Holiday 2022 - Dorothy's Place

HOLIDAY 2022

Gratitude

We’ll just come right out and say it. We’ve been having Amazon delivery issues. It seems our business operating hours are not aligning with delivery schedule despite our operating hours being specifically stated in delivery instructions when placing an order. We keep missing the deliveries because they come after we’ve closed for the day! A few months back our Executive Director, Jill Allen, took the matter into her own hands and posted signs in two different locations directing the driver to call her personal phone so that she could collect a package that was expected to arrive that day. While sitting at her desk, she received a “sorry we missed you” text alert from Amazon. Not wanting to miss the delivery, Jill jumped up, ran down the stairs, and burst out of the door to try to catch the delivery driver only to find he was stopped down the block. The driver came back to his truck and Jill met with him to try to figure out a solution on the timing of deliveries. During the conversation it became clear that the driver had little control over delivery scheduling and wasn’t too interested in solving the puzzle of how to deliver after hours. He mentioned that he had leaned out of the truck to ask someone if the place was closed and Theo, one of our helpful consumers replied, “Yup they’re closed!” And off our driver went.

As Jill returned to the office with packages in hand, Theo asked if she had time to talk. If you know Jill, she always has time to talk with consumers. He told her about a young woman, Dawn. He had noticed her across the street looking very scared and very out of place, new to our Chinatown community. He watched as someone had stopped to give her cash. He was worried for her safety as night came because cash on the streets can draw out some pretty bad behavior in people. Theo asked if Jill had any ideas to assist her. Jill had a few suggestions, but Dawn was still untrusting, so Theo prepared to keep watch over Dawn for the evening. He told her if she didn’t have a place to stay, it would be safest to spend the night in the alcove of Dorothy’s Place. Theo, who did not have his own place to sleep, was prepared to help a woman he didn’t know fend off predators and guide her to some form of safety for

case management and actively participate in the supportive services that empower them towards of better health and improved outlooks for income and housing. We are thankful to learn from them about qualities such as compassion, patience, and resiliency.

And let’s not forget our staff. Our organization is blessed to have a staff that is passionate about the work they do and the people they serve. We went through a big change this year with the addition of the Enhanced Care Manager and Community Support provider role (see the summer newsletter on our website to learn more). Our staff has had to learn new systems, new processes, and new terms, all while continuing to seamlessly support the needs of our consumers. In every program, our staff shows up every day supporting consumers through success and disappointment, they are there to encourage consumers to keep moving forward, and to problem solve when barriers arise. They truly care about how our consumers are being supported in a path into better health and housing. They have a hard job that’s not for everyone and we are grateful they have chosen to contribute their skill and dedication to our organization.

As John F. Kennedy said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” A quote we take to heart when putting your donor dollars and time to work by serving our consumers.

2022 Program
Snapshots

With the support of our donors and volunteers we are able to do our important work and enhance our ability to assist consumers by helping them manage comprehensive medical care and housing supports. Here are some program updates to show you how your support has helped us create an impact.

Dorothy’s Kitchen

If you’ve been following us, you know that we are so excited for our new freezer! With many thanks to Salinas Valley Recycles, Monterey Regional Waste Management District, Buddhist Temple of Salinas, and Mortenson Construction for making it possible. This year, we have also continued our role as the largest no-cost meal provider in Monterey County. We consistently serve around 400 nutrient dense hot meals A DAY to people who would have gone hungry if we weren’t here. We also continued our bag meals for those who are unable eat with us, allowing them to enjoy their meals when and where they can. We were thrilled to welcome our consumers back on to the patio this summer as restrictions lessen, and we continue to keep our staff and consumers safety as our first priority.

Dorothy’s Drop-In Center (DIC)

This year the DIC went through big changes as
we took on the role of Enhanced Care Manager
(ECM) and Consumer Support (CS) providers.
This gives us a greater ability to help our
consumers connect to healthcare and housing
resources and to manage those complex systems.
We are often the first step in someone’s path to
housing and we take great pride in our ability
to build a trust relationship with consumers.
So many times, we see that the people we serve
have been marginalized and criminalized by
the systems that are supposed to help. It’s not
uncommon for them to be distrustful when we
start conversations. We’re honored to be a place
our consumers have come to trust and rely on,
whether it’s to get a hot shower and grab their
mail or recover vital documents and get linked to
community resources we are here to help.

Streets To Homes and Encampment
Outreach (STH)
STH also added the ECM and CS provider role to the toolbox. Our social workers at the Lake Street office build on relationships with consumers that started at the DIC. We enroll them in Medi-Cal, help to find and secure housing, assist in managing healthcare appointments, and so much more. Our encampment outreach team has continued to go out on the streets to provide services and basic medical care to those who are unable or unwilling to come to the office. It’s hard work and it does have risks, but we see the difference we make when we consistently show up for consumers where they are at. Building trust is key to getting people the health services they need and moving them closer to permanent housing.

House of Peace Supportive Housing Program (HOP)
Social workers at HOP are ECM and CS providers too! We have kept busy this year and have helped 32 consumers get off the street, re-acclimate themselves to being housed, and create a plan for better living and permanent housing. We are almost full at 19 residents, who are all engaging in intensive case management with our social workers. Residents are committed to overcoming barriers that threaten to stop them from achieving their goals such as physical disability, mental illness, addiction, and the trauma of chronic homelessness. These residents have created a community in which they support each other and work through differences with the help of staff. We also just welcomed a new housing navigator that we can’t wait to head into the new year with. Expect to hear more from us and exciting things to come in 2023!

The work we do is made possible and made better by your ongoing support. We look forward to keeping you updated and engaged in the upcoming year. Together we know we can make a big impact on reducing homelessness and improving people’s ability to manage health and sustain permanent housing

2022 Donors

PREMIER
Buddhist Churches of America
Central California Alliance For Health
Fort Ord Memorial Post 811
Lauralie and J Irvine Fund of the Community
 Foundation for Monterey County
 Monterey County Department of Social Services
Salinas Community & Economic Development Department
Encampment Outreach

VISIONARY
Monterey Regional Waste Management District
Dunspaugh-Dalton Foundation

ANGEL
1st Church of Christ Scientist
Haynes Charitable Foundation  
Order of Malta Western Association 

LEADER
Susan Barron
Robert Brandewie
Vicki Broome
Budget Inn Motel
Douglas Fouts
Beverly Hamilton
K.A.R.
Marina Motorsports
William McNett III
Monterey County Probation Department
David & Judith Mora
Rita Muller
Mr. O’Farrell
Jesse & Portia Reyna
Deane Rustad
Salinas Toyota
Salinas Valley Community Church Santa Fe
 Mercados Inc

William Saunders
Shirley A and Wayne R Moon Foundation
Gary Sprader
St Joseph’s Parish
Starbucks Foundation
Toyota Motor North America
Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula Walter G Canipe Foundation
Patricia Walworth

NEIGHBOR
Arturo Adlawan
American Supply Company
Patricia Asmus
John Beardshear
Nic Bianchi
Rosalyn Blachowicz
Mark Botelho
Teri Breschini
Michael & Ann Briley Geralyn Budenholzer Camaldolese
Hermits of America
Marcia Caruso
Richard Castello
Chevron Matching Employee Funds
CHOMP United Way Monterey County Campaign
Community Church of the Monterey Peninsula Women’s Association
Kathy Cosaert
Costco United Way Monterey Count Campaign
Annette Culcasi
Bonnie Daniel
Kathy Dawes

Geraldine Dorney
Thad Evans
Tom & Rosemary Favazza
Richard Foster
Rene Ganaden
Margaret Gerba
Hans Gerritsen
Kenneth Gorczyca
Wendy Grainger
Marilyn Harter
Robert Honnors
Italian Catholic Federation of CA, Branch 25 Nostra Signora Del Sasso
Amber & Mitchell Kastros
Elizabeth Kramer
Roselyn Lambert
James Linder
Marjory Lord
Carol Lowrey
Marsha Lubow
Benjamin Luna
Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd
Sandra Martinez
Thomas May
Laura McCord
Roberto & Birthe Melendez
Gertrude Moore
Donald Murray
Sam Norris & Colette Erreca-Norris
Northminster Presbyterian Church Deacon Fund
Maria & Robert O’Farrell
Pacific Gas & Electric Company Employee Giving Nayan & Nimisha Patel PG&E Employee Match
Thomas Prelle
Joseph Puentes
Ruben & Yolanda
Pulido Clem Richardson

Looking for Ways to Support Us?

Check out the Get Involved Section on our website for easy donation information!
 https://www.dorothysplace.org/get-involved/ 

Check with your employer for donation match!
Many companies have corporate giving programs in which the employer will match their employee’s donation.

 Set it and forget it!
Sometimes the easiest way to give is to not think about it at all. On our donation page you can select the box next to “Make this a monthly recurring amount”
https://www.dorothysplace.org/donate/

Carol Schmeh
Karen Shender
Gaylord Smith
Mary Soria Spreckles
Rummage Sale
James & Joan Stembridge
Sharon Stengel
Bradley Tarp
Judy Tatelbaum
Suzanne Taunt
Marc Tunzi
United Way California Capital Region
United Way Monterey County
Edward Wong
Pak-Mui Yip

Franciscan Workers Core Values

• We value the dignity of every person with respect for individual worth and human potential.
• We promote collaboration in moving toward common goals.
• We commit to becoming culturally competent by respecting
  differences, freedoms and equity.
• We serve with integrity, professional excellence, accountability, and responsible stewardship, because we are committed to maintaining the trust of those who support or utilize our services.
• We respect each person’s agency, self-determination, and timing.
• We are committed to social justice, advocating for individual
  opportunities and systemic change.
• As an innovative organization, we are receptive to new ideas.
• We believe in the power of mutual healing, recovery, and restoration of self.
• We are grateful.

Heartfelt Thanks to the generous food donors who allow us to provide nutritious meals to our Consumers!