HOMEWARD BOUND OF MARIN

Jonathan's Place held its grand opening in August as our new site for year-round shelter services for adults. Homeward Bound has operated a shelter at the site since 1986. The new program offers a modern, efficient shelter for 40+ adults with support from round-the-clock staff who offer compassionate case management and other housing-focused services, meals, access to laundry and computer stations. The new building offers an additional 32 units of permanent supportive housing on two upper floors to fulfill dreams of home for adults who have endured lengthy episodes without housing stability. Tenants will pay affordable rents for single-room units with each floor sharing a kitchen, community room and restrooms. Partners from the county's Behavioral Health & Recovery Services also will have office hours onsite to support participants in this program.

Family Center, founded in 1974, offers nine rooms for homeless families as the county's only year-round emergency shelter for families. The site includes two kitchens, a shared playroom and living rooms, a communal dining area and backyard as well as homework/computer learning area. On-site staff members support families as they regain stability by helping them access childcare, seek job and housing options, evaluate education pathways, and build resilience for the future. Homeward Bound also operates seven supportive housing programs for parents and children, serving a total of 252 people in families last year. During the pandemic, we received state funding to expand services to 10 more families using housing vouchers paired with case management. Our staff provides wraparound support for participants as they work through housing applications and pursue other goals.

New Beginnings Center offers 80 beds for men and women in a housing-focused shelter program. Services include counseling, workshops on "life skills" like credit repair or budgeting, access to job training in our Fresh Starts Culinary Academy or through apprenticeship with our building maintenance team. The program includes 12 beds reserved for veterans in a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

This job-training program for homeless or low-income adults is certified by the American Culinary Federation. The intensive 10-week training program includes work in Homeward Bound kitchens to help students build skills for employment in the busy culinary sector. Students also receive training in "life skills" like teamwork and conflict resolution as well as financial management.
As the pandemic waned, the training program reopened to new students. Recent graduates found wages on the rise for skilled kitchen positions, receiving an average starting wage of $21.82 per hour, up 18% from the previous year. The Jacques Pépin Foundation honored an April graduate, Sarah Wolf, with the 2022 Gloria Pépin Memorial Grant of $5,000 to continue her culinary studies. Sarah, who hopes to work in a community-serving kitchen, was chosen among female graduates from all programs supported by the foundation.

Housed in a historic former hotel, the Voyager Carmel Center provides a home for 36 adults struggling with mental illness, with 10 rooms reserved for emergency shelter services and 26 rooms for long-term supportive housing. Services include 24-hour staff, community activities like art workshops and barbecues, and support to enhance individual strengths.

Oma Village offers permanent supportive housing for 14 families who have experienced homelessness. Opened in 2017, this community provides modern, energy-efficient apartments arranged around a central courtyard with access to a shared community room and playground. Onsite staff supports residents as needed as they rebuild their independence and put down roots in the community. As the pandemic waned, community activities have returned in person, including regular art workshops and a back-to-school barbecue.

This program for 12 formerly homeless seniors occupies a former convent refurbished to offer permanent supportive housing with individual bedrooms plus shared dining room, living room, laundry, kitchen and backyard. Onsite staff supports residents as needed to maintain their stability and independence with referrals to transportation assistance, medical services or other community programs. Opened in 2018, this program has built strong partnerships with local supporters who offer activities like trishaw rides (Cycling Without Age), art workshops and yoga.

In May, Homeward Bound of Marin celebrated the opening of a new permanent supportive housing program for 18 adults who have experienced chronic homelessness. The program that occupies a former motel was the first in Marin County opened with support from the state's Project Homekey. Tenants in this program pay affordable rents for studio apartments, while onsite staff provides support to build resilience and thrive in our community. Homeward Bound delivers a nightly meal.