The requirements
for consideration of the Tina DeLellis Distinguished Service Award
include the reasons for its inception — "to keep the memory of Tina
DeLellis alive and to thank someone who embodies Tina's spirit and
values of straight-shooting, honesty and fairness." said Mark
Alston-Follansbee, Executive Director of the Somerville Homeless
Coalition.

Rosemary Nolan of Sillari Realty recently received
the first award, which was presented by Gene Brune, Register of Deeds
and former Mayor of Somerville. "Nolan was the first person willing to
take a chance on renting the Somerville Homeless Coalition an apartment
for one of our clients. She always told us the truth [and] told us if
she thought we were making a mistake — but she is always fair and
willing to work with us."

The process of how DeLellis and Johnny
D's became involved is interesting. "There used to be a wild bar in the
space where Orleans is now. They had a beer run to raise money for the
coalition, but then they got shut down. Johnny D's knew we needed that
money and decided to take over the race," he said.

However, "80
percent of our funding comes from public sources like HUD, the state
and the City of Somerville." Then, the coalition must raise the
remaining funds. Johnny D's is the chief sponsor of the annual Road
Race, which brings in some revenue for the organization.

Initially,
the coalition began in the 1980s, with their "Adult Shelter for
individual adults." Located in the College Avenue United Methodist
Church basement. That was soon followed by the opening a Family
Shelter, which is located in the Hispanic Seventh Day Adventist Church.

In
the mid 90s, Project SOUP "joined the Coalition" and was the first
community meal program in New England, according to Alston-Follansbee.
In the following year, 1997, "We received our first federal grant to
provide case management to any homeless person, family or individual in
Somerville." A few years later the coalition's initial permanent
housing program began.

Since 2007, funds from the United Way
have become available "to prevent people from becoming homeless or to
get them re-housed ASAP, if they are homeless," he said.

Currently,
the coalition aids 125 families and individuals — all of whom inhabit
80 apartments. Beyond the City of Somerville, the communities to which
the organization's services extend include: Arlington, Medford, Belmont
and Winchester.

However, the coalition "just received word
from the state that the administration may cut our Adult Shelter budget
by 15 percent, which would be disastrous and be a loss of over $34,000
a year," said Alston-Follansbee.