Meet Our Women of Hope: Dorothy Ann Mulholland and Lauretta Kennedy-Mulholland
Dorothy Ann Mulholland earned a degree in Social Work from Fordham University. She was the first in her family to graduate college and started her career working with children in the foster care system. She saw firsthand the devastation that occurred when a family was broken up, and knew that a better approach had to exist. When she started working with Providence House, she saw a glimmer of what that approach could be.
Dorothy has been a part of Providence House since the very beginning when her husband, Joe Mulholland, became an early member of the Board of Directors. According to Dorothy, “When I began my career in child welfare, prevailing practices didn’t give much thought as to why parents couldn’t care for their children. This never sat right with me. As I began working with Providence House, I continually heard stories about women who experienced trauma throughout their lives which made it impossible for them to be caretakers, but, with support they were able to grow and heal. That was always important to me. It wasn’t just about giving women a roof over their heads; it was about helping them think about what they needed to do to improve their situation, and giving them the love and support that was needed to be whole.”
Over the years, Dorothy volunteered at many events for Providence House, bringing her personal and professional network with her. Through these efforts, she helped educate people about what Providence House was able to achieve. Inspired by the work of the Sisters of St. Joseph and Providence House’s founding Director, Sister Elaine Roulet, CSJ, for their commitment to helping women who were in the most need, particularly those returning from incarceration. Dorothy showed others how our programs helped women find their place in the community, as well as how they brought together a community of supporters who elevated the agency to what it is today.
“My biggest lesson during my 40 plus years with Providence House is how much we can do as a society if we support women coming out of incarceration. People make mistakes, and we want them to be able to overcome them. Unfortunately, we are not living up to that promise. In knowing all of the wonderful work and new ideas that Providence House has executed to help women in need, it’s encouraging to see that they are able to remain true to their roots, while also having flexibility to be responsive to the needs of the community.”
People of Hope 2019
Royce Mulholland Naming Ceremony, 2022
Joining Dorothy as an honoree is her daughter in-law, Lauretta Kennedy-Mulholland. Lauretta was introduced to Providence House 24 years ago when she met her husband, Royce Mulholland. Royce, following in the footsteps of his father Joe, was a member of the Providence House Board of Directors. Lauretta was immediately moved by the mission of the organization and helped raise money and awareness to promote our works. “It was an easy cause to get behind,” says Lauretta. “It is hard to think of anyone who wouldn’t be drawn to an organization that is giving women a second chance, and a good one at that. “
Lauretta and her husband had many contributions to Providence House, the most important one being their help in getting the organization established as a supportive housing provider. According to Lauretta, “Royce’s business was always rooted in providing affordable housing. He was very instrumental in getting Providence House involved with this work because he saw how important it was for getting people out of poverty.”
After her husband’s passing in 2017, Lauretta focused her time and energy on running The Mulholland Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing affordable housing. Though she was less active with Providence House since taking over the organization, she has always kept in touch with our staff.
When asked what kept her involved with the Providence House after all of these years, Lauretta responded; “The history of Providence House and its mission has never faltered. I have a lot of admiration for the founders and founding mission, and how that has stayed true to this day. I was so happy to be reengaged with the organization at the dedication of the Royce Mulholland House, and was so impressed with how you all continue to keep this work going forward with the original intent. “
Lauretta’s passion for helping others continues through her work at The Mulholland Group. Her day to day experience in helping the people served by her organization has given her a deep understanding of what is most impactful. “I’m so connected with Providence House because we are in the same mindset as to what we need to do to make the change better. Housing is so vital. If people are happy where they live, in the buildings and the communities we create, they will be able to truly thrive. Looking ahead, Providence House needs to stay true to its roots. Affordable housing and supportive housing is the key to that. I am so proud to be a part of that work, and proud that my family has been able to grow this work at Providence House.”
People of Hope, 2022