In today’s Good Times there is a wonderful article about the four winners of Santa Cruz Next’s Awards.

We are so proud to share that HSC’s Executive Director, Monica Martinez, is one of them.

Read the full article here!

We are so lucky to have Betty Scott  here at the  Homeless Services Center.  Betty is the Coordinator for our Hygiene Center, a part of our Day Resource Center.

     Today Betty stopped by the Development office to share a heartwarming story with us about a visit that she had from an old friend on HSC’s Coral Street Campus.

We love sharing our stories with you, thanks for reading!

Betty began her story by explaining that she hadn’t seen this man, who was a participant of HSC, in a little while and was beginning to worry about him. She explains, “I hadn’t seen him in about 6 months, and today he came right up to me and said, ‘Hi Miss Betty,’ and I barely recognized him.  I hadn’t seen him clean like that, all cleaned up.”

He told Betty that he now has a place to live after experiencing homelessness, and that he had started talking to his daughter for the first time in 10 years. He continued telling her that he wasn’t inviting people over, because his grip on housing was still so new, but that if she would ever like to visit, that would be okay.

It is compassionate people like Betty that help show people the love and support that they need to make it through a difficult times. We are always thrilled when people come back and share their good news with us.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development has awarded the Homeless Services Center (HSC) two Federal Emergency Shelter Grants.  One $132,000 grant was awarded for the Paul Lee Loft, a 30 day emergency shelter for 46 homeless adult men and women.  A second $132,000 grant was awarded for the Day Resource Center, a program that meets the basic emergency needs of homeless individuals, such as meals and showers, and helps people transition out of homelessness through programs such as an Empowerment Center computer lab and support meetings.  The total amount received was $264,000.  This is a one year grant.

These are significant grants that come at a time of growing community need and decreased funding from other sources.  HSC had applied for both grants in August 2011 at the amount received, however the award notification was delayed by over two months (as a result of state procedure changes), which led to growing concern over the ability to continue to provide the current level of services.  HSC was beginning to plan a scale back of meals and services, due to lack of funding.  Although HSC applied for two grants, they were hopeful that they would receive at least one of the two.  Receiving both grants is a reason to celebrate.

Monica Martinez, Executive Director, stated: “We had been hoping for the best, yet planning for the worst, so this award is a huge relief and will allow us to kick off a strong and healthy 2012.”

She also said, “For the last 18 months, we have been working hard to streamline our services to focus on smart, cost-effective solutions that move people out of homelessness.  However, it is challenging to develop new strategies when you are just trying to keep the doors open.  It wouldn’t be reasonable to develop new, innovative programs at the expense of basic needs such as meals and showers- these two approaches need to go hand in hand.  This funding security gives us an opportunity to focus less on surviving day-to-day and focus more on long-term solutions.”

The Salvation Army in Watsonville also received a $132,000 grant for operations of their 70 bed shelter.

One of the participants staying in the  Loft wrote this creative piece and it beautifully offers insight into the experiences of those seeking a home. 

Loft Life

6am comes early and 5pm comes slowly. As a resident of the Loft I am just a potato in a kettle of personality stew. We sometimes boil and sometimes simmer, yet the worst is when we burn on the bottom.

The life here can be as simple as you make it. Yet we tend to excuse our way out of everything, except for our comfort foods, television, showers, laundry, coffee. Gratitude is not a condiment.

It’s winter now, and being housed is the crème brulee of comfort. Sheets and blankets, BBQ tri-tips. Showers with free soap and shampoo, mashed spuds and gravy.

The people who protect us are the vegetable dish. Some of us may love vegetables and many leave them on their plate or feed them to the dogs.

The safety provided us has no food equivalent. No price. It’s invaluable and priceless. As is the whole thirty-one day stay here without this shelter, we are fish swimming against the tide. Some may make it up the river, and some may beach and die.

–Anonymous Participant, 12/2011

I started volunteering by serving dinner on Monday evenings.  I got to know the people in the shelter. We talked about our lives while I served dinner, and I started  to build relationships.  I was so happy to be volunteering at Rebele Family Shelter for an hour a week, but after a wile I decided I wanted to do more.  I wanted to reach out and help in any way I could.  I asked what else I could do, and found that they needed front desk receptionists.

As a front desk volunteer at Homeless Services Center I help out a couple hours a week  answering calls, talking to the families, doing mini projects for the staff, and trying and make the day less stressful for everyone.  The day goes by fast because I have a great time volunteering while being there for others.

Serving is one of the most amazing experiences.  It isn’t something that you can just dedicate your time to, it is something you must become invested in.

There is a joy that I receive in helping others, that cannot be received in any other way!

Cesar is as local as one can get in this county: born, bred and raised in Santa Cruz.

Cesar and his partner, along with their children are current residents of our Rebele Family Shelter. “Living here is a chance to save up and move forward” Cesar says. Two months into his stay, Cesar has already obtained his license, put a down payment on a car, and began saving for a home, all while maintaining a full time job to support his family. “I am very thankful for being here and grateful for the three meals every day” Cesar remarks, smiling.

“I grew up on the streets, getting high, and in the wrong state of mind” describes Cesar. In his youth, Cesar was addicted to meth, which led to his incarceration. Upon his release from prison, Cesar was clean and sober, learning to “stand up for his own,” and yet he remained homeless. He continued to sleep on couches and carry all his possessions around in a duffle bag. Here at Rebele Family Shelter, Cesar has access to a closet in which he hangs all of his cleanly pressed, unwrinkled, clothes that are no longer carted around in a duffle bag.

“Home is your comfort zone, a place where you can go to whenever you want,” says Cesar. When asked to imagine his dream home, he describes it as “clean and well stocked.” Cesar’s dreams for his children are “to go to school and get an education,” pausing he adds, “and I expect them to be good people.” Cesar is continuing his search for permanent housing with the support of a dedicated case manager, and believes that sustainable housing for his family is no longer out of reach. “It doesn’t take too much to make me happy” Cesar notes, “I just want us to have enough.”

Ardella and her family began experiencing a series of turbulent times after her husband was laid off from his long-time job. Their family moved in with her mother, Marley, in Ben Lomond and stayed there for thirteen years. In 2007, Ardella’s husband became very ill and passed away. Ardella’s children stayed with their grandmother as Ardella lapsed into drugs and alcohol. With persistence Ardella got admitted into our Page Smith Community House (PSCH), an 18 month transitional housing program for homeless individuals. “I had a key to lock my own room,” Ardella remembers, but more importantly she was “able to stay clean, get a job, and visit her children on a regular basis.” As a result of her work at Page Smith Community House she was connected to one of our partner agencies, Families in Transition, through which she obtained a housing voucher.

More unfortunate turbulent times would follow Ardella as she lost her housing and spent the next four years living out of a trailer with her boyfriend who was addicted to meth. Ardella remembered her time at Page Smith Community House and with continued support from Homeless Services Center and the Homeless Person’s Health Project she was able to extricate herself from an abusive relationship. Ardella recalls, “I’ve never done anything like that in my life, to be able to stand on my own and say, this is my home, I make my own rules, and say what I want in my home.”

With the continued support of community agencies, Ardella is now permanently housed in Santa Cruz. She feels proud of assertiveness which allowed her to stand up for herself, and break through barriers which previously kept her from maintaining permanent housing. She is now a resource to those in need in our community, and continues to look for work caring for elders. At our second annual Open House, Ardella was one of our featured speakers and she proudly proclaimed, “I am a success story.”

Material donations from our community save our organization valuable funds that we can then use to make our programs stronger and more effective in our mission – moving people out of homelessness and into housing and employment!

The following items are most in need by HSC and our clients:

• Bath Towels
• Shampoo (large or travel size bottles)
• Body soap
• Razors
• Shaving cream
• Laundry detergent
• Toothpaste and Toothbrushes
• Q-tips
• Lotion
• Twin Sheets
• Pillows (new)
• Blankets (new or gently used)
• Diapers
• Baby Wipes
• Warm and/or Weatherproof clothing
• Umbrellas
• Hot Liquid Cups
• Sugar
• Oatmeal

For a complete list of needed items, please visit our website www.scshelter.org.

It is strongly preferred that you deliver donations on weekdays between 9am and 4pm. They should be taken to the Donations office in the one-story building on the right as you come in the driveway at115 Coral Street. If you have any questions about whether your material gift is right for HSC, please give as a call at 458-6020.

Please note that due to storage constraints and volume of offerings, we are unable to accept used books and used toys. Due to storage constraints, gifts of large furniture must be coordinated in advance.

“I feel like I have a lot to give back,” says Ms. Ramos. Now in a stable place in her own life, Shay is excited about sharing her time and knowledge with those who can benefit from her experience.  The support and services she received at the Homeless Services Center was pivotal pieces of Shay’s ability to retain permanent housing and stability.

Shay experienced a tumultuous upbringing, and left home at the tender age of fourteen, experiencing homelessness for the first time as a young woman. In her life, Shay has suffered from depression and overcome addictions to drugs and alcohol. After years of cycling in and out of addiction and poverty, Shay and her young son found a safe place at the Rebele Family Shelter while hoping that a Section 8 housing voucher would come through.

“We had a room to ourselves and it didn’t feel like shelter at all,” Shay recalls. “I made lots of friends there that I still see.” Her son, then age five, remembers loving the shelter and being surrounded by fun activities and other children. During her six month stay, Shay was supported by counselors and case managers that ensured that she “always felt safe. We felt like it was our home, even though it was temporary.”

Since leaving Rebele Family Shelter four years ago, Shay and Sonny have enjoyed sustainable, permanent housing inSanta CruzCounty. They live in a beautiful bungalow in Beach Flats and enjoy watching movies and playing at the beach together. Sonny no longer has to switch schools and Shay is going to return toCabrilloCollegenext semester to pursue a degree in criminal justice.  To Shay, home is “a place that you can identify with,” as well as “a warm, safe place you can go to.” She is grateful for the continuity of their home and continues to work hard to ensure that her child grows up with stability so he can become “the best him he can be.”

John was born into a family of fourteen siblings, and at age fifteen he decided to leave home. Two years later, at seventeen, John joined the 25^th infantry working in weapon maintenance, fuel storage and distribution in the Vietnam War. His courage during wartime earned him two bronze stars. During his military career John struggled with alcohol and drug addictions after being injured.  Over the next decades he suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and found himself in and out of recovery homes.

John came to the Paul Lee Loft Shelter after the dissolution of his second marriage due to his depression, leaving behind his adopted grandson, to find support while he is re-creating his life. “This place allows me to me stay clean, get a shower and do laundry.” John says that he “feels known here,” and continues to work diligently with his case manager to pay off his debt, remain clean and sober, and search for “a place to hang his hat.” John is an asset to our community as he volunteers fifteen hours a week, and recently helped our cook tasty barbeque for Open House.

John envisions himself having a home in Boulder Creek by the New Year. He looks forward to becoming more involved with his church and local community. He has volunteered for Veterans for Peace and acts as a positive role model by maintaining weekly phone calls with his grandson, encouraging him to get as much education as he can. John contributed to our community art installation with this aspiration: “Before I die I want to see my grandson graduate from college.” We look forward to providing resources and support to John as he actualizes his dreams of home.