Fall/Winter 2024

We celebrated our jubilee year more committed than ever to realizing the vision that “everybody deserves a place to call home.” Thanks to your help, the year brought us to the brink of ending veteran homelessness in our community and completing a total of 50 apartments for families and adults returning to the workforce.

What’s 50 years among friends? Well, it’s a milestone, an achievement and a cause for celebration. And we’ve been celebrating the best way we know how—building and opening housing—50 units to be precise. The campus at Hamilton is nearing completion with housing first, and an event space soon to follow. The decommissioned military base is serving the public in the best way possible—housing veterans as well as some of our most vulnerable community members.

Along with the celebrations comes enormous gratitude. To you who are reading this right now, to you who have partnered with us in so many varied and creative ways—pledging and matching our campaigns, cooking and serving meals, making beds in our newest homes, weeding our productive vegetable and flower gardens, creating pathways out of homelessness for families and individuals—to each of you, to all of you: THANK YOU!  You are the vibrant heartbeat of Homeward Bound and we are so grateful.

I am grateful for the incredible opportunity to have realized my own purpose and meaning by working at Homeward Bound for these past 31 plus years! This amazing organization has been a literal home for me and for my calling to be of service. The team with whom I have conspired over the years has been the most committed, creative and compassionate group of people ever. The work itself is demanding of the best imagination and effort we have to give. Equally, it is completely fulfilling to witness the homecoming of so many people whose journeys we have been privileged to share.

And, speaking of journeys, Paul Fordham has been on his leadership voyage at Homeward Bound for nearly 20 years! He is one of the most creative, intelligent, kind, savvy, and wonderful people I know. As solo CEO, he will continue to lead this incredible organization and influence the community with innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. Cause for continued celebration! Thank you!

With gratitude,
Mary Kay

More veterans settle each week into new homes where dilapidated warehouses once stood, replaced by 24 spacious apartments through your generous investments. Soon we’ll show prospective residents around the 26 new apartments of Sweeney Place rising just across the parking lot.

As the Gilardi Training & Events Center also takes shape, our campus sets course to open programs that will expand our housing ecosystem and help create an economy that works for everyone.

“When completed, our campus will be unique. To have shelter, affordable housing, training and supportive employment in one central hub will be life-changing for many people,” says Paul Fordham, Co-Chief Executive Officer.

Less than two years have passed since the first bulldozer moved onto the 2.8-acre site. Alongside work to level the ground, frame the rooms and raise the roof, our staff has been designing programs to help residents find health, resilience and a sense of belonging.

Our community seized the chance to make history with our first building in Novato, the New Beginnings Center, which opened in 2000 as the first shelter in the country on a decommissioned military base. We’re close to making more history together by ending veteran homelessness in Marin County when our new building is fully occupied!

With your help, we’ve raised more than 98% of funds needed to finish this model campus. Your gift to help close the $530,000 funding gap will pave the way to brighter futures for years to come.

After his first night in Puett Place, our new veterans community, John M. agrees with the adage that home is where you sleep best. “It’s just nice to get a good night’s rest,” he says.

His childhood in a military family and six years of U.S. Navy service taught him how to adapt wherever he went, John says. Now he looks forward to opening a fresh chapter in his own home.

“I’ll have friends here when everyone moves in,” John says. “I like the small-town atmosphere of Novato.”

His Navy training in missile fire systems took him all over the world, including Vietnam. He later pursued a technical career with IBM in the Washington, D.C., area and earned a bachelor’s degree in New York.

Moving West amid the tech boom in 1993, John started his own company to train sales teams about equipment operations. The temporary contracts eventually dwindled and his savings ran low.

Living with a friend worked well until John returned home one day to find him unresponsive on the sofa.

“After he died, I lived on his 65-foot boat in San Rafael. It was a beautiful boat but I couldn’t afford to maintain it,” he says.

Unable to find an affordable option, John got a referral to New Beginnings Center, where we offer specialized services to veterans in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Work on the 24-unit veterans building got under way soon afterward.

He credits our staff for their caring support and regular updates about the construction, application process and services available in the new program. Puett Place has onsite staff and residents receive an evening meal made by our Fresh Starts team.

“It was a gradual slowdown from working,” says John, who began using a walker this year and celebrated his 81st birthday in his new home. “Now I can get settled and see what it’s like to be really retired.”

Training at Fresh Starts Culinary Academy became a circuitous path for Corbin M., but a voice in his head kept him going after he failed to finish the training twice.

“My mom said, ‘please don’t ever give up on yourself.’ When I started class the third time, I dedicated it to her,” he says. Corbin graduated in March 2023, three years after his mom passed away.

Hands-on training in the kitchen clicked for him because he’s a visual learner, Corbin says. He now works in a transitional position, teaming up with Chef Luis Realpozo to make meals at the New Beginnings Center shelter.

“I’m learning a lot with him. Slowing down, paying attention to my cuts, watching everything he does,” he says.

Life has changed since he came to Homeward Bound of Marin in 2022, after months of living in his car and in local encampments. He had lived in Novato with his father and siblings, but a period of drinking after a rough breakup ended his stay.

Since leaving San Marin High School, he tried community college and worked at jobs like highway cleanup or helping a friend with home maintenance projects. He had some savings but saw no path to get ahead.

“I had no job, no education and I was afraid I could lose my car,” Corbin says. “I didn’t want to come (to the shelter.)”

Now he embraces the routine, which he says has helped him cope with tough experiences outside of work.

“I’m grateful for this job. Knowing I’m needed here is a reason to get up,” he says.

Chef Matt Shapiro, our Director of Training & Culinary Operations, sees a bright path for Corbin. “His transformation has been amazing to watch. I can see he’s calmer, more focused, and it’s directly related to his skill development,” Matt says. “He has the potential to make a great career in the culinary industry.”

Early this year, Corbin moved to a supportive housing program in Larkspur. He has set his sights on moving again next year and hopes to find a place of his own.

“Without coming in (to Homeward Bound), I’d still be drinking. I’d still be out there,” Corbin says. “I’m grateful for everything that’s happened here. Now I have a plan to do something.”

Gazing around her home, Marta clearly recalls moving there after living in a single room with her brother and daughter. “We moved in with one bed and one table, not even a chair,” she says.

Now employed in a senior role at Marin’s Public Authority for In-Home Support Services, Marta says the opportunity of affordable housing unlocked her ability to care for her family, build a career and contribute to her community. Her family now has a decade of history at Fireside Apartments, where our staff serves residents in partnership with Eden Housing.

Born and educated in Guatemala, Marta gave up a career in public service when she received approval to join her brother in the United States and pursue hopes of a broader future for her daughter Maria, then 6 years old.

She worked low-wage jobs at first while taking English classes and saw few avenues to secure a real home. An opening at Fireside Apartments in Mill Valley fired her determination, Marta says, though she knew even the low rent would stretch her budget.

“Sometimes I had to decide: pay the rent or buy the food. I went to the food pantries,” Marta says. “I don’t know how I could have made progress without this opportunity of housing.”

She currently works with 400 in-home caregivers to review their qualifications. Marta also coaches many of them, along with the recipients of care, about creating happy partnerships.

This year, Marta began home buyer seminars with Habitat for Humanity. She also has become an advocate for affordable housing, speaking at meetings and participating in interviews with local candidates.

She credits Homeward Bound of Marin’s support staff for helping the family thrive. Her daughter graduated from Tamalpais High School and now has a part-time job.

“They helped me find jobs, find an English tutor, make a resume, find a food pantry. They never stop helping,” she says. “Having affordable rent made it possible to change jobs and go through some financial hardships without losing our home.”

Imagine a home after five decades of young children and you will envision the well-loved Family Center, where Homeward Bound of Marin opened its first program in 1974. Today it still operates as Marin County’s only year-round shelter for unhoused families.

The three-story home with nine family rooms has aged since its construction around 1925, but faces the future refreshed for the modern era.

“Everything is going electric,” says Trinette Gray, our Operations Manager. Recent additions include heat pumps to replace a gas-powered furnace, an induction stove and LED lighting. After a roof replacement expected next year, the building will get solar panels. Fourteen windows have been replaced and a portion of the house has new plumbing.

Most of those improvements came with help from the Association for Energy Affordability, a national nonprofit organization that helps managers of affordable properties secure rebates to cover their costs.

In May, the Family Center celebrated another addition to the property: a long-awaited playground installed with generous support from community partners.

“The families have been super flexible to accommodate all the work,” says Joseph Jackson, the Family Center Program Coordinator. “And the occasional emergency. My first week of work, a pipe burst and we had to shut off water. We had a couple of days with a portable toilet.”

He also finds the age of the Family Center imparts a certain charm that helps create a welcoming, comfortable atmosphere for families in transition. Many residents say their children love it.

“The kids loved it there with the park in the backyard. I for sure did too,” says Miheaven M., who now has her own apartment in San Rafael.

Edith B., a one-time resident who lives in Mill Valley, wrote in a 2014 letter to the Marin IJ: “The beloved Brown House, if it could speak, would speak of infinite real-life stories. My life and that of my children has been wonderful since we found a space there.”

We kicked off our jubilee year more committed than ever to realizing the vision that “everybody deserves a place to call home.” Because of your support, we’re close to the goal of completing 50 new affordable homes this year to mark our 50th anniversary! Thanks to your help, the year brought us to the brink of ending veteran homelessness in our community and completing 26 apartments for families and adults returning to the workforce.

Seeing people settle into new homes offered many exuberant moments. We served 981 people in shelter and housing programs in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2024, up 2.8% from a year earlier. The number grew by 5% for adult programs, which saw 736 participants.

Despite the end of pandemic-era rental subsidies, 63% of adults leaving our programs last year moved to stable housing, up from 60% a year earlier. The efforts of staff members to help participants navigate the housing search plays a vital role in their success.

Families continued to seek our support as we served 115 parents and 130 children, similar to the previous year. Many faced challenges beyond housing, including domestic violence, chronic health conditions and mental health needs.

Noting the struggles particular to young parents, we launched a program tailored to the needs of people aged 18 to 25 who head a household with children. Families engaged in this program already have offered strong positive feedback, giving us hope that they will build lasting resilience to break the cycle of homelessness.

Though some health risks faded with the pandemic, we saw strong demand last year for the innovative program for adults who leave hospital care without stable housing. A total of 99 people received medical respite services, up almost 14% from the previous year.

Improving health for adults with the highest risks remained a beacon for the past year. With support from the state’s CalAIM initiative, 224 adults received enhanced care plans developed by our staff. Their work now coordinates more closely with medical providers, using blood pressure checks, nutrition check-ins and other strategies.

Sponsored by Cigna Health, a researcher last year found participants enrolled in enhanced care plans reached their health and personal goals at a higher rate and had a greater likelihood of taking further steps toward stable housing.

After years of planning, this year set the stage to complete our Novato campus with key support from a landmark grant of $14.4 million by the state’s Project Homekey initiative. In June, local leaders, supporters and community partners cut the ribbon at Puett Place, the 24-unit veterans building that could end veteran homelessness in Marin County! Daily progress also continued for 26 additional apartments for people working in our community.

A third building, the Gilardi Training & Events Center, will extend employment and career opportunities for graduates of Fresh Starts Culinary Academy. A bakery, warehouse space, teaching kitchen and two small event rooms have transformed from blueprints to a physical structure over the past few months! Stay tuned for an opening date in 2025.

Over the past year, the core culinary training enrolled 31 students and engaged 40 committed graduates in paid positions in our kitchen. In the year that ended June 30, we offered supportive employment through our mission-driven businesses: The Key Room event venue, production of Wagster Treats dog biscuits and preparation of 15,000 meals each month for individuals in our shelter and housing programs.

As social events returned to a pre-Covid pace, our team hosted 182 events in The Key Room for companies, individuals, government agencies and fellow nonprofits. Everyone who hosted “an event that makes a difference” in our space helped raise social enterprise revenue last year by almost 30% to an incredible $831,000, with all proceeds re-invested in our programs!

Fresh avenues to market Wagster Treats opened through partners at Procure Impact, a national organization that works with large employers to provide socially conscious products. Our tail-wagging cookies have been shipped to important new vendors like dog-friendly hotels and corporate gift specialists.

Throughout our programs, Homeward Bound seeks to advance the contributions of people from diverse backgrounds. A full 56% of our staff has lived experience of homelessness.

We also seek to improve our programs by hearing from those we serve. Homeward Bound this year engaged Listen4Good, a national consulting practice that coaches nonprofits in gathering input from clients and using it to make change.

So far, our team has received survey results from 71 adults in shelter who told us about their experience. The gratifying results showed a strong majority felt safe, respected and able to communicate openly with staff. Asked what they appreciate, one shelter resident wrote: “Help a person in need with everything they need. Taking the time to work with each one of us. Utmost respect.”

Their feedback showed frustration with a lack of housing choices in the Marin community and the complex applications facing them in their journey to regain stability and independence. Thanks to people like you, our community is expanding the paths to housing and creating new programs to bring people home!

Your partnership has made an indelible difference and put the sparkle in our 50th anniversary year. Together we can realize the vision that “Everyone deserves a place to call home.”

In 20 years, Sylvia Barry says she’s rarely found a project adopted with such enthusiasm by fellow Marin Rotarians as new homes for unhoused veterans. As a district governor for Rotary Clubs in Marin, she seeks out service opportunities that engage larger groups.

“The goal with our larger projects is for every club to participate,” she says. “Everyone just immediately said yes.”

Initially, the goal was raising $25,000 to sponsor one of the 24 new apartments that opened in June. The groundswell of support eventually let them double that commitment, but they didn’t stop there.

“Rotarians really like to do hands-on projects,” Sylvia says. Working with our staff, she realized that furnishing the new apartments could be a perfect opportunity to invite participation from members across Marin.

As it unfolded, the project grew to four days. First the group unboxed everything from flat-packed furniture to silverware, then put things together and set them in place. They sorted packaging to be recycled or disposed. “For 24 units, there was a lot of packaging!” she adds.

Finally the team filled kitchen drawers, hung shower curtains and towels, made beds, added decorative pillows and set out plants to provide a homey welcome for each veteran moving to a new home.

“It’s rare to find a project where every single club steps up,” she says. “We enjoyed it so much that people are asking what’s next.”

Serving lunch at New Beginnings Center lets Walt Holleran experience a kind of chemistry not included in his resume: the person-to-person connections that happen even in the few moments needed to dish up a meal.

“Food is always something to bring people together but it’s more about the people,” says Walt, a retired research professor who focused on pharmaceutical biochemistry at University of California San Francisco.

The San Rafael resident knew little about Homeward Bound of Marin until his wife attended an event in The Key Room, where our culinary team provides catering. They decided to reserve our venue for a special 90th birthday celebration for his mother.

“She loved it and I really got to see the spirit of the organization,” Walt says. He signed up to help with a yard cleanup day at our King Street Senior Housing in Larkspur and soon took a weekly shift serving lunch at our 80-bed shelter.

Outside of the kitchen, he has participated in other volunteer projects like packing holiday gifts for delivery in our programs and building a stone pathway leading from our produce garden.

As a longtime staff member at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco, Walt says he’s especially pleased to contribute to an organization that supports former service members.

“I have a soft spot in my heart for veterans. They served our country and a lot of them have struggled healthwise or other ways after their service,” he says.

Some of them are participants at New Beginnings Center, where Walt spends four hours every Wednesday helping our chefs prepare and serve lunch. Our shelter hosts an onsite office for a Veterans Affairs social worker.

“I really enjoy serving and having that moment to connect with people, greet them by name if I can. Somehow it always feels good to do that and just be able to help,” he says.