Going the Extra Mile: A Day in the Life of a Care Manager
Going the Extra Mile: A Day in the Life of a Care Manager
Every day at COTS, our care managers go the extra mile for clients, and we mean that literally. Frequently, our care managers drive their clients to various appointments throughout the county. We wanted to share a snapshot of the support our care managers provide.
Meet Ana, she’s one of COTS’ bilingual care managers serving the Mary Isaak Center. This, she’s taking one of her clients, Marie, to emergency surgery. It’s a critical operation that Marie, without transportation or nearby family, might have missed if it weren’t for Ana’s dedication.
This isn’t a one-time act of kindness; it’s part of Ana’s daily routine. Ana’s role as a care manager is more than just coordinating services—it’s about being a lifeline for those who often lack one.
When Marie’s surgery is complete, Ana won’t just drop her off and leave. She’ll return a few days later to pick her up, ensuring she’s settled and has everything she needs to recover. It’s this personal touch, the willingness to follow through and be there for her clients every step of the way, that sets COTS’ care managers apart.
Ana’s compassion isn’t limited to medical emergencies. The week prior, she drove another client to the Social Security office, helping him secure the documentation needed for his housing plan. The week before, she spent hours translating at a doctor’s appointment for a Spanish-speaking client, ensuring her health concerns were fully addressed.
Next week, she’ll accompany another client to Sage Commons, a permanent supportive housing complex, for an intake appointment. This client, also Spanish-speaking, has no income and no transportation. But Ana won’t just drop him off; she’ll sit with him, help him organize his documents, and advocate for him, making sure he’s set up for success.
“I advocate for my clients who cannot advocate for themselves,” says Ana.
For Ana, these actions are about more than just logistics—they’re about dignity. She understands that many of her clients would avoid critical appointments simply because navigating city and county bus routes can be overwhelming. A trip that takes Ana 30 minutes by car could take her clients hours by bus—time they can’t afford to waste when dealing with pressing health and housing needs.
And then there are the little moments that make all the difference. Like the upcoming move of another client to Cloverdale. Ana secured the deposit, picked up the check, and will hand-deliver it to the landlord. But she’ll also do something more—take a photo of her client holding the keys to his new home, capturing the pride and relief on his face. As a final touch, she’ll ensure a welcome home basket, filled with essentials, is ready and waiting for him when he steps through the door.
Ana doesn’t just fulfill her duties as a care manager—she embodies our mission to help those experiencing housing to find and keep housing. She knows that for many of her clients, without COTS providing transportation to critical appointments, the pathway to housing would be much more difficult. Our care manager’s support means that our clients can go from just surviving to thriving and housed
Community Matters: Progress on reducing homelessness
Cabral is thrilled that COTS was selected as the lead agency to manage the groundbreaking regional initiative’s implementation. She estimates that $5,800 will be spent per family to keep them housed, an investment which seems a tremendous bargain given that a single chronically homeless person can cost taxpayers as much as $50,000 per year, according to a state auditor’s report.
Petaluma Argus-Courier
Sonoma County homelessness prevention program gets extra funds, sets its sights higher
“It is exceptionally difficult to help households who have fallen into homelessness and it is so helpful and so meaningful to have a resource to prevent households from getting to that point”.
The Press Democrat
Michael's Story
Gearing up to start his next semester, Michael, a resident at Studios at Montero (SAM), is feeling excited and nervous. This past spring, Michael decided it was time to dust off his books and pursue his associate degree to help him land a fulfilling job.
Feeling ambitious, he mounted his e-bike and rode to start a full-time schedule of four classes at Santa Rosa Junior College that spanned across his general education and art major requirements. At first, going back to school was hard, but Michael was determined to succeed. He enjoyed his classes, his energetic professors, and learning about new mediums and artist inspirations, such as Hilma af Klint.
Then, life dealt Michael a hard stint of circumstances surrounding loved ones in his life. Reeling from that curveball and the nuances of school, Michael fell behind in his studies and decided to drop his fourth class. With only three classes and the support of SAM staff, he was able to persevere to finish the spring semester, noting that without a place like SAM and the supportive services COTS' offers, he would probably have not ever been able to return to school, “It was my dream [to go back to school], but this place [SAM] makes it possible.”
Undeterred by the hiccups in his plans, Michael still has a great outlook for his academic career. He plans on pushing himself and getting his grade point average back up to a scholarship-qualifying level within the next semester. He will also retain his three-class schedule and, if successful, return to a four-course load in the spring. He plans to supplement his three-class schedule by enrolling in summer classes to help him remain on track to graduate in 2026.
Thank you to the COTS' staff for supporting Michael to help him realize his goals and thank you to everyone who makes the work at Studios at Montero possible!
Charmaine's Story
In 2016, COTS helped Charmaine move into permanent housing with her two daughters and she had plans to make a better future for herself and her family. For the last 8 years, Charmaine has done just that. She has remained housed and employed, accrediting COTS with getting her back on her feet.
“They helped me, like, [they] gave me all the tools that I needed out in the real world to, like, get a good job. They helped me with my resume and just like life skills.”
While she was loving her life, she decided that it was time for a change. After having roommates all her life, Charmaine moved into her first solo apartment with her youngest daughter, their dog, and foster kittens. Her older daughter, a recent high school graduate, has moved out and supports herself by creating beautiful, professional nails while she prepares for her cosmetology license.
In September, Charmaine was also able to change her profession to something she was more passionate about. She now works with developmentally disabled adults and finds the work rewarding. Saying, “I absolutely love it. Like the best job I've ever, ever had.”
Raising her daughters to have big ambitions and strong work ethics, Charmaine has not stopped setting goals for herself either. She hopes to become a supervisor within the next year and, depending on the housing market, Charmaine also hopes to buy a house in the not-so-distant future.
At COTS, your support helps change the lives of clients, just like Charmaine. Thank you for making our work possible.
The COTS Collective: July 2024
July COTS’ Collective.
This month, at the start of the new fiscal year, COTS would like to reflect on our incredible growth over the last twelve months. We are incredibly proud of our service to the community and look forward to another successful fiscal year.
13% increase
in our emergency shelter capacity.
13 units in Petaluma and 14 units in Santa Rosa
added to PSH*.
17% increase
in our family shelter capacity.
And coming soon,
a 300% increase
in our Recuperative Care wing.
* PSH- Permanent Supportive Housing
Since July of last year, the community kitchen at the Mary Isaak Center (known as Mary’s Table) has increased production to over 10,000 meals per month. Every day, our kitchen opens its doors to those we serve alongside the broader community—anyone in need of a hot, nutritious meal is invited to join us for lunch or dinner seven days a week, every day of the year. By the end of 2024, our monthly kitchen output is anticipated to grow to over 12,000 meals per month.
To start serving the residents of Santa Rosa, CA., COTS launched a comprehensive Rapid Rehousing and Homelessness Prevention program. This program, in partnership with Catholic Charities, serves individuals and families throughout Santa Rosa with emergency rental assistance, housing search and placement assistance, assistance with transportation and groceries, and ongoing therapy services for individuals, couples, and families.
COTS worked tirelessly to improve the behavioral health services available in all our programs. In the last year, COTS received funding to support a licensed clinician for our housing team, increased the number of hours of mental health services provided to our clients, partnered with Petaluma People Services to provide onsite groups and individual therapy options, and is in the process of adding bilingual mental health services for our clients in Santa Rosa, CA.
To support this growth, COTS has grown its workforce exponentially and added an office in Santa Rosa, CA. We anticipate adding a second office in Santa Rosa in 2024 as we continue to experience an increased demand for services in the area.
We invite you to support us in serving all of Sonoma County by donating to our mission at cots.org/donate/.
Warmly,
Chris Cabral, CEO
Mission Moment.
Grace came to COTS after spending almost a year in hospitals and rehab centers recovering from a stroke and a heart attack. While she was in care, still learning how to speak, walk, comb her hair, and handle a pencil, her roommate died in their shared apartment.
With COTS’ help, she was housed in Healdsburg and is now enjoying the free concerts in the Plaza and the view of redwood trees out her bedroom window. Best of all? She is able to invite her two children to her apartment for home-cooked meals.
Maureen - Mail Depot
Maureen McGuigan, the dedicated owner-operator of the Mail Depot in Petaluma, CA, exemplifies the true spirit of community. Whether it's providing exceptional customer service, ensuring children's letters reach the North Pole each December, or extending a helping hand to those in need, Maureen's actions consistently make our community a better place.
Maureen’s commitment to helping others is evident in her history. Before owning the Mail Depot, she worked at Petaluma Peoples Services. For years, she has been generously offering complimentary notary services to COTS’ clients, a crucial step in helping individuals secure stable housing.
This July, inspired by a heartfelt story on NPR, Maureen launched a collection drive for feminine hygiene products and women’s underwear—items desperately needed in shelters but rarely donated. When she reached out to COTS with this initiative, our Client Enrichment Services Manager, Eileen, eagerly embraced the idea.
The drive was a resounding success, with a remarkable outpouring of support from the community. Inspired by this achievement, Maureen is now gearing up for her next project: collecting reading glasses, at Eileen’s request. As the aging population facing homelessness grows, the need for reading glasses becomes increasingly urgent. Following this, Maureen plans to organize a drive for men’s underwear.
At COTS, we are profoundly grateful for Maureen’s unwavering support and passionate advocacy. She not only contributes herself but also inspires her clients and the broader community to recognize the vital importance of COTS’ services.
Your support can make a significant difference. By donating to these drives, you are directly helping those in need, providing essential items that can dramatically improve their quality of life. Join us in supporting Maureen's efforts and making a tangible impact in our community. If you’d like to donate reading glasses, you can drop them off at the Mail Depot, located at 40 4th Street, Petaluma, CA.
Napa, Sonoma county officials decide to open cooling centers with predicted highs in the 100s
Sonoma and Napa County officials have decided to open public cooling centers as temperatures are forecast to peak in the 100s this week.
The conditions — which prompted excessive heat and red flag warnings — check a lot of boxes on each of the counties’ list of requirements to set up cooling spots.
The Press Democrat
Jenn's Story
Jenn P., a Sonoma homeowner for the last 29 years, has worked her way through many of life’s struggles. She started working at 16 and by the time she was 19 years old, Jenn had worked her way up the corporate ladder at a fast-food location down in Mill Valley. Even after leaving that location, Jenn’s strong work ethic did not diminish as she worked at cafes, delis, and other merchandise stores. At each location, Jenn rose to the top of her field and proudly led her teams to success.
She experienced personal milestones too when she married her husband in 1987 and had their only child in 1991. As her daughter entered her schooling years, Jenn began her career in volunteering as a teacher’s assistant and librarian. She was a loving mother figure to every one of her daughter’s friends, reminding them to wear their rubber bands for their braces and organizing a carpool.
Her love and caring attitude also extended to everyone she met. Jenn cared for her mother-in-law who had dementia and her mother as she experienced Alzheimer's. Both incredible women passed approximately two years ago.
It was the overwhelming stress and lack of sleep that Jenn says led her to have a drink of alcohol before going out to buy eggs one morning. While she was in this intoxicated state, Jenn rear-ended another car and was sentenced to probation and over 300 hours of community service.
After her first service placement did not work out, Jenn requested that she be reassigned. Her reassignment brought her to the doors of COTS in September of 2023. With over 25 years of kitchen and service experience, Jenn felt right at home volunteering at the Mary Isaak Center. Jenn volunteered multiple days a week and grew to have friendships with other volunteers and COTS staff.
As she finished her mandated hours in February of 2024, her new friends gifted her with a card and flowers, wishing her the best in her next chapter. But after a week off from volunteering, Jenn came back to COTS. “It's actually helped me being here [at COTS].” While she had the company of her retired husband, she missed the kitchen’s comradery and being able to help those in her community who need support. Having spent time with the clients during her smoking break, she got to know them. “For the most part, a lot of them are really nice people that you know, for some reason or another, they wind up here . . . they're just people who have had problems and they're people just like you and they deserve to have decent food.”
Happy to get out of her house and felt that volunteering at COTS gave her “some sense of purpose because people appreciate what I'm doing.” Jenn has continued to volunteer with COTS regularly and is delighted to help new volunteers learn the ways of the kitchen.
As of May 28th, 2024, Jenn has remained 17 months sober and thanks COTS and sweets for helping her maintain her sobriety.
The COTS Collective: June 2024
June COTS’ Collective.
In early 2023, COTS embarked on a journey to obtain enough funding to complete a large capital expansion project on our main Mary Isaak Center campus in Petaluma, CA. On June 17, 2024, COTS officially began construction on our Recuperative Care capital project—expanding our ability to serve Recuperative Care clients by more than 300% annually.
COTS’ Recuperative Care offers services, meals, and a place to heal for individuals exiting the hospital who are experiencing homelessness. Receiving care in the COTS Recuperative Care program is 25x less expensive than spending a night in the hospital. Last month, we asked for your support to help COTS get this project across the finish line—our heartfelt thanks to our community for stepping up to support the completion of this project! This project will be complete by the end of October, providing a critical benefit to the Sonoma County community for decades to come.
Last month, COTS also increased our shelter capacity by ten beds, allowing us to reduce our waitlist times, and increase the availability of accessible bed space for individuals with disabling conditions. As the second largest shelter provider in Sonoma County, COTS takes seriously our commitment to ensuring equitable access to shelter and housing opportunities for those we serve. Thank you to the City of Petaluma for helping COTS fund these additional beds.
Looking forward, COTS is excited to enter a new fiscal year on July 1, 2024. We are thrilled with our progress in the last year and look forward to sharing more news with our supporters in the coming months.
To help us end this fiscal year stronger than ever, please consider donating to our mission by visiting cots.org/donate/.
Warmly,
Chris Cabral, CEO
Mission Moment.
Jane was a lively spirit on a path full of success until her world was turned upside down. Like so many others, the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic marked the start of a tumultuous next few years. Jane owned her own business that was established in Petaluma almost two decades ago. However, the pandemic brought a drastic decrease in clientele and, after sustaining an injury, she had to close her doors permanently.
As Jane approached her mid 70’s in age, she was without a sustainable income, as social security did not cover the cost of living. Luckily, Jane had savings she could tap into as she prepared herself for what was to come next.
After moving her belongings into storage and attempting to file paperwork on her own to secure affordable housing, Jane was becoming desperate for help. With no hope or help, she started to starve herself and her body weight fell to 75 pounds.
When her savings were depleted and she was unable to secure stable and affordable housing, she was forced out of her home and onto the streets of the Petaluma community she had long been an integral piece of.
With no other solutions, Jane called a local shelter, COTS. Soon after speaking to a “kind” individual on the phone about the waiting list for a bottom bunk placement in the shelter at the Mary Isaak Center, Jane saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Jane applied to stay at COTS and was placed in COTS’ People’s Village for 13 months until she was accepted into permanent and affordable housing.
She made beautiful cards for everyone who had helped her at COTS, and hand delivered them to their office spaces before her moving day.
At 82 years of age, Jane was as excited as a kid in a candy shop looking forward to her new place. Jane is also planning on finding a way to contribute back to other people in need.
“I know where I’m going is a lovely place, and I feel honored to have been so fortunate as to get a residence like this.”
– Jane