the time to get to know you as a person.”

Way Finders played a key role in Idalis’s housing story at several points: Upon arrival to Springfield, when she received help to transfer her voucher. When she was temporarily housed in a hotel, after staying with a relative. And when she received emergency financial housing assistance (first, last, security) needed to secure an apartment. “We wanted our own place so bad. I got my apartment on December 15, 2017,” she says. “It was amazing, the apartment was huge!”

Idalis later connected with FSS Specialist Evelyn Baez, who at the time was coordinating the economic mobility program, Supporting Neighborhood Opportunities in Massachusetts (SNO Mass). The program aims to help voucher recipients with school-aged children move to communities that offer greater health and educational opportunities. “Evelyn is the most kind human being. She went with me to look at houses to rent. She used to hear me like struggling and crying. She’d say, ‘I’m with you, I’m here.’ She was my shoulder to cry on.”

Idalis kept searching for a rental through SNO Mass that suited her family’s needs (location, size, condition), later assisted by Housing Mobility Program Specialist Peter Delgado. But to no avail. Her frustration with her current rental situation—constant noise from neighbors, encounters with disrespectful residents—left her feeling desperate to move out.

Peter had an idea, and connected Idalis with a local realtor. At the second house the realtor showed her, Idalis had visions—all of them positive.

“When we entered the house, it was like a dream come true,” she says. “I could imagine where I was going to put my Christmas tree, all my decorations, you know. I could imagine my stuff at this place. I said, ‘This is the one! Yep, this is the one.’”

Congratulations to you, Idalis!

Client Stories

“If Way Finders wasn’t in my life, I’d probably be homeless. They’ve provided me with affordable housing and so much more.”

Sterile Processing Program: opening up career pathways in health care

That feeling of being a kid in a candy store, or waking up to a snow day from school? In adulthood, such thrilling moments can be more and more fleeting—if they strike at all. Especially when juggling jobs and bills, responsibilities and relationships.

For Lee Codrington, a father of six, he experienced that rush of excitement by taking part in Springfield Technical Community College’s Sterile Processing Program. It pushed him to join a cohort of adult learners, dive into 10 weeks of coursework, and become fluent in all things infection control and patient safety. The motivation? To forge a career pathway in health care.

Lee’s January 2022 entry into the grant-funded (Workforce Competitive Trust Fund) program couldn’t have come at a better time. He was reeling from the death of his brother Leonard and the loss of his job in dining facilities at a local college. Lee had also recently lost his best friend Peter Slate—co-owner of Motor City Company in Agawam—along with the volunteer gig (detailing cars, transporting cars) that he’d held for 13 years.

“I was at one of the lowest points in my life, when I thought all was gone, you know, hopeless,” says Lee, who lives in Springfield with his two youngest children, Sureina and Yorel.

“This program was unexpected. It came along and was just so exciting, it was like an answer to my prayers. Mrs. Pagan assured me that I could do it, that we could make this dream a reality.”

As he fields questions about the program during our interview, nearly every reply includes an expression of gratitude to “Mrs. Pagan”—Program Specialist Sol Pagan. She pitched the program to him, which is open to participants of Way Finders’ Self-Sufficiency Program and Family Self-Sufficiency Program, and provided ongoing support and encouragement. “She played such a vital role, she was the heartbeat of this program.”

Two prior attempts at furthering his education were disrupted by changes at home, notably the need to step into the role of single parent to his two middle children—Matthew Lee and Sajean—when when they were small. (His oldest children, Sonja Lee and Leroy, were raised by their mother.) “In the most difficult times, when I didn’t have a vehicle, I’d walk them to school and the doctor’s office. Or catch a cab, rent a car. I didn’t give up. To the point when I was able to get my own vehicle and take them places.”

Lee, who is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, found it challenging to go back to school to become a sterile processing technician. “Because it was all unfamiliar! But on the first five tests I got perfect scores. I was the head of the class. If there was something I was unsure about, I’d ask questions instead of being afraid of being looked down upon. Our classmates, we became a family.”

Sterile Processing Technicians are essential to most healthcare settings, and work as part of an operations team to sterilize and decontaminate equipment, instruments, and supplies. As the role is needed around the clock, it offers a variety of work schedules. Beyond covering course fees, the program also provides participants with career and advising support and a $1,000 stipend ($500 upon course completion; $500 upon completion of a certification exam). It meets three evenings a week, including once a week in the lab.

“It’s a very difficult program, especially to get into, you have to be super smart. You have to know all the technology, all the lingo,” says Sol, who has helped Lee craft his resume and cover letters and apply for local jobs. “Lee is very impressive. He’s a go-getter!”

Looking at his framed certificate brings immediate satisfaction. “I went from having really nothing, to like, ‘Wow, this is what I’ve done!’ I’m actually going to be working in a surgical room. It’s huge to me, to know that I’m going to be taking a small part in ensuring the safety of a patient’s life,” says Lee. “None of this could have happened without Way Finders helping me out, giving me the opportunity.”

Lee’s connection to Way Finders reaches back to 1990, when he received a housing voucher and moved into a one-room efficiency in West Springfield.

“If Way Finders wasn’t in my life, I’d probably be homeless,” says Lee. “They’ve provided me with affordable housing and so much more. Now through the Self-Sufficiency Program, I have the opportunity to become a first-time homebuyer. That goal is actually visible.”

To that end, Lee has completed Way Finders’ Credit Success Workshop (“Be careful not to overspend! Wants versus needs!”). And his face lights up when he talks about the escrow account that is opened as a Self-Sufficiency Program participant’s income and share of rent increase. Upon completion of the program, participants may use the funds—$15,000 maximum—toward purchasing a home, for example.

“I tell myself, ‘Lee, the dream is in front of you. Just hold on. Just endure,’” he says. “I have a very good support network, especially thanks to the program. I just knew that I was capable of something more than what I was doing. I’m proud of myself for not giving up.” He finds inspiration in Psalm 30 verse 5: “Weeping through the night but joy comes in the morning.” And is grateful to Enrique Rodriguez of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, who has helped him pursue employment and more over the past 10 years.

“Lee has accomplished so much to where he is today,” says Sol. “Success is not something we see tomorrow. It’s the little things that count. I just can’t wait until he gets the keys to that home. I want to be there when he opens up that door.”

Client Stories

“I’m proud that I’ve been able to maintain a place to live. I’ve met a lot of financial goals and I’ve got my credit up, and I’m proud that we’re all right.”

A quest, a champion, and the drive for stability

Felicia Berard of Indian Orchard, a single mother of three, is back on the quest. “It’s a major goal for me, I’ve been trying a very long time, I want to buy a home before I turn 40,” she says with a laugh. “But I’m running out of time!”

Felicia, who works as a hairdresser in Westfield, laughs easily and often. “I’ve been told I have permanent ‘customer service voice,’” she says.

Her line of work—she was previously employed at a salon in Northampton—involves a lot of talking with, and listening to, customers. About their lives, their families, their homes.

“And their lawns! A lot of clients, no matter what age they are, seem to own a home. And they’re like, ‘You should own a home!’ It seems like they just assume that I don’t,” says Felicia. “I don’t really want to talk about lawns all day, but I want to own a home for other reasons.”

When asked to elaborate, her reasons all revolve around stability.

“I guess just to have a place where we feel secure and can call it our own,” says Felicia. “To have a home that feels like it’s ours.”

As she shares some details about her housing history, a recurring refrain is change and uncertainty, marked by frequent moves. By having hopes raised in 2015—to go in on a house with her parents—then dashed due to its lead paint, and her youngest son’s serious lead poisoning. By relocating to the Berkshires in hopes of a fresh start that never panned out. By sleeping in a friend’s living room with her children for six months. By having money run out and wondering what’s next.

Such lack of permanence takes a toll. Despite living in her current place for four years, Felicia had yet to fully unpack or decorate until just recently. “I didn’t know if I should. Because usually when you start getting comfortable, that’s when you’ve got to move.”

Having recently completed Way Finders’ Credit Success Workshop and First-time Homebuyer Workshop, both held over live Zoom webinars, Felicia has made great strides in improving her personal finances. She’s also found a champion in her quest: Homeownership Advisor Melanie Nunez.

“Melanie gave me a lot of encouragement,” says Felicia of their monthly one-on-one advising sessions, which began in January 2022. “It was kind of unbelievable to me, but after we put it all out there, on paper and the charts and stuff, I was really seeing it. That I have the ability to do it financially. Melanie is very to the point, she has a solution to make every goal obtainable.”

“I have a more positive outlook on everything after working with her,” Felicia says. “And that makes me feel better about myself.”

To get such coaching from a professional not only feels good, Felicia reports, it feels different: “Everyone else, friends mostly, would tell me, ‘No, you’re not ready’ or ‘You just don’t have the income’ or ‘Owning a home is really hard.’”

“Every time I talk to Felicia, she’s doing better. She’s driven and focused,” says Melanie. “She was able to double her income within a few months, her budget took a complete turn for the better. She’s watching her spending, watching her credit card utilization. She’s been increasing her credit score, increasing her savings account. I wasn’t so much giving her the solution. She came up with them on her own. I was there to encourage her, to believe in her.”

Felicia, who has been single parenting since 2015, is accustomed to going it alone. “It’s just ‘me, myself, and I’ with the kids,” she says. “My youngest, who’s eight, has severe ADHD. I don’t really have anyone to rely on.”

That made it especially challenging in the spring of 2022, when Felicia’s former employer extended her daily schedule and she found herself unexpectedly without a car. Over the two weeks it took to buy a car, she struggled to get to work on time.

“Without warning, they fired me. They paid me severance and said, ‘Let us know when your life isn’t as chaotic,’” says Felicia, who received a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher in 2018.

What may look like chaos from the outside—especially to those who haven’t gone through housing instability—doesn’t tell the whole story. It doesn’t show the person who is trying for better and putting kids first. Who is persevering through enormous stress. Who has made a budget and an action plan. Who is facing obstacles and actively seeking solutions.

“Not everyone who attends our workshops take advantage of our free one-on-one advising and the chance to dive a little deeper. Felicia did, she wanted the help,” says Melanie.

“Now she is well on her way to her goal of homeownership, I know she’ll get there. And she was able to purchase a new car. That was because she’d fixed her credit.”

“I’m proud that I’ve been able to maintain a place to live,” says Felicia. “I’ve met a lot of financial goals and I’ve got my credit up, and I’m proud that we’re all right. I don’t want people to feel bad for me. I just want people to know you can do it. You can get through these things. There were a lot of times I was like, ‘Oh man.’ But I had to keep on going because the kids weren’t happy, I wasn’t happy.”

Felicia envisions a future home for herself and her family where they feel welcome and safe. Way Finders, and especially Melanie, are proud to play a role in her quest.

In Praise Of Our Staff

We are counselors and educators. Housing navigators and housing inspectors. Number crunchers and policy shapers. Case managers and project managers. Residential advocates and employment specialists. And so much more! Our 300+ team members bring a wide mix of skills in pursuit of our shared mission: To build and advocate for a thriving, equitable region by investing in people, places, properties, and systems. Where housing stability and economic mobility are valued, resourced, and within reach for all.

Financials

FY2022

Current Assets

$24,566,126

Fixed Assets

$3,934,825

Other Assets

$24,723,198

TOTAL ASSETS

$53,224,207

Current Liabilities

$11,45,405

Non-current Liabilities

$24,212,389

TOTAL LIABILITIES

$35,357,794

Total Liabilities and Net Assets

$53,224,207

Contributions

$573,437

Capital Campaign for Housing Center

$5,860

Grant Assistance Payments

$139,731,494

Grants-NeighborWorks America

$456,000

Contract Fees for Service

$25,063,546

Program Fees

$369,510

Other Income*

$3,897,861

TOTAL REVENUE

$170,097,708

Rental Assistance**

$52,730,710

Client Services

$108,030,087

Home Ownership

$732,547

Real Estate Dev & Property Mgmt.

$2,126,829

Administration

$3,470,974

Fundraising

$315,109

New Housing Center

$376,977

Rental Properties

$428,862

TOTAL EXPENSE

$167,835,118

Change in Net Assets - Operations

$2,262,590

Way Finders financials only (does not include subsidiaries)
* Property & Asset Management Fees, Developer Fees, Lending interest income & fees, Investment Income, Rental Income,
Release from restriction combined, Gains on sale of property and MA tax credits, Debt Forgiveness
** Includes $47,664,520 in Rental Assistance Contract Funding Disbursed

Donors Way Finders’ 2022 Board of Directors

To all those who supported Way Finders in Fiscal Year 2022 (July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022), we extend deep, heartfelt appreciation. Whether in support of our daily work—via programmatic and systemic operations—or our aspirations to grow and transform to meet the region’s needs, your generosity propelled us forward. Our success, our reach, our impact on people and places: All were made possible by gifts from individuals, businesses, and foundations. Thank you.

Ronald Abdow
Affordable Home Inspections
Rondey Allen
Marta Alvarez
Anonymous x12
Letitia Armstrong
Associated Building Wreckers Inc.
Sarah Bachrach
Cynthia Baker
Andrew & Cynthia Balder
Maria Barker
Baystate Health Foundation
Berkshire Bank Foundation
Berkshire Design Group
BlueHub Capital
Laureen Borgatti
Boston Financial Investment Management, L.P.
William Breitbart
Brian Nicks Productions
James Broderick
Carrier
C&S Wholesale Grocers Trust
Nancy Cabrera
Theodore Capuano
Larry Cervelli
Charles H. Hall Foundation
Chicopee Savings Bank Charitable Foundation
Citizens
Margot Cleary
Denise Cogman
Community Bank
Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts
Mary-Beth & David Cooper
Robert Crowner
Daniel Dennis & Co LLP
Beatrice Dewberry
Kimberly Dinoia
Brenda Doherty
Dianne Doherty
Lisa Doherty
Robert & Miriam Dorfman
Peter Elton
Keith Fairey
John Fisher
Brad Fleming
Florence Bank
Jessica Fraga
Freedom Credit Union
Ellen Freyman
Peter Gagliardi
Susan Gagliardi
Susan Gulluni
Health New England
James Hickson
Mary Clare Higgins
J Lincoln Hirst
Charles Hoag
HUB International
W E Hudson
Annette Hunt
Jeff's Granola
KeyBank Foundation
Kuhn Riddle Architects
Elizabeth Levesque
Joyce & Stephen Lewis
James Linfield
LISC Boston
Irene & Lawrence Madden
Alan Mallach
Bill Malloy
Massachusetts Housing Investment Corp.
MassMutual Foundation
Susan McGinty
Deborah McPartlan
Rebecca Melaas
MLS Property Information Network
Rosemary Morin
Gwynne E Morrissey
Jasmine Naylor
Betsy Nicoletti
Sol Maria Pagan
LeeAnn Pasquini
Susan Pegoraro
PeoplesBank
Point32Health Foundation
Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley
DeAnne & Christopher Riddle
Lidya Rivera-Early
George Rosa
Sarah & Tom Rossmassler
Santander Bank, N.A.
Jennifer Santos
Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin P.C.
Colleen Shea
James & Donna Sherbo
Grace Simonette
Jewel Slepchuk
Source Pass
William & Coralie Stevenson
Sarah Szczebak
Megan Talbert
TD Charitable Foundation
The Narrow Gate Architecture Ltd
The Old Howe Place Fund
Serena Torrey
Trinity Health of New England
Erica True
Pamela Tuohey
Leonard Underwood
United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley
Erica Weida
Glenn Welch
David Wells
Barbara Werum Richard
Westfield Bank
William Raveis Mortgage
Trevis Wray

Helping Neighbors. Transforming Communities. Reimagining Trajectories.

Way Finders Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report

A Message From Our CEO

We aren’t just in the housing support business. We are in the hope business, the transformation business, the advocacy business.

Fiscal Year 2022 At A Glance

Helping Neighbors

We all need help sometimes

We all need help sometimes

We help people through a crisis

We help people through a crisis

We help ease daily struggles

We help ease daily struggles

We help people work toward long-term goals

We help people work toward long-term goals

Transforming Communities

We drive change in the regional housing landscape: We finance, build, rehabilitate, and manage affordable rental properties.

Southampton Meadows

The Lorraine

Paradise Pond

Live 155

Earle Street

Lumber Yard

Sergeant House

Parsons Village

Dwight Clinton

Library Commons

Verano

Carlos Vega Townhomes

Mountain View Apartments

Olympia Oaks

Butternut Farm

Plaza Apartments (In Development)

Stevens Memorial Housing

New Court Terrace

Kenwyn & Quadrangle Apartments

Church Street School

Ahrend Circle

Rosewood Way Townhomes (In Development)

Silver Meadows

Woodland Walk Apartments

Windrush Commons

Greenstead Grove (In Development)

We activate resident leaders at the grassroots level

What does such work look like?

We activate resident leaders at the grassroots level

Way Finders on the JumboTron? Yes! A video we created in celebration of our Community Building and Engagement team’s dream—a fully Spanish Resident Leadership Program—won a MACDC Impact Award! It aired at Worcester’s Polar Park at the 2022 MACDC Convention.

“My vision for Holyoke? I’d like people to have more jobs in the community. I want a clean community. And a community together—not one where everyone is separate. We are supposed to be together, you know, be helping each other.”

We champion the local economy

Elliott Fire of Holyoke

We champion the local economy

“Common Capital has been a big part of growing our business. Helping out with the accounting, always having ideas and things to help us with infrastructure. Making sure we are making some of the right choices.

We promote education and action—through an informed housing lens.

The pinch of the “mismatch”

An urgent need to build

A heavy cost burden

We partner for impact

We partner for impact

“At C3, we recognize that addressing our members’ health-related social needs is key to helping them live healthy lives.

Reimagining Trajectories

Client Stories

“I’ve reinvented myself, I feel so great, so powerful. At Way Finders, they know you have a story, they take the time to get to know you.”

“If Way Finders wasn’t in my life, I’d probably be homeless. They’ve provided me with affordable housing and so much more.”

“I’m proud that I’ve been able to maintain a place to live. I’ve met a lot of financial goals and I’ve got my credit up, and I’m proud that we’re all right.”

In Praise Of Our Staff

Financials

FY2022

Assets

LIABILITIES

Total Liabilities and Net Assets

REVENUE

EXPENSE

Change in Net Assets - Operations

Helping Neighbors.
Transforming Communities.
Reimagining Trajectories.