NeighborWorks® Housing Solutions (NHS), the leading housing service provider in southeastern Massachusetts, has commemorated the legacy of Sue Smith, a dedicated Attleboro area social worker, with a memorial stone at the city’s first-ever adult emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing development.
The Sue Smith Memorial Stone, designed by Ryan Ackerman of Monti Ackerman Sculpture, now stands at the site of Ascension House, Attleboro’s new 18-bed adult emergency shelter and 22-unit permanent housing project, located at 150 Pleasant Street. The memorial stone pays tribute to the long-time social worker who provided service to the homeless.
Smith worked for many years as a program organizer for Community Counseling of Bristol County. A woman of remarkable faith, kindness, and generosity, she volunteered countless hours at the Food ‘N Friends Kitchen in Attleboro, and at emergency shelters for the homeless through community awareness programs in North Attleboro.
In 2015, Smith assembled a dedicated team to operate an emergency cold weather shelter in Attleboro, hosted by Faith Alliance Church and staffed by volunteers from FAC and Good News Bible Chapel in Attleboro. She secured the necessary permits from the city and managed the shelter’s operations. For five years until the COVID-19 pandemic caused its closure, Smith was present at the shelter every evening to check in overnight guests and returned each morning to collect and launder bed linens for the next night.
Smith’s dream was of a permanent, year-round shelter, staffed with case workers who would continue her work. She died at the age of 68 of cancer in 2019 before she could see her dream – the fully staffed, 18-bed shelter with supportive housing at 150 Pleasant Street – come true.
“It is very fitting that Sue Smith be remembered with this stone. She was an extraordinary woman of faith who cared deeply about each individual homeless person in Attleboro,” said Steve DuPlessie, MA Retired Pastor & Founding President of The Northern Bristol County Assistance Collaborative, Inc. “Sue worked very hard for years, providing personal support services that helped scores of women and men. She was most certainly the initial driving force behind this new shelter.”
“Sue Smith dedicated her career to helping the homeless in Attleboro through strong advocacy, compassion, and deep commitment,” said Susan Mazzarella, CEO of Catholic Charities operated of the Ascension House. “She would have been so proud of Ascension House – the building, the community collaboration, and the creation of new resources that continue her important work.”
“Sue was always willing to meet people ‘where they were’ literally and figuratively. Be it a tent in the woods, a cardboard box behind a supermarket, a car in a parking lot, or a food pantry,” said Janet Richardi of the Northern Bristol County Assistance Collaborative, Inc. “It made no difference if someone was struggling with substance abuse or with mental health issues; Sue worked with and befriended so many folks who will always remember her. For sure she was one in a million.”
“Sue Smith’s unwavering dedication and compassion left an indelible mark,” said Rob Corley, CEO of NeighborWorks Housing Solutions. This beautiful granite memorial stone is a testament to her tireless efforts and the profound impact she had on the lives of countless individuals.”
The Ascension House emergency shelter is now open and servicing individuals daily. The 22 units of permanent supportive housing on the upper floors have all been leased through a lottery and are now occupied. If you or anyone you love is experiencing homelessness, please call 508-674-4681.
About NeighborWorks® Housing Solutions
NeighborWorks® Housing Solutions is the leading housing service provider in southern Massachusetts. NHS has more than 70 years of combined experience in the community development field and provides services to more than 20,000 households in over 75 cities and towns across the region. In addition to building and managing nearly 800 units of housing for veterans, homeless families and others in need, the agency offers a wide range of housing services, including foreclosure prevention counseling, home rehabilitation loans and grants, financial coaching and first-time homebuyer workshops. For more information, contact call 617-770-5217 or visit www.nhsmass.org.
