Make a shelter a home
When parents come to COTS, they don’t put down roots. And that’s the way it should be. We all hope that homelessness is going to be a short, never-repeated episode.
But children don’t experience time the way adults do. To them, every day is formative, eventful and rich. That’s why our case manager Debbie Robbins has always worked on two tracks with families. With parents, the focus is on doing whatever it takes to find affordable, sustainable housing as quickly as possible.
Kids are a different story.
“I’ll never forget one time when I was giving a group a tour and, all of a sudden, Leah, a little curly-haired four-year-old girl who was staying with us, just took over," says Debbie. "She explained how many families lived here, how they shared the kitchen, what the kids did while their parents were in meetings or classes."
"And it dawned me: not only was she super bright, she felt like the shelter was home. I cried about that for a little. But then I adjusted my thinking. Because it’s our job to help kids feel at home until they have a home.”
This #GivingTuesday, you can help families find homes of their own as quickly as possible, and you can make sure children feel “at home” even in a shelter. To ensure we continue to provide this vital service, a generous donor has pledged to double each contribution up to $5,000 today.
Donate Online
Thank you for supporting our kids. We could not do this work without you.
Sarah Quinto, Chief Development Officer, COTS
Help Welcome COTS Clients Home
We often receive requests from individuals and groups who want to help our clients with needed essentials. As a housing-focused shelter, we encourage our supporters to prepare items that can welcome our clients home when they find housing.
Kits can be dropped off to our Volunteer Coordinator. Email: [email protected] or call (707) 765-6530.
Thank you for all of your help in welcoming our clients home.
Make a Welcome Home Kit!
All items can fit into a vertical laundry hamper (see photo).
Cleaning Supplies
- Windex
- All-purpose spray cleaner
- Toilet cleaner
- Disinfecting wipes
- 5 gallon bucket
Kitchen Supplies
- Dish towels
- Pot holders
- Mixing bowl
- Dishwashing brush/sponges
- Steel wool
- Dishsoap
- Cling wrap
- Foil
- Gallon and sandwich-sized ziplock bags
- Large garbage bags
Miscellaneous
- Roll of toilet paper
- Roll of paper towel
- Handsoap
- Broom and dustpan
- Swiffer with wet AND dry refills
- Hand duster
- Laundry soap
- Dryer sheets
- $50 gift card to a local department store.
Add-ons (not all clients need all of these)
- Shower curtain and clips
- Toilet brush
- Plunger
- Dish drainer
- Air mattresses
- Pillows
- Mattress covers (twin, full and queen - twins needed most)
- Bed sheets (twin, full and queen - twins needed most)
- Picture frame
Fire Updates
Monday, 11/6
Tomorrow, 15 displaced community members will arrive at the Mary Isaak Center who are being relocated from Finley Center, the last remaining fire evacuation center. COTS staff have already welcomed clients into our family program from Interfaith Shelter Network, our sister agency who’s transitional housing facilities were damaged in the fire. All of our newest guests will have free access to three meals a day, shower and laundry facilities, storage for belongings, and a medical clinic staffed by the Petaluma Health Center.
We are in a fortunate position: None of our COTS facilities were damaged by the fire and none of our staff lost their homes. We feel extremely lucky to be in a position to play a role in our community’s recovery, alongside our community partners.
DONATE
- COTS: To support COTS' response to increased need for housing and homelessness services.
- Sonoma County Resilience Fund: To support medium and long term fire recovery.
ITEMS NEEDED
- Sleeping bags: We have an immediate need for 50 cool weather sleeping bags and 15 foam non-slip camping sleeping mats. Out of respect for the extreme difficulty experienced by our clients, and the amount of wear and tear we expect out of these items, we are respectfully requesting that these items be new.
- Gift cards are also appreciated for all clients in need.
LEARN
- Join us at this Wednesday’s COTS Hour Breakfast.
- Call us with any questions about COTS, homelessness, housing, and your donations at (707) 765-6530.
Thursday, 10/12
Thank you for reaching out to COTS during this time of crisis. We are committed to providing information and connecting you and your family with aid. Below are answers to frequently asked questions we’ve received regarding how COTS can assist you or your loved ones.
Is COTS an evacuation center? Do you have space for evacuees, families, or animals?
At this time, we are not able to accommodate fire evacuees at the Mary Isaak Center or the Kids First Family Shelter. The City of Santa Rosa Emergency Information website has a regularly updated list of evacuation shelters around the county.
I have money, do you have properties for rent immediately?
All of our properties are at capacity, and we regret to say that we do not have rental properties available at this time. We have been in contact with local, regional and State of California leaders around the status of medium and long-term solutions for housing. We will update our community as we learn more. Right now, all energy and focus from leadership is on crisis resolution and saving lives.
Is COTS doing anything to assist evacuees?
COTS is providing resources to the evacuation shelters in Petaluma (blankets, pillows, and other necessities), as well as direction on how those seeking help can get to the open shelters. Our staff is also helping other agencies who are short staffed due to employees being evacuated.
Are you taking donations of supplies?
As of right now, we do not have a need for donations of food, clothing or other items. But other locations might. Nixle and Nextdoor are two official channels being used by authorities with visibility to the entire scope of the crisis. Facebook is also a good resource, but make sure to look at official channels such as the Police and Sheriff’s Departments.
Are you taking monetary donations for the fire?
We encourage people wishing to make a donation directly to immediate fire relief to donate to RCU or the Community Foundation. Our staff spoke with Community Foundation Sonoma County yesterday, and learned that they have received a $250,000 donation as seed money from Facebook. The Community Foundation will address medium- to long-term needs. Redwood Credit Union will address needs in the short- to medium-term.
- Redwood Credit Union North Bay Fire Relief
- Sonoma County Resilience Fund from Community Foundation Sonoma County
Our hearts are with everyone in our community during this tragedy. COTS is here, along with our partners, to provide as much support as possible.
Wednesday, 10/11
COTS staff volunteers took shifts covering for displaced Catholic Charities staff yesterday. Many of our friends at Catholic Charities are deeply impacted by the fire, including losing their homes.
We have received calls asking about needed supplies and financial donations. At this time, COTS does not have a need for tangible items or food, but our sister agencies and evacuation centers might. For the most current needs, we encourage you to stay in contact with Nextdoor and the Nixle alerts from local Sheriff or Police Departments.
For financial contributions, if you would like to donate directly to fire relief here are a couple of resources:
- Redwood Credit Union North Bay Fire Relief
- Sonoma County Resilience Fund from Community Foundation Sonoma County
COTS Mary Isaak Center is not acting as an evacuation center at this time, although we are a designated overflow facility. We expect that our role will be to support the longer term impact of the fire on those who cannot easily recover - either with short-term shelter, or re-housing assistance. If you are interested in supporting these efforts, a financial contribution to COTS can be made on our website.
Stay strong, Sonoma County. A big thanks to our friends from afar for your concern. We will keep you updated.
Monday, 10/09
The COTS Mary Isaak Center is open for lunch today at 900 Hoper Street, Petaluma, for anyone who needs food or sanctuary. Lunch hours are 11:30am to 1:00pm, but food is available all day to anyone with emergency food needs.
Right now, our most urgent need is for blankets and sleeping bags. What we cannot use, we will pass on to our sister agencies. Please only deliver these items if you able to stay off of Highway 101 and it is safe for you to travel.
As of this morning, all of our clients in permanent housing in Rohnert Park, Petaluma, and Santa Rosa are safe. We are slowly learning about former clients who are evacuating their homes; one client is on her way to family in Sacramento. We are in close communication with authorities and sister agencies as the situation unfolds and will keep you posted on any additional details.
Steve
Cancer had taken Steve’s left eye and cancer treatments had damaged his nerves and organs irreparably. Now, a doctor told him his right eye was at risk.
“Ever since I had to stop working, my kids had been through so much. I wanted them to have some stability,” Steve says. “I found it at COTS.”
Once at COTS, “I went to the on-site Petaluma Health Center,” says Steve. “They referred me to a specialist who discovered that my cancer wasn’t back. I’ve always had really high off-the-charts blood pressure, but right after that, it shot down to normal. I hadn’t realized how stressed I was.” “From there, I just did everything I was supposed to do.” Steve saved money, resolved some issues in his credit history and worked hard on his spending. Eight months after he and his kids came COTS, they moved to a permanent home in our Integrity Housing program.
And when the kids need a ride? Do they still have to cross their fingers and hope Dad’s beater will start? Nope. Thanks to KZST, Steve has a new car!
“I can’t believe how much our lives have changed in eight months,” says Steve. “I worked hard to make it happen, but I had always worked hard. COTS had the structure and the people that helped me focus my work and make it count.”
Susanna
We first met Susanna four years ago when she and her then 1–year–old daughter moved into one of our short-term family housing programs. She had recently left an abusive relationship and didn’t yet know her own capacity and strength. “At first, I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to support myself or cope with anything,” she said.
“For me, it’s the people at COTS that make a difference. My case manager and all the other families that we lived with helped me so much. When I got my job at the restaurant, I had a hard time the first year. I wasn’t sure I would be able to stick it out, and I got so much help and good advice from everyone at COTS.
I still have the same job, and I love it.”
Susanna and her daughter moved to their own apartment two years ago in a complex where COTS provides supportive services. “My case manager helped me through my custody battle for my daughter. Deep down, I knew I was asking the court for the right thing, but I was conflicted. I didn’t want to make waves. My case manager helped me stay in touch with what was best for my daughter.”
“You can never stop growing. You can never say, ‘That’s good enough.’ Because it’s always going to be difficult. There’s always going to be stress. There’s always going to be sadness and hurt feelings. But you have to keep moving forward.”
Now that her daughter has started kindergarten, she’s looking for a second job. “College for her and a vacation in Hawaii for us both—that’s the plan,” she says.