Dorothy's Drop-In Center - Dorothy's Place

At Dorothy’s Drop-In Center…

clients receive trauma-informed care* from our trained staff to get assistance into transitional and permanent housing, to sign up for benefits and assistance programs, to obtain information on substance abuse counseling, and to learn about physical and mental wellness.Here, a person experiencing homelessness can progress toward independent housing by forming an improvement plan with one of our social workers. Our social workers also assist with housing navigation, important because in our housing market, homeless people with no credit or bad credit are often non-competitive for apartment rental. Social workers assist with health needs (referrals to Whole Person Care and health providers) through the Chinatown Health Services Center and income enhancement through employment or through acquisition of government benefits if the client is disabled. Income is a requirement of all the housing that we have access to.

We do maintain a waiting list for those interested in a housing track with a social worker, when our social workers are working with their maximum number of clients. Clients on the waiting list work with community health workers (CHWs) in our Bridge Project, assisted with the retrieval of all essential documents and vital records that are required for housing acquisition.

In 2017, Drop-In Center social workers and Bridge Project CHWs assisted 21 individuals into permanent, sustainable housing. They assisted another 21 into transitional housing. They currently manage a case load of ~70 clients, with another ~180 in the Bridge Project, on the waiting list for a social worker. We just hired the first of 4 social workers in 2018 to work with our waiting list clients.

The Drop-In Center also offers respite from the stress of daily “street" life by offering basic needs services that include restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, and a place to receive mail.

We offer a Clothes Closet that provides new and gently used clothing, as well as personal hygiene supplies that have been provided from groups and individuals throughout the community. To donate clothing or supplies, click here.

Our weekly Health Clinic in the Drop-In Center has served our clients for two hours every Wednesday for more than 20 years. Health insurance is not necessary to be seen by our doctors and we, alongside medical volunteers, offer prescription assistance to those who do not qualify for Medi-Cal.

*What is Trauma-Informed Care?