Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "loaves and fishes"

Local Residents In-Need Receive Free Medical Care

2011-10-16T01:49:48Z

In recognition of “Cancer in the Underserved Action Week Plus,” the Sacramento Community Cancer Coalition (SCCC) including VSP® Vision Care, Albie Carson Breast Cancer Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Sacramento Valley Affiliate, and UC Davis Cancer Center, hosted the first day of a two-day health fair providing free medical services for local uninsured and underserved residents at Loaves and Fishes in Sacramento today.

Patients received free comprehensive eye exams from local VSP optometrists Elisabeth Swan, O.D., Paul Kim, O.D., and Wesley Umeda, O.D. onboard a state-of-the-art, 45-foot long VSP Mobile Eyes Clinic. Free glasses were also prescribed for patients as needed. Additionally, underserved residents received free mammograms provided by the UC Davis affilliated student-run Willow Clinic.

Free medical services for the underserved continue Sunday at the Oak Park Community Center, located at 3425 Martin Luther King Boulevard in Sacramento from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday’s festivities will feature the fifth annual “Healthy Men, Healthy Families” workshop with free prostate cancer screenings available in addition to eye care services and mammograms.

Assemblymember Roger Dickinson will be on-hand to proclaim October 15-23 as “Cancer in the Underserved Action Week Plus” as designated by the California Legislature, Sacramento Board of Supervisors, and Sacramento City Council.

Disclosure: Alex Sigua is a Public Relations Specialist with VSP Vision Care

Lack of funding for emergency homeless shelters this winter

2011-09-23T06:21:06Z

Taking into consideration the results of the 2011 Homeless Count conducted in January, Sacramento County would need to provide about 1,000 beds in emergency homeless shelters to ensure that everyone has a roof over their heads this winter.

Thursday morning, members of the local media, Loaves and Fishes community, Sacramento Housing Alliance and the homeless community gathered for a brief press conference at Friendship Park – the heart of the program and community center for the homeless community, providing multiple services for its guests – and discussed the lack of public allocated funding for emergency homeless shelters this winter.

In what is expected to be a cold and wet winter season, many in the homeless community will be turned away from overcrowded shelters due to a lack of space, and funding to provide any more.

Every year until now, the county has provided funding for Winter Shelter, an operation that provides shelter and motel vouchers for homeless families and individuals with disabilities.

In the last few years, funding for this program has been cut significantly, going from $700,000 2008-9 to $451,000 2009-10 and $250,000 2010-11 to $0 in allocated funding for this year, an act which Sacramento Housing Alliance executive director Bob Erlenbusch said he finds “unconscionable.”

The lack of funding is due to a great series of budget cuts, according to Bruce Wagstaff, agency administrator for Sacramento County Countywide Services Agency.

“It’s a similar situation we were in last year,” he said, “funding for lots of programs have been cut.”

According to Wagstaff, no funding was budgeted for the program last year, however, about the same time last year, the Department of Human Assistance staff were able to identify $150,000 for the program, and an additional $100,000 was provided by the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.

Erin Blount, Communications and Media Officer for First 5 Sacramento, wrote in an email:

The $150,000 funded winter shelter for families, and managed Emergency Shelter Grants that housed another 50 people. More than $3 million for emergency and family shelters serving 367 people. The funding from SHRA provided families and disabled individuals with motel vouchers, and Winter Sanctuary operated through March after Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna raised $45,000 for the program.

“When you have a budget crisis, you do have to make decisions but you don’t close down the emergency room,”said Joan Burke Wednesday, director of advocacy for Loaves and Fishes, “For me, the shelters are the emergency room - a real lifeline for people who are homeless.”

In response to the lack of funding for winter shelter programs last year, Sacramento Steps Forward, a new nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the homeless community, coordinated Winter Sanctuary, a winter shelter program for homeless singles.

The program, which provides shelter for 100 individuals on a nightly basis through a network of community churches, will be administered again this year.

“In other words, there is only a plan for 100 single homeless adults,” Erlenbusch wrote in a letter to Mayor Kevin Johnson, Sacramento City Council members and the Sacramento Board of Supervisors last week.

Winter Sanctuary provides sleeping bags, a roof and a hit meal for 100 individuals a night to sleep in a participating church, and only one church is open for shelter each night. Those who are admitted into Winter Sanctuary go through a screening process for behavioral issues, since the staff is limited, and children are not admitted.

The largest concern that many expressed at the press conference is that if no funding is allocated in 41 days – a week before Thanksgiving when Winter Shelter would normally open – is that women and families with children, or those with disabilities or mental disorders, will not be able to find shelter during the cold of the season, turned away from overcrowded shelters or those that only serve individuals. Staff members at Loaves and Fishes say the number of homeless families is on the rise.

Angela Hassel, director of Mustard Seed School for Homeless Children, a free private school at Loaves and Fishes for children of ages 3 to 15, described the anxiety around the winter months for homeless families at the confrence.

"As the winter months come, we see a little bit of light go out in their eyes," she said. "The kids really just need a roof over their heads whether it be a church or a shelter; they do not need to be sleeping on the streets."

Two women spoke at the press conference of their experiences being homeless with children, and the anxiety that many women in similar situations, may not find shelter this winter.

“Frankly, especially in certain situations, children are the main ones that need the stability,” said Demecia Ferrell. “It’s easier for singles to fend for themselves because they only have to worry about themselves, but families- we have children that we have to worry about and make sure they’re safe because the street’s just not a place for kids at all.”

Ferrell, 31, just recently became homeless in May when she lost her job. Staying in a shelter for four months with her children and fiancé, she said she found refuge through Volunteers of America. Ferrell recently moved into the new E. Claire Raley Transitional Living Complex on Watt Ave..

“We were lucky (and) very fortunate to be able to stay together,” she said. “Being able to have our kids in a shelter was just a great relief for us and there’s a lot less stress that we have to endure and a lot less stress that the kids have to endure. Families should be top priority, at all times.”

Wagstaff said that there is a number of different providers and agencies concerned with providing housing for the homeless, and that the county is currently working to identify any funding for shelters within the DHA budget.

“We’ve been active participants in this every year and we’re well aware of the situation,” he said.

Burton and the women at Loaves and Fishes say that though it’s the County’s responsibility to get shelters prepared for the winter say they will also need help from the community.

“The churches stepped up a lot last year, and all the nonprofits and a lot of community support has been there and we need to get all of those resources again. We need to do it again this year because there is no plan. Fall starts tomorrow and we’ve got 40 days before we usually have a plan in place,” said Sister Libby Fernandez, executive director at Loaves and Fishes.

Ben Burton, new director of Sacramento Steps Forward, said he agrees that funding shouldn’t only come from the government but from the community as well.

“The government is suffering on is its own setbacks. (They) need to do their own part, but so does the community,” he said. “Homelessness is really a community issue and they are all members of our community.”

Burton said the nonprofit organization is currently accepting donations, and will allocate the money raised on a greatest need basis.

Sacramento Steps Forward received a grant from the Sacramento Region Community Foundation recently for the Winter Shelter program and is now reaching out to all members of the community for any help. Donations can be made throughout the winter, he said, though any donations given now will be directed toward the programs that need the most help.

“We want to really ring the bell before it gets cold,” he said.

In a recent survey taken by Loaves and Fishes’ Maryhouse, a daytime hospitality shelter for homeless women and children, 59 percent of the 109 women and 10 children who came in that morning said they slept outside or in a vehicle that night.

This winter, with all other shelters full and the absence of Winter Shelter, only about ten percent of the homeless population will be cared for by the Winter Sanctuary program each night. According to the 2011 Homeless Street Count, with over 2,300 of our citizens homeless, about 995 were unsheltered.

“We just need to tap into everything to at least provide what we know is out there. Any given night, there’s 1,000 homeless men, women and children so we need to think that way and go for it that way. It’s not a matter of funding, it’s a matter of options and providing those options,” Fernandez said.

In a prepared statement from Executive Director La Shelle Dozier at the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, "The County is responsible for the winter shelter program and it is working with a number of partners including SHRA who are all looking for any possible funding that could supplement the program. What would really be helpful is for more people to come forward and provide the assistance that is needed to help ensure that residents in need of shelter will be taken care of this winter."

Blount wrote in an email addressing the current fiscal year:

An active partner in homeless programs, the county will continue to seek funding within its budget and to work with its public and private partners and the community to enhance last year’s efforts.

One message was repeated several times throughout the press conference – there is currently no plan for administering Winter Shelter this year, only plans for a second year of Winter Sanctuary, recently funded by the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, and the first day of Fall is already on us.

“We’ve got 41 days and counting,” Erlenbusch said.

Mayor, city celebrate Winter Sanctuary's accomplishments

2011-04-06T01:00:14Z

A group of Sacramento-area faith community leaders came out to be recognized on Tuesday for their participation in the Winter Sanctuary program to house the homeless in the winter.

“From December to March, (the) Winter Sanctuary program sheltered 550 homeless men and women,” County Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan said.

It also served to aid the homeless with resources, employment and treatment of health issues, MacGlashan noted.

“(In addition), they were provided with sleeping bags and transportation each evening by bus to a safe congregation, and there the volunteers from each congregation (served) them with dinner, breakfast, social and spiritual fellowship,” MacGlashan said.

Under the Winter Sanctuary program – which was announced at a press conference ~~launched~~ Oct. 24 by Sacramento Steps Forward, l ocal houses of worship opened their doors to the homeless, giving them a place to sleep.

Mayor Kevin Johnson said it was a day to appreciate and honor the people who made the inaugural Winter Sanctuary program a success.

“We have over 3,000 homeless people in our community – far too many,” Johnson said. “Our vision, in Sacramento, is to be a city that works for everyone, and what I mean by everyone (is) it means the least among us.”

Supervisor Phil Serna said he was very moved when he went out and saw the homeless’ living conditions before the Winter Sanctuary program went into effect.

“From (this) experience, I wanted to do something immediately – I want to make sure our homeless population is taken care of,” he said.

Johnson elaborated on the long-term details of his plan to curb homelessness in Sacramento.

“We want to create permanent housing units,” he said. “We have 1,600 that we have done in a little over a year. Our goal is to have 2,400 within a three-year period.”

Johnson said the faith groups, volunteers,service providers and public officials all worked together to make the Winter Sanctuary program work – a program he previously said is necessary to help the homeless until the long-term goal can be realized.

He said the churches and two mosques contributed places to sleep, volunteers helped in serving meals and putting things in order, while service providers served with things such as transportation and the public officials aided in drafting the program.

About 24 houses of worship ~~churches~~ participated, and thousands of volunteers came out.

“We, as a community, want to step forward and take care of our community,” Johnson said. “We want to be a community that empowers the homeless to contribute to our city.”

For the list of the churches, visit the website Sacramento Steps Forward.

Among the speakers was Tony Aiken, a homeless man who said he is grateful for the program.

“Sometimes when (you) give (to the homeless), (you) give away what’s left over, but if you’re not using it, what makes you think we are going to use it?” Aiken said. “They served us first-class everything.

“Because of the blessing I have received, I am now able to help someone else,” Aiken added.

The program was led by Volunteers of America and Sacramento Steps Forward.

Among other service providers, Sacramento’s Loaves & Fishes offered space at Friendship Park to pre-screen guests ~~served meals for the homeless~~ .

Various businesses, individuals and associations made financial contributions to fund the program.

Editorial Note: Corrections have been made to this story after it was published. The incorrect information has been struck out and the correct information has been added.

Party in the Park to benefit homeless women & children

2011-03-15T17:20:46Z

This year de Vere’s Irish Pub and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP) are teaming up to host Sacramento’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day event at Cesar Chavez Plaza on March 17 and to give back to a good cause. The de Vere’s Party in the Park will benefit Maryhouse, a daytime women and children’s homeless shelter at Loaves and Fishes.

“We started this party years ago to create a signature event for Sacramento and give back to the community that had been so supportive of us as a new business,” said de Vere’s Irish Pub Owner Henry de Vere White. “By moving to a larger venue, we’ll be able to do more for our charity partner Maryhouse and continue our mother’s legacy for their cause.”

The de Vere family’s affiliation with Maryhouse began when de Vere’s mother, Antoinette de Vere White, first got involved with a homeless lunch program over 27 years ago. “We started to talk to the women and children to find out what they did after they had lunch with us, and we realized that they had absolutely nowhere to go. The women had to just walk about with their children, carrying all their belongings,” Antoinette de Vere White, associate director of Maryhouse explained, “So the idea for a place where they could come throughout the day, be indoors, and try and retrieve their lives again seemed like a very essential service.”

Maryhouse Women & Children’s Day Shelter serves as a home address for their clients and provides a place to be during the day. Homeless women and their children can shower, have a meal from the Hot Breakfast Meal Program, and continue education at the Mustard Seed School. Maryhouse also offers mail service and telephones so their guests can contact potential rentals, welfare agents, and family members.

Antoinette, a Maryhouse volunteer since its inception, began working full time for the organization after her children, Mark, Henry, and Simon de Vere White, had grown. “The women are just very special people. The humor and strength that is shown by them, many of whom are just there because of poverty, is tremendous,” Antoinette said. “When you are living paycheck to paycheck, one small thing and it’s all over, and you’re out on the street again. When you are very poor, it is very hard to hold onto a roof over your head.”

Funds raised by the de Vere’s St. Patrick’s Day Party in the Park will be used to purchase vital supplies to keep the day shelter stocked as donations run low. Such items include baby formula, jars of baby food, diapers, warm clothing, blankets and other supplies.

Additionally, proceeds will be used for the organization’s Crisis Fund. According to Antoinette, the Crisis Fund is there to help the most vulnerable women and families when all other resources have been exhausted. The fund is a direct response to the current economic climate and increase incidences of first time homelessness.

“The County of Sacramento has been unable to provide a winter shelter this year for men, women, and children. We set up this fund to help families with small children, as well as ill or elderly women, who have no shelter in bad weather,” Antoinette said, “The fund can provide respite room for those who are ill, transportation for those who need to get to their families, and, if funds are sufficient, an emergency motel room for a family in dire need.”

de Vere’s Irish Pub and DSP hope that moving the event to Cesar Chavez Plaza, a much larger venue than the previous one, will allow the St. Patrick’s Day festivities to make an even bigger impact for Maryhouse.

“Through the DSP’s ongoing homeless outreach efforts, we’ve seen the devastating effects the recession has had on our community. The face of homelessness is changing and sadly this includes more families with children,” said DSP Executive Director Michael Ault. “This event is a opportunity to pull our community together to raise awareness for homelessness and to give back to those in need.”

Admission to the event is $25 and tickets are now on sale at SacStPats.com. The event will feature food from local restaurants and live entertainment throughout the day including Irish dancers, Sacramento Firefighters Pipes and Drums, and live performances by local bands Nine 8ths Irish, Whiskey and Stitches, and the Black-Eyed Dempseys. The evening will end with headliner and San Francisco U2 tribute band, Zoo Station.

The de Vere’s St. Patrick’s Day Party in the Park will end Sacramento’s weeklong celebration which included the Old Sacramento St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 12, Shamrock’n Half Marathon on March 13, St. Baldrick’s Day on March 14 and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration at de Vere’s Irish Pub on March 17. For tips for planning your week, hotel specials and more; visit SacStPats.com or follow Twitter @SacStPats..

Toasting the Irish at Cesar Chavez Park

2011-03-11T01:57:46Z

Sacramento’s St. Patrick’s Day party will be held downtown this year instead of on L Street so the event can accommodate the thousands of expected festivalgoers, according to Lisa Martinez, director of outreach and marketing for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

The downtown organization and de Vere’s Irish Pub are organizing this year’s de Vere’s St. Patrick’s Day Party in the Park at Cesar Chavez Park from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, March 17.

“Our goal is to create a bigger footprint for the event,” said Martinez, Downtown Sacramento Partnership’s director of outreach and marketing.

From 5 a.m. to midnight on March 17, Ninth Street will be shut down between I and J streets for the event.

Last year’s St. Patrick’s Day event hosted by de Vere’s Irish Pub drew close to 7,000 people, according to the pub’s website.

Holding the event at Cesar Chavez Park at 10th and J streets provides a larger stage area and “more elbow room for our customers,” Martinez said.

More attendees would also mean more funds raised for Maryhouse, a Sacramento women and children’s homeless shelter that will receive 50 percent of the proceeds from the event, Martinez said.

Apart from toasting St. Patty’s Day and Ireland, attractions at the party include Irish dancers, a bagpipe show and several bands, including a U2 cover band from San Francisco called Zoo Station.

The event’s organizers hired 14 Sacramento Police officers to work the event, according to police spokesman Sgt.Norm Leong.

Last Call Sacramento, a designated-driver taxi service, will be at the event to drive any impaired partgoers home free of charge, according to Martinez.

Portable restrooms will be at the park. “We will have plenty of potties for everybody,” Martinez said.

Tickets are $22 online and $25 at the door.

Read more about the event’s attractions here.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

A haven for pets at Loaves and Fishes

2011-03-01T00:51:30Z

The four-legged friends of Sacramento’s homeless have a new place to call their own at Loaves & Fishes.

“Anneke’s Haven” was dedicated Wednesday, and it will serve as a day-use kennel for pets belonging to the homeless.

“What we offer for the animals is actually a place to rest, a meal and care,” said Sandra Morris, volunteer coordinator for Loaves & Fishes. “For many of our guests, the pets have an especially strong bond because, unlike humans, they give you unconditional love, and they provide safety.”

The new kennel is across a walkway from the previous structure, which served the area for the past 15 years but was half the size and becoming run-down, Morris said.

The old kennels will be used for food storage for the pets and also more space for Mercer Clinic, said Sister Libby Fernandez, executive director of Loaves & Fishes. The new kennel was designed by Dennis Greenbaum, a Carmichael-based architect.

The kennel was funded by private donations – two major anonymous donors and individual contributions for the kennel, Fernandez said.

Anneke’s Haven will shelter up to 20 pets. It is mostly intended for cats and dogs, but Morris said any pet that is legal in Sacramento County will be cared for.

“For example, we don’t allow ferrets, because they’re illegal here,” she said.

The kennel is named for Anneke Voss, who was a longtime supporter of animals at Loaves & Fishes.

Voss died at age 85 about a month ago, and Morris said the dedication of the new facility to her was a natural choice.

“She was a longtime volunteer who created our animal emergency services program, and she also worked with SPCA and Mercer Clinic,” Morris said. “She was so splendid. She worked the day she passed away. She was very, very dedicated and just wonderful with the pets.”

The kennel offers a place where pets can stay while homeless visitors to Loaves & Fishes eat, participate in programs on the site or even go out to job interviews.

On the second Saturday of each month, Mercer Clinic – with the aid of UC Davis students – provides free care to homeless pets.

Morris said the clinic gives the opportunity for homeless pets to be spayed or neutered and be seen by a veterinarian.

The devotion pets have to their homeless owners is reciprocated by the humans, according to Morris.

“The pets are so well cared for,” she said, adding that the homeless place the welfare of the animals above themselves. “If there’s a choice, it’s the pets that are fed. Sometimes that pet is the only friend a person has.”

Fernandez said Anneke’s Haven is the only kennel in the area serves the homeless’ pets.

“It’s a good thing,” said Peggysue Peterson, a homeless woman who takes her dog to the kennel. “They can put their dogs in there and go about their daily lives and look for jobs. It’s a convenience because the dog isn’t running rampant.”

Anneke’s Haven opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 2:30 p.m., Morris said. Animals can be dropped off and picked up throughout the day, be it a short visit or one that lasts several hours.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Loaves & Fishes to get new 'welcoming center'

2011-02-26T01:41:58Z

Loaves & Fishes is building a new 15,000-square-foot combination warehouse, reception area and administrative building on the corner of North C and Ahern streets.

“This is really our welcoming center,” said Sister Libby Fernandez, executive director of Loaves & Fishes. “This is the entrance to Loaves and Fishes.”

There were several reasons to build the new structure, which is a warehouse with interior walls to give space for offices in addition to storage, Fernandez said.

The current warehouse and donation center is a rented space near Friendship Park and sees a lot of foot traffic, which poses a safety issue, Fernandez said.

“We have 700 people walking through there every day,” she said. “It’s not safe to have semi trucks coming through and backing up with all those people.

“All food distribution, donations, receiving and delivering (will come) into this warehouse,” she said. “By having it here, it allows better visibility and better access.”

Another reason for the new construction is so that Loaves & FIshes will own the building. It currently rents the nearby warehouse, though Fernandez did not disclose the rental amount.

The new building has a price tag of approximately $1.5 million, she said, adding that $400,000 came from a private, anonymous donor specifically for the warehouse.

“We don’t take any government funding,” Fernandez said.

Most of the warehouse is on an elevated floor half a story above ground level, which is split by an interior wall. Offices on the ground level back up to Ahern Street with a second floor above them, which can be used for storage of paper products, Fernandez said.

The reception area will be right on the corner of North C and Ahern streets, with a volunteer staffing a desk inside a pair of doors that will become the first point of contact for all Loaves & Fishes visitors and anyone wishing to bring donations.

About 10 people will work in the offices, with another three making up the warehouse crew.

Tom Armstrong, a local homeless man, disagrees with building the warehouse right now.

“It seems like a very improper use of a large sum of money when there’s a crisis,” he said, adding that he’d prefer to see the money spent on other services such as sheltering and feeding the homeless.

Fernandez, however, said Loaves & Fishes asked for additional money for the warehouse from its donors and also sought other funding.

“We’re asking people to go beyond the regular contribution so we can keep it separate from the operations,” she said.

Another benefit of the new building, she said, is that the current administration offices above the dining area will now be free for usage with other programs such as counseling.

Construction on the warehouse began last October, and Fernandez said it is scheduled to be completed in May.

Other services at Loaves & Fishes are continuing as they have previously, without interruption during construction.

The construction is being handled by Rod Read and Sons, and Fernandez said some of the work has been done pro-bono, Fernandez said.

Matt Burkhart, who works for Striplin Walker Construction, one of the subcontractors, said this project is a bit different from others.

“It’s nice to know you’re doing a project for someone who really needs it, and not just a toy box or an open-air market,” he said.

The finished building will have a brick façade in keeping with the area’s warehouse historical feel, Fernandez said.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Homeless shelter program seeks $50K

2010-12-21T02:31:19Z

A local group that combats homelessness is asking the public for $50,000 to shelter the poor during the winter season. Sacramento Steps Forward needs the funding to continue its new Winter Sanctuary program, which allows homeless people to sleep overnight at certain churches, according to the group’s director, Tim Brown.

Volunteers of America is partnering with Sacramento Steps Forward on the program, which started Dec. 1, Brown said. The two groups have raised about $40,000, which will allow the program to run until the end of January, he said. Another $50,000 is needed to continue the program through the end of March, which is the goal.

“The churches have really stepped up to open their doors,” he said.

Eight churches are currently participating in the program, and another nine have pledged to participate later this winter, according to Sacramento Steps Forward. Not all of the religious centers are churches – one of the nine religious centers that has pledged to help is SALAM, a Sacramento mosque.

About 90 homeless people have used the overnight program since Dec. 1, according to Sacramento Steps Forward.

The bulk of the $50,000 would pay for bus expenses and staff, Brown said. The program buses the homeless from Loaves and Fishes to the churches at night, and back to Loaves and Fishes in the morning, he said. Volunteers of America staffers assist the churches with the overnight guests, he said, explaining the staffing costs.

Sacramento County runs a homeless program, but it did not have adequate funding this year to provide winter shelter for homeless individuals, he said. The county and the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency received funding to house 100 homeless families, Brown said.

Tracie Rice-Bailey, an advocate who was formerly homeless, said the cold winter weather makes the Winter Sanctuary program necessary. “The river’s rising, the ground’s getting wet,” she said.

Sacramento Steps Forward is accepting donations for Winter Sanctuary through its website.

Religious centers that have participated in Winter Sanctuary:
St. John’s Lutheran Church
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in partnership with Atonement Lutheran
St. Paul’s Baptist Church
Capital Christian Center
Trinity Cathedral
Lutheran Church of the Master
First Covenant Church

Religious centers that have pledged to participate:
St. Mark’s United Methodist
Trinity Life Center
SALAM
Seventh Day Adventist
Arcade Church
Sun River Church
Living Stones Christian Reformed Church in partnership with City Life Church
Mars Hill Church

Photo by Brandon Darnell.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Effort to count the homeless underway

2010-11-26T18:34:06Z

A local group that addresses homelessness is already preparing to count the county’s homeless population in January.

Sacramento Steps Forward, a group formed by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson to combat homelessness locally, is organizing the 2011 Homeless Street Count. While Johnson’s group is running the event, the information from the Jan. 27 count will be used by Sacramento County.

The county is required by the federal Housing and Urban Development agency to provide information from a count every other year, said Michele Watts, program manager for Sacramento Steps Forward. The federal housing agency provides millions of dollars to Sacramento County’s homeless programs, Watts said.

At this point, Sacramento Steps Forward is gathering information to map out where the county’s homeless are living. The group and hundreds of volunteers will use that information to find homeless people during the Homeless Count.

“What we have on our maps now is a lot of high-density areas,” Watts said. These areas include downtown and Midtown Sacramento, which are locations with many homeless people, she said.

About 20 people turned out for a series of drop-in sessions held last week to help pinpoint where the homeless are living in the county, she said. In addition, a group of about 50 participated in a session at Loaves & Fishes earlier this week.

Watts said she will continue to work on the mapping process in appointments with people who may have information about where the homeless are staying. For example, she said she had set up meetings with a Sacramento police officer and a Sacramento County park ranger.

Tracie Rice-Bailey, an advocate who was once homeless, participated in a recent mapping session. She echoed Watts’ comment, saying that the downtown area was mapped out well.

However, she said Sacramento Steps Forward needs more information about where homeless people are living in outlying areas, such as spots near Citrus Heights. She suggested that the group ask law enforcement officials in outlying areas for information on locations. “If they don’t know, nobody does,” Bailey said.

Watts also said that law enforcement representatives have good information on locations.

However, the role of law enforcement in the count and mapping sessions is a complicated matter, according to Watts.

Sacramento Steps Forward will not publish maps with the exact locations where homeless people live, she said. The group is making efforts to protect the homeless population from rousting, she said, pointing out that the city of Sacramento has a camping ban on its books.

“It is technically illegal to sleep outside,” Watts said. “That’s the concern.”

However, the group will rely on hundreds of volunteers to help count the homeless in January. The count will be conducted at night, which means there could be some safety concerns, Watts said. To address any safety issues, teams of volunteers will have a law enforcement official accompany them, she said.

The law enforcement presence during the count “is sort of a trade-off,” she said, between the group’s concerns about rousting and protecting the safety of the volunteers.

But Sgt. Norm Leong, spokesman for the Sacramento Police Department, said the location of homeless people is not a significant concern for the department.

“Identifying where the camps are is not a major issue for us,” he said. “The reality is, we only enforce the camping ordinance when we get complaints.”

Sacramento Steps Forward will recruit volunteers for the count starting Dec. 10, Watts said. About 350-400 volunteers are needed to count the county’s homeless on Jan. 27, she said. Volunteers may sign up to volunteer on the Hands on Sacramento website. More information about the sign-up process is here.

Photo by Brandon Darnell.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Tasting 16 turkeys for charity

2010-11-23T06:01:51Z

I will remember Nov. 22, 2010, as a big blur of turkey – from spicy and delicious to bland and dry.

As one of five judges in City Councilman Rob Fong’s 4th Annual Turkey Cook Off on Monday, I nibbled on slices of 16 cooked birds. Sixteen! In all my 31 years, I have never had so many consecutive tastes of separate turkeys.

The event was a benefit for Loaves & Fishes’ Thanksgiving meal, which will be held Tuesday. While 16 restaurants entered turkeys in Monday’s cookoff, the restaurants prepared many other turkeys to add up to about 40. The event was held at Beatnik Studios near 17th Street and Broadway.

Sister Libby Fernandez said community participation is key to Loaves and Fishes’ annual Thanksgiving event. “Every year, we serve about 1,000 homeless and poor men, women and children on this particular day,” she said before the start of the cookoff event.

“And what’s special about it is that we ask for the community to provide everything: cooked turkeys, dressing, pies, mashed potatoes, and bring it to us.”

About 200 people will receive a meal from the 40 turkeys donated through the cookoff, Fernandez said. The remaining turkeys – to feed about 1,000 people – will come from other donors.

Fernandez noted that it takes three to five hours to cook a turkey. “So, we don’t have the capacity to cook a hot meal like that,” she said. “The community actually does the cooking for us.”

In his remarks at the cookoff, Fong pointed out that Loaves and Fishes provides dinners to the homeless every night of the year. “And we’re just hoping to make one day easier for you,” he said.

The five-judge panel scored the turkeys on the following criteria: juiciness, flavor, texture, tenderness and overall taste. Our taste test was blind – I had no idea which turkey was cooked by whom. The judges wrote down scores of 1 to 10 for the turkey dishes, which were assigned numbers.

I remember liking Turkey No. 1, which coincidentally won first place. Turkey No. 1 was the juicy creation of Jamie’s Bar and Grill, located at Fifth and Broadway. Bunnell is a two-time turkey gold medalist – he also won the contest in 2007.

“That’s awesome, man,” said Chef/Owner Jamie Bunnell, when his name was announced as the winner. “Thank you so much.”

Shady Lady Saloon’s Chef Kevin Ritchie took second place, while The Kitchen and Selland’s Market-Cafe won the bronze for their shared entry.

The judges were served small slices of turkey in rapid succession. Since turkey is inherently bland and dry, juicy birds with a distinct flavor impressed me. A few of the turkeys were tender treats. Sadly, a few of the turkeys were dry. In my notes, I wrote: “Spiciness is good! Anything to camouflage the natural turkey blandness.”

The restaurants that competed in the competition were: The Kitchen and Sellands Market-Cafe as one entry, Shady Lady Saloon, River City Brewing Company, Plaza Hof Brau, Vallejo’s Restaurant, Old Soul Co., Fox & Goose, Hangar 17 Bar & Grill, Ink Eats and Drinks, Jamie’s Bar & Grill, Cyprus Grille, Cafeteria 15L, Buckhorn Grill, Buca Di Beppo, Brew It Up! and Aioli Bodega Espanola. Mulvaney’s B&L also contributed turkeys for the homeless even though it did not participate in the competition.

I applaud all the restaurants that competed in the charity event – even the ones that served dry turkeys. It must be challenging to suffuse a turkey with juiciness it was not born with.

Photos 1 and 2 by Kathleen Haley. Photo of Kathleen Haley by Sister Libby Hernandez.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Maryhouse Offers Shopping for a Cause

2010-11-06T20:41:55Z

"This Designer Warehouse event is an opportunity for people to actually shop till they drop and feel guilt-free because every dollar earned here goes straight to our Maryhouse Day Hospitality Center for homeless women and children," explained Sister Libby Fernandez, RSM, Executive Director of Loaves and Fishes in Sacramento.

Sister Libby tries on a designer top during the designer warehouse sale held Friday on the 25th floor of the US Bank building. It continued through Satuday.

There were many high-end brands among the more than 40,000 pieces, including Charmel, Lillith, Cosabella, Elm and others.

Here's some photos from Friday:

Hats, hats and more hats!

Lots of good eats donated by Tony's Fine Foods. The Wine Warehouse and Young's Market donated a nice selection of wine.

Clothes for the little ones.

Mo finishes up on some shopping.

Leather gloves aplenty.

For more information about Maryhouse and Loaves & Fishes: http://www.sacloaves.org/

Visit Mariel Tagg's preview of the sale:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/39902/Buy_discounted_designer_clothes_donate_to_charity

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Love Wins at Project61

2010-10-26T20:36:10Z

Once a month, every month like clockwork since 2005, hundreds of people get together under the 12th street bridge for a love-in. Yes you heard right, and this is probably the first time you have ever heard of it. In fact it happens this Saturday, October 30th at 2:00pm. People come from all over the area dressed in tie-dye and many other forms of clothing, depending on the weather, to create an atmosphere where "Love Wins".

This monthly event is called Project61 and was started by local rapper and motivational speaker Minister RMB in the fall of 2004 with some friends. RMB says, "Everybody wants to know they are valued and loved...regardless of their current situation or background. People desperately need love. Love with no agenda. We have all experienced times of brokenness, failure, loneliness, betrayal, abandonment....and it was during those times that we tried to fill the void with things or people that were not healthy. That is why we do this. We know that only true love can fill the voids out here in the streets and under bridges. Love wins!"

Since then they have gone out on to the streets and any place where there were hurting people in need. They listened to their stories and showed compassion and love to people who had become accustomed to being ignored and rejected. Along with love and compassion they brought food, and friendship became their goal and monthly mission.

Heath Patterson, one of Project 61's founders states passionately, "We will no longer sing,"This land is my Land ,This land is your land" in Sacramento until the unfair laws that infringe upon our homeless brothers and sisters 14th amendment rights are abolished. They fought our Wars, Served in our armed forces, and worked in our marketplaces, contributing to the success of this City and our nation. Illegal to be homeless? You outta be ashamed Sacramento!"

When getting close to the last Saturday of every month, Project61 puts out a call through their website, Facebook and email, to call the volunteers together for their monthly dose of giving unconditional love. The monthly gathering is more of an anticipated excitement from both the volunteers and the homeless guest that usually number between 100-150 except during the more advertised events “Feast for the Forgotten” and the annual Michael “Gremlin” Wentworth memorial banquet. “Gremlin” was a well known homeless advocate for the homeless community who was murdered in an attempt to help a homeless man being chased by two men. Those two events will draw hundreds more people than a usual month.

The monthly feast usually includes BBQ hot links, 1/3 lb cheeseburgers, chicken, lasagna and all of the side dishes that go with these foods. Because these feasts have been going on for five years, it has the atmosphere of a very well organized picnic which makes it more of a family event than a typical food and clothing hand out. After the picnic is over they give out warm clothes, socks, blankets, sleeping bags and personal hygiene items to hold them over during the coming month.

A recent volunteer, Debbie Andreasen from Kids Care Dental Group wrote this about her Project61 experience:

"I was encouraged by Minister RMB and Heath Patterson to come to Project 61 in August just to observe. I was so taken away by the caring and compassion of the whole experience. I went to my office and asked the girls if we could get involved in the project. After showing them the pictures of people who gathered that day and the love they shared, all of the girls were completely excited. We put together a small donation of food, clothing, flashlights, batteries and tarps to share. It was the most amazing experience we could have accomplished together. It made us bond as a working team but most of all it made us bond with people we didn't even know over one special cause. We enjoyed conversation, hugs and the true meaning of love! They are not "homeless people" they are "wonderful people" who endure the same trials we all do. As a single mother who struggles every day to give her teenage daughter the very best...I have been completely humbled by this experience and so has she!!!"

For years these events have been funded by the volunteer's personal donations. Today Project61 is looking for sponsors, business or personal who like to see hands on community efforts in helping the sector of society who for whatever purpose have been added to the ranks of the homeless population. Project61 is all volunteer help with no paid staff. 100% of all donations go directly into this local event helping local people. The average monthly cost to put these on is anywhere between $200-$500. That amount goes very far considering they feed around 150 people each month.

To volunteer to help or make any donation of food or clothing, their contact email is: projectsixty1@gmail.com

To see more of what Project 61 does, please take a moment to watch this video http://vimeo.com/5690228

Add them on Facebook for updates & upcoming opportunities to serve: www.facebook.com/projectsixtyone

And for even more information go to myspace.com/projectsixtyone

Source: Photos supplied by Project61.

Homeless Forum tackles community concerns about homelessness

2010-10-14T02:16:13Z

Community leaders gathered to speak with local government to find out what is being done about the homelessness problem in Sacramento. It was a chance for the community to discuss the progress made toward more permanent housing and the setbacks that have hindered them. There was resolve that if the community efforts remain strong, the problem could be solved within the next few years.

Mayor Kevin Johnson and Councilman Rob Fong were among 13 community leaders who spoke at the Homeless Forum held Tuesday in the Redwood Room at Sacramento State.

“This is a chance to bring the activists to the policymakers,” said moderator and event organizer Steve Watters.

Fong was the first of many to reiterate that “housing is the biggest challenge.” He mentioned methods of handling the homeless concerns in other cities like Denver and Boise that were serving as models of how Sacramento approaches the issue.

“We’re not going to have another winter with people in the streets,” Fong said. He urged the audience to continue donating and aiding the shelters.

Costa Mantis played a clip from his documentary “Live from Tent City” that was sent to the United Nations to speak out about homelessness.

Author Jason MacCannell spoke about the history of the homeless epidemic and the preconceptions about being homeless that have carried over from the past. He explained how what was once a contained lower-class population in the skid row neighborhoods of cities gradually became homeless with the elimination of funding for affordable housing.

The first panel consisted of Sister Libby Fernandez, executive director of Loaves & Fishes, Donald Miller, Barbara Baker, Jim Gibson, Lola Wiley and Trimmie Sanders, the four of whom shared their tales of homelessness and recovery.

Fernandez started by discussing the rise of tent cities on the outskirts of the Sacramento area and how local homeless advocacy groups reached out to help them.

“We came there to help them, but what we saw was community,” she said. “But it wasn’t a safe place because it wasn’t legal, and it’s still not legal.”

The forum was sponsored by many groups who are dedicated to helping the homeless find safe ground to live, including Francis House, Loaves & Fishes and the Sacramento Homeless Organizing Committee.

Each of the panel speakers explained his or her connection to Safe Ground, the organization of community leaders who campaign for the city to sanction areas for the homeless to stay without risk of arrest or harassment. The stories were heartbreaking, but with happy endings that expressed the value of Safe Ground for the homeless.

When the question-and-answer portion began, the panel was asked, “How else can we help?”

Wiley said, “Don’t stop. Take every little bit and go forward with it, and get your neighbor to go forward with you, and that neighbor get a friend…and we can beat it.”

Johnson stepped to the podium with encouraging words about plans to cure homelessness in Sacramento.

There are more than 3,000 homeless people in this city, Johnson said. “We have a broken system in the terms of the way we deal with our homeless population.”

His main point involved a five-pillar program to help support the homeless and aim them toward permanent housing. There have already been 1,350 families put into permanent housing, with a goal for 3,000 families total in three years.

The five pillars are housing, social services, funding, advocacy, and accountability. He explained how each pillar supports the pillar above it, so that it will take funding to get homes and services, but it will take advocacy from locals to raise awareness, and it will be accountability that keeps the plan working for the future.

“We need to prove that what we’re doing works,” he said, “and that it makes sense to the taxpayers.”

He then explained a 12- to 18-month plan for creating a new safe ground for the homeless population that can support about 100 people. It will be privately funded and be placed near access to services, but “we’re not sure where yet.”

The hope is to have safe ground “up and ready to go by November 2011.”

The next panel consisted of a variety of community leaders who began by discussing the legality of homelessness and what can be done about the “camping ordinance” that makes it illegal for the homeless to sleep outdoors.

“We cannot police ourselves out of homelessness,” said Bob Erlenbusch, on the board of the Sacramento Homeless Organizing Committee

The panel was divided between putting a moratorium on the camping ordinance or leaving the law alone.

Sacramento Police Department Lt. Michael Bray said, “It’s tough to balance. The camping ordinance is a tool, and it’s an effective tool. We’d like to never have to use it.”

Next, the panel discussed the idea of government funding and how to supply services to the homeless. Sacramento Steps Forward Director Tim Brown explained how housing the chronically homeless costs the taxpayers less than paying for the prison and health services that the homeless are often dragged through repeatedly.

“It’s not enough for government to do it,” he said, “but we need the whole community to be involved.”

It was agreed that it will take government and private funding to move forward, as well as holding the mayor and the council accountable to create policy changes.

“We need affordable housing. That is the carrot at the end of the tunnel,” said John Kraintz, Safe Ground leader. “But till we get to the end of that tunnel, we’re gonna have to pitch a few tents along the way.”

Mercer Vet Clinic Helps Homeless Pets

2010-09-13T22:30:17Z

Once a month, hundreds of pets and their owners break the Saturday morning quiet on Ahern Street. Dogs bark and pace, cats meow in travel cases and owners talk to one another to pass the time. Many will wait up to six hours to be seen at the Loaves and Fishes’ location for free veterinary care for the homeless by UC Davis’ Mercer Veterinary Clinic.

The clinic has been coming to Loaves and Fishes for more than 15 years to help the animals of the homeless clients. They visit the second Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

On Sep. 11, 148 animals were brought to Mercer to be seen.

Client Lisa Lafont of Sacramento brought her three dogs, Muffin, Missy and Sam, to be vaccinated, spayed and neutered.

“The population of everybody here is the homeless,” Lafont said. “Homeless pets are still family members. It gives them a little bit of health care, too.”

The number of clients and patients varies. Some Mercer volunteers said they believe it depends on the weather. Dogs are the primary patients, followed by cats.

“(The homeless treat their animals) really, really well,” said Dr. Laurel Gershwin, UC Davis veterinary school professor and chair of the Mercer board. “I’ve been incredibly impressed with how well they follow directions when you give them medication to give, and you get results.”

Mercer consists of first-, second- and third-year veterinary students. Preveterinary students assist as aides. Up to three UC Davis veterinarians are on-hand, depending on availability.

The clinic is funded by grants, donations and fundraisers. Its policy requires that its patients be spayed or neutered, and clients be confirmed as homeless by Loaves and Fishes.

“You have to realize for these people that have very little, that (an) animal is something solid and stable in their life,” Gershwin said. “It provides companionship, love, and it’s a very important part of their life. I’ve even seen our clients go out and save an animal another homeless person has been mistreating.”

Most patients receive general preventative care including heartworm medication and vaccines. Many clients rely on Mercer for pet food. The clinic provides and treats nearly everything a general practice would on-site, except surgeries.

“The only difference is sometimes we see things that most veterinarians would’ve seen sooner,” Gershwin said. “So the dog that was itchy and had a couple spots of hair missing, and would go to a normal clinic will come to us and have practically no hair because the owner didn’t know they could come in for free, and they couldn’t take it to a veterinarian.”

A UC Davis trailer comes the Sunday after each clinic visit for scheduled spay and neuter procedures. About 10 to 12 patients are seen per visit.

“It provides a lot of good for people who, basically without their homes, need their animals to protect them,” client Tosha Roach of Sacramento said. “And I don’t have any kids, so (my dog, Kaleah) is my baby.”

Loaves and Fishes requires the clinic to be finished by 3 p.m. Any clients left after that time must be turned away.

Patients are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. They are taken into a warehouse where the clinic has temporarily set up equipment and supplies. Large containers of donated pet food sit on one side, and folding tables acting as examination tables sit opposite. There is a small tent in one corner so vets may examine cats without the possibility of them running away.

“It would be nice if we ultimately had a more dependable space where we don’t have to worry that if they decided to do something else with the warehouse, we wouldn’t have a space to do our clinic,” Gershwin said.

If a procedure is unavailable on-site, Mercer will often have the animal transported to the UC Davis veterinary teaching hospital or referred to a private practice veterinarian Mercer is associated with and pays.

“If our clients feel enough love and caring to sit out here for six hours in the hot sun to see a vet or vet student to get medication, you know they care,” Gershwin said. “Most people wouldn’t do that.”

Photos:

1) A kitten is seen by veterinary students.

2) Clients and patients wait to be seen.

3) Mercer's warehouse interior.

4) A table with supplies for Mercer veterinary clinic.

Sactown Rundown - Sept. 9-15

2010-09-10T16:17:07Z

Things that make you go “Hmmm…”: Next year will be the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

Has it really been that long?

But, no need to dwell on negative memories as September 11 falls on Saturday, which also happens to be the date of one of the more jovial afternoon events in Sactown, the California Brewer’s Festival at Discovery Park.

(Here’s an insider’s tip for the brew fest. Get buddy-buddy with the beer pourers, and they might not take one of those wooden tokens that are designed to regulate everyone’s hooch intake).

If you’re still alive after sampling a few (dozen?) tasty NorCal ales, here’s what’s happening on your concert calendar.

Side by Side Benefit Blues Show – OK, so we can probably all agree that a homeless bluesman has more to sing about than one that lives in a three bedroom two bath with central heat and air; in fact, isn’t sleeping under a bridge and being flat busted the quintessential image and songwritin’ fodder of the red-blooded blues singer? But being without a home is no joke and it’s certainly not a gimmick, and that’s what “Side by Side” is all about. The organization provides a safe environment for homeless musicians over at Loaves and Fishes, and this afternoon benefit show at the Torch (where else?) will be raising money for the program. Scheduled performers include Gary Mendoza Blues Band, the Used Blues Ban and the BluSoul Band, with special guests Kyle Rowland, Leo Bootz, The Deacon and Johnny "Guitar" Knox. 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Torch Club, 15th and I St. $10. 21+. www.sacblues.com.

The Business – It’s Business, it’s Business time (sorry, it had to be done!). Falling downline from breakthrough English punk acts like the Clash and Sex Pistols, the Business were one of the leading imports of the streetwise Oi! punk rock movement of the middle 1980’s. Vocalist Micky Fitz is by now the lone remaining original member of the band, and he still sounds like Elvis Costello having a complete mental breakdown and thrashing all the merchandise in a Harrods with a broken-off guitar neck. They’ve always been an under-the-radar group, staying away from major labels and limelight, all the way up to their newest offering, “Doing the Business.” With the Hollowpoints and Drastic Actions. 9 p.m. Monday. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. $10. 21+. www.myspace.com/bluelamp.

!!! – You can argue over both how to pronounce the name (it’s usually sounded out as “chk chk chk,” or perhaps just by screaming really loudly) and where the band was formed, as most bio information will tell you Brooklyn. Reality is, the roots of this maniacal dance rock outfit are right here in Sacramento, as they’ve gone on to become a national fixture of club-razing, spastically hypnotic and dub-heavy electro rock. Without music like this, places like the Townhouse might not even exist – ditto for hipster rags and post-‘80s psychedelic drug habits. This homecoming (of sorts) comes in the middle of a tour supporting their newest release, “Strange Weather, Isn’t It?” 9 p.m. Monday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $15. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Mark Your Calendars – Lou Reed/Velvet Underground Tribute – Jerry Perry’s local band tribute shows are never something you want to miss; who knows who he’ll pull out of the woodwork to try their hand at a little Velvet U! Sept. 24. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $10. www.theoldironsides.com.

For a complete listing of Sacramento area music happenings, check out Ann Freeman-Clement’s Concerts, Music Events and the Local Music Scene every Friday on Sac Press.

Democracy at work reverses public commenting decision

2010-09-08T14:05:35Z

On Aug. 17, the City Council members voted 5-3 in favor of holding public comments until the end of its meetings.

For the last three weeks, matters not found on the agenda have been addressed at the end of meetings for the last three weeks. However, the council’s rules of procedure were reversed last night after a number of advocacy groups publicly opposed the council’s decision.

Council members passed the motion under the condition that commenting would not exceed 30 minutes and would allow each speaker a maximum of two minutes on the floor. If the allotted 30 minutes expire before a person is able to share, their comments are to be held until the end of the meeting.

Prior to Tuesday’s meeting, Jim Updegraff, chair of the board at the Sacramento Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the council’s decision to hold public comments until the end of the meetings would “preclude members of the public from having the opportunity to voice their grievances, concerns and comments to their elected representatives."

One of the more outspoken opponents of the Aug. 17 decision was Tracie Rice-Bailey of Safe Ground Sacramento. Rice-Bailey opposed the initial decision to hold public comments until the end of the meeting because of the inconvenience it caused the homeless population for which she advocates.

“We had to fight that fight until they moved it back,” Rice-Bailey said, “and I’m glad they moved it back. It’ll save us a lot of struggle.”

In a statement released on Monday, Updegraff elaborated on the inconvenience the decision would have on people wishing to comment at council meetings.

“People will not be able to stay to the end of the meeting because they rely upon (public transit) for transportation, have family commitments or for health reasons cannot sit for the long hours meetings often run," Updegraff said.

Updegraff and others expressed gratitude to the council after seeing the decision reversed.

Sharing Updegraff’s sentiments was Director of Advocacy for Loaves and Fishes Joan Burke. Burke said she felt like she saw democracy in action at last night’s meeting and thanked the council for its reconsideration.

Johnson, who along with Councilmen Kevin McCarty and Ray Tretheway, was not in favor of the Aug. 17 decision, was happy to see the vote rescinded.

“I think this is a good day for democracy,” Mayor Kevin Johnson said.

Photo courtesy of Kathleen Haley

2010 Homeless Connect provides jobs, health and housing resources for homeless

2010-05-19T02:21:50Z

The homeless will find easy access to all the services they need in one location Saturday, as the third annual Sacramento Homeless Connect returns. The event, held at Sacramento City College, will run from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., offering a variety of resources including free haircuts, bicycle and wheelchair repair, California identification cards, job preparedness and even a barbecue lunch.

"Last year we saw 700 people and had 400 volunteers," said Tim Brown, executive director of Sacramento Steps Forward. This year, Brown said he expects to see 800 homeless and about 500 volunteers, due mostly to the increased percentage of homeless.

Sacramento Steps Forward is an initiative started to combat Sacramento homelessness by empowering the homeless and assist them in finding permanent housing. The Homeless Connect event is modeled after San Francisco's project of the same name.

"We're trying to bring community volunteers face to face with the homeless," Brown said. "We want to break through myths of the homeless, raise awareness and show they're not so different from us."

New for 2010, Homeless Connect will be offering more employment resources in response to requests from prior years' events. Programs such as Women's Empowerment and Crossroads Employment Services will be on hand to assist the homeless with workshops such as interview skills, resume critiques, interpersonal communication and dressing for success.

Brown said approximately 60 organizations will contribute efforts toward services Saturday, from local businesses and nonprofits to public-funded programs.

Shuttle services, funded by Sacramento Steps Forward, will be provided every 15 minutes throughout the day, stopping at locations such as Loaves and Fishes between B and C streets, the Salvation Army between Dos Rios and Ahern streets and the Capitol Health Clinic at 1500 C St.

The main goal of the event is to increase access to a wider variety of resources in one spot. "We're trying to make it easier to access many different services all in one day," Brown said. Typically, he said, it can take one full day to access just one of these resources.

Sacramento Steps Forward still needs 20 volunteers for the 2010 Homeless Connect. To sign up, or for further information, visit sacramentostepsforward.com. To view the entire schedule of the event's workshop, click here.

Photos from 2009 Homeless Connect courtesy of Tim Brown, Sacramento Steps Forward

Copwatch starts chapter in Sacramento

2009-11-28T19:55:12Z

The homeless population has another ally in Sacramento with the
creation of Sacramento Copwatc in August of his year.

Josh Cadji the young founder began the program with the abused
homeless population in Sacramento in mind.

Its no secret the homeless have been dragged through the dirty
trenches of dislocation, harassment, and constantly uprooted through
political fancy under the guise of altruism, but it’s the gumshoes
that has Cadji concerned.

Cadji, “Sacramento has a sizable homeless population, and homeless
people are most vulnerable to rights abuse and physical violence on
behalf of cops, so they need people out there who can watch the
police.”

The abused homeless demographic was the main reason Copwatch was
created in Berkeley in 1990 due to vicious police harassment.

Copwatch isn’t just limited to protecting the rights of the homeless,
but police citizen encounters in general.

Recording police activity and creating a watchdog presence comes
responsibilities, not least of which is educating the community about
Copwatch and seeking their cooperation, which is outlined by a set of
principles.

The stated principles are to increase police
accountability, educate the public about their rights, reduce police
violence, and providing information to those who may not otherwise
receive it, such as affordable representation through the National
Lawyers Guild.

Just recently Cadji held a ‘know your rights’ training at Loaves and
Fishes building as part of a weekly meeting for Sacramento Homeless
Organizing Committee (SHOC), which members include Safeground
Sacramento a homeless advocacy group.

Gaining volunteers for Copwatch has been a slow process, now Cadji is
beginning to hold regular cop watch shifts on the weekends. Cadji
determines which areas to patrol and meet up before hand in a neutral
area so people can meet each other and discuss the shift and operating
procedures.

Volunteers of Copwatch are armed with cameras and persistence alerting
police officers to their presence in police suspect situations usually
with Copwatch T-shirts and of course a video camera.

Cadji doesn’t limit his Copwatch shifts to once a week, “I personally
monitor the police whenever I see them in public…simply stopping and
watching a police scene, the cops are a lot less likely to be brutal
with the detained individual.”

Sacramento Steps Forward initiative announced

2009-11-06T04:36:58Z

Thursday morning, journalist Lisa Ling, members of the City Council and the homeless and formerly-homeless community joined Mayor Kevin Johnson in launching the "Sacramento Steps Forward" initiative. A crowd of several hundred waved blue initiative flags and cheered as Johnson announced his goal "to end homelessness and focus on permanent housing."

He applauded permanent housing shelters such as Mercy Housing, Turning Point and Martin Luther King Jr. Village, 3900 47th Avenue, where the launch was held.

Johnson said the goal of Sacramento Steps Forward is to provide 2,400 "decent and affordable" permanent housing units over the next three years. That would nearly quadruple the amount of permanent housing units created in the city over the last two years.

The mayor asked the Sacramento residents to advocate for the homeless, educate others about services needed to end homelessness, and to help find public, corporate and nonprofit funding.

"The homeless do not need a handout, they need a hand up," Johnson said. "They want to be empowered."

Johnson is chairman of a multiagency task force, part of the Policy Board to End Homelessness, that found funding for 269 winter shelter beds last month. This came despite an 84 percent cut in county funding for homelessness and the elimination of funding for winter shelters in September.

Tim Brown, director of the Sacramento Ending Chronic Homelessness Initiative, said last week that federal stimulus money will house 150 people who are now in shelters, freeing up 150 shelter beds over the next few months.

With an expected 419 beds, the city and county intend to provide 151 more beds this year than last year's 268 beds. According to the 2009 Homeless Count Summary Report, there are about 2,800 homeless people in Sacramento, including 711 in emergency shelters, 895 in transitional housing and 1,194 who have no shelter.

After Johnson thanked Brown, Sister Libby Fernandez and Joan Burke, both of of Loaves and Fishes, he introduced Sacramento-native Ling, the host of National Geographic Explorer. Earlier this year, as a special correspondent for The Oprah Winfrey Show, she reported on Sacramento's "tent city," which brought other media outlets to the site.

"Your mayor, so many members of the homeless advocacy community, members of the city and county rose to the occasion and decided to tackle (homelessness) head on," Ling said. "I'm so proud of the way so many members of this community have come together (and) if Sacramento is successful (housing the homeless), it could be a model for the rest of the country."

County Supervisor Roger Dickinson, St. John's Shelter director, Michelle Steeb, and City Council member Rob Fong also spoke. Fong explained the Faith and Families initiative that he helped create.

"We're asking the faith communities to see if they would be willing through their congregation to make a commitment for one year to help house a homeless family," he said. "In the last year we've housed 10 homeless families (and) we're hoping to get a dozen more housed before the holidays."

Three formerly homeless people spoke about their experiences. They credited programs such as Serna Village, St. John's Shelter and Lutheran Social Services with changing their lives and giving them hope.

"It was absolutely marvelous," Fernandez of Loaves and Fishes said about the city's effort. "In one year, this mayor has talked more about the issue of homelessness than any mayor ever has. He spends time with the homeless, policymakers and advocates."

Although she applauded the push for transitional and permanent housing, she noted the nine-month waiting period to get into Quinn Cottages, a transitional housing shelter. This means that homeless need somewhere to go in the meantime, Fernandez said.

"It takes too long for the next step. (Creating a) 'safe ground' is just an added piece to get to the final goal, which is permanent housing."

Sacramento Housing Alliance Affordable Housing Bus Tour

2009-10-03T04:39:04Z

Thursday afternoon, about 50 seniors, homeless and other community members participated in the Sacramento Housing Alliance Affordable Housing Bus Tour. The tour surveyed 10 different housing options and stopped to provide in-depth tours of three housing complexes.

Guided by Shamus Roller, director of the SHA, Ken Cross, CEO of Sacramento Habitat for Humanity and Paul Ainger, Mercy Housing project developer, the four-hour tour began and ended at the SHA office in Midtown.

"It's important to know what affordable housing means," Ainger said. According to the federal government, housing is considered "affordable" when a person renting or buying it spends no more than 30 percent of his or her income for housing.

"Affordable housing is an economic stimulus," Roller added.

"None of these [properties on the tour] are owned by non-profits," Ainger said. "They are all owned by for-profit guys."

The first stop was the 84-unit complex Serna Village, located in McClellan. A transitional housing community developed by Mercy Housing of California and Cottage Housing, Inc., the complex consists of one- to four-bedroom residential units.

The bus unloaded and took an in-depth tour of the community. One requirement for residency is to have children. Arla, who did not give her last name, gave a speech detailing her experience in Serna Village to the tour group.

She was referred to Serna Village through Quinn Cottages, another housing site for single homeless individuals run by Cottage Housing, Inc. She and other residents, besides meeting minimum requirements, must identify and commit to other lifestyle changes in order to remain in the community, she said.

"You're able to be yourself [here]," Arla added. "I'm in college for the first time in 18 years. It's an awesome program."

Like Arla, Kelly Dean, another Serna Village resident, spoke of her recovery from drug addiction. Dean held a six-month-old baby in her arms during her speech.

Serna Village offers parenting classes, mental health and drug and alcohol recovery programs, she said. "They take people from a homeless nightmare and turn them into the American Dream."

Rent at Serna Village is determined on a case-by-case basis and the average tenant stays for 14 months out of a two-year limit, said Cottage Housing's executive director, Robert Tobin. He also mentioned that Cottage Housing plans to more than double its residential capacity from 241 to 500 units over the next decade.

Victory Townhomes in North Sacramento was the tour's next stop. Developed by Sacramento Mutual Housing Association in 2003, the complex holds 21 three and four-bedroom town homes and tenants are allowed to stay as long as they want.

It serves people who are considered very low income, earning less than 50 percent ($25,500) of the 2009 annual Sacramento Area Median Income, $51,950. But it doesn't lack in high-tech amenities, explained Rachel Iskow, SMHA's executive director.

For one, the town homes are part of Sacramento's first green street, on Dixieanne Avenue, and have solar panels on their roofs. It's the first multifamily development to incorporate photovoltaics, or solar energy.

Opened in 2003, the property also offers a computer lab and free wireless Internet access. Residents who complete a computer literacy series in the computer lab and donate community service hours receive a free computer, which residents can keep.

The last facility toured was the Forrest Street build site developed by Sacramento Habitat for Humanity. When completed, the site, which features four three-bedroom, two-bathroom, single-family homes, will be SHFH's 200th home completed worldwide.

Though it is unclear when the homes will be completed, they are all expected to earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design "gold" certification, the second highest award possible.

Qualifying families must be low income (80 percent AMI, $40,800 or less annually) and their current housing situation must be overcrowded, unsafe or overpriced. Once approved, the family must complete 500 hours of "sweat equity" by helping to complete their own home, someone else's, or contribute in some other capacity in an SHFH office. The family must then make payments on the home.

Though the building of the homes is sponsored by local corporations, "families earn homes," said Cross, SHFH's director. "These are not handouts."

The tour then drove by The Park at Del Paso Nuevo, Loaves and Fishes, Quinn Cottages, 1801 L. St., Freemont Mews Apartments, and a former Safe Ground location at 1220 C St. owned by Mark Merin. The tour did not have time to stop as planned at Vintage at Natomas Field, St. Francis Terrace, Francis House, St. Anton Building or Pensione K, all of which have affordable housing options.

"I love the tour," said Sister Libby Fernandez, director of Loaves and Fishes. "It's wonderful to see a variety of affordable housing with good resident services."

"There are not enough shelters and not enough transitional housing," added Tina Reynolds, Safe Ground board member. She announced to the bus that Safe Ground is close to completing a shelter near Bannon Street which will use Tuff Sheds as transitional housing for three to 18 months.

Its goal is to have built-in bathrooms, cooking and laundry facilities and solar power, she added.

"There is a lack of SRO-type housing. Most homeless are single males," said John Krayntz, a homeless man and Safe Ground "elder," or leader, who once lived at 1220 C St. "The tour showed a lot of stuff that was very good, but there is still a need for [housing with] more services and disability advocacy."

Jill Hurley, who lives in Riverview Plaza, a low-income independent living facility downtown, said that she wanted to see more accessible showers built into affordable housing for seniors. "The biggest reason for hospital visits [among seniors] is falling and the most dangerous place is the bathroom."

For more information on affordable housing, please visit the SHA website.

Photographs one through six show Serna Village. Photographs seven through show of Victory Townhomes. Photograph ten shows the SHFH's Forrest Street build site.

Mayor Kevin Johnson addresses homelessness

2009-09-23T04:02:45Z

Tuesday morning, Mayor Kevin Johnson was joined by a handful of Safe Ground supporters for a weekly press conference inside City Hall. After reiterating his goal to end homelessness in Sacramento, he invited Sister Libby Fernandez and Greg Bunker, the respective executive directors of Loaves and Fishes and Francis house, as well as a homeless man named Thomas Jackson Ashmore III, to speak.

Johnson spoke about his meeting over the weekend with campers at the recently vacated 1220 C St. campground owned by Mark Merin. At the camp site, Merin had also been involved in a property dispute over the land with the neighboring Pedro and Gracilla Hernandez residence.

Johnson mentioned that a comprehensive plan to end homelessness would be launched in October, but also that two immediate issues are the most pressing: creating a legal "safe ground" called Stepping Stone; and helping finda location for winter shelters as they are set to open in mid November.

Johnson has created a task force for both issues, but it will take up to three to six months to create Stepping Stone, he said. Some key factors the task force is looking at for Stepping Stone include size, location, resident selection criteria, governance, security and services.

"The county cut 84 percent of their funding for the homeless," Johnson said. "They're talking about making even more cuts; that means there's a disproportionate amount of cuts going to the homeless population."

"This is a moment that we advocates really appreciate," said Fernandez. "This is the first time a city mayor has stepped up to the plate to think not only for the city but also for the county and the region of Sacramento when it deals with homelessness."

"We need to stop the arrests on people being homeless; we need to put a memorandum on enforcement of camping ordinances," said Ashmore, a homeless man, whom Johnson introduced to the crowd by the nickname "Hawk."

"It's a waste of taxpayer money. Every time we are arrested, it costs between $1500 and $2000 to take us all into jail," he added. "Then we're put back eight hours later on the streets, just to be arrested again."

Bunker also applauded Johnson and asked the entire community to join the effort to think of solutions to house the homeless.

Asked if Johnson would do a good job in helping homeless people, Merin said last week, "I think the Mayor is certainly well intentioned. The question is: can he get the majority of the city council to support him? It just depends on him knowing how to get something accomplished."

"The goal is to get people into housing," said Tim Brown, director of the Ending Chronic Homelessness initiative, in a phone call before the press conference on Tuesday. "We're spending so much on keeping them homeless, it's cheaper to provide housing and services in a lot of cases for chronically homeless."

"With federal stimulus money, for the first time, we're going to be able to prevent homelessness," Brown added. About $4.8 million will become available Oct. 1 for homelessness.

"We've housed 350 people in two-and-a-half years," Brown said. "What has made a dent is the switch to permanent housing."

As far as the vacated Safe Ground location at the Merin property (only a pair of port-a-potties remains), the Hernandez family have expressed "gratitude and relief" that the camp is gone, said their lawyer Aldon Bolanos. Their health has been deteriorating since the campers moved behind their property, Bolanos said.

"They're trying to get on with their lives," he added. "They absolutely are traumatized and it's going to be a while if ever before life gets back to normal for them."

"I'm not going to tell you that what [Merin] is trying to do [for the homeless] is wrong," Bolanos said. "This time when he did what he did, it really trampled on the lives of some innocent people; the real civil rights that were violated here were Pedro and Gracilla Hernandez."

Bolanos explained his view of the homeless.

"This whole episode really seems to underscore a leadership problem in this city, where no individual or group is willing to take accountability for what was happening here for over a month. This [homeless] situation is not going to go away, and providing this 'safe ground' outside of the downtown grid is just going to push the problem into someone else's backyard and the city is going to experience sad and difficult times and consequences."

Photographs one, two and three credit Sacramento Press staff reporter Suzanne Hurt. All other photographs credit staff reporter Jonathan Mendick.

In search of sleep

2009-07-02T05:40:38Z

Emergency overflow shelters shut down their accommodations to the homeless in Sacramento, including Cal Expo so the homeless took a stand Wednesday morning.

Hundreds gathered in front of Loaves & Fishes on the corner of North 12th and Ahern Street for a march to bring awareness to the recent closings of shelters and the criminalization of poverty and homelessness.

Event organizers expected around 200 attendees, but at one point during the march, there were counts of close to 1,000 people walking to 420 Richards Blvd., a vacant parcel next to the new police station.

Many of those participating in the rally who rely on shelters for a place to sleep at night said they are afraid of legal consequences for camping out on streets.

"There was a woman, six months pregnant on the street, and when the police found she was homeless, they put her in jail," said G.P. Bailey, an activist and songwriter. "That is a scary thing."

"It's a crime against people for existing," said Robert, an 18-year-old a recent graduate of Jesuit High School.

He endured the heat and 1.2-mile march in solidarity for the community of people he was immersed in as a part of a community service project. Robert spent one week living as a homeless person, scrounging for food and pedaling for money with the guidance of teachers.

"We come from a pretty privileged school and they want us to learn that there is more to life than that cloistered area in Carmichael," he said.

Another appearance from the ranks of the privileged was made by the lead singer of local band Papa Roach, Jacoby Shaddix, who lived in Del Paso Heights since the age of 18.

He mingled with the rally participants, held up signs of support with his family, and led a cheer for a safe, legalized camping ground for the homeless.

"My family was homeless for the first year of my life, and to be where I'm at now, I'm super blessed," he said.

Papa Roach has donated money to Loaves & Fishes, and when he is not touring on the road, he serves food there in his spare time.

Birte, a librarian at Loaves & Fishes, as well as a Danish immigrant, was attracted to the homeless environment because of her experiences in Denmark.

"Healthcare for everyone was a big difference back home," she said. "A lot of folks out here end up here because they didn't have healthcare or had big bills."

Tina Reynolds, the owner of Uptown Studios, expressed the need to reform public policy that criminalizes homelessness.

"We are working on repealing laws and making politicians aware of the situation," she said. She also expressed dissatisfaction with the various laws that prevent people from setting up camping gear, rolled up beds, and how these apply to everyone with homes as well. "You are not allowed to camp out in your backyard for more than one day," Reynolds said.

The issues at hand are not specific to the homeless population, they also affect the community in general.

"It's not one side, it's affecting everyone," G.P. Bailey.

Bailey feels the cuts in shelters are creating a ripple effect which affects more than those looking for a home on the street.

"It is affecting the police department," he said. "It's hard to hire anyone from the new graduating class" of the police academy.

Reynolds suggested a dome-like model structure on display from World Shelters that they hope to implement in the future.

"They have if for disaster relief, and there's no disaster like homelessness," she said.

The structure, which costs roughly $2,495, is made of panels of corrugated plastic, and is said to protect from UV rays and can be equipped with optional solar panel attachments. For $2 a day, people can live in these structures.

Reynolds said she wants to look for property within the city that is unclaimed and hopefully set up safe facilities. She described the ideal location as an inexpensive community off the grid that has access to services like Loaves & Fishes, water, toilets, showers and garbage collection.

"What I hope is that we'll be able to understand that there's a legitimate problem in Sacramento," Robert said.

To learn more, click the following links:
Sacramento Loaves & Fishes
World Shelters

Homeless advocates fight to maintain their rights.

2009-04-22T17:24:48Z

Since the existence of tent city gained national attention on the Oprah Winfrey Show, a firestorm of controversy has ensued. A lot has been said in the last few weeks about the ‘homeless problem’ in Sacramento. Government officials have scrambled to free up shelter beds and come up with enough funding flush into alternative housing programs. But, the issue of homelessness does not appear to be going away anytime soon and throwing money at it may not be the answer.

“You can put government money on the table,” say Mark Chaclan, former Loaves and Fishes volunteer, “but there are still going to be people that have to resort to tent city.” Chaclan visited tent city twice last week to join fellow Loaves and Fishes volunteers in the fight to protect the rights of Sacramento’s homeless.

“Loaves and Fishes has taken a stance on the issue,” he says, “and they are ready to go to the trenches.”

In the meantime, as the bulldozers start to roll, hundreds of homeless men and women once again find themselves displaced.

Trevor McClure knows what it is like to be down and out. He was homeless for three years, beginning in 2003 and he wants to dispel the myth that the solution to homelessness is simply ‘getting a job’ as some more callous critics may believe.

“It’s damn near impossible to get a job when you’re homeless,” he says. “you have to be clean and presentable. You have to be able to shower every day. By the time to you get off work, you’ve lost your bed [in the shelter].”

McClure often found himself sleeping at the river. “The Union Gospel Mission doesn’t accept women,” he says, “and I’ll be dammed if I’m gonna sleep in a shelter and my wife’s gonna sleep on the streets.”

John Sherba was also homeless for a four year period starting in 2002. While he was able to make due with the limited resources at hand, he acknowledges that leading a transient existence is neither easy nor preferable.

“I slept on the streets, on the sidewalks, in front of the union Gospel Mission, and at the river,” he says. Sherba slept on the river for three out of the fours years that he was living outdoors and was able to keep the peace with park rangers and other residents.

“We made friends with them because we kept our camp clean. They liked the way we did what we did” he says, “but the bottom line is that camping in Sacramento is still illegal.”

Law breakers will be punished. “We had to keep moving constantly,” says Sherba, “They [Sacramento sheriffs] took everything I owned and threw it in a dump truck. They took the tent and everything in it.”

“When you’re homeless,” adds McClure, “every penny you have goes to surviving. You have to be able to eat and you have to make sure that you will be able to replace your tent and stuff when it gets taken away.”

The instability of the lifestyle and the illegality of camping within the Sacramento city limits are why some homeless advocates believe that places like tent city are necessary.

“They need a place for people to camp that’s legal,” says Sherba, “They can provide as many beds as they want to, but there are people that just can’t live that way for whatever reason.”

Sherba, who was also a volunteer at Loaves and Fishes while he was homeless understands that not everybody can make it indoors.

“There are people that are mentally ill,” he says, “I call them ‘happy campers’. I’ve seen them talk to telephone polls, but in the end, they don’t cause no harm to anybody.”

Loaves and Fishes Benefit Concert

2008-12-09T01:43:27Z

Looking for a way to give back that involves music? Look no further than Fifth String Music Store this Friday, December 12th at 7 p.m.. The music store will be hosting a benefit concert to raise money and supplies for Loaves and Fishes.

This will be the 6th annual concert that the store has put on to benefit Loaves and Fishes. Ross Hammond, a local musician, came up with the idea after he started working as an instructor for Fifth String. Hammond had spent previous years volunteering for Loaves and Fishes during the holidays and wanted to do more for the organization.

Last year the concert raised $1200 in donations. All of the artists performing have some connection to the Fifth String school or store. John Green (owner of 5th String Music Store), Ross Hammond, Peter Kett, Steven Ward, The Inversions and others will be performing.

Concert-goers can expect to hear mostly folk, rock, bluegrass and jazz music. According to Hammond, the show will be very intimate and mellow.

Admission is either a $15 minimum donation or an item from the Loaves and Fishes wish list.

General wish list items include:

Toilet paper
New or gently used sleeping bags and blankets
Regional Transit passes
Toothpaste and toothbrushes
Small toiletries
Back packs
Band aids
Combs and brushes

For adults, requests include:

Gloves
Large to extra large sweatshirts
Reading glasses without prescription lenses
New underwear
Large to 3X sweat suits
Tube socks.

For children, you can donate:

Baby bottles
Diapers
Non-soy baby formula with iron
Baby food
Sweat suits
Knit hats and gloves

For more information on Loaves and Fishes, visit www.sacloaves.org or e-mail Ross Hammond at ross@rosshammond.com if you have any questions.

Fifth String Music Store is located at 930 Alhambra Blvd (corner of J St.).

The image above is from the Sacramento Loaves and Fishes Web site.