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Temple Bat Yahm's Food Drive Provides Nourishment

Temple Bat Yahm in Newport Beach generously donated two truckloads full of food to Friendship Shelter. We're grateful to have a stocked pantry this fall thanks to their food drive!

Facilities Manager, Eric Anderson (right), is happy to accept the donation from Jill Edwards and Joel Perlmuter of the temple.

Lowes Renovates Henderson House Read more at OC Register....

A small army of volunteers from Lowe’s Home Improvement Center descended on Henderson House two weeks ago, our transitional living program in San Clemente, armed with paint and tile and brand new appliances for the kitchens. Over the course of four days, Lowe’s employees, assisted by our staff and residents, and with the support of Denise Obrero and Leslie Davis, of the City of San Clemente Community Development Department, painted every kitchen, retiled kitchens and bathrooms , and installed new refrigerators and ranges. In addition, Lowe’s constructed a new retaining wall, made preparations for a community garden on the sloped side of the property, and installed a new barbecue at each of the two buildings that make up Henderson House. Founded in 1996, 12 men and 12 women, graduates of our shelter program in  Laguna Beach, live in shared 2-bedroom apartments for roughly one year, while they continue to receive support services, moving further along the path to more independent mainstream lives. Modest rents permit residents to save money for future housing. Last year, with a HUD grant and funding from two private donors, we implemented Project Ready! to help residents improve their employment options and develop better life skills and, as a result, all of our residents are working, those who graduate move on to much fuller lives and, in the fall, 9 of the current residents are going to school!  

Nothing helps people feel good about themselves and improve their prospects for better lives than living in clean and comfortable surroundings, and while the value of the Lowe’s contribution has been estimated at $70,000, in the end, it is truly priceless. We are most grateful to the good people of Lowe’s for their generosity and hard work on our behalf.  

Henderson House Resident's Art shown in San Clemente Read more...

Volcom and Laguna Surf Shop Donate Boardshorts

Many of our residents were outfitted in August with nearly new Volcom boardshorts – a colorful collection of surf attire that work just as well as kick around and beach shorts. Many local residents donated their gently used shorts to be recycled, in return for an opportunity to win a year’s worth of outfits. “Recycle your old boardshorts for a good cause” was made possible by Laguna Surf Shop, where the “boardies” were dropped and subsequently collected by the local Volcom representative, who arranged for them to be cleaned and prepared for use. Volcom and Surf Shop friends arrived overflowing with shorts that are as good as new. We are most grateful to David Strong and Jason Watson at Laguna Surf Shop and to William Maniaci and friends at Volcom for their generosity – our residents are thrilled to be outfitted in summer surf style.

“Throughout the country we collected over 800 recycled pairs of boardshorts through the recycle bins we set up in selected surf shops. Most of those pairs are going to children and adults in countries where surfing is on the rise but they do not have the same resources as we do.”  William Maniaci, Volcom

Welcome to our newest Board members

Dr. Gary Jenkins, a pediatrician in practice since 1978 who has served as Chief of Pediatrics at St. Joseph Hospital and as managing partner of Doctors of Kids and Teens. Gary and his wife Betsey are longstanding supporters of Friendship Shelter and members of our Key Club.

Mary McDonald, a former Human Resources Director in the hospitality industry, who has been a frequent host of Dinners Across Laguna & Beyond.

Paola Porrini-Bisson is a real estate broker with Prudential and a former public relations professional. Italian by birth, Paola recently earned U.S. citizenship and is a passionate supporter for civil and human rights. Paola and husband Richard are members of Renaissance Club and Paola served as co-chair this year for Dinners Across Laguna & Beyond.

Sandra Vetter has many years of corporate and organizational leadership experience and advanced studies in fields related to the protection of the environment. She has served on several boards and has been a weekly shopper for Friendship Shelter for over a year. She joined Renaissance Club last spring.

Josh Wolff is a business litigation attorney and past president of the Laguna Beach Business Club,. He is active with Zero Trash Laguna and Transition Laguna, and with his young family. Josh and his wife Peggy hosted a dinner this year.

New Program Committee Formed

We also welcome new Program Committee members: Dr. Ed Kaufman, a mental health and addiction specialist; Kristy Santinyer-Melita, a professional in the field of arts and humanities, with an interest in skill-based programs; Kay Ostensen, PhD, Laguna Beach guidance counselor and school psychologist; Becky Wills, RN, our volunteer health care coordinator; Bill Witte, President and Managing Partner of Related California, one of the largest developer of urban and affordable housing in the state, and a Friendship Shelter Trustee; and Board member Donna Vigil. The committee is chaired by our Associate Executive Director, Mark Miller.

Happenings at Henderson House

Board members recently toured the new office and Resource Room at our transitional living program, Henderson House, in San Clemente. Both spaces are making a great difference in the sense of community there, as residents have a place beyond their apartments to attend group meetings and workshops, and learn new skills or search for better jobs at the computer center. In our comfortable office, residents meet with case managers to review the status of their personal development plans or participate in career development counseling. Henderson House/Project Ready Manager, Rick Scott, reports an 87% success rate thus far this year, meaning that graduates are able to move on to more permanent housing with sustained employment, sobriety and a sense of empowerment for their own future. We welcome Community Supervisor Liza Kuney who brings to us years of experience as counselor and activities coordinator at the college level.

Pavillions Presents Hero Award

Many thanks to long-time volunteer Sarah Burt and her colleagues at Von’s regional office for presenting the Safeway Community Hero Award, which came with a gift of $1000 and a beautiful cake prepared by Pavillion’s bakery, which was enjoyed by our residents. Thank you!

In the Good Hands of Allstate

A large group of Allstate Insurance Company professionals, dressed in fresh white company T-shirts and caps, gave up their free afternoon at a conference at the St. Regis, Monarch Bay in September to landscape a good portion of our property, paint three bedrooms, prepared 200 bag lunches [a week’s worth] and baked cookies for our residents. Workers arrived by bus filled with philanthropic spirit and good cheer, accompanied by the company’s CFO, Thomas Wilson who also rolled up his sleeves to dig in the dirt. With oversight and assistance from Ruben Flores and friends at Laguna Nursery, our debilitated side yards are blooming again, and the lovely palm trees that once adorned the front of the property have been re-instated. The Foundation also provided a generous financial gift. Many thanks to the many helping hands at Allstate.

On the Path to Advanced Awareness

Our residents are participating in workshops that help them better understand that they are responsible for their own happiness. Facilitated pro bono by Dr. Veeder South, president of Advanced Awareness, they are learning to develop a positive and healthy relationship with themselves as the path to developing healthy relationships with others. It seems to be working – residents all report a greater sense of self and applaud the workshops as an important component of their own personal development

According to Dr. South, the Path of Advanced Awareness is a lifelong process of awakening to a deeper self that exists within each of us, beyond the ego. It is about learning to live in the present moment, with complete awareness of what is happening around you. This is of particular importance to those who are rebuilding their lives, because they often feel disenfranchised, victims of others and circumstance. They are learning to trust that all processes in life, especially relationships, unfold naturally, and that it is imperative to be patient and accept whatever happens in the moment, without judgment, and without ego, before they respond or react. They are also learning to become conscious of themselves, the world around them and their place in it in a positive way, offering an opportunity for empowerment as they move forward in their own recovery process.

Dr. South holds a PhD in Energy and Kinetics from UCLA and founded Advanced Awareness in 2007. His mission is to help people develop personal happiness and meaning in life through the practical application of Eastern philosophy and Western psychology.

It takes a village to build a bathroom

A generous team of businesses recently created a new dormitory-style bathroom for male residents at our shelter in Laguna Beach. This project was one of several upgrades to the facility in recent years, designed to create a healing atmosphere for the formerly homeless residents who live here for roughly 90 days as they work, save money and engage in personal development to move past the causes of homelessness. No one can even begin the rehabilitation process unless they feel that their lives are worthy of rebuilding, and where they reside is an important component of that process.

At a ribbon cutting in August, members of all the businesses involved attended, and everyone there genuinely felt a sense of accomplishment beyond what they experience when they build even an elegant residence or unique commercial property. And this is an auspicious group: Laing Luxury Homes provided project management pro bono, plus supplementary cash funding of over $18,000. Architect Marshall Ininns, a member of our board of directors, provided extensive design services and secured regulatory approvals. Kohler and Rohl provided fixtures, AB&R Plumbing provided additional plumbing upgrades, and Caesarstone installed countertops. Laguna Capri Inn patiently allowed use of their adjacent parking lot for construction activities. The project was partially funded by a Community Development Block Grant from the county.

During three months of construction, 31 residents and 14 staff members shared four small older bathrooms on the women’s floor of our 2-story building. Showing remarkable good humor and sense of community, residents worked out an organized system and kept things manageable, even during the hectic morning hours when preparing to leave for work. The project clearly reflected the collaborative culture that has been integral to successful rehabilitation here.

A similar project is planned for the women’s floor in the next few months, thanks to our philanthropic friends.

Ready! Program Launch

July marked the launch of our new Project Ready! [Relapse prevention Employment development Affordable housing Determined by You!] to help equip our residents for long- term success in the mainstream community. Rick Scott of Laguna Beach is the new Ready Manager with the support of our program staff both at Friendship Shelter and Henderson House apartments. The program will help residents develop skills and find satisfying work to sustain them financially over time. We are also establishing an alumni network for mutual support and inspiration. Start-up funding has been provided by a HUD grant and two generous donors.

Master Development Corporation Principals Open Doors for Homeless.

The principals of Master Development Corporation, Bruce McDonald and Bryan Bentrott, as owners of MDC Las Palmas, have arranged for Friendship Shelter to utilize the warehouse portion of the marketing office for storage. The organization will be able to accept needed donations of  home furnishings and accessories for Henderson House residents and to provide graduates with some of the more expensive essentials when they move on to permanent housing.

In addition, options are being explored to permit residents to store their most precious belongings, which often create a further financial burden to store while pursuing opportunities for permanent housing. Due to current space limitations at Friendship Shelter and Henderson House, where 4 – 5 residents share an apartment, only the bare minimum of possessions can be stored on the premises.

“MDC was introduced to Friendship Shelter by Laguna Beach residents Bruce and Mary McDonald, long-time supporters, who recognized the benefits of a self-help, accountability-driven organization within their community,” said Bryan Bentrott.

For more about the Las Palmas storage facility, go to www.masterdevelopment.com

"Shelter Me" Musical CD for Friendship Shelter

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