Celebrating successes at the Richard Cohen Residence

On Thursday, May 14, Mission Action gathered supporters, board members, and friends for the Annual Cohen Garden Party. This casual fundraiser and art auction supports our essential programs serving LGBTQ+ audiences, including food distribution through Arcoíris Market, transitional housing for people living with AIDS/HIV at the Richard Cohen Residence, and emergency shelter and support services tailored for trans-inclusivity at Jazzie’s Place. 

This year, our event featured a special guest speaker: Nicholas Galarza, a former client of the Richard Cohen Residence. He volunteered to share his story with our guests, an inspiring tale of perseverance and healing. 

“A year and a half ago, I was standing at a crossroads. I had just been discharged from rehab at Ferguson Place and was experiencing homelessness. I didn’t just need a roof; I needed a foundation. That’s when I found the Richard Cohen Residence. I lived at Cohen for ten months, and it’s no exaggeration to say the team there saved my life. At the time, I was battling the heavy aftermath of addiction – paranoia, major depression, PTSD, and crippling anxiety. But the counselors didn’t ask me to be ‘perfect’ before they helped me; they met me exactly where I was. They ensured I felt safe when the world didn’t feel safe at all. I want to give a special shout-out to Sarah, who always made me feel like a million bucks and helped me find the confidence I had lost. Because of that stability, and even the simple, vital gift of healthy meals when I wasn’t working, I was able to start taking classes at City College.  

Since leaving Cohen, I haven’t stopped working. Through therapy, mindfulness groups, and even a lot of dodgeball, I’ve stayed committed to my recovery. Today, I am a graduate student pursuing my Master of Social Work. And just this past Tuesday, I officially secured my practicum position counseling youth in crisis, the very same kind of support I once received here. My life today is about service and visibility. Whether it’s serving as King of Heart for the Grand Ducal Council or being Mr. January for the Bare Chest Calendar, my goal is to raise money for the communities that raised me: people living with HIV/AIDS, those in recovery, and our LGBTQ+ youth. I truly do not know where I would be today without the Richard Cohen Residence. You gave me the space to heal so that today, I can help others do the same. Thank you.”  

We thank Nicholas for sharing his story. We’re so proud of him – and of all our clients who put in the hard work to build stable and meaningful lives. Mission Action is so grateful to our sensitive and hard-working staff, and to our funders and partners, without whom none of this would be possible.  

Nicholas Galarza with Cohen Staff Sarah Goldberg and Gwendolyn Hoskins.

Guests Arno Murayama and Frank Charlton show off the art they purchased in the art auction, donated by local artists. 

Mission Action staff send our thanks to our supporters and partners, for making this work possible.