Chuck's Virtual Coffee - July 2020

As COTS’ CEO, each month I take a moment to consider what I want our community to know about our organization and our progress in serving Sonoma County’s homeless. I look forward to sharing these thoughts with you in this Virtual Cup of Coffee – my monthly communique about the business and mission moments of COTS (Committee On The Shelterless). In the Business portion, I will share the nuts and bolts of what we do to serve the homeless – our successes and our challenges. In the Mission Moment, I will share stories about our clients and our wonderful staff who make it all happen. I hope you enjoy it, and I look forward to your feedback.

My best,
Chuck

Ironman and COVID

Many of us have heard of triathlons – that crazy sport where athletes swim, bike, and then run. Length of the races vary from the short Sprint Triathlons to the full Ironman distance of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike, and a 26.2-mile run. The prizes of course are bragging rights (for some), you get to eat a lot after the race, and oh yeah – a Finisher T-Shirt.

There just so happens to be an Ironman Foundation that was started in 2003, and has awarded over $50M to some 9,500 organizations that are in cities where they have races. One of those cities is Santa Rosa. The Foundation has an Ironaid COVID-19 Support Fund that awards grants to nonprofits that focus on homelessness, seniors, and mental health, and who need funding to support their response to COVID and the pandemic. Thanks to our terrific Grants Manager Andrea (Andy) Guarino, she wrote and COTS received a grant of $2,500 for COVID-related expenses to keep our shelter and staff safe.

So what did we get? We purchased electrostatic sprayers to spray or fog disinfectant throughout the shelter and our administrative offices, thermometers, disinfectant, a portable handwashing station, a test kit to determine how effective the disinfectant is at killing germs, and of course Tyvek suits, so we can look like… Ghostbusters. Shown here is our fearless and multi-talented Chief Financial Officer David Tausheck testing out the sprayer.

As COVID spikes continue and homeless clients are discharged from Sonoma State University back to our shelter, we want to make sure we are taking every possible precaution to keep our shelter residents and staff safe. We are doubling down on mandatory masking for residents, staff, and guests of the shelter. We are installing a new permanent heavy-duty hand washing station in the dining room and installing touchless water faucets in the bathrooms. Thanks to a grant from the State, we are installing our new HVAC system later this Fall that will better circulate air throughout the building and also installing new “store front doors” for easier entry and exit to/from our shelter.

We will continue to increase our health and safety protocols as needed. Until then, keep supporting the Ironman when it comes to Santa Rosa, stay safe, and if you see someone in a white Tyvek and a sprayer on his back at COTS, well…it’s not Dan or Bill.

The Quiet Style of Leadership

Leadership comes in all forms. One is the extrovert – the person who seems to draw energy by being in large groups – articulate, confident, decisive with a strong sense of who they are and where their going. Then there is the quiet – every bit as powerful – more introverted leader. Humble, listens first and talks later…maybe, draws strength from within, and keeps calm. They are motivated by different factors and get more satisfaction by being productive and doing quality work. They can seem aloof or disconnected from people, but don’t be fooled. They just have a different style and often thrive in more meaningful one-on-one settings instead of large groups.

I am describing Jesus Toledo Morales, our wonderful Site Coordinator at the Mary Isaak Center. He goes by Jesse and he prefers to let his actions speak louder than his words. Robin Phoenix, Jesse’s Supervisor, says Jesse does not miss anything, is observant, approachable, calm, and very respectful to our clients. She said he has a huge heart, is a kind soul, and our clients always feel better around him because he truly cares and is respectful towards them.

I sat with Jesse last week to get to know him. Giving back, being helpful, doing the right and moral thing is what drives Jesse. After being a student of the Bible for over ten years, he believes his initials, JTM, means Just Trust Me and is a message from Jesus to do the right and moral thing in helping our homeless clients. After all, moral is short for Morales. Jesse believes that COTS is the perfect place to honor Jesus’s name. He said there are lots of positives and negatives in life and we have a choice in which one we choose. He is so thankful to Mary Isaak and Laure Reichek for starting the shelter because it helped him when he was a resident at COTS. It turned his life around. He remembers his case manager Sam who pushed him to do better and be better. Robin said Jesse wants to give back to the same people he lived with on the streets and be a role model for them to strive for something better. That gives him the inner strength to do the moral thing and as Robin said, makes him a person of character.

For Jesse, perhaps its not what he says that defines him. Instead, its what he does that defines him. Thank you so much Jesse for your kindness and patience with our residents, for being their example and someone they can strive to be like, and for helping them live with dignity and respect. Just Trust Me. We trust you Jesse.

Until next month,

Chuck Fernandez


July E-news: Finding housing even in a pandemic

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!


Permanent housing and support for sobriety

We’re renting yet another house! This one comes to us courtesy of The Church of the Oaks in Cotati. It’s the old parsonage next door to the church, and it’s a perfect fit for our Integrity Housing program.

This house will be part of COTS’ newly announced Pathways Program and will be reserved for people who wish to live without drugs or alcohol. Luckily, to help them in their efforts, the Church of the Oaks hosts 20-some recovery meetings each week—under normal, pre-pandemic circumstances, that is. They also provide a built-in community should residents want it. Once things open up, our tenants can choose to attend regular concerts and get-togethers in the community hall.

Best of all, thanks to the generosity of the Church of the Oaks, tenants’ rent will be affordable. And thanks to your support, our case manager Debbie Robbins will connect regularly with tenants to help them navigate any problems they encounter with work, benefits, health or shared housing.

The 1920s-era house has quite a story, according to minister, property manager and lead singer of the band Take Your Medicine, Patrick McCarty. The congregation bought it for a song in the 1950s when it was situated in the path of the soon-to-be-built freeway. The congregation arranged to move the house—but they didn’t act soon enough. The freeway had already gone up over the road to the church and there wasn’t room underneath it to move a two-story house. So, church members lopped the top story off and slapped the roof back on. Voila, they had a one-story parsonage.

Minister McCarty and his fellow congregants have gone above and beyond to brighten up the home and make it a welcoming space. We’re delighted with the fresh paint, new windows and updated fixtures.

The Church of the Oaks is the oldest building in Cotati. The congregation is small but active, especially in times of crisis. They were generous donors, volunteers, and conveners during the fires, and they regularly share their good fortune with local nonprofits, including COTS. When McCarty brought the idea of renting to COTS to his board, the decision was swift and enthusiastic.

With the new house added to our inventory, we’ll be serving over 70 people in our Integrity Housing program!

Pictured above: Church of the Oaks board members Susan Johnson (top) and Fletcher Clover (bottom) fixing up our new Pathways house.


There’s no place like home

“You unpack, Mom. I’m gonna take it all in!”

Let’s celebrate with one of the families leaving our shelter for a home of their own!


Happy Birthday, Marge!

Our favorite summer birthday is volunteer Marge Popp’s. We can’t sing her “Happy Birthday” as a group this year, but we can shower her with birthday love and lemon cake.

Pictured: Marge’s birthday celebration last year at Mary’s Table


Lawyering Up!

Thanks to Sonoma County Legal Aid, we have a lawyer on our side. Asya Sorokurs is on call four days a week to help our clients address a myriad of legal issues. She’ll help with credit repair, housing issues, expungements, family law and a host of other issues. Asya is available to help our homeless prevention clients and those who are in our shelter and permanent housing programs. Many thanks to Asya and to Sonoma County Legal Aid Executive Director Ronit Rubinoff who approached us about this opportunity.


Strength in numbers

We’ve always placed a high value on collecting and analyzing program data. That’s because we have a responsibility to our clients and to you, our supporters, to be effective, efficient, and transparent. Most of all, we have a responsibility to help people find and keep housing. Data helps us to build on the things that work and to examine where approaches fall short.

And with the hire of Jaime Murillo Mena, our data collection and analysis jumped light years. We count ourselves lucky to have this local whiz kid on our team.

You might have met Jaime before, while he was working behind the counter at his parents’ Petaluma restaurant, Taqueria Los Potrillos. Or you might have seen his name as part of Tech High’s first graduating class. He was in another first category that year: first member of his family to graduate from high school. And he didn’t stop there. He went on to college, and after that, Jaime earned a master’s from UC San Diego in Global Policy and Strategy. Grad school is where he honed his data skills. His thesis project looked at school and household resourcing in Jalisco and their impact and implications on both sides of our border.

Now 27, he’s back in Sonoma County, helping COTS.

Good data can be the precursor to great things, Jaime says. When we can show clients how other people succeed, they’re more hopeful and have more confidence to try themselves. When we can show case managers how valuable their efforts are, they want to do more. When our funders see our effectiveness, they want to be part of our efforts.

“Having a data-driven culture doesn’t mean being bogged down by math and numbers. Those are the tools to help us shape our programs and tell our stories,” Jaime says.

He trained as a FEMA disaster counselor and uses the skills he learned in that program while working with our case managers, the end users of our data collection system. “No one goes into case management because they love data entry. No, it’s because they love working with people. My job is to meet them where they’re at. Sometimes that means doing training in bite-sized bits. I make myself available in whatever way works,” Jaime says.

Kiera Stewart, COTS Director of Grants, says “Jaime has brought so much to the team. In the four months he’s been here, he’s really helped us better translate the great work our case managers do into measurable data that funders can get behind. We’re excited about having improved methods to evaluate and reflect the true impact of COTS services in our community. He also has a great sense of humor and a tireless, can-do attitude, so working with him is such a positive experience.”

Jaime sees his life’s work as increasing equity and opportunity. “I come from a family of immigrants who came here with nothing to live the American dream,” Jaime says. “Now, I want to provide back to that community that helped my family when we were in need and starting a life in Sonoma County.”


Using your gifts well

Our Rapid Re-Housing is a powerhouse. Since July of 2018, the program has helped 449 people, including 149 children, regain and maintain permanent housing.

The work continues. But, instead of being headquartered in Santa Rosa, we have relocated all our staff to our Petaluma offices at the Mary Isaak Center.

We’re closing the Laure Reichek Housing Hub a year ahead of our original plans. We’re making the move for a few reasons, all of them having to do with the COVID-19 pandemic.

First, in the face of the uncertainty that this pandemic brings, we need to reduce expenses. We don’t know how long our community and our nation will be in crisis. No matter how long it lasts, we will be using the support you provide us to help people find and keep housing.

Second, the lessons we’ve learned and the modifications we’ve made to other programs allow us to make this move.  Our employees who don’t work directly with clients are working from home, freeing up office real estate. Our programs staff and clients have become experts about communicating electronically. Since the shut-down in March, we had only about a dozen clients need to visit our Santa Rosa office.

Most of our Rapid Re-Housing clients do find housing north of Petaluma. We’ve done the math, and it’s better to add a few more miles to our housing locator/inspector’s mileage log than it is to rent office space in Santa Rosa. Right now, our case managers are providing after care and support over the phone and at an appropriate outdoors social distance. Under normal circumstances, it’s more convenient for clients to have case managers come to their homes or to a nearby coffee shop than it is for the clients to come into an office.

Many thanks to a consortium of funders, including The Tipping Point Community Emergency Relief Fund; the North Bay Fire Relief Fund (a partnership of the Press Democrat, Senator Mike McGuire, and Redwood Credit Union); the County of Sonoma and many individuals, community groups and businesses who helped us launch the Laure Reichek Housing Hub.


COVID updates

Many thanks to our residents and staff who are scrupulous about following public health recommendations and mandates. Everyone is social distancing and wearing masks, and we remain COVID-free at all our facilities.

We’d like to introduce our newest tools: electro-static sanitizers that sanitize surfaces in seconds. The sprayers shoot out a mist of ionized sanitizer that disinfects surfaces better than the spray bottle and rag method does. Plus, as COTS CFO David Tausheck shows, they’re a lot of fun to operate.

Many thanks to all of you who’ve been so steadfast in your support during this challenging time!


Pictured: (Left) Amber Reed, manager of Copperfield’s Petaluma, with a big delivery of books for COTS. (Right) Shelter Manager Robin Phoenix, Engagement Specialist Diana Morales, and Shelter Services Assistant Manager Stacie Questoni accepting the bounty.

New Books!

So many thanks to Copperfield’s Books!

The store is donating hundreds of books for children and adults to COTS’ shelters. They’re all advance copies, new titles that will keep our residents up to date on the hottest reads.

Patty Norman, who runs the children’s book section for Copperfield’s recommends that parents read books and series along with their children. “Kids love to talk about books, “Patty says. “They get to be the expert. It’s a chance for families to make a connection that’s not about homework or chores.”

Copperfield’s is one of COTS’ earliest supporters. In fact, over 30 years ago, owner Dan Jaffe used to allow us to store all our supplies and do office work in the Copperfield’s basement. We are grateful for over three decades of support.

And a tome’s worth of thanks to the Free Bookmobile of Sonoma County, which also donated a treasure trove of books. Sadly, COVID-19 means an end to people browsing in their tiny library on wheels, and they are wrapping up operations. We will miss the bookmobile’s regular visits to our shelter sites and the passion with which the bookmobile team promoted reading and engagement. We wish all involved the very best of luck.


Business Profile: Quattrocchi Kwok Architects

QKA-header

Philanthropy has always been part of Quattrocchi Kwok Architects’ (QKA) culture. But now, it’s more important than ever. “We really recognize how fortunate we are,” partner and founder Mark Quattrocchi says, explaining that the firm’s 65 employees are all working from home and that their projects remain on a comparatively smooth track. “This is the time for all of us who are doing well to do more.”

QKA, one of northern California’s top providers of comprehensive master planning and design services for K-12 and higher education facilities, does much to help COTS. They’ve been invaluable consultants as we look at ways to repurpose our facilities to better serve our clients. The firm was also a generous sponsor of our annual fundraising breakfast, The COTS Hour.

“You can’t live in this community and not feel connected to COTS,” Mark says. His connection grew stronger while talking with COTS staff and stakeholders about how our sites could function better. Mark says he was taken by the array of services COTS offers to meet a variety of needs. He was particularly impressed with COTS’ focus on homeless prevention and with the permanent housing programs through which we house most of the children we serve.

Opportunity for children is important to Mark. Providing it is his life’s work: he’s spent 34 years designing their learning spaces. In Petaluma, QKA’s biggest project was Kenilworth Junior High. Their process depends on close collaboration with teachers to provide the types of learning environments students need. They create flexible and adaptable spaces so that schools can respond to changing needs or changes in methodology. When asked to name one thing that will never go out of style, Mark praised natural light, which improves concentration, mood, and scholastic outcomes. “We want to bring an abundance of daylight into the classroom,” Mark says. “Learning happens best in spaces that are light and uplifting. Every child deserves the right space to learn.”

But what happens to opportunity when classrooms close due to a pandemic? In April, Mark learned that many local students in poor or rural households were having trouble keeping up with lessons because they had no internet or very spotty internet. “Here the teachers had risen to the challenge of distance learning and adapted their lessons almost overnight. It was really remarkable,” Mark says. But some of their students were missing out. And school administrators were rushing to find the resources they needed for their students.

The firm is majority employee-owned, and the employees immediately decided to devote $30,000 to helping schools provide access to all their students. QKA purchased 60 Wi-Fi hotspots and service plans and distributed them to local school districts. They also bought paper so that teachers could drop off worksheets and instructional materials to their students’ homes. And they donated to charities devoted to bringing food and resources to low-income students. All told, QKA gave between 120 and 150 kids the ability to keep up with their better-resourced peers.

Pictured: a Two Rock student utilizing a QKA hot spot

Betha MacLain, former principal and superintendent of the Two Rock Union School District, one of the districts helped by QKA, says the firm “solved a problem we were struggling to solve ourselves.” Within ten days of Mark’s call to her, every family in her district who needed at hotspot received one. “Given the demand and the wait for hotspots, this was amazing,” Betha says. “Their contribution provided a streamlined solution that was not only the most efficient we could find, it saved us many hours of work and coordination and allowed essential staff to focus on other supports, like getting meals to families.” Paper was “the icing on the cake.”

Mark serves on the Board of Directors for the Bergin University of Canine Studies in Penngrove, and QKA just built the first phase temporary classrooms for an eventual new state of the art campus. The university trains dogs and people to work together in a variety of fields, including police work, rescue work, hunting, service and therapy. QKA solved thousands of problems along the way, says a grateful president Bonnie Bergin, and the new campus was set to open this fall. The pandemic was the only problem among thousands that QKA could not resolve, says Bonnie, who is hopeful that her the campus will welcome students back in the spring.

Mark’s belief in the therapeutic power of dogs extends to another agency for which he serves on the board: Paws for Purple Hearts (a program which has its roots at Bergin University). This is a national organization that teams veterans with service dogs to help the veterans cope with Post Traumatic Stress trauma or traumatic brain injuries. Through training their dogs, the veterans often experience relief from their symptoms. Mark was particularly moved by the story of one veteran who had his first good night’s sleep when his training dog was at his side.

Lots of events have been cancelled this year. Among them is the annual ball for the international organization A Chance in Life, which in its 75-year history has provided opportunities for thousands of at-risk children throughout the world. Mark serves as a board member and has been named the organization’s Man of the Year.

In the speech he would have delivered at the ball, Mark wrote, “To be of service to those in need is our highest calling.” We count ourselves lucky to have this local architecture firm that answers the call to help with generosity, skill, initiative, native creativity and empathy.

Thank you, Mark and all your team at Quattrocchi Kwok Architects.


Want to read more stories about our business sponsors? Visit our Business Gives Back homepage by clicking here!

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Business Profile: Redwood Credit Union

RCU-Santa-Rosa-Home-Office-resized

In 1950, seven Sonoma County employees formed a credit union by pooling their savings in a desk drawer. Their goals were to help one another with reasonably priced loans and to provide a safe place for members to save for their future.

Mission achieved.

That small credit union became Redwood Credit Union (RCU), now serving approximately 365,000 members. RCU is a not-for-profit financial institution with a mission to passionately serve the best interests of its members, employees, and communities.

And that means COTS is part of RCU’s mission. We are grateful for the organization’s steadfast support of our programs, especially of our programs for children and families. And we are just as grateful for the role RCU plays in pulling together the wider community to respond to disaster. After the 2017 fires, for example, RCU, together with the Press Democrat and State Senator Mike McGuire, created the North Bay Fire Relief Fund, which raised over $32 million to help in immediate relief efforts. That money, donated by over 41,000 donors, went directly to people who lost their homes. It also went to nonprofits, including COTS, to assist those who’ve been affected by the fires. The fund is one of the mainstays of our Rapid Re-Housing program. Since July 2018, ­­­­COTS’ Rapid Re-Housing has helped 449 people, including 149 children, regain and maintain permanent housing.

RCU can play an important role in community efforts like the Fire Relief Fund because of its large membership, its role as a large employer, its structure and history, says Matt Martin, RCU’s Senior Vice President of Community and Government Relations. “We’re a place where people and communities naturally come together,” he says.

Most recently, RCU helped save over 9,000 local jobs by adopting an all-hands-on-deck approach to the Paycheck Protection Program. RCU temporarily transferred 60 employees to its 20-person business services team. They worked diligently and secured loans for 1,700 local businesses.

“The effort we put into helping businesses get those loans was a labor of love,” Matt says. “It was about preserving jobs, keeping food on the table, and keeping families in their homes.”

“For us as a not-for-profit financial cooperative, it’s pretty easy to make decisions,” says Matt. “We focus on what’s right for our members, our employees, and our communities.”

“A key credit union philosophy is ‘people helping people,’” Matt says. That means RCU doesn’t need to hike fees and interest rates to satisfy shareholders. In fact, the credit union can help people avoid common traps like high-interest car loans. “We’re there when our members need us, through the highs and lows of life. And we try to smooth the path ahead by educating people about financial products and savings strategies. Helping people achieve their goals and dreams is what drives us.”

And in Brett Martinez, RCU’s President and CEO, Sonoma County has a true leader. “Brett makes financial education a priority—and not just in the communities RCU serves. He has taken the dialogue and plan of action to the national level.” As Chair of the Credit Union National Association, Brett was deeply involved with credit union advocacy efforts, actively meeting with local, state, and national lawmakers to speak about credit union issues and the importance of financial education.

“Community giving is part and parcel of improving the well-being and opportunity of members,” Matt says. “We’re all stronger when everyone has a chance.” When it comes to giving, RCU looks for causes and agencies that have shared goals with the credit union. “We give to organizations that provide the building blocks to well-being. Those focused on basic needs like housing and food programs, education, workforce development, and financial wellness. The environment is of great concern to us as well and we’re proud to house our headquarters in a LEED certified green building.”

“We give intentionally,” says Matt. “Instead of just writing checks, we carefully choose community partners that we know will produce positive outcomes. The impact we can make together is where the magic happens.”

Another RCU partner is the Downtown Streets Team, which begins operations in Petaluma this month. The Downtown Streets Team provides people without homes the opportunity to work, cleaning up their community, and the opportunity to access education and resources. Whenever the Downtown Streets Team expands operations to a new community, “RCU is the first to step up with support,” says Karen Strolia, Downtown Streets Teams, North Bay Director. The credit union not only provides financial support, RCU’s representatives show up to provide workshops, encouragement, direct assistance with opening accounts and ice cream! “We have seen our team members take this new information and apply it, which has moved them farther away from their homeless experience,” Karen says. “We are so incredibly grateful for the partnership.”

On behalf of the thousands of people who have helped through your support of countless organizations, thank you, Redwood Credit Union!


Want to read more stories about our business sponsors? Visit our Business Gives Back homepage by clicking here!

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Volunteer Profile: Garbo

Garbo-with-a-chicken

Garbo started volunteering at COTS a year ago, fulfilling a promise she’d made to herself back in high school.

Then, recently arrived from Singapore, she’d volunteered to help clean up a creek. She and her classmates bagged plenty of trash, but they also found evidence that the creek side had recently been a home. She remembers that one cache of belongings included a pair of tattered shoes and a dirty blanket. Seeing them, she had tried to imagine what life had been like for their owner. Later, she came across encampments, which opened her eyes. “It was all very tight and unsanitary,” she says. “It upset me to see how people lived. I wanted to help.”

After graduating from college and while taking a few years to work in the health sciences field, Garbo started volunteering at COTS once a week in the evenings.

She works with lead cook/volunteer Patricia Moats, and says the experience has been nothing less than “phenomenal.”

“People there are nice and sincere. It’s fun to be with other volunteers and they bring a lot of positive energy to the residents.” She appreciates the high standards that Patricia sets. “We take pride in making good meals,” Garbo says. “Food brings people together, especially when it’s good.”

Meeting COTS residents through the work has been wonderful in two ways, Garbo says. She enjoys the conversations she has with residents and enjoys learning people’s stories. She also likes that volunteering has caused her to recognize and address her own unconscious biases about homelessness. “No one’s immune from those,” she says. “It’s important to be aware of them.”

Garbo, who’s in the process of applying to med school, was happy to learn about our on-site clinic and looks forward to meeting Petaluma Health Care Center Nurse Practitioner Annie Nicol.

“From what I know of her, she’s what I aspire to be,” Garbo says. “I believe that a healthcare provider can be effective not only because of what they know but also because of how much they can connect with patients. And from what I hear about Nurse Annie, she is very good at that.”

Until high school, Garbo was raised by her grandparents in Singapore. Garbo’s interest in medicine stems from that time with her grandparents.

“When they got older, they got sick, and I saw from a close perspective what that was like,” she says. “It made me want to do something.”

Her grandparents are from China. Theirs was a family of professionals and intellectuals who lived through the Cultural Revolution. She says her grandparents taught her that “my future is not just a question of what I’m capable of or what I want. There are historical and social factors that we are all affected by.” That world view gives her a perspective on our work at COTS and on what she wants to do with her life.

“In my family we accept that there are things we can’t change, but we focus on the things we can. The world is imperfect and there’s suffering and injustice. But we all have a part to play in the story of how humankind will play out.”

Helping the homeless is one thing she can do, Garbo says.

Before the pandemic, she had been working as a medical scribe but is out of work temporarily due to the virus.

She’s spending her time reading, tending to her chickens (who are endlessly entertaining), chatting by phone with her grandmother, practicing piano and learning to play the fiddle via YouTube tutorials. She also taught herself to sew so that she could help the Petaluma Maskateers provide masks to our clients.

She may use the time to finally watch a Greta Garbo movie. “My mother and grandmother really love her and that’s how I got my name,” she says. “Maybe it’s time to check her out.”

Her advice to others thinking about volunteering? “If you feel like there’s something that needs to be done, do it. You’ll find other people doing the same thing. That’s how the world works. Collaboration makes change.”

Thank you, Garbo. We can’t wait to have you back volunteering, and we can’t wait to see what you do as a doctor.

Show your support by donating today!

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Chuck's Virtual Coffee - June 2020

As COTS’ CEO, each month I take a moment to consider what I want our community to know about our organization and our progress in serving Sonoma County’s homeless. I look forward to sharing these thoughts with you in this Virtual Cup of Coffee – my monthly communique about the business and mission moments of COTS (Committee On The Shelterless). In the Business portion, I will share the nuts and bolts of what we do to serve the homeless – our successes and our challenges. In the Mission Moment, I will share stories about our clients and our wonderful staff who make it all happen. I hope you enjoy it, and I look forward to your feedback.

My best,
Chuck

Better Meeting the Needs of Shelter Clients

Four months ago as our world was quickly changing due to the pandemic, COTS staff began conversations around re-visioning how we could enhance and improve our shelter services. We knew that homelessness could significantly increase and we wanted a better way to build on our successes, ensure alignment with Housing First, and create a sense of urgency and accountability by our clients to transition from the streets or the shelter to a permanent home. Well, we are excited to share with you the changes that will take effect August 1.

We are implementing a new and improved Client Enrichment Program that will include Rent Right (remember that?), budgeting, financial literacy, housing search, credit repair, employment readiness, and basic computer skills. Eileen Morris, who created Rent Right and more, will be our new Client Enrichment Manager leading this program. We are absolutely delighted to have her back in this role. Eileen will be transferring from her current position in the Development Department and will be recruiting many volunteers – hopefully many of you reading this Virtual Coffee – to assist her in the program. Holding clients accountable as they work to achieve housing will be a core component of this program.

Because almost 40% of our clients suffer from alcohol/substance abuse challenges, we created a recovery option program called Pathways. This will include a 21-Day Sobriety Challenge for unsheltered individuals who would like to sleep in the dining hall and access COTS services with the hope that they can access our shelter beds if they stay sober for 21 Days. It also includes Recovery Maintenance Group based on the 12-Step Program; Pathways Shelter Beds where a portion of the shelter is only for those who are in recovery; and Pathways Housing which will designate a portion of our COTS Housing for those in recovery.

Our shelter will also be very housing focused and thus utilize a “sunset date policy.” This means every 30 days we will review the resident’s Individual Action Plan to see if they are making progress towards their goals of obtaining housing. This 30-day review emphasizes urgency and accountability, which is often lacking when a shelter stay is viewed as on-going. We will also have computer stations in the lobby that will only be used for housing and job search during normal business hours. Clients are also expected to assist with shelter cleanliness (chores) based on their physical and mental abilities. This participation adds a sense of pride and participation in keeping the shelter clean and is also a good training in the basic living skills needed to live independently in a home.

We will also partner with Legal Aid of Sonoma County to help remove legal barriers to obtain or maintain permanent housing.

Lastly, to decrease transmission of the flu/virus and other diseases with congregate living, we are reducing the number of shelter beds from 112 to 80. We believe that with the improved service offerings and a focus on client accountability and a sense of urgency, we will serve just as many people as if we have 112 beds.

Our re-visioned shelter will operate more efficiently and offer our clients a more dignified and supportive experience. We hope you will consider volunteering with Eileen. Please feel free to contact her at [email protected].

Shelter Case Manager Christina Madden, right, with Shelter Services Manager Robin Phoenix, left

A Passion and Calling for Recovery

It would be hard to miss our shelter case manager Christina Madden, SUDC. She is full of life, forever optimistic and hopeful, and a fierce advocate for her shelter clients and helping them to become clean and sober.

I sat with Christina last week to learn more about her, her passion to help people in recovery, and our Pathways Program mentioned in this Virtual Coffee. She said she fell in love with COTS and their programs and staff in 2014 when she started. She left a few years ago and thankfully is now back with us. She shared that the #1 reason people become clean and sober is that they want to be in connection. They want to heal their relationships with their kids, family, or friends and are tired of being alone. Christina said social connections are a significant part of recovery – wanting to heal, to be in love or to be loved.

Christina said while some may not find recovery, there is always hope. What she finds so rewarding is when she sees the light bulb inside go on – when people make that shift from head to heart – when they feel it, see it, and then the change starts to happen. She often sees people in the community that she helped ten years ago and they are still clean, in school, married, or with their family. That makes all the challenges and heartbreaks worth her life’s work.

Of course, there is the relapse part of this work. While it can be viewed a normal part of recovery, it should not be viewed as a necessary part, as people do recover without frequent relapses. Christina said relapse is something we should not minimize. It’s real.

So what are those initials after her name – SUDC? That is Substance Use Disorder Counselor, a grueling certificate program that requires many hours of classroom instruction in Counseling, Case Management, Pharmacology, Addiction Psychology and Sociology, and Chemical Dependency; two thousand hours of internship work, and the passing of a national exam. And all of this costs thousands of dollars to obtain. Christina is serious about her profession as a certified counselor and mental health professional, and it shows.

We are thrilled to have Christina on our COTS team and grateful for her leadership, her passion for the Pathways Program, and her advocacy and love for her clients. Thank you Christina. We are happy that you decided to come back to COTS.

Until next month,

Chuck Fernandez


Business Profile: Top Speed Data

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Anthy O’Brien’s grandfather, like many Greek immigrants, owned a diner. His was in Detroit, and he made friends with his customers, many of them workers from an auto parts factory next door.

When the workers staged a sit in for better wages and working conditions, their managers locked them inside the plant. They thought the workers would get hungry and give up.  No such luck. Anthy’s grandfather set up a pulley and kept a steady supply of burgers, fries and solidarity going over the wall.

It’s a family story Anthy loves, and there are plenty more where that came from. Most of them are about hard work, standing up for what’s right, telling the truth, and extending welcome to everyone. And when Anthy says “everyone,” she means everyone. “Their doors were always open. It didn’t matter who you were,” she remembers. “My mother would say, ‘We have to have food for when the paperboy comes to collect. He may be hungry.'”

No doubt Anthy’s kids and grandkids will tell their own stories about her. And they’ll be variations on the same themes.

Top among them will be the story of how Anthy struck out on her own, leaving a high-flying management job at Pacific Bell to co-found Top Speed Data. She was already a trailblazer for women, working in I.T. management for Pacific Bell. She’d been recruited into software programming for the giant company right after graduating from UC Davis. Anthy had planned on becoming a teacher or a nurse and had taken PacBell’s aptitude test almost on a whim because her sister was already working there. “I did pretty well on it and they made me an offer,” she says.  “I never looked back,” she says.

But the job at PacBell stopped feeling right to her. “I realized after the fact how much I was holding back there,” she says. “I remember being at meetings, making remarks and giving suggestions. And they wouldn’t be addressed or they’d be overlooked. Then a man would say the same thing in the same meeting and the suggestion would be accepted and applauded and implemented.”

For a long time, she second-guessed herself. “I would think, ‘Well, maybe I didn’t say it right.” When she did quit, she just knew she was doing it because she needed to “be true to herself.”

Before this, “I had always thought I wasn’t a risk taker,” Anthy says. “But there I was, just recently divorced, with three boys, supporting them on my own. And I quit. I think back on it now, and I think, ‘Well, maybe I am a risk taker.'”

Right away, she found lots of work in consulting. Eventually, she and Glenn Illian founded Top Speed Data together in Petaluma, creating a company that resonates with Anthy’s family values.  Anthy was taught and believes that everyone should operate on a level playing field in the business world and she  does a lot to ensure that.   So many of us feel at the mercy of technology providers. The fine print is so inscrutable. The packages that solution providers offer can be so expensive, cluttered and confusing. The effort to combine disparate systems while maintaining security can be frustrating and mind-boggling.

Top Speed Data demystifies technology for their customers.  No one is disadvantaged by a service providers’ size or information monopoly. Instead, clients get individualized, customized packages, brokered by Top Speed Data to be priced fairly by the provider.  Top Speed Data’s services are always free to their clients.

COVID-19 means more business for Top Speed as they help companies figure out how to have employees work from home.

“We are definitely seeing an uptick,” Anthy says. “Suddenly, people who weren’t ready to make changes before now need to get their systems in place. The future of work is changing.”

What won’t change is Top Speed Data’s and Anthy’s commitment to her community.  The company’s  employees have a say in which non-profits get company support. Giving is generally focused on local causes, often involving education, children or the disadvantaged. Promoting STEM education for girls is also a constant. Anthy remembers her early career experiences and wants to pave the way for more women in the field.

We at COTS are very grateful for the support the company has provided to us for many years. We can count on Top Speed Data for financial contributions and for advocacy. Anthy’s introduced many people to COTS. “I just ask myself, ‘How was I so fortunate?’” Anthy says. “COTS offers a hand-up, not a hand-out, and I like that.” COVID-19 put on hold her plans to volunteer in our children’s programs, but we are looking forward to her help there in a few months.

But if there were a Top Speed Data gratitude pageant, COTS would be competing for the tiara against most of the other nonprofits around.

For Petaluma People Services Executive Director Elece Hempel, Anthy and Top Speed Data “are what community is about.” She’s especially grateful for Anthy’s recent help for PPSC’s You Are Not Alone program.  Thanks to Anthy, the program’s database is easy to use and yields useful information to better help the homebound seniors the program serves.

Top Speed Data has been a steady supporter of Rebuilding Together Petaluma, with both financial support and with hard-working volunteers. Jane Hamilton, who leads the agency, says that she is heartened by Top Speed Data’s commitment to providing safe and healthy homes to those members of our community who are disabled or facing economic challenges.

Susan Gilmore, who heads the North Bay Children’s Center, has counted on Top Speed Data and Anthy for ten years.  “I truly appreciate Anthy’s energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to addressing issues that threaten the stability of children and families near and afar.  We could not do what we do without volunteers like Anthy O’Brien,” she says.

The list goes on and on. Top Speed Data supports dozens of causes and Anthy’s served on the board for Cinnabar Theater, the Petaluma Educational Foundation, the North Bay Children’s Center, Hospice of Petaluma and the Petaluma Boys and Girls Club. It was on the Boys and Girls board in 1993 that she met her husband, Don O’Brien. They’ve raised their blended family of six kids ever since and are now doting grandparents to 14.

Anthy just won the Citizen of the Year award in the Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce’s Community Awards of Excellence. The awards ceremony was cancelled due to the pandemic, and Anthy hopes “they just let it go. I am not a public speaker.”

We are giving her and Top Speed Data a standing ovation.


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Business Profile: Chocolate Horse Farm

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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

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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.

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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!”


A video of thanks from COTS CEO Chuck Fernandez, Chef Janin Harmon, and Engagement Specialist Diana Morales
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