The Joy In Creating The Holiday Gift Project Cardboard Apartment By: Mark Borow, Co-Owner McConnell & Borow, Inc/ PropArt

I was sitting around feeling very sorry for myself. After two years of this miserable recession I had let most of my staff go and was wandering around my work studio pretty much by myself. The jobs had started to come back… slowly, very slowly, and I was finally able to bring back my studio manager and my first assistant, part time. It was the middle of October and one of my clients, Sara Clark from the advertising agency JWT called me and asked me if I was interested in contributing to a project they were working on. It had to do with helping veterans get back on their feet, setting them up in housing and supplying them with support to keep them on the steady. It was a pro-bono project, but they could swing a budget for materials and labor. Well, I figured, I certainly had enough time on my hands, so why not? I could help the veterans and get some of my guys back in here to work, a win-win situation. As it turned out, it was a win-win-WIN proposition. Aside from the cardboard project being incredibly fun and productive for us, once we started working with the veterans, I realized how lucky I was. I at least had a roof over my head. My economic problems would pass. These guys came to the studio with a great attitude and incredible enthusiasm despite their real difficulties. I got a lot more out of this project than I ever put in.

As for the construction of the cardboard apartment and accessories, the fabrication was pretty straight forward. I’m in a business that regularly fabricates props and models for print ads,
TV commercials and other various three dimensional projects. We work in all sorts of materials, everything from cardboard to acrylic, cast resin, clay, anything we need. I was supplied me with picture reference of things the SUS veterans would have in their apartments. Anything from a full efficiency kitchen, to a bed and dresser, to a pair of shoes, a clock or even a plate of food! I drew sketches based on this reference and from these sketches me and my crew, Wendy Bryan, Marc Van Cauwenbergh, Rob Robinson, Kerry Coutu, and Ben Bronstein started fabricating the props.

The trickiest pieces were the big pieces: the kitchen, the bed, and the armoire. Since they would be moved around and handled a lot, we made these pieces with an inner armature of light weight particle board and covered it with cardboard. We used laser cut pieces for some of the incredibly small detailed pieces like the numbers and hands on the clock, the keys on the computer keyboard, and the pattern on the bed quilt. As we progressed with the props we found new and exciting ways to handle the cardboard. It could be cut, bent or folded to give us some really complex shapes. The shoes, the drumstick on the plate, even the telephone receiver were done with these techniques. One day, some of the SUS consumers came by the studio and helped fabricate the clothes that hung in the armoire. Their enthusiasm and unexpected skills made for a fun and productive day.

To learn more about Mark Borow and McConnell & Borow, Inc/ PropArt please visit http://www.propartynyc.com.

Koretta

Koretta has witnessed substance abuse in her family since the age of 4. With a family history of addiction it was hard for her to escape her vulnerable circumstances. Diagnosed in adolescence with depression, Koretta grew up in and out of the juvenile justice system. Surprisingly or not, she landed a job as a forensic case manager, however, in time substance abuse and depression overcame her. She lost her job and became homeless. Finally, Koretta’s journey brought her to SUS, where she found support for her recovery. Now, a graduate of the SUS Peer Training Program, ’10, her life and her future are back on track, and she hopes to one day earn her MSW, and further serve others in their difficult journeys.

Paul Langley

While America has been captivated by the incredible story of Ted Williams, the Columbus, Ohio panhandler, who in the span of just one month has seen his life evolve from homeless street beggar to international celebrity. Paul Langley, a SUS consumer who spent years homeless on the streets but is now a chef, warns that Williams cannot go it alone and will need a strong support network to ensure that this incredible story has a happy ending.

Paul Langley, a 45-year-old sous chef employed by Time Life says he will never forget his years on the streets of New York. Langley who was diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia, says he is proud that he has turned his life around and is able to pursue his passion for the culinary arts and hopes to someday achieve his ultimate goal of becoming an Executive Chef. However, he says he did not turn his life around overnight and he did not go it alone. Langley who lives in the Macombs Residence in the Bronx, one of Services for the UnderServed’s permanent housing facilities. Here he has access to dedicated professionals and caring counselors who provide him with the support he needs to overcome the many obstacles that could still shatter his dreams.

Langley discusses the process required to assist a homeless person in rebuilding their life and the support that Ted Williams will need to make sure that like Langley he can fulfill his dream.