HSC – Services OverviewHomeless Services Center115 Coral Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060(831) 458-6020www.SCshelter.org

HSC Mission

The Homeless Services Center (HSC) is dedicated to providing emergency and transitional services to homeless individuals and families that will enable our clients to achieve self-sufficiency

HSC HistoryFounded 25 years ago as a

community effort to meet a growing need

Founded by volunteers and still relies on daily volunteer support

HSC Organization History1986 Citizens Committee for the Homeless formed by Page Smith, Paul Lee, and Paul Pfotenhauer in response to

lack of emergency shelter for a growing homeless population. Programs include the Interfaith Satellite Shelter Project.

1990 Free Meal program started by Karen Gillette.

1992 Homeless Community Resource Center formed to operate the Free Meal program and other day services. Karen Gillette hired as executive director.

1994-95 Homeless Community Resource Center develops Day Center facility.

1995 Citizens Committee for the Homeless begins the Homeless Garden Project.

1996 Citizens Committee for the Homeless begins construction of Page Smith Community House (transitional housing), utilizing nine manufactured homes.

1997 Homeless Garden Project splits from Citizens Committee for the Homeless.

1998 Page Smith Community House opens. Citizens Committee for the Homeless and Homeless Community Resource Center merge to form the Homeless Services Center.

1999 Long-time executive director Karen Gillette departs; Ken Cole hired as executive director.

2000 First Soup Line Supper (annual fundraiser). Homeless Community Resource Center kitchen and dining room opens. Strategic planning: Family Shelter conceived.

2002 Facility still on the “old lot”

2003 Capital campaign for Pat and Rowland Rebele Family Shelter.

2004 First Harriet Deck Party (annual fundraiser).

2005 The Rowland and Pat Rebele Family Shelter opens.

2006 Mission statement is revised. Planning begins for the Paul Lee Loft (emergency shelter for single adults).

HSC FinancialsBudget $1.9 millionProgram spending 87%Funding sources

◦Private◦Government◦Foundations

Serving the homeless Thanks in large part to the generosity of our donors, sponsors and

other community supporters, the Homeless Services Center succeeded in providing essential services such as shelter, meals, employment assistance, and case management to homeless families and individuals in Santa Cruz County. ◦ 59 families with children resided in the Rebele Family Shelter between

7/1/09 – 6/30/10. Of the 48 families that exited the shelter in the last year, 46 moved into permanent or longer term housing upon exiting the shelter. That’s a 95% success rate!

◦ 63 adults resided in our Page Smith Community House transitional shelter during the last year; 29 out of 31 people exited the program to move into longer term housing (94%)

◦ Over 24,000 “bed nights” of shelter were provided at the Paul Lee Loft Shelter and National Guard Armory.

◦ During the last year, approximately 21,000 showers were taken and 7,200 loads of laundry were done by our homeless clientele.

◦ Over 128,000 nutritious meals were served to families and individuals.

◦ Over 400 Day Center clients enrolled in the Food Stamp and Employment Training program in order to improve their situation.

Your donations to the Homeless Services Center

made all of this possible! Thank You!

During 2010, donations to HSC provided the following:

Over 150,000 healthy meals served in our Day Resource Center dining hall and to families in the Rebele Family Shelter.

Over 20,000 “bed nights” of emergency overnight shelter were provided at the Paul Lee Loft Shelter and National Guard Armory.

More than 60 families with children were provided with a safe place to live for six months in the Rebele Family Shelter. Of the families who exited the shelter, 85% moved into permanent housing.

In the Day Resource Center's Hygiene Facility, over 21,000 showers were taken and 5,500 loads of laundry were done.

TOUR OF CAMPUS SERVICES

Programs on campus6 total

◦ 1 run by County Homeless persons Health Project (HPHP)

◦ 1 run by Santa Cruz Community Counseling Center River Street Shelter

◦ 4 run by Homeless Services Center Day Resource Center Paul Lee Loft Shelter & Winter Shelter Program Page Smith Community House Rebele Family Shelter

Day Ctr

Paul Lee Loft

HPHP

River St Shelter

Page Smith Housing

RebeleFamily Shelter

HPHP - Homeless Persons Health Project On-site medical and mental health services through Homeless Person’s Health

Project (HPHP) Rapid response HIV Testing through HPHP Referrals to community clinics Access to health education workshops Wellness, yoga, and acupuncture services available HPHP works along side homeless adults and youth through case management

during times of need or crisis, relationships are built which contrast the abandonment and violence which have often characterized the significant relationships of the past. By supporting homeless persons through a process of making thoughtful decisions and choices over time about health, substance use, or related issues, we observe them building the skills needed to access services on their own and to improve their health, economic and social stability, and prospects for the future.

HPHP staff and clinics provide assistance to over 3,000 individuals per year. A few are seen only once or twice, others work intensively with staff for months. Many others not included in this number receive supplies, information, and referral to other services.

HPHP has been funded as a federally funded Health Care for the Homeless Program since 1989. Matching funds are provided by the County of Santa Cruz. Generous donations throughout the year from community members help to provide homeless individuals with food, supplies, and basic necessities while they recuperate from illness or injury.

HPHP is open M-F (hours may vary). Contact HPHP at (831) 454-2080. Additional health services can be accessed by visiting our location.

River Street Shelter River Street Shelter is a 32-bed emergency shelter for homeless adult men and

women. Shelter staff work with residents to achieve self-sufficiency goals and connect with community resources for obtaining benefits, physical health services, employment, and housing. Specialized counseling is available for those residents with mental illness to support them in maintaining psychiatric stability and achieving individualized recovery goals. On-site 12-step meetings for Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous also support the recovery process for those with substance abuse issues.

The shelter opens at 3:00 pm and closes at 8:00 am. About 60% of the beds are reserved for people referred by County Mental Health. Those individuals are allowed to stay at the shelter for up to 90 days. Four beds are reserved as crisis beds for County Mental Health and Dominican Behavioral Health Unit; these beds are intended for a brief stay of 2-5 days. The remainder of the beds are distributed on a waiting list basis. People on the waiting list need to check in every two days to stay on the list; once accepted, they are allowed to stay up to 30 days.

The shelter strives to provide a home-like environment where people feel safe and valued, and can begin the process of rebuilding their lives. Breakfast and dinner are provided, along with telephone and laundry services. Residents get together on Friday and Saturday nights to watch movies in the shelter's cozy living room, and birthdays and holidays are celebrated. Residents pitch in to help in the running of the shelter, and many are able to contribute skills that have not been utilized in a long time, which helps them remember they are a valuable member of the community.

The River Street Shelter was created by the Citizen's Committee for the Homeless in 1987, and has been run by the Santa Cruz Community Counseling Center since 1989. It is funded by the City and County of Santa Cruz, United Way, FEMA, and community contributions.

HSC Programs Overview Day Resource Center

◦ An on-site day program providing basic services to homeless individuals,

◦ such as morning and evening meal service, laundry, mail facilities, showers and social-service referrals. Day Center Office Hours:   8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday thru Friday

Meal Service: Breakfast- 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and Dinner-4 p.m. to 5 p.m. every day Showers: 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday Mailroom: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday thru Friday

Paul Lee Loft Shelter & Winter Shelter Program◦ Emergency-shelter service on the HSC campus for 46 adults, 365 days per year. 

During the winter months, additional shelter is provided for 100 individuals at the National Guard Armory with shuttle service operating from the HSC campus. To sign up for the Paul Lee Loft, visit the Day Resources Center between 9am and 4pm and fill out an application.

Page Smith Community House◦ A transitional, sober-living, housing program for 40 single male and female adults for

up to 18 months. Eight co-housing units, individual and group counseling, referrals for social services, job placement and other resources help homeless individuals transition into self-sufficiency. Individuals may sign up for the Page Smith Community House wait list on Thursdays between 1pm and 4pm.

 Rebele Family Shelter◦ Emergency housing for up to 28 families for up to six months.

◦ The shelter provides family suites, three meals per day, children's indoors and outdoor play areas, a classroom/meeting room, a central lounge on each floor and laundry facilities. Adults receive counseling, health-care and job assistance support, and children attend area schools.

Day Center Nutritious breakfast and dinners for 200-300 daily

◦ Food donated from T Joe’s, Whole Foods, 2nd Harvest and others

◦ Family shelter also serves lunch

◦ Page Smith can get food and we distribute extra to other programs as necessary Hygiene and lockers

◦ Showers and laundry facilities and supplies Mail services and phone access

◦ Anyone can get mail here Daily clothing distribution

◦ 3 things people need: Food, shelter and clothing

Of these, clothing offers most for self esteem Food stamps and benefits advocacy Empowerment Center for job and housing searches

◦ Computer access & training

◦ Volunteer staffed - 5 days a week Reduced Fee DMV Identification Site

Our Day Services are open daily from 7am to 5pm. Meals are served at 8am and 4pm. Please visit our location for additional information about specific services.

Paul Lee Loft Emergency shelter for 46 homeless individuals

◦ Safe and secure bunks for 28 men and 14 women

◦ Come in on a Monday; if not filled by Wed, go to next in line (hard to get in touch with homeless people)

Access to nutritious meals and daytime services Storage space for personal belongings Open at 5pm; lights out at 10pm Can stay up to 30 days

◦ Behavior based rules (not drug testing)

◦ Have overnight staff Community living environment Socialization skill building Referrals to transitional and permanent housing

Built by Habitat for Humanity with donations and volunteer from other contractors and materials providers.

The Paul Lee Loft provides 30 days of emergency shelter for 46 homeless men and women. Availabilities will be posted every Monday.

Rebele Family Shelter No charge emergency shelter for up to 28 families with children

◦ Planning for different sizes of families was tricky Population

◦ 30% mental issues; 30% substance abuse; 30 % bad luck

◦ Have to open savings acct (monitored to ensure85% of income is saved)

◦ From here to some other more permanent form of housing Services

◦ Extensive case management

◦ Parenting classes and money management counseling

◦ After school children’s activities

◦ Three nutritious meals daily Keep track of who eats and workers can request that meals get

held

◦ Free access to diapers, formula, children’s clothing, school supplies, and other needs

Security

◦ Drug testing

◦ Cameras on each floor

The Rebele Family Shelter provides 3-6 months of temporary shelter for up to 28 families with children.

Page Smith Community House

Transitional housing for formally homeless individuals in a sober-living environment

Individuals rooms with shared living areas Extensive case management Group support and collaborative living Access to job readiness resources Benefits advocacy Rent calculated at 30% of income 85-90% of people leave here to go to permanent housing Units soon to be replaced

◦ Might be able to use a couple for the new recuperative bed program

◦ Since hospitals will pay for up to 2 days at a motel Find stories (like 7 years with no privacy)

The Page Smith Community House provides transitional housing for 40 individual men and women for up to 18 months. Please visit us on Thursdays from 1:00-4:00pm to be placed on the waitlist.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH INITIATIVE

Good Neighbor Commitment The Homeless Services Center is

committed to providing high quality services to our community’s homeless individuals in a manner that is effective, accountable, and socially responsible in the Harvey West neighborhood

We are dedicated to working with and providing leadership to, City and County officials to create a partnership that works toward ending homelessness in Santa Cruz

Some Steps WE Have Taken:

 Developed a Community Service Team of participant volunteers that frequently monitors and cleans the surrounding neighborhood

Implemented a “No-Impact Zone” around our surrounding perimeter Hosted a series of meetings with neighbors and our local SCPD lieutenant to

discuss neighborhood concerns and reach solutions Continued to enforce our substance-free environment and will immediately

ban anyone using or selling illegal substances on campus Trained our staff in various security measures, including educating our staff on

legal methods of disbanding loitering groups on public sidewalks Continued to operate with 2-3 overnight security staff on our campus on any

given night Ensured that all lights and cameras are effectively operational on all corners

of our campus and in “high-risk” areas Strengthened our standard of behavior and “ban-policy” from those who do

not follow our campus-wide Code of Conduct Made efforts to improve the environmental conditions for our immediate

neighbors, including mowing the lawns and cleaning the streets of our neighboring businesses

Hosted a Community Open House with tours of services, bbq, music, children’s activities and a speaking presentation from leadership and service participants

Developed open lines of communication with our neighbors so that we can continue to IMPROVE 

HSC client guidelines Respect our Organization

◦ Adhere to our Policies and Procedures

◦ Volunteer to help improve our campus

◦ Support our staff- they have a difficult job!

Respect our Neighborhood◦ Respect our “No-Impact Zones”

◦ Do not panhandle on the River St. and Hwy 1 Intersection

◦ Use crosswalks and be courteous to others

Respect our Community◦ Leave no trace

◦ Pack your trash and pick up litter

◦ Obey the law 

HSC “no impact” zone

No impact client guidelinesHelp the Homeless Services Center be good

neighbors. Please keep our No-Impact Zones clear of

the following:◦ Loitering◦ Camping and abandoned encampments◦ Drug and alcohol use◦ Litter◦ Shopping carts◦ Panhandling◦ Jaywalking

Community Engagement

Community service and clean-up teams

Local education and outreach activities

Job readiness training and mentoring opportunities 

Our Community Service teams provide local services and volunteerism throughout the community. Please contact us for details.

Some Things You Can Do:  Attend our next HSC Neighborhood Meeting If interested, attend an HSC Board meeting – held

every 3rd Thursday at 5:30-6:30 Take a tour of Homeless Service Center Notify the SCPD and HSC leadership when issues arise Advocate for a Homeless Resource Officer at the SCPD Advocate to protect our community’s “safety net”

services so that we can help more people get out of homelessness

Submit thoughts, concerns, and feedback to 115 Coral Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Attn: Monica Martinez, or call (831) 458-6020 or email mmartinez@scshelter.org

JOIN USGive time and money

Giving ProgramsExtensive on-going volunteer positions

◦ Individual and group volunteer opportunities In-kind goods and food donation

◦ Clothing, household and hygiene supplies wish list on

http://scshelter.org/index.php?page=wish-list

Ongoing general fund donations◦ Legacy Society

Our Volunteer Department is always looking for committed volunteers to help us provide our services. Please contact Megan (ext. 1104) for details and to sign up.

If you were homeless, how would you want to be treated?

Almost every culture has some variation of the "golden rule" – behave toward others the way you would like them to behave toward you.

We can ask ourselves:

◦ What if suddenly you found yourself without a home and you were unable to get some form of assistance through any of the homeless support service agencies? With the lack of adequate funding available for these agencies these days, that’s a high probability. Or, what if you "fell between the cracks" and didn’t qualify for certain types of assistance? Wouldn’t you like the rest of the community to give you a hand up?

◦ What if you were a single mother with dependent children? And, what if you had no place to leave your children during the day so that you could go out and look for employment? What if one of your children became ill and needed medical treatment? Or, what if you were the one who became sick? Who would care for your children if your illness required you to be hospitalized? Would you want your children taken away from you and placed into a Child Protective Services facility – and then not know whether you’d be able to get them back?

◦ What if you were a senior citizen with on-going medical needs? What if you had to choose between paying rent or paying for your prescribed medications? Medi-Cal and/or Medicare simply doesn’t cover all the costs. Paying the rent would keep you housed, but then you wouldn’t have your medications. Paying for your medications might force you into homelessness.

◦ What if you were a husband and father who was one of the 260,000 persons nationally whose jobs have been cut just since the beginning of this year and your home had gone into foreclosure or you couldn’t pay the rent and had faced eviction? Wouldn’t you want someone to step up and help you so that you could get your family off of the streets?

◦ What if you were one of nearly half a million homeless veterans who have served this nation; someone who has fought to protect the freedoms that everyone in this nation enjoys? Wouldn’t you want, at the very least, to be helped – if not for your humanity – then at least for the sacrifices you’ve made?

Caring for others is the right thing to do?

Why now? Wealth disparity is more pronounced than it has been in almost 100

years. With record numbers of Americans living in poverty, it is safe to

conclude that some of them may end up becoming homeless. Lately, many cities across the nation have been reporting sharp increases in homelessness.

Once these folks become homeless however, not only will they have lost a place to call home, they will have also lost something more fundamental: certain freedoms.

They will not be free to sit, lie down or sleep. They may be denied the freedom of having acts of kindness offered to them by other members of their communities. And so on.

In exchange, rather than being viewed as members of their respective communities who are undergoing rough times, they may be treated like criminals and outcasts.

And that is to the shame of us all.

With your gift, we are able to help people like ‘Raquel’: Raquel, a 13-year Santa Cruz resident, became homeless in 2008

due to a series of unfortunate events. For two years she was caught in the vicious cycle of living hand-to-mouth, unable to get ahead. When a spot opened up for her in the Paul Lee Loft Shelter she started saving money, and accessing valuable services such as the HSC Mail Room, lockers, hygiene bay, and the  co-located Homeless Persons’ Health Project. Raquel used the HSC Empowerment Center computer lab to gain valuable information, from the basics of tracking down her necessary identification documents to writing a resume. She was able to access Project ReConnect, and used the money she saved while staying at the Loft to supplement the housing assistance from Project ReConnect. Raquel moved into her own place in Santa Cruz in March of 2010, and has been gainfully employed and self-sufficient since leaving HSC.

We have helped thousands of families and individuals such as Raquel in their time of need. It is no easy task to come to a shelter, to admit that you have no place to go, no bathroom to take a shower, and no clean clothes to wear. For many of those that access our resources, the Homeless Services Center is the first place where they have found people and services they have been able to trust in a long time.

 

Faces of HSC

Stephen, a volunteer in the Empowerment Center, helps clients build resumes and learn computer

skills.

A young resident of the Rebele Family Shelter learns about science from

volunteer, Rick Barlow.

New mural painted by artist, Laura Kinney, on the retaining wall along the railroad tracks on Coral Street

HSC

Homeless Services Center115 Coral StreetSanta Cruz, CA 95060