October 20th Ribbon Cutting about more than Purple October is Domestic Violence Awareness & Prevention Month. The signature color is purple and Wear Purple Day is October 20th, a fitting day to cut the ribbon on the new home for Unity House’s Domestic Violence Services Program, which will operate out of a building at 6… more
Newsletter Available Online The Unity House Newsletter is now available online. You can view it here: Unity House Fall/Winter 2022 Newsletter If you would like a hard copy of the newsletter mailed to you, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (518) 274-2633 x4133.
In Tribute: Jean Cavallo (1932-2022) In 1978 Jean Cavallo came to work with Mary Jane Smith at Unity House. It was a challenging time for Jean: her husband had become disabled and she had four small children at home. Jean started as a bookkeeper, taking on tasks, doing whatever she could to support the mission…. more
Times Record newspaper article, August 4, 1973 By Mary Lou Sims, Lifestyle Editor From a 1973 Troy newspaper article we recently discovered: a piece on the late Mary Jane Smith who, along with the late Peter Callagahan and Regis Obijiski, founded Unity House in 1971. This article makes reference to the great needs at the… more
Meet Unity House’s Assistant Director of the NYS Domestic and Sexual Assault Hotline and PREA Hotline Casey Helmer came to know Unity House when she accepted an internship in the Domestic Violence Services Program. A criminal justice major, Casey was interested in the intersection of intimate partner violence and the justice system. After receiving her… more
Advocate in Action Susan Shipherd came to know Unity House through her friendship with the late Mary Jane Smith and John Lyons. Susan believed in the social justice work the pair were engaged in. Susan and her husband Jim supported Unity House and other causes by attending events, volunteering, and asking others to support the… more
Have you seen the Unity House Ambassadors in downtown Troy? Maybe you saw them helping out at Summer Square, the Troy Waterfront Farmer’s Market, or directing visitors on their way to the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Ambassadors are young adults enrolled in Unity House’s Community Ambassador Program. It is paid work that offers a… more
New Leadership Last year, when Chris Burke announced his plans to retire, the all-volunteer board of directors at Unity House swung into action and started an extensive search for a new Chief Executive Officer. On Thursday, the board announced our new leader, David L. Bach. About our new CEO David served as Associate Commissioner of… more
Focus is on Pre-Schoolers at sites and School Age children at Community Resource Center Summer Fun Bags for school age children School age children need options. That is why our summer fun bags were a hit with parents and kids alike. Each bag, usually a cinch sak, contains fun and educational materials for kids. They… more
For May’s Mental Health Awareness Month, Unity House staffer Samantha Shipherd shares about meeting bicyclists on a mission. “I got your six” Often heard in the military, “I got your six” is a way of saying “I’ve got your back.” It comes from the days of air combat. Before there were sensors to show where… more