SWAMPSCOTT — The Housing Authority celebrated its former Executive Director Donna McDonald on Monday, who worked with the organization for 31 years and retired in March 2020 at the height of the pandemic.
The Swampscott Housing Authority (SHA) organized a small gathering in honor of McDonald, attended by about a dozen tenants, employees and the chair of the board. SHA presented McDonald with a plaque acknowledging her dedication, concern and empathy for the residents over the many years of her service.
McDonald, who grew up in Lynn, joined SHA as a clerk in 1989. She was the executive director for 15 years, leading both the SHA and Nahant Housing Authority (NHA) simultaneously for about six years.
“When you have a job that you like, it is like a home,” McDonald said. “I had fun here.”
She loved her tenants, who were caring people and she tried to make their homes better and be a part of their lives, McDonald said. She said she also had luck with good board members.
The hardest part of the job was to deal with limited funding and constant budget restrictions.
Police Officer Sal Caruso, who had been a liaison between the SHA and the Swampscott Police Department for 22 years, said that he had a great working relationship with McDonald, becoming good friends.
“She had a wonderful way of making you feel like you are really helping,” said Caruso. “She didn’t take the credit.”
She could also be tough when she needed to, Caruso said, but under her leadership the morale among the residents was improving by the year.
“It is a thankless job,” Caruso said, noting that the SHA has been great despite its old properties and not enough funding.
McDonald found ways to make things happen, Caruso said.
“I found Donna great to work with at the Nahant Housing Authority,” said Susan Bonner, legislative chair at the Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants and former chair of the NHA board. “I worked well with her.”
While working in Nahant, Bonner said, McDonald was very involved with the tenants association and knew when to include tenants into discussions.
“I am very fond of her hard job,” siad Joanne Rosen, tenant of the SHA. “I don’t know how anybody is doing it.”
The gathering eventually turned into a friendly and a lighthearted roast, with attendees remembering McDonald’s toughness as a director. Someone remembered an interactive “no” button that McDonald had on her desk and used sometimes at the sight of a petitioner.
McDonald retired on March 3, 2020 and stayed for a few weeks to transfer her responsibilities to the incoming active Executive Director Irma Chez.
“I retired just in time for COVID,” said McDonald, who was not able to enjoy her retirement much or travel, after being diagnosed with cancer last year and going through treatments. “It all keeps life interesting.”
McDonald has three children, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren who she likes to spend time with and have fun.
