b'Finding HomeWorking with Vanessa PollockBY ELLEN DONKERJake Ezzo at his new home, with cats Gypsy and Simon.J ake Ezzo has arrived at aEzzo, Pollock says, Being able to take new place in life. For thecare of him is what fuels us. This isnt first time in the seven yearsabout a house price point. Its not about sincehecametoSouthmaking money. Its about people before Orange Middle School asprofit. With a wink, she also admits to itschoirteacher,hefeelsanother reason for taking good care of like he is home.Ezzo: Honestly, I also wanted to keep Ezzo was hired by the school straighthim in the community in order to guar-outofcollegeandspentthefirstfourantee that my daughters will have him yearscommutingfromPrincetonandas their teacher as well!then New Brunswick. All that time in the car didnt give him much of a chanceOnce she had the green light, Pol- Calculating the impact of the move, to put down roots. And that was something he longed to do, having grown uplock went back to her team and toldEzzo says, This is the first time I felt in a small town outside of Syracuse, NY. Whenever wed walk down the street,them, Theres an unspoken need andlikeIvehadmyownhome.[Its]a you would see familiar faces, says Ezzo. And I grew up with that and thatswehaveanopportunitytomakeahuge shiftand knowing I have such a something that I really love. And I never felt that in New Jersey until I camedifference. As she recalls, all he hadstrongsupportnetworkthatdoesnt up here.brought with him was a bed set, kitch- end when you sign the lease. Outside A few years ago, Ezzo turned to Vanessa Pollock to help him find an apart- en table, and a desk. The team was allofmyfamily,Vanessahasmadethe ment. Pollock knew Ezzo because her son Hudson was in his chorus class and shein and took to social media asking forbiggest difference in my life. had watched him successfully grow the schools chorus program. Starting out witha couch and other donations. A resi- To see the video of the makeover, go to about 40 students in year one, he has expanded the program to nearly 400 kids,dent who worked at Burrow offered aPollockGroupMakeover.comachieving a 90 to 95 percent retention rate year over year. He is that good. brand new couch of their choice from Pollock pulled in her rental specialist Kelly Lombardi and together they helpedthe companys website. Further, team Ezzo land an apartment in South Orange that fit a young teachers budget and al- members and residents donated mir-lowed his cats Gypsy and Simon. Ezzo says, The moment I started working withrors and art while other pieces came Vanessa, it really seemed like [she was saying], I want to make sure you are okay.out of staging inventory. Together the I want to make sure you get the best fit for you to make you happy. team spent a day or two moving ev-About two years later, when Ezzo was walking home after the last day oferything in, hanging artwork, fluffing school in 2019, Lombardi spotted him and gave him a shout. She explainedpillows and draping blankets. that an apartment had come up in Maplewood that would be perfect for himWhenEzzoreturnedonAugust and wondered if he would consider looking at it. Although moving hadnt been3, Pollock met him at the door and on his radar, Ezzo agreed. When he saw that the apartment was easily twice thewalked him through his transformed size of his studio, with laundry facilities and a workshop in the basement for thespace. I dont think the term magi-same amount of rent, he jumped for it. A quick call with his dad confirmed thatcal is correct, says Ezzo. But it was this was indeed a good move. the closest thing to that I could feel. Of course, ramping up from a studio to a four-room apartment demandsIt was both jaw-dropping and beauti-more furniture and dcor and Pollock took notice. Ezzo says, As I was movingful. As someone whose job is to re-in, she approached me aboutdoing a makeover for it. He wasnt exactly surecite words and sing words, I was 100 what she had in mind but trusted Pollock enough to hand over the keys to workpercent speechless. Vanessa Pollock helped Jake Ezzo find a new home and orchestrated a makeover her magic while he was visiting his family.Reflecting on her relationship withof his larger space.20/ matters magazine / hearth & home 2020'