Mark Woollett and Candace Clift are California natives – Mark hails from Orange, CA and Candace from the greater Sacramento area. But they met in Massachusetts, both acting in a production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They moved to New York City in 2013, and as many artists who move here can attest, it can be hard to pay the bills while following your dreams. They keep their toes dipped firmly in the world of theatre by working at The Barrow Group Theatre Company and School, where Mark helps in finance and Candace works in school operations and teaches, in addition to several other jobs between them!

Q. How did you first learn about Care For the Homeless?

A. Mark heard an NPR story about a group in Boston that provides Medical care for the homeless and was inspired to see if a similar organization existed in New York City. A quick Google search brought him to Care For The Homeless, and he was impressed by its mission and accomplishments. But there is a deeper level to the story. We were distressed as a couple about our almost daily experiences in the streets of New York; the human misery and sickness we were walking by, not knowing how to help. Candace’s battle in 2016 with Triple Negative Breast Cancer also made us keenly aware of how lucky we were to have insurance when we really needed it. Illness is vulnerability. We were so lucky to face that fearful situation with a roof over our heads and insurance to pay the bills. Our hearts were breaking for those we saw on an almost daily basis struggling with illness on the streets. So we decided to contribute towards a solution.

Q. What compelled you choose CFH as a recipient of your support?

A. We found ourselves overwhelmed by the homeless situation and the complexity of each individual story. The causes of homelessness are many, complex and intertwined, and there is no one solution or magic bullet. One thing is certain though, everything is harder for those struggling with ill health or mental illness. CFH has a pragmatic approach to dealing with the wide-ranging medical needs of those who live on the street. And to us that seems to be a compassionate place to start in tackling the larger problem of homelessness in our city.

Q. Why did you decide to provide your support as a monthly gift?

A. We support monthly because we witness human need daily in New York. This way, our support is ongoing, like the challenges CFH, and folks on the street, are facing.

Q. Why do you continue to support the organization?

A. This year we had the opportunity to attend a couple of events, one that described new initiatives that CFH is working on, the other a celebration of success stories of those CFH supports. Both events were inspirational, and we left with a lot of respect for and confidence in the people doing the work at CFH.

Join Mark and Candace as a monthly donor!