Fall/Winter 2025

Thanks to your partnership, our Marin-focused programs continued to advance toward “ending homelessness with training, housing and hope.” We reached full occupancy for 26 apartments at Sweeney Place for adults and families exiting homelessness and opened the Gilardi Training and Events Center to expand on-the-job training.

Dear Friends of Homeward Bound,

Despite daily attacks on federal support to serve vulnerable people in our communities, Homeward Bound of Marin remains focused on helping unhoused neighbors find their pathways home.

We are grateful to you, our committed partners who share this mission. Without your encouragement, your volunteerism, your donations, and your local advocacy, we could not reach so many families, seniors, veterans and othersevery year.

Stories of success and progress in this newsletter came to life because of your belief in our shared goal of bringing people home. Together we create safe, supportive places where transformation occurs for people like Greer, James and so many others who are thriving.

Homeward Bound is building more strategies that open doors to housing, including a new shelter program for youth experiencing homelessness between 18 and 24 years old. The completion of Sweeney Place and the Gilardi Training and Events Center also advance real solutions to the tragedy of homelessness through housing, training, and supportive employment opportunities

Homeward Bound has become a recognized leader in this work because of your support. At a time when federal upheaval is targeting homelessness services for dramatic cuts, your contributions become even more vital. Let’s keep moving this forward, enabling lasting change in the lives of everyone who seeks our services and creating a healthier Marin.

Thank you for your vital partnership,

Paul

Moving into our Sweeney Place housing program set the stage for learning and career growth for Greer and her daughter, Clementine.

“The case managers here really care and want you to succeed,” says Greer, a student and employee at College of Marin. “My goal now is a full-time job.”

She and 7-year-old Clementine arrived at Homeward Bound after caring for Greer’s mother and, before that, couch-surfing following the breakup of a relationship that went sour.

“Moving to this home took a lot of stress off my plate, just gave us time to breathe,” she says. “I’m so much more enthused about the future.”

Raised in Marin, Greer graduated from college in Arizona and became an archivist for the Laboratory of Tree Ring Research. Most recently, she has studied game design at College of Marin and works for the student services department.

Last year, Greer joined the SF-Marin Food Bank’s Policy and Advocacy Committee. “Having been someone who has used food pantries at various times in my life, it was really a valuable chance to share my experience,” she adds.

Watching Clementine make new friends at school and enjoy a summer dance camp colors the future with hope, Greer says.

“I still worry about things, like everyone, but I’m not terrified like I was about taking care of my kid,” she says. “I know I have people in my corner.”

Healthy credit and savings habits make a big difference to people searching for stable housing. A financial literacy program launched last year in our supportive housing programs provides tools to reach both goals.

“Some people feel shame around financial progress or lack of it. We want to replace that with tools to help them take charge of their finances,” says Kimberly Leach, Housing Manager for the Next Key Apartments.

The program served 50 people in its first year, with some making notable strides in wiping out credit card debt or building a credit score. Kimberly this year introduced a series of monthly workshops to cover topics like budgeting, credit repair, and saving. A grant from Wells Fargo supports the project.

Many participants have had little time for budget planning or saving as they grappled with other challenges, says Senior Housing Director Bailey Tiura, who helped outline the training.

“Nobody really wants to work on finances, but we all know it’s a significant step for success,” she says. “Most of the participants start from square one with figuring out how to track their expenses.”

Of those who received financial coaching last year, 94% now have a bank account and 72% have increased their monthly income. For many, more income means more motivation to look closely at their finances.

Along with spreadsheets to track spending, Kimberly has helped people review options like a secured credit card or auto-pay for bills to build their credit. Her goal is “smaller steps for bigger success,” Kimberly says.

The final workshop in November will include Wells Fargo experts to address more complex questions like saving for college or getting a loan. A post-training survey will guide revisions to implement next year.

For the first time, young adults who fall into homelessness in Marin can find refuge in shelter services designed specifically for their needs.

Inspired by success in our program to aid young parents, New Beginnings Center this year set aside two four-person dorms for single adults from 18 to 27 years old.

“It’s hugely motivating for our staff to stretch creatively to meet the challenge and see these young people start to meet their goals,” says Hanna Berringer, the center’s Senior Program Director.

Research shows vulnerable young adults who secure housing and make progress before age 26 are likely never to become homeless again, she adds.

“At their age, they have time to achieve goals for school, training, employment, everything – there’s so much opportunity.”

In January, the staff began shifting the two dorms to group young men or women together. Our team partnered from the start with Community Action Marin, which launched outreach services in 2023 for “Transition-Age Youth,” or TAY, who face housing and economic challenges.

“One of the major challenges we faced early on was finding shelter placements. There were no TAY-specific beds in Marin County,” says Valentina Bravo, Program Manager for TAY Housing Services at Community Action Marin.

While she hopes for more TAY shelter services in the future, Bravo says our program made a pivotal difference for young people who commonly avoided shelters in the past.

At New Beginnings Center, Hanna says youth often “self-selected out” of our program because they felt uncomfortable in a setting where many participants are twice their age. The age-group dorms have resulted in longer stays and more engagement with staff.

A TAY housing program opened recently near St. Vincent School for Boys connected another strong partner. Catholic Charities operates the 20-bed program, which accepted seven of eight initial referrals from Homeward Bound.

Jonathan’s Place, our night-to-night shelter in San Rafael, also has seen an uptick in young people. “The word is getting out that there’s some movement to create real paths forward,” Hanna says.

In the photo: Andrea Castillo, Adrian Gallegos and Jessica Velasquez work with young participants in our shelter.

Sunflowers and purple amaranth fill the courtyard at New Beginnings Center, a result of our expanded partnership with the GEM garden training program.

Integrated Community Services, a nonprofit that partners with people with disabilities, runs the program to build work readiness through hands-on experience.

“We don’t necessarily teach skills so people can find work in a garden,” says Sarah Blunt, Program Manager for GEM. “It’s about work readiness and teamwork in general. We’re really grateful to be here.”

“It is a pleasure to host the GEM program,” says Paul Fordham, our Chief Executive Officer. “Being surrounded by such beauty in our gardens lifts everyone’s spirits.”

Formerly based in San Rafael, the group moved last year and transitioned to five days a week at our Novato campus. GEM has worked twice a week in our gardens since 2018.

The site offers lots of benefits, Sarah says, like a nearby bus stop and free lunch daily at Homeward Bound. “It’s invaluable to have lunch, a huge perk for people who might be food insecure sometimes,” she adds.

GEM participants take pride in contributing to the fresh food prepared in our kitchens, Sarah says. Some also have been served by our shelter or housing programs.

“We feel a sense of community here,” she adds. “It’s a shared mission for the vulnerable people that we both serve.”

In September, James F. marked his fifth anniversary at what he calls “the first real job I’ve ever had – the best job!” He’s also become a valued member of the team at New Beginnings Center, where he staffs the dishroom through lunch and dinner.

“I never had a job longer than a year, so I’ll probably be here now until my 70s,” he says cheerfully. “I didn’t think I could have a 5-year anniversary.”

James worked sporadically in building maintenance before he sought help from Homeward Bound in 2021. For a time, he lived on the streets and spent a few months camping around Marin.

He moved last year to Jonathan’s Place in San Rafael, our supportive housing program, where he has a tidy room with a view from the third floor. He takes pleasure in being able to listen to music without disturbing roommates and using the large communal kitchen.

“I do a lot of cooking and I end up cooking for everyone, so now I always get enough to share,” he says.

His family wasn’t able to give him a consistent home during his childhood, James says, so he enjoys the feeling of community. He didn’t know his father and grew up alternating between his mother and grandmother before going into foster care at age 10.

Eventually he would like to move to his own apartment, though for now he plans to focus on paying down debt and continuing to do his best on the job.

“I learned a lot of things – responsibility, punctuality and keeping everything moving,” James adds. Passing the five-year mark “gave me a little respect for myself.”

From the first contact at Homeward Bound, James describes the staff as “nothing but patience and helpfulness.” He’s certain that housing applications and setting goals for his finances would have been impossible without them.

“I was never sure how I could try to get housing before I got here. At that time, I didn’t even think about a job,” he adds. “I’m really happy.”

At daybreak, James V. leaves our Puett Place veterans housing for the YMCA and a workout before starting his shift as a pharmacy technician at CVS in San Anselmo.

The routine that keeps him grounded as he ponders his latest chapter in life. “To do nothing, for me, is very damaging. I like a structure I can adhere to,” says James, a U.S. Air Force veteran.

His steady cadence fell to pieces two years ago after a rough breakup. He lived in his truck for months before arriving at Homeward Bound of Marin. Our staff gave James the support he needed to find stability and apply for an apartment in our new veterans program.

“They made me feel like what I was going through was understandable, that I wasn’t alone,” he says. “It really helps to know that you’re not isolated.”

A search for camaraderie drew him to the Air Force at 17, opening what he calls “probably the best six years of my life.” As a young adult in the Mission District of San Francisco, he saw friends heading for trouble.

“I decided to join a different gang,” says James, who went to Germany and became part of the security police. “It was a good decision. I got to go places and I made great friends.”

After his service, he worked in accounting until layoffs hit in 2008. He took an overnight janitorial shift at a local market for two years before starting with CVS as a cashier.

“I was surprised after the business training to find that I liked the interaction with people, answering questions and helping them find things,” he says. His current pharmacy position has less public contact, so he takes the station by the consulting window.

“That way I can say ‘how can I help you?’ There are so many services that I like to provide,” James adds.

His new home let him rebuild some inner peace after the death of a son last year. He visits regularly with two other children and six grandchildren in Washington.

“I feel more comfortable now in my own skin,” James says. “Without Homeward Bound, I’d probably be in jail. Feeling rootless is not good for me.”

Sustained progress and community support kept our steps steady last year toward the goal of bringing more people home. We opened 26 apartments at Sweeney Place for adults and families exiting homelessness along with the Gilardi Training and Events Center to expand on-the-job learning. Despite the unknowns for policies and funding, our programs continued to advance toward “ending homelessness with training, housing and hope.”

Thanks to your partnership, we saw our Novato campus blossom as we approached the close of a two-year construction project. We served 992 people across our programs in the year that ended June 30, 2025, up 11% from the previous year.

High housing costs persisted as a main obstacle for participants, who stayed longer in our shelters as a result. We welcomed 213 adults at Jonathan’s Place shelter in San Rafael last year as the average length of stay increased to 62 days.

Sweeney Place reached full occupancy in March with six families and 20 adults. The new building helped raise the number of families served to 97, up 11% from the previous year. With help from our staff, 89% of families who left our programs moved to stable housing.

We also had a full roster at Puett Place, where 24 formerly homeless veterans have found a home. Homeward Bound served a total of 50 veterans last year as Marin County continues to work closely on solutions with the few who remain unhoused.

Supported by the Tipping Point Community, our services for young parents show impressive strength for new families seeking stability. The program for families with parents who are “Transition Age Youth” — 18 to 24 years old — last year served 64 people, with 84% achieving stable housing. A full 100% maintained or increased income during the year.

That success led to launch of a program for single adults of the same age at New Beginnings Center. This initiative shows young participants engaging more with our services as they continue receiving case management from Community Action Marin. Read more on p. 4.

As that program opened, we moved to close the Voyager Carmel Center, a longtime shelter and housing program in San Rafael for people facing mental health challenges. Help from our staff ensured the 26 residents transitioned into other supportive housing programs in Marin.

Health remained a pillar of our services, with more than 400 people enrolled in enhanced care plans developed by our staff as part of the state’s CalAIM initiative. Tracking complex health data led to plans for a new database that can provide fresh insights on successful strategies.

People leaving hospital treatment without stable housing continued to seek our Transition to Wellness program. With funding from local hospitals, our medical respite shelter served 99 people last year and saved $2.9 million in hospital stays.

Thanks to our data-informed approach and positive outcomes, Homeward Bound joined Tipping Point Community last year as a housing grantee. Tipping Point’s invitation-only grants seek to bolster organizations with the strongest approaches to solving homelessness in the Bay Area.

Our family services last year received one of 40 leadership grants awarded by the Bezos Day 1 Family Fund, which supports “compassionate, needle-moving work” across the country.

Homeward Bound also won recognition by CA-RISE, the state’s project to invest in mission-driven businesses as a key avenue for people to overcome barriers to employment. This investment supports our key social enterprises: The Key Room, our onsite event venue, and Wagster Treats, the premium dog treats produced in our bakery.

We track these enterprises with a double bottom line: the value of on-the-job learning for our employees and the revenue generated to support our programs. More than 90% of employees are graduates of Fresh Starts Culinary Academy, our free 11-week training program. This rigorous hands-on course trained 32 people last year, with 92% of graduates employed within 30 days.

A purpose-built teaching kitchen at Gilardi Training and Events Center provides students with a focused space for lessons and practice. Every class also spends time in the busy kitchen at The Key Room, working alongside a team that prepares 16,000 meals monthly for shelter and housing programs and menus for catered events.

Opened in June, the Gilardi Center in June offers a state-of-the-art platform to continue launching career opportunities. A high-capacity bakery for Wagster Treats, the Community Teaching Kitchen, and two smaller event spaces allow us to grow employment and community connections.

The Key Room saw activity rise by 21%, with our team hosting a total of 221 events for businesses, nonprofits and guests celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and quinceañeras. We get 5-star reviews on Yelp!

Our bakers went into high gear after ABC World News Tonight featured Wagster Treats on its December “Made in America” series! The spotlight helped boost revenue growth by 27% to $136,000 for the year, as the number of online customers rose by 540%!

Wagster also debuted a new sample-size package for dog-friendly hotels through Procure Impact. which sources socially conscious products for large businesses. Strong sales continue for more than 85 regional pet stores, including Pet Food Express and Whole Foods.

These milestones have a parallel in the personal progress powered by our social enterprises, which exist by definition to build stronger communities. Of the 45 culinary graduates engaged last year, 87% previously were unemployed and 53% were unhoused at their start. All but four now have stable housing.

As our largest shelter celebrated its 25^th birthday, a special project came together to give a fresh look to the heart of New Beginnings Center.

The two-part process in September transformed the dining room, where 80 participants enjoy meals and gather throughout the day. They added pops of color to the walls and a beautiful mural that stretches across the end of the room.

“Working with all the partners was a total joy,” says Andrea Rey, our Community Engagement Manager. “The dining room is a hub of activity all day. Kiosk and Varsity Painting worked diligently to avoid disturbing the flow.”

Planning started simultaneously with Varsity Painting, a Walnut Creek firm, and Kiosk, a Novato-based marketing and advertising agency that supports digital projects for Homeward Bound.

“Varsity Painting has done community projects throughout its 32 years in business,” says Greg Morgan, the company’s Client Success Director. They began by providing paint chips and sample colors for the doors and walls.

“Color is not right or wrong, but it has the power to change the entire feel of your space. It’s always our first step to understand the goals and know everyone is on the same page,” he says.

With the extra coats of paint needed for a color change, Morgan called in help from Whit’s Painting in Concord. The combined six-member team completed the work in a single day and set the stage for the next phase.

Kiosk convened design meetings with our staff that led to images varied in focus, color and details. When a final design emerged, they laid plans to complete the mural during a special gathering for team members from across the U.S. and Europe.

In total, 43 Kiosk employees helped prep, draw and paint. Some even spent a little extra time assembling patio furniture for our housing programs!

“We love the chance to come together to do something purposeful and fun,” says Claire Garvie, Chief Operating Officer and founder at Kiosk. “Everyone enjoyed being part of something meaningful with our longtime friends at Homeward Bound.”

As Neely Wang started building her business as a food photographer, she discovered that high-profile chefs were showing off their skills just a few minutes from her Novato home.

She attended her first evening at Fresh Starts Chef Events in 2013, an outing that led her to begin volunteering as a pro bono photographer for our programs.

“It’s such an encouraging and uplifting place to be!” Neely says.

Along with chef events, she offered help for an early website project for The Key Room event venue. Neely contributed her food styling and photo talents to capture a full day of creative, fresh dishes from our catering menu.

She also helped with a photo day for our families, which has become an annual tradition. Her endearing portraits of parents and kids became a special gift for our moms at Mother’s Day.

Despite 12 years of attending chef events, Neely says each one remains a unique experience from the menu concept to the artistry of plating. “Each chef brings their distinctive personality, stories, and cooking…no two events are ever the same,” she adds.

While she doesn’t consider herself a standout cook, her family includes a great-grandfather who opened the first Chinese restaurant in Chicago’s Chinatown and others who used cooking to gain an economic footing as immigrants. Their stories give Neely an appreciation for the hard work required.

“I love to see the transformation of the culinary students from their start to their transition into leading and teaching. It’s exciting to see them grow and become skilled employees,” she says.

At each event, Neely looks forward to enjoying dinner with whoever shares her table. She has chatted with well-known chefs in our audience as well as neighbors, local officials and graduates of our Fresh Starts Culinary Academy.

“I never know who I’ll be sitting with,” she says. “I love that it can be a mix of guests from all different backgrounds coming together.”