Business Profile: Chocolate Horse Farm
Andrea Pfeiffer is a busy woman. She and her staff of six at Chocolate Horse Farm stable 54 beautiful horses, and manage a jam-packed schedule of lessons, training, feeding, grooming and grounds maintenance.
So, tired after a long day some ten years ago, it was with some irritation that she hung up from a phone call with a friend. Andrea had so much on her plate. Why, why, why had she ever told her friend she’d go to The COTS Hour the next morning?
“Begrudgingly,” Andrea says, she showed up.
And the morning changed her life.
Warren Theuret shared the story of how he regained sobriety, housing, human connection and self-respect through hard work and COTS’ help. He talked about his subsequent decision to make helping others through COTS his own life’s work.
“He’s this elegant, well-spoken man who completely captured my imagination,” Andrea says. “It struck me so strongly that morning that I could actually make a difference in someone’s life. I saw that COTS was in the business of saving people’s lives.”
From there, it was a short time before Andrea joined our board of directors. Her family and her business became stalwart COTS supporters.
Luckily for us, Andrea’s never been one to discount the inspiration of the moment. In fact, that’s what led her to found Chocolate Horse Farm.
She’d spent her early 20s training at the British Horse Society. In England, she discovered her flair for teaching and got a job with the British government, training young people for careers in the equine industry. Then she planned what she thought would be a short visit home to Sonoma to help celebrate her Dad’s retirement.
“All of a sudden, my phone was ringing off the hook with people wanting lessons,” she says. “Within two weeks, I was working full-time.” She was also relaxing and feeling at home again, away from class-conscious British customs. She liked the feeling. She liked her prospects.
“I realized I could make a living at this in Sonoma County.” Eventually, she struck out on her own, founding Chocolate Horse Farm in Petaluma. “30 years later, I still absolutely love going to work every single day,” she says. “I’m getting paid to do my hobby.”
Chocolate Horse Farm specializes in the Olympic sport of Dressage, which has its roots in ancient Greek horsemanship and is known for its grace, precision and difficulty.
She doesn’t shy from difficulty when it comes to COTS, either, and as one of our longest-serving board members, her insights are invaluable. Board President Bill Gabbert looks forward to hearing her thoughts and opinions on every proposal that comes forward. “She is a great advocate for COTS because she has a passion to help the homeless,” he says. “We’re thrilled to have her support as an individual and a business owner.”
Andrea says owning her own business has been great preparation for serving on the board. “How are you going to pay for it?” she says. “Is it a sound business decision we can sustain going forward? Those are the types of questions I’m used to asking myself. I ask them all the time at the board meetings.”
In addition to her board work, Andrea has been a great help in our food programs and was renowned for her Sunday night chicken dinners. She’s also been a remarkable budget coach to people in our rental assistance program, a role that it seems she’s been training for all her life.
“My parents had us managing our own money when we were really young. We had an allowance and a check book and you learned pretty quick that you were going to need to save money for the end of the month. If we didn’t have money for pencils or notebooks, my parents didn’t bail us out. We learned.” Andrea helped people sort through their emotions about money—a crucial thing to do for everyone, but especially for those who don’t have much of it—and helped them strategize how to plan and save.
“I was surprised. We talked a lot about gifts and how to show appreciation without buying gifts. People want to show their love. A lot of times in this country, we do that through gifts. And that wasn’t helpful.”
Andrea makes time for COTS “because you want to leave the world a better place than you found it,” she says. “I’m lucky. I know I am. I didn’t have parents that suffered from substance abuse. I was never abused. I work hard, but I think everybody does. All the clients I’ve met at COTS have had that same drive to be valued and to give back. It’s easy to thrive when you’re born under a certain set of circumstances.”
“COTS is somewhere I can make a difference,” Andrea says. “I hope my legacy is being part of a community that ends the need for places like COTS.”
Thank you, Andrea. Thank you, Chocolate Horse Farm.
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Business Profile: St. Joseph Health
Recuperative Care at COTS
The Sisters of St. Joseph built their first hospital exactly one hundred years ago, in the city of Eureka, in the wake of the influenza epidemic of 1918. The sisters had learned to nurse during the epidemic and the experience led them to make healthcare their mission.
Our second-floor permanent supportive housing residents with case manager Conor Feeney, far right
That mission grew from one hospital to a huge healthcare system throughout California and Texas, St. Joseph Health. We at COTS are grateful for St. Joseph Health’s support every day, especially for their huge contributions to two of our housing programs dedicated to those with serious medical conditions. Thanks to St. Joseph Health, we can provide private, permanent housing and services to up to 14 people with serious health issues. St. Joseph also helps fund our recuperative care program where clients convalesce from surgery or serious illness.
But we’re even more grateful than usual now because, true to form, St. Joseph Health is a great ally in an epidemic.
We’ve had to make changes in all our housing programs in response to the epidemic. They include a reduction in the number of people we can sleep in our recuperative care room. But though we’re temporarily serving fewer people, “St. Joseph Health has been understanding, flexible and creative,” says Jules Pelican, COTS Director of Programs. “They are great partners and collaborators, always ready to take the larger picture into account. They bring people together to find solutions. That can mean pinpointed tactical help or a huge investment in our housing and health care programs.”
As just one example of a quick and essential intervention, Jules points to St. Joseph Health’s recent donation of iPads to outreach workers throughout the county. “St. Joseph is interested in what it takes to get things done,” Jules says. “In this case, they wanted to make it easier for outreach workers to connect with people who are camping along creek sides and in cars. It’s essential during this pandemic that we provide those with serious health risks the opportunity to move to temporary housing programs at SSU.” Thanks to Sonoma County, temporary housing at SSU is available to up to 150 homeless individuals who are in high-risk groups for serious complications from the Corona Virus.
These iPads are crucial, portable tools. For a variety of reasons, which can include PTSD and other mental health struggles, getting people to say “yes” to SSU often means building a rapport and a relationship. The devices help outreach workers keep track of campers’ locations and note needs they can fulfill—with socks or food, for example. The devices are small, and they’re equipped with software to make note-taking quick and unobtrusive, unlikely to get in the way of conversation and building trust.
The iPads are just the start of what St. Joseph Health is doing to protect the health of some of our most vulnerable neighbors. The organization is a leader when it comes to testing for COVID-19, including the administration of tests for those who are homeless. Importantly, through their mobile health center, St. Joseph Health is also providing medical care for the people who’ve been housed at Sonoma State University and in local hotels. All of these residents are managing serious health conditions, so this assistance is crucial.
St. Joseph Health is also a major supporter of Catholic Charities’ housing programs and makes collaboration and coordination among providers a priority.
“They bring us all to the table,” Jules says. “They bring policy makers to the table, and then we can all look together at solutions. The wonderful thing about them is that the results they want to see are all linked to improved health. We may also see a reduction in emergency room usage, but that’s a secondary consideration.”
Housing and shelter providers are natural partners for St. Joseph Health, says Dan Schurman, Community Health Investment Manager for St. Joseph Health. That’s true every day—not just during these dangerous times. “Housing is health,” Dan says. “That’s not a joke. It’s not a slogan. Housing is the number one determinant of health. The connection is dramatic and direct.”
Our clients benefit greatly from St. Joseph Health’s support, and so does the entire community. They provide free and low-cost health and dental care throughout the county, and they work with schools and community groups to educate and empower children and adults to make healthy choices.
Thank you, St. Joseph Health!
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COTS kids and families, staying COVID-free, and more
Each month, COTS staff are proud to share news of our programs, our community, and our clients as they work towards permanent housing. Thank you for reading and for supporting our work to end homelessness in Sonoma County!
Laure Reichek continues to serve
Laure Reichek and Mary Isaak founded COTS in 1988. Now, 32 years later, Laure continues to serve.
We were thrilled to see here on Friday when she brought by a huge supply of clothes and housewares donated by her friends. You can read more about Laure here.
Updates at the Kids First Family Shelter
The pandemic meant we had to put on hold our plans for a remodel of Kids First Family Shelter.
But three cheers to John McEntee and his COTS Facilities Team who have used this time to make the shelter safer and more welcoming.
Case Manager Wendy Lindberg is thrilled with her large and well-ventilated new office where she can easily meet with residents and maintain recommended distancing. Her former tiny office is now a storeroom and “free store” where residents can choose items like diapers, wipes, masks and gloves.
The residents now have a room dedicated to business, whether it’s homework, job applications or housing searches. There are plenty of computers and they’re set up in carols to enable focus and concentration. And the recreation room has been spiffed up, too, and organized so that residents can maintain distance from one another but still watch a movie together or chat.
Because of the pandemic, county guidelines required us to reduce the number of people at the shelter. John and his team have taken the opportunity to paint and spruce up rooms that aren’t in use.
Welcome to our newest board member, Sam Yee
She didn’t get handshakes all around, but she got plenty of smiles when our board unanimously voted by Zoom to welcome Samantha Yee to COTS Board of Directors.
Sam is raring to go. And we’re just as eager to have her help.
The Petaluma resident works as the Retail Service Manager at the Exchange Bank’s Stony Point branch, and she brings to the table all the skills you’d expect from someone in that field. She understands numbers, she’s attentive to details, and she has great people skills—so great that she’s been recognized for outstanding customer service two years in a row. Board members are our face to the community, explaining our programs, listening to concerns, and eliciting support. They’re our cheerleaders and our eyes and ears. They also make complicated and sometimes tough decisions about spending and program direction. Sam has the focus and the understanding to be clear-headed when making those decisions.
She also has a heart for our work. And that comes from a lifetime.
Some of you may remember Sam from The COTS Hour. She was our co-host in December with Chris Ranney, and, in 2016, she shared her story as a former participant in COTS’ transitional housing.
“I can flash back to that time like it was yesterday,” says Sam. “I think that gives me an empathy, a level of understanding. I know what helped me, and I can share that.”
Already a valued volunteer in our food programs and our holiday store, Sam is eager to start fundraising, helping with events, and volunteering in skills-building programs. “I’m a renter myself,” she says. “I know how hard it is to find a place, I know how hard it is to budget and save. But you can do it. I can share that with people.”
Fellow board member Chris Ranney, and Sam’s co-host for the 2019 COTS Hour is thrilled that Sam will be sharing her “deep level of empathy and understanding for the challenges that individuals and families are facing, especially in these very challenging times in our local community and country-wide.” Chris says he and other members are thrilled to have a new colleague with “strong leadership and exemplary skills in community relationship building.” Most of all, Chris says, he welcomes her passion, something he got to see up close and personal as they rehearsed together for The COTS Hour.
By happy coincidence, Sam was just asked by her team at the Exchange Bank to coordinate employee volunteer efforts for her branch. “This is a win-win,” she says. “I’m going to be talking about COTS a lot!”
Welcome, Sam! And thanks to all our board members, who volunteer hundreds of hours of their time for COTS each year. They are: Bill Gabbert (President); Ben Leroi (Vice President); John Baxter (Treasurer); Karen Nelson (Secretary); Andrea Pfeiffer; Chris Ranney; Curt Peters; Erin Hawkins; Judy Tuhtan; Ken Savano; Marie McCusker; Matt Ingram; Mike Resch; Chaplain Raymond Dougherty; Troy Sanderson; and Wendi Thomas.
Mary Isaak Center Shelter Update
What does Robin Phoenix, our Shelter Services Manager want you to know?
Number one: no one from among our residents or staff has tested positive for COVID-19. Part of that is luck. But it’s diligence and cooperation from both her staff and our residents that has kept us healthy, Robin says. Our resident can’t tear off their masks the minute they walk in their front door, can’t let their guard down. Not when they share their front door with dozens of other people. Our success depends on strict adherence to safety measures and we’re so grateful to staff and residents for taking the situation seriously.
Number two: thank you! “Since this whole thing started, people have just been showering us with love and support,” Robin says. “You hear people say, ‘We’re all in this together.’ I get to live it every day.”
Number three: the virus has changed how we deliver services, but it hasn’t changed our commitment to serve.
County guidelines mean that we have fewer residents, but we continue to serve anyone who’s outside who needs a meal or a shower. Our outreach workers are building relationships with those who are camping in the southern end of our county and, when the fit is right, referring outreach clients to stay at SSU’s temporary housing program. They drive people to treatment and help with medical appointments and planning for the future.
Those in the shelter continue to meet with case managers, continue to do community service, continue to find housing. We even have recovery meetings that happen across a 12-foot expanse in the dining room. “It’s anonymous, but it is loud,” Robin says.
We’re also taking the time to think about how we want to deliver services in the future. Stay tuned for our summer newsletter for an in-depth look.
Number four: “We miss our volunteers.” “We can’t wait until it’s safe enough for them to come back.”
Masked Action for COTS!
We hope you’ve heard of the Petaluma Maskateers, those tireless volunteer sewists who to date have fashioned and furnished over 2600 cloth masks to nonprofits and do-gooders in our community. Our staff and clients are wearing them. So are PPSC’s Meals on Wheel’s Drivers, PEP residents, Petaluma Health Center patients, members of the Petaluma Village Network and many more.
It takes between 30 minutes and an hour to make one mask. We’re humbled when we contemplate this massive, life-saving gift.
We’re also super grateful to Out West Garage which gave masks to customers and gave them the opportunity to donate COTS. And did those customers ever give! If we took our masks off, you’d see that we’re overcome to the point of blushing. Thanks to all who gave. And many thanks to Out West Garage, a COTS stalwart.
The masks are made out of Out West’s specialty branded bandanas. Think nuns, cowboy boots, guitars, fiddles and banjos—everything that makes the folks at the garage happy. Special shout-out to the volunteer who sewed all the masks. She wants to remain anonymous, so we’ll think of her as “M.M,” the heroic Masked Maker. Thank you, M.M!
Our board member Curt Peters and his family sewed over 90 masks for us and dropped them off on Monday. Many thanks to Curt and Catherine, their kids David, Thomas and Will, and Curt’s parents Brian and Nancy!
Mary’s Table news
It’s hot and sweaty behind that mask and she has twice as much work as she did before, but Nichole Bankson is smiling. She’ll tell you it’s because she’s helping to ensure that anyone who is hungry can get a meal that is substantial and beautifully flavored. Our residents dine in stages at the Mary Isaak Center. And anyone can come to the door and get a meal in a compostable container (many thanks to World Centric for donated containers). Check out the beautiful eggplant parmigiana over spinach and chive tagliatelle with salad and fruit that we served last week.
Miyoko’s Creamery to the rescue
Imagine eating a grilled sandwich, fully confident that no animals were harmed in its making. Then imagine a grilled cheese sandwich more delicious than any you’ve ever eaten in your life.
Thanks to Miyoko’s Creamery our diners and quite a number of our staff didn’t have to imagine. Aziza and Lyndon from Miyoko’s Creamery rolled into our parking lot on Friday and stayed all day, grilling hundreds of vegan grilled cheese sandwiches for all comers. We’re among the first to try Miyoko’s new oat-based cheeses.
Can you tell that Shelter Services Manager Robin Phoenix liked her sandwich?
Many thanks to Miyoko’s Creamery!
Zoom with us, volunteers
Volunteers, please join us for a Zoom meeting at 2 p.m. on July 2. Diana Morales will be getting you invitations. We want to hear what you’ve been up to during this shelter in place, and we want to plan for our volunteers’ eventual and safe return!
Thank you for your support. Thank you for all your messages!
We live for the notes that you send us with your donations. Here are just a few of the messages that have lifted our hearts in recent months:
“Take care and thank you for caring for others!”
“My wife and I know you can use this and want to contribute what we can in the midst of having our work drastically affected right now. We recognize we are still among the very privileged. Thank you for what you do, COTS!”
“Donation to help keep your team and residents safe.”
“In this time of stress and confusion, I hope this helps in some small way.”
About a stimulus payment forwarded to COTS: “I decided you probably had people who needed it much more than I do!”
Business Profile: Petaluma Market
Petaluma Market is an essential business—today and every day.
Jim Agius’ parents opened the store in 1987 and were among the first to support COTS. That was in 1988 when, headquartered at Copperfield’s Books, a group of volunteers banded together to form the “Committee on the Shelterless.”
Jim took over the business from his parents in 2007 and kept their giving streak going. And the market’s support for COTS hasn’t flagged for over 30 years.
Jim says he values that relationship, the opportunity to help COTS help those who are struggling. And his commitment has only deepened as one of his employees, Cheese expert Marie Schmittroth, has become involved as a volunteer.
But community giving for the market doesn’t stop with COTS—not by a long shot. Look at nearly any local acknowledgments page and you’ll see Petaluma Market’s name or its logo with the friendly red rooster. There’s no cause too small—bake sales, raffles, softball leagues, Girl Scout Gold Projects. But the market also thinks big and gives generously to causes like Mentor Me; the Petaluma Educational Foundation; Petaluma Valley Hospital; our county’s fire relief funds; and Jim’s favorite, the all-ages Phoenix Theater, where he serves on the board.
There is no other place like the Phoenix in the world, Jim says. “It’s a place for people who otherwise wouldn’t have a place. It’s a place for expression, a place to develop skills or hobbies. Or just hang out. There’s great live music and there’s no alcohol involved. The primary motivation is to be open and to belong to anyone and everyone.”
Shoppers at Petaluma Market allow Jim to employ over 100 people and to support local causes.
“I think the real meaning of community is in action,” Jim says. “If you shop here, you’re making a choice to support an independent market and our employees. We support the community that supports us. It’s our responsibility to do it. This is where we live, and we love it.”
Jim credit his employees for providing the service that keeps people coming back. Especially now, calm, maturity, kindness and competence are the traits that inspire loyalty. He’s hired ten new people to deal with the increased need for sanitation and crowd management and says that he and his employees have a system that is “on lock.”
What role will local business play in recovery and community health post-COVID-19? “The short answer is that I think it will be a big one,” Jim says. “I think we’re lucky to live in an area where people care about putting money and energy into the causes that important to us. I think our downtown and our community have a better chance than most.”
Thank you, Petaluma Market. We are grateful to have your support.
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Business Profile: Century 21 Bundesen
Pictured: Century 21 Bundesen owner, Karl Bundesen, right, handing former COTS Development Director Sarah Quinto
the check for the proceeds from Century 21 Bundesen's 2018's 12 Nights of Dining fundraiser for COTS
“Contagious” is a risky word to throw around these days.
But we’re going for it.
Because “contagious” perfectly describes Karl Bundesen’s enthusiasm for COTS and for countless other good causes.
Karl’s the owner of Century 21 Bundesen, the large and venerable real estate firm on Petaluma Boulevard South. It was founded in 1963 by his Dad, Herb, who believed in giving back to the community where he’d grown up and where he’d prospered. That’s a family tradition Karl embraces.
Herb Bundesen once told the Argus-Courier that he gave back because Petaluma was “a common-sense community of warm and caring people. And it has a sense of history that many communities don’t.”
Karl echoes that logic and that kindness: “COTS is a Petaluma brainchild,” he says. “We’re a Petaluma company, too. We are both in the housing business. We at Bundesen work with the more fortunate, COTS works with the less fortunate.”
It’s a logical fit, he says: “We’re honored to support the great work of COTS.”
He and his team have been on our side for decades. And they’ve shared their enthusiasm with the community through events like their Oyster Barbecues that benefitted COTS, and, more recently, through their hugely successful Restaurant Raffles, which likewise benefitted COTS. This summer, we became proud homeowners, thanks to a generous gift from The Finley Foundation. Century 21 Bundesen waived all their fees and convinced a variety of inspectors to do the same. Six people now live in that home!
Not only have Karl and his team raised many thousands of dollars for COTS, they’ve brought countless people into our orbit in a myriad of ways. They bring guests to our events, collect coats and food, sign petitions and share our news. Most importantly, they assure people that they’ll love helping COTS.
And COTS is by no means the only cause that Karl, his staff and his agents support. COTS Board President and Century 21 Bundesen agent Bill Gabbert says that, together, the Bundesen team supports “almost every cause you can think of,” and that, usually, when an agent or staff member supports a cause, the business does, too.
You’ll see a lot of real estate trophies when you walk into Century 21 Bundesen’s offices. But you’ll also see a lot of thank you cards. Karl gives to the causes his parents loved: the Salvation Army, the Petaluma Museum and Hope Counseling. The office contributes to Rebuilding Together (another natural fit because it keeps people housed), the Polly Klaas Theater and the Miracle League of the North Bay. The office also contributes to the Petaluma Chapter of Realtors, which contributes to a myriad of local causes (including COTS).
Diane Olson from Hope Counseling says her organization is honored to be among the organizations Karl and his team support. “Karl is a wonderful example of a business partner who gives generously to support the less fortunate in Petaluma.”
“For Karl, it’s always about people,” Bill says. “He believes that if you take care of people everything else will work out just fine. He is loaded with integrity.”
Bill shares that when he shifted careers and became a real estate agent, he never considered working for anyone other than Karl. That’s high praise, indeed, Bill will tell you, when you consider that, “My kids grew up with him. And I know some of what they got up to back then.”
Judging by Century 21 Bundesen’s roster of heavyweights, Bill’s not the only one to feel happily home there.
We are grateful that Karl and his team devote so much of their talent and treasure to ensuring that our clients can feel happily at home.
Thank you, Century 21 Bundesen!
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Business Profile: Lace House Linen
Pictured: the Lace House Linen Family.
The Libarle family of Lace House Linen knows something about losing it all. Twice in their history, they’ve had to start from scratch—once after the 1906 earthquake and once after a fire in 1948.
Each time, they rebuilt bigger and better than before. Pre-COVID-19, they operated seven days a week, providing freshly laundered linens to over 700 clients all over the Bay Area. They owe their growth and success to hard work, and, family members are quick to add, to the goodwill and support of neighbors, business colleagues and the community.
Maybe that resilience and gratitude explain what seems to be the Libarle family’s genetic predisposition to help others, including those, like our clients at COTS, who have lost much.
For over ten years, we’ve been the lucky recipients of an endless supply of clean towels and aprons. They arrive at our kitchen door every week, free of charge, delivered by a friendly Lace House employee. They not only help us feed people, they help us change lives.
“Meals are more than food around here,” Shelter Services Manager Robin Phoenix says. “Meals are the way we make people feel welcome. They’re the way we build relationships that make it more likely for people to accept help. Lace House Linen is part of that work. We’re so grateful.”
Lace House Linen’s lost about 70 percent of its business in recent months. The restaurants and hotels that make up the bulk of their business have had to close entirely or cut back operations in wake of the COVID-19 health crisis.
Still, the company continues to serve COTS.
Fourth generation co-owner/operator Phoebe Ellis (ne Libarle) downplays the contribution. “You’re in our backyard. It’s easy,” she says. “And, sometimes, you give our employees muffins!”
But then she says that her parents, and their parents and grandparents, made giving back “a part of our family culture. It’s assumed that you’ll help others and volunteer. It brings us a lot of happiness. It feels good to be a productive part of your community.”
COTS is by no means the only cause the Lace House family supports. Education, children, and community health and heritage are huge concerns. Phoebe served on the Petaluma School board and on the PTA for her kids’ schools. She also serves on the Petaluma Health Center’s board. Sister Nicole, also a co-owner and operator, serves on the Sonoma Marin Fair Board.
“Our parents, Carol and Dan Libarle, set a high standard for volunteerism and engaging with your community,” Phoebe says. Carol Ann Libarle has devoted much of her life to improving educational opportunities in Petaluma. She’s a Petaluma Educational Foundation board member and also a member of the SRJC committee dedicated to raising funds for the Petaluma campus. In a 2015 profile with North Bay Business Journal, Carol Ann explained her work this way: “I personally believe that every child is born with the right to have food, shelter and health care. I also believe the education of our children is the most important mission facing us as a society.”
Dan Libarle also supports education, serving as president for Sonoma State University’s foundation. He’s been active with Rotary, the Boys and Girls Club, and the Chamber of Commerce, and he serves on the Exchange Bank’s board of directors.
Both Dan and Carol Ann were huge boosters of the Green Music Center. They’ve been COTS supporters since our earliest days. In their time, Carol Ann’s and Dan’s parents each gave back. Among other notable contributions, Carol Ann’s Dad was a co-founder of the Petaluma Boys and Girls Club, and Dan’s Mom served a term on the Sonoma County Grand Jury.
Little known fact: after the 1906 quake ruined their laundry facility in Petaluma, Dan’s grandparents returned home to their native France. But they took a leap of faith and came back to Petaluma to work for another laundry company. They bought that business in 1915.
We are so glad that the Libarle ancestors were brave and optimistic (and homesick for Petaluma). Their decision to return has enriched this community for over a century. When the Bay Area opens up again, we know that business will boom again for Lace House Linen.
Thank you, Libarle family!
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Business Profile: McNear’s Saloon and Dining House
Counter-clockwise from far right: McNear's owners Carrie and Ken O'Donnell with three of their four children, Joe, Tom and Shennon. Courtesy of the McDonnell Family.No one knows when a sea of tickets will set a chef’s heart racing again. No one knows when a bartender will be slammed, a host unable to squeeze you in without a reservation. The only thing we do know: it won’t be soon.
A tough time to run a restaurant.
And, yet, tough times bring out the best in Ken O’Donnell and his team at McNear’s Saloon and Dining House. They made headlines during the fires of 2017 and 2019 when, free of charge, they fed first responders and fire refugees. McNear’s even provided valuable floor space to become an ad hoc staging ground for volunteer efforts.
One of many delicious meals prepared by McNear’s for COTS
At COTS, we’ve always known how generous McNear’s is. They’ve been fantastic donors since our early days, and, for the last year, they’ve cooked, delivered and served wonderful meals to everyone who comes to eat at Mary’s Table. McNear’s Day is a great treat for diners—especially on Thanksgiving. Ken and his wife Carrie serve dishes right off their sister restaurant Seared’s catering menu. But we think our staff members love McNear’s Day best because it provides them a chance to catch their breath and prepare for other meals.
Now, in addition to their COTS delivery, the McNear’s team is also delivering one hundred free weekly meals to the staff at the Petaluma Health Center. And they’re providing free meals to local restaurant employees who’ve been laid off or seen their hours cut. Unemployment can be slow to arrive, Ken says, and even when it does come, it can’t pay all the bills. A good meal is a phone call away for any struggling restaurant employee.
Ken says that decisions about where to give are made with his business partners, Bente Niles and Jeff and Nancy Harriman. When they leased the adjoining Mystic Theater to Ineffable Music, they stipulated that one dollar from every ticket sale would continue to go into a community giving fund. The new theater management was happy to agree, and happy to have Ken and his team decide how to use it. “They know that we know the community best,” Ken says.
Drawing of McNear’s and the Mystic, courtesy of the artist, Richard Sheppard
Ken also credits his staff for working on community projects with enthusiasm. During the fires, for example, many of his staff members would finish a shift and then jump into a volunteer effort. Ken singles out cook Roberto Ramirez for doing 90 percent of the cooking for COTS. When Ken arrives at the shelter, he tells our clients, “Roberto has your back!”
Why give so much? “It’s my community. It’s where I live,” Ken says. He’s a graduate of St. Vincent’s Elementary and Petaluma High School. His four kids, Joe, Katie, Shennon and Thomas work with him in the business and Carrie teaches school locally. All of them share his commitment to community service.
Ken knows almost everyone in town, including many COTS clients. “Too many,” he says. “It’s hard to see people you know going through a tough time.”
Before COVID-19, he and Carrie used to dish up their COTS meals themselves. “People are so appreciative when they come through the line,” Ken says. Now, with social distancing, it’s not possible for them to serve. “We miss it,” Ken says.
Ken grew up “very limited financially,” he says. “That makes you see how close you can be to it [homelessness].” He and Carrie “got to know people at COTS. We got to hear about when they got jobs and housing. It’s a phenomenal feeling.” COTS is “close to my heart,” he says.
Right before the shelter-in-place order, Ken had just remodeled McNear’s second floor to host live music. Now, he’s using the space to organize supplies for his community meal projects. “We’ll adjust,” he says. “We always do.”
Thank you, McNear’s team!
Want to read more stories about our business sponsors? Visit our Business Gives Back homepage by clicking here!
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COTS May Program Spotlight: Recuperative Care
Recuperative Care: Helping homeless patients transition from emergency room to shelter
Imagine leaving the hospital after a surgery or a serious illness and having to recuperate in a bunk in a crowded homeless shelter dorm. How restful would your sleep be?
Or, imagine trying to heal in a tent, far from running water, a long walk from help or a prescription refill. Could you keep your dressings clean? Could you rest, knowing that you were unprotected in your sleep?
Nationwide, those who are homeless wind up re-hospitalized or in an emergency room much more frequently than do housed patients. And, according to The American Hospital Association, someone who’s homeless typically needs to stay in the hospital for two to four days longer than someone who is housed.
That’s not ideal for anyone—the patient, the healthcare system or anyone who needs health resources.
Thankfully, St. Joseph Health and Kaiser Permanente have joined with COTS to provide short-term recuperative care at our Mary Isaak Center. In a large, airy and light-filled second room floor, we can house six people while they heal. Each resident has a bed, dresser, and night table. And each can draw a curtain around his or her bed to get a little peace and privacy.
The most important part of the equation is Julia Dodge, our Lead Recuperative Care Coordinator. She helps those in the program make it to medical appointments and understand and follow-through on directions from their doctors.
Most importantly, she helps them plan for their futures.
It’s possible for our recuperative care residents to move right into the shelter once they’re on the mend. But, ideally, they’ll move to homes of their own. Julia helps them inventory their prospects. Can they work? Are they eligible for disability or retirement benefits? Can they stay with friends or family? What kind of housing situations can they afford? Do they need ongoing support to address a health condition?
For many of the people who stay in recuperative care, this is a rare opportunity for calm consideration. Being homeless means being busy lining up your next meal, your next shower, your next place to lay your head. And through it all, the constant question: “Am I safe here?”
Now, in Recuperative Care, safety is a given. So are shelter, showers, good food, laundry, access to computers and supportive help. Residents are also right next door to the satellite office of the Petaluma Health Center, so medical care is a given, too.
“We have amazing people staying here,” Julia says, “people who have had amazing lives, amazing experiences. They’re at a crossroads and we’re here to help them figure out where they want to go.”
Julia’s career started in journalism and marketing. Among many career highlights, she wrote for “San Francisco Magazine” and did the publicity for the Napa Valley Film Festival. “I think that did prepare me for this role,” she says. “It gave me the ability to research and to work independently and meet deadlines. You have to be organized, and you have to be able to listen.”
While volunteering for San Francisco nonprofit Health RIGHT 360, Julia realized she wanted to devote her next chapter to helping people move on from homelessness. Her volunteer work involved helping people without homes access treatment, services, medical care and housing. And she loved it.
Julia inaugurated the Recuperative Care program at COTS in January. She created guidelines for the program and she designed the space. She found soft sheets and blankets, restful artwork and lovely houseplants to make her residents feel welcome and at home. It’s too soon to draw conclusions about the program’s effectiveness in keeping people healthy and out of the hospital, but, Julia says, few have needed to visit the emergency room or be hospitalized. Additionally, so far, 75 percent of Julia’s Recuperative Care clients have gone on to permanent housing or a safe bed in our shelter.
She’s now doing double duty at the Mary Isaak Center. In order to comply with social distancing requirements, we’ve had to reduce the number of residents in the recuperative care room to three. So, Julia is filling in wherever needed.
Programs Director Jules Pelican says gratefully that Julia’s “made herself available for any and all tasks, no matter the size or context.” Most importantly, Julia’s been providing case management to some of our shelter clients so that they, too, can benefit from her skills and encouraging manner.
Now, during shelter in place, we are more glad than ever that we have the space and resources to help people heal and move forward with their lives. Many thanks to our partners, Kaiser Permanent and St. Joseph Health.
Special thanks to local artist Lucy Arnold who donated her original artwork to hang on our Recuperative Care walls. You can see more of her work at lucyarnold.com.
Business Gives Back
We love to talk about the contributions our local businesses make to COTS. And, boy, do they contribute!
But if there’s one thing this health crisis shows, it’s that we’re all in this together. We all benefit when a business gives to any great local cause. We all benefit when a business supports its employees—especially now.
For the next few weeks, we’re going to feature our business supporters. We’ll tell you about how they partner with COTS to help our clients find and keep housing. And we’ll also let you know how these businesses strengthen our entire community.
Thank you for supporting COTS! We hope you enjoy reading about our local business heroes who share your passion for our work.
We’ll start by featuring Bergin Screen Printing and Etching, and Encore Events. These are two businesses with deep community roots—roots that help an entire community bloom. Keep an eye on our web page and social media for these and more profiles in the next few weeks.
Business Profile: Encore Events
Parties are cancelled, but food pantries are not.
And Encore Events Rentals is helping to feed a hungry county in need.
Weddings, parties and auctions are on hold, but the parking lot at the Sonoma County Day School hosts two enormous event tents. They’re Encore’s, and they’re helping the Redwood Empire Food Bank operate a drive-through food pantry. Encore’s owner, Bridget Doherty and her team have donated room in their north county Windsor warehouse to store food for the pantry. And instead of their usual spring chores of washing china and glassware, packaging linens and racking chairs, Encore employees are unloading and sorting crate after crate of food, to help their local communities.
“When she cares about something, Bridget always says ‘yes,'” says Encore’s Marketing Manager Kendall Burger. “So, when we had to temporarily close the business because of COVID-19, this was how she wanted to respond.”
Encore, together with its sister company Cal West Rentals, is a family-owned business which has been a great COTS supporter over many years. Bridget’s made financial contributions and huge material donations. Anyone remember how beautiful our tables looked at The COTS Hour in 2019? That was thanks to Bridget’s generous donation of linens. But in addition to giving to COTS, Encore Events supports a multitude of causes: everything from Little League and the Boys and Girls Club to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Together with her brother Tyler Doherty, Bridget owns Encore Events Rentals and Cal West Rentals. Currently, Tyler operates Cal West in Petaluma and San Rafael, which rents tools and equipment, and Bridget operates Encore Events Rentals with its three locations in Sonoma County.
Bridget learned the rental business from taking over daily operations at Cal-West in 2001. When Bridget was only 22 years old, her father, Pat Doherty, passed unexpectedly. Though Bridget had dreams of law school, she didn’t want to lose the business her Dad had founded in 1978. Fresh out of college, she took charge. Tyler joined her in 2007 after he’d completed college himself, later to take on full operations of Cal-West.
Bridget credits her team and Cal West’s senior staff with helping her learn the ropes. She’s come to love the creativity of entrepreneurship and the way employees and managers can inspire each other to work as a team.
Partly as a result of her baptism by fire, Bridget’s been a huge supporter of causes which support women and women-owned businesses.
Women In Conversation, the annual event at SSU which works to build a community of women engaged in meaningful conversations, is a favorite that Bridget sponsors bi-annually.
Encore has its main showroom in Windsor, another in Petaluma, as well as a design studio in St. Helena. Bridget is active throughout Sonoma County. Notably, she was the first female board member with Summit Bank and she presently serves as board president for Corazón, a Healdsburg non-profit. Corazón’s mission is to bridge the racial and economic divides in Northern Sonoma County through advocacy, partnerships and innovative programs.
Bridget says, simply: “I’m all about teamwork and supporting my community.”
On behalf of COTS and our community, thank you, Encore Events Rentals!
Want to read more stories about our business sponsors? Visit our Business Gives Back homepage by clicking here!
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Business Profile: Bergin Screen Printing and Etching
Happy hearts know how to welcome a happy accident. And once an accident happens, those hearts know how to spread their happiness around.
That’s certainly the case for Karen and Mike Bergin, the owners and operators of Bergin Screen Printing and Etching.
They met, by happy accident, at what could have been a dismal occasion: a training conference for corporate bankers. And Mike stumbled onto their new careers–painting, etching and screen printing directly onto wine bottles—when he fell in love with the work of one artist and began collaborating with her.
30 years later, they now employ 75 people and process more than 12 million bottles per year. Next time you’re in the wine aisle, check out the bottles without the paper labels. Most likely, they’re the work of Bergin Screen Printing and Etching.
And next time you’re looking through a list of supporters for a Wine Country nonprofit, check for Bergin Screen Printing and Etching and you’ll likely find their name.
You’ll certainly find them on COTS’ lists of MVPs—not just for their generous financial support, but for the way Mike and Karen share our mission with friends, neighbors and colleagues.
“We couldn’t wish for better ambassadors,” says COTS CEO Chuck Fernandez. “They have a way of inspiring people to want to get involved.”
It was a happy accident that first brought the Bergins to COTS. Our then board member Bob Billings shared school carpooling duties with Karen and Mike. He invited Karen to The COTS Hour, our annual fundraising breakfast.
“I was absolutely aghast at how many people were homeless and how much need there was. COTS was an outstanding organization that I had known nothing about,” Karen says. “I went home and said to Mike, ‘We have to give these people money. They’re doing incredible work and they deserve our support.'”
“I’ve never brought anyone to the COTS breakfast who hasn’t been profoundly moved,” Karen says. “The work is necessary and so effective.”
Bergin Screen Printing and Etching supports lots of other social services. And they’re big supporters of our local arts scene, especially our local theaters.
Elly Lichenstein, Cinnabar Theater’s Artistic Director, says that although Karen and Mike are too busy to see all the shows in any season, “Their support of us remains unflagging and steady. To me, it proves that the generosity that they show us, year after year, comes from the heart and from the deep belief that our work has great worth in the community.”
The Bergins also give to their employees’ favorite causes, whether it’s a Girl Scout cookie drive, a Little League team or the fight against Diabetes.
“We always refer to staff as family,” Karen says. “It might sound corny, but it’s true. We feel like we’re successful because of all the work they do. We want to show our appreciation to them.”
What else motivates them to give?
“We just feel very fortunate to be in a position to able to help,” Karen says. She remembers watching her own single mom working two or three jobs to raise Karen and her three siblings. “Growing up, we were the beneficiaries of help from friends, family, school, churches…That helped us. Mike has a very generous nature. It’s in our DNA to give back once we were in the position to do so.”
Inspired by the example of their parents, Karen and Mike worked hard to instill a spirit of giving in their own children. Karen worked in their schools, served on the Board for the Waugh School District, and was an organizing committee member of TEDx Sonoma County.
Their kids and grandkids have followed in Karen’s and Mike’s footsteps. “When our kids were teens, at the end of the year, we’d give them a thousand dollars to give to causes they believed in. They did their own research to find out what organizations they wanted to support. We wanted them to have some ownership. All of them have adopted or adapted a spirit of giving back to the point now where they know that one of ways, they can please us most is to make a contribution in our honor. That can be to a cause they love or a cause they know we love.”
Their business is related to agriculture, so it remains open through this health crisis. That involves social distancing protocols, extra cleaning and disinfecting, masks and sanitizers, and temperature checks. To date, no one connected with Bergin Screen Printing and Etching has been diagnosed with COVID-19. But, like everyone in business, the Bergins are anticipating that they or their employees might be affected by the disease. “It’s a delicate balance when it comes to giving,” Karen says. “But we’ll figure it out.”
COTS will figure it out, too. And we are grateful to have the loving support of the Bergins and their company to help us through this challenging time.
Want to read more stories about our business sponsors? Visit our Business Gives Back homepage by clicking here!
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