Meryl’s Safe Haven is a nonprofit organization in its early stages, its mission to aid those affected by homelessness, especially youth who have aged out of DCF care. Dr. Tasia Cerezo, resident of Worcester, aims to spread awareness on this ongoing issue–which is all part of following through with her beloved aunt’s dream
WORCESTER – Years before its realization, Dr. Tasia Cerezo and her spouse, Marisol Cerezo, dreamed of starting their own nonprofit organization. Having worked extensively in the field already, as well as in higher education, they imagined a way they could give back to their community.
Dr. Cerezo’s aunt, Meryl Mobley, had a similar hope of creating a shelter program to assist youth who were transitioning out of DCF care. Tragically, Meryl passed away in June of 2022 in a car crash before she could transform her dream into reality.
To help cope with this immense loss and to honor Mobley’s vision, the Cerezos founded Meryl’s Safe Haven, whose mission is to help homeless families and youth to thrive while providing support in areas of continued education, employment, and mental health.
As pre-adoptive parents themselves, helping underprivileged youth obtain their basic needs and gain independence held special meaning to them. While Meryl’s Safe Haven is a way to commemorate Dr. Cerezo’s aunt’s memory and wishes, it is also a vessel to help shine a spotlight on an even bigger issue: the lack of available shelters.
The demand for shelter has overwhelmingly increased with the arrival of hundreds of migrants–not just in Worcester, but throughout Massachusetts. While many migrant families are quickly placed in hotels, there isn’t enough staff to assist them, Dr. Cerezo explained.
There are also people who are already in the state, born and raised here and still waiting to be placed. She argues that housing and shelter should be basic human rights, not a privilege.
Although Meryl’s Safe Haven was recognized as a charity organization earlier this year, the road to get it up and running has so far been difficult and lengthy, especially while balancing full-time jobs and parenting.
Before they could apply for state funding, the first challenge was to find a property to shelter these families, which the Cerezos stumbled upon while driving through Worcester one day. Spotting a “for lease” sign on a building that was being renovated, they quickly pulled a U-turn and called the property owner, who was on board with the intended use of the building, which has the capacity to shelter 26 people.
While waiting to get state approval for funding of the building, Dr. Cerezo also started speaking at city council meetings and testifying about the current housing crisis.
“People are starting to take notice,” said Dr. Cerezo. “They realize I’m going to come back every week to speak about this.”
Though obtaining the necessary funds has been the biggest obstacle, Dr. Cerezo explains that it’s also been hard “navigating identifying partnerships and getting connected to existing providers. The nonprofit sector can be very competitive and that landscape can be challenging.”
She has reached out to senators and other state officials for foundational support for Meryl’s Safe Haven but, ultimately, the pervasive problem remains the lack of awareness surrounding homelessness.
“Shelter programs get a bad name and the media leaves out a lot of important information,” she added.
In mid-July, Dr. Cerezo received their first call from a family that had looked up their organization and was in need of shelter. Because they await state approval on the building, she sadly had to inform the mother on the phone that they could not take them in. But this did not stop her from making many calls throughout the day to find her any available resources. She believes that cities could benefit greatly from having a network of organizations that offer shelter services so that those in need don’t fall through the cracks.
Buoyed by an uncertain economy, even families with two parents are struggling to pay rent, so it’s not uncommon to see whole families in need of shelter. According to statistics, veterans are less likely to seek public assistance and have historically been unsupported in other areas as well, said Dr. Cerezo. Again, she urges people to share their support and advocate for the right to shelter and she hopes that Meryl’s Safe Haven will be an entryway to opportunity for people in need.
Some of the upsides to this journey, Dr. Cerezo shares, are all the great connections they’ve made as well as a sense of community. Abby’s House, another shelter in Worcester that provides housing to women and children, was one of the first organizations she reached out to for guidance and she has since kept record of other nearby nonprofits to direct families to while
Meryl’s Safe Haven continues to take root. As a family business and small organization, Dr. Cerezo says it’s hard work but “every dent makes a difference.” She has even started to blog their journey on their website with monthly updates for anyone who is interested in starting their own nonprofit.
The target date to officially open the doors of Meryl’s Safe Haven is Nov. 1, and so far things seem to be on track. They are currently waiting for an inspection on the building (the specific Worcester address has not been divulged for privacy and safety concerns) as well as some furniture for the families they plan to house. The building itself, however, is almost finished with the renovations it needed, such as a new roof. Dr. Cerezo is grateful to the partnership with the property owner and shared that he is eager to connect her with another property owner in Worcester for further shelter space once the state approves their funds.
Her advice to people who want to get involved in advocacy is to “open your doors.” Homelessness affects everyone in some way, not just those going through it. Having grown up in the south, Dr. Cerezo says a quote that she often heard was, “We’re all one paycheck away from experiencing similar challenges,” so let’s remember our humanity and help each other. “Shelter the unsheltered,” is the motto for Meryl’s Safe Haven.
Fabiola Mejia is a freelance writer from the North Shore and has written for publications such as We Are Mitú, Mother Untitled, Chalkbeat, and Tinybeans. She can be reached at fmejia565@gmail.com
