Master Outline

Our Model WHY WE'RE DIFFERENT We believe that to effectively address homelessness we need compassionate and innovative leadership, paired with collaboration among social service agencies, government agencies, individual communities, and the private sector. By educating individuals we can change perceptions of the homeless and low-income people living in our communities. As one of our Team Members has said, what we’re doing is a “win-win-win” scenario: the Team Member wins, the environment wins and the community wins - it doesn’t get much better than that. Through our Award-Winning Work-First Model, we provide homeless and low-income men and women with the resources they need to rebuild their lives. First, they volunteer on one of our teams and begin working collaboratively on beautification projects. In return, they receive a stipend in gift cards to help cover their basic needs, while taking advantage of our case management and employment services to find housing and a job. Our ultimate goal is to find our Team Members employment because having a job restores hope and opens the door to countless opportunities. Our model is structured to be a one-year transitional program into permanent housing and employment. In short, our vision is to end homelessness by restoring the dignity and rebuilding the lives of unhoused men and women. Through volunteering on one of our teams, men and women are prepared for permanent employment and housing. WHO ARE OUR TEAM MEMBERS? All of our Team Members are volunteers who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. They hear about our program via word of mouth from peers and from seeing our current Team Members volunteering in our neighborhoods. We also do outreach in all of our communities. THE ROLE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS Once on our team, Team Members volunteer in the community by working on beautification projects such as, lining soccer fields, sweeping up streets, removing and preventing graffiti, picking fruit from local gardens to serve to low-income families, and collecting debris and garbage in encampments and neighborhoods. In return, they earn a stipend in gift cards to help cover their basic needs (food, clothing and shelter) while they take advantage of our case management and employment services to find housing and a job.

HOW DOES SOMEONE BECOME A TEAM MEMBER?

1. JOIN THE TEAM Prospective volunteers, aka Team Members, demonstrate their commitment to join one of our teams by attending weekly meetings, which are held at the same time and place each week in four different cities: Palo Alto, San Jose, San Rafael and Sunnyvale. At their first meeting they join the wait list of other prospective volunteers and continue to attend the weekly meetings to maintain their spot on the wait list. This process allows them to learn about the program and meet current Team Members. Their commitment to attending the meetings shows that they are committed to changing their lives.
2. WORK EXPERIENCE Once on the team, Team Members volunteer up to 20 hours per week in exchange for basic needs stipends and case management services. Stipends are given to Team Members in the form of gift cards, or can be applied towards a basic needs bill (i.e. rent, utilities, storage). The stipend is designed to make sure Team Members can meet their basic needs, enabling them to continue with the team until they become housed and/or permanently employed. Giving back to the community through volunteering helps rebuild intrinsic motivation for change and creates a pro-work support system. The majority of our Team Members have been unemployed for years; the work experience helps them get back into a work routine.
3. SELF-SUFFICIENCY We provide the resources to help our Team Members build a foundation for self-sufficiency. As they work with our case managers and employment specialists, they learn to overcome various barriers and build the necessary skills to help remain financially stable after graduating from from one of our teams. GRADUATION It's a celebration when our Team Members gain employment and graduate! But the journey doesn't end when they become housed and employed. Through our Retention Program we keep in touch to ensure long-term success. You can be a part of our retention program by volunteering at our Call-O-Rama. Graduates are always welcome at our Team Meetings.

Our Impact PERMANENT: IT'S A GOOD WORD. We want our Team Members to find employment and housing. That's the bottom line. But we want them to keep it, too. Which is why we only count Team Members who are "permanently" employed and housed. When a Team Member has been employed or housed for three or more months, it's counted as permanent.

PALO ALTO Since our model took off in Palo Alto, downtown has witnessed significant improvements. 50% REDUCTION IN CRIME 75% REDUCTION IN PANHANDLING 54% REDUCTION IN HOMELESSNESS

SAN RAFAEL: OUTREACH THAT WORKS We pride ourselves on the sense of community we build among Team Members. One of the strongest indicators of our success with this is the extent to which Team Members recruit their peers to join the community. For the first time in DST's history, we have begun to map this outreach process from the inception of a team. Well over half of our San Rafael Team Members were referred by someone else on the team, and we are reaching the point where those word-of-mouth referrals are now bringing in new people themselves. BEAUTIFYING THE ENVIRONMENT AND CHANGING LIVES Not only are we empowering individuals to get back on their feet and back to work, we're cleaning up our communities, creeks and downtown streets along the way. As one of our Team Members said, what we're doing is a "win-win-win" scenario: the Team Member wins, the environment wins and the community wins - it doesn't get much better than that. OUR WORK IN HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS Homeless encampments are becoming well known across the nation and especially the Bay Area, since we have one of the largest. Nestled deep within bushes, trees and tall grass along San Jose's creeks, over 100 homeless individuals call these places home (according to the most recent Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey). Five times every week, our San Jose Team Members get to work cleaning up the mounds of garbage and abandoned household items that litter the creek bed and nature trails. On average, the Team removes over 200 bags a day! Through peer-to-peer outreach, our Team Members have successfully recruited over 40 residents to join our San Jose Streets Team. In just two years, our San Jose Streets Team collected 4,000 cubic yards or 26 semi-truck trailers of trash from one of their project areas - 10x our original goal.

CIGARETTE BUTTS OR BUST! Our San Rafael Team partnered with Saint Vincent's and San Rafael Clean to collect 100,000 cigarette butts from the streets of San Rafael. They will be terracycled the cigarettes into plastic pellets, which can be made into park benches, shipping pallets and railroad ties. Our San Rafael Team did such a great job on the combined effort that they were approached by the terracycling company to start their own project.

SEE OUR TEAM IN ACTION

ENCAMPMENTS VIDEO

SEE IT AND HEAR IT FOR YOURSELF What is it like to work for one of our teams? How are we helping people reach their goals? How is the environment benefiting? See it and hear it for yourself by watching any one of our videos. Or just watch them all! We won't stop you.

TAKING CARE OF HOME Kyle McLorg, a journalism student, created this video about Peter, a San Rafael Team Member. Kyle shadowed Peter over one day.

MICHAEL'S TED TALK AT TEDx BYU Michael talks about growing up in the Bay Area, how his mistakes led to homelessness and why he's proof that miracles exist. OUR WORK IN ENCAMPMENTS Take a closer look at our San Jose Team's work in homeless encampments, including the largest homeless encampment in the Bay Area, our model and our impact on the environment. OUR ROCK STAR Michael's journey to recovery from the streets is simply inspirational. The transformation and changes we've seen in him are exactly why we know our Team Members will be successful. MICHAEL'S LEGACY AWARD Our Operations Manager, Michael, received the Junior League of San Jose's Living Your Legacy Award/Crystal Bowl for outstanding voluntarism. LOVELY'S STORY Get to know Lovely, a member of our San Rafael Team. Through her struggles and hardships, she is persevering. This video was created by international students attending San Jose State who were interested in learning more about our model. Take the time to learn more about their company, G5film: Facebook Page and Email. MICRO DOCUMENTARIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PEERY FOUNDATION We would like to thank the Peery Foundation for producing these three short documentaries about our teams and Micro-Documentaries creating for them. CHIEF BURNS OF PALO ALTO We work closely with the Palo Alto Police Department, especially Chief Burns. Hear what he has to say about our program and its impact on downtown Palo Alto. FAITH BELL'S APPRECIATION Downtown Palo Alto business owner, Faith Bell, has become a great supporter of ours over the years. Hear what she has to say about the impact our Team Members are making in Palo Alto, the city we were founded.

AWARDS 2014: CreaTV San Jose "Nonprofit Short" Award Our “We’ll Lift You Up” short video, filmed from the perspective of our Team Members and produced in-house with the help of three talented students from the United Kingdom, New York City and San Jose, shows the positive and life-changing impact our staff and program model has made on the lives of the homeless men and women we serve. 2013: MetLife Foundation Community-Police Partnership Award This award recognizes our impactful partnership with the Palo Alto Police Department and the meaningful difference we are making in downtown. 2013: 100,000 Homes National Campaign Recognizes our outstanding efforts to end homelessness by 2015 as part of a President Obama's Nationwide Campaign: 100,000 Homes. 2013: Rotary Foundation of Rotary International - Paul Harris Fellow Executive Director Eileen Richardson received this recognition on behalf of Rotary Club of San Jose for her work in the community. 2013: Silicon Valley Business Journal's Women of Influence Executive Director Eileen Richardson was selected as one of the Silicon Valley Business Journal's 2013 Women of Influence. Winners are featured in a special supplement of the Business Journal that will be released in Spring of 2013. Click here to read the article. 2013: Junior League of San Jose Crystal Bowl Winner The Junior League of San Jose selected Operations Supervisor Michael Davis as a Crystal Bowl Winner for outstanding voluntarism. Michael was publicly recognized at the Junior League's Volunteer Recognition Luncheon in April 2013. Watch the video featuring Michael and our Executive Director Eileen. 2012: San Jose District 3 Community Honoree (Council Member Sam Liccardo) In February of 2012, Downtown Streets Team was honored by San Jose Council Member Sam Liccardo (District 3) as his community honoree. The presentation -- which took place prior to the Mayor's State of the City Address -- recognized the work we're doing to combat the issues surrounding homelessness in San Jose. 2011: Junior League of San Jose Silver Bowl Recipient Director of Client Services, Chad Bojorquez, received this award for his outstanding volunteerism in his community. He was selected among all Crystal Bowl winners to receive the "Volunteer At Its Best" award (Silver Bowl). 2010: Tall Tree Award for Outstanding Nonprofit in Palo Alto We are a recipient of the 2010 Tall Tree Award for Outstanding non-profit in Palo Alto. Former recipients include the Children’s Health Council and the Palo Alto Housing Corporation. Click here to read more. 2009: Harvard University Kennedy School's Ash Institute "Top 50 Innovations" In 2009 the Downtown Streets Team was invited to apply for funding from Harvard University through the Kennedy School's Ash Center. Competing against thousands of other non-profits, governments and companies, we won top-50 honors for Innovations in Government along with organizations like the State of California and the US Army. With the funding we will continue transforming our innovative model to fit the pressing needs of our clients. Click here to read more. 2007: City of Palo Alto Community Star Award Executive Director Eileen Richardson received this award for her valuable contribution to the Palo Alto community and advancement of Community Service Department goals: Arts and Sciences; Human Services and Cubberley Community Center; Open Space and Parks and Recreation and Golf.

COMMENDATIONS 2013: Commendation From San Jose City Councilmember Xavier Campos Our San Jose Team received a Commendation from San Jose City Councilmember Campos and Mayor Chuck Reed for the team's outstanding work in the Mayfair neighborhood. The team cleans up debris and removes and helps prevent graffiti. This is the second Commendation our San Jose Team has received from the City of San Jose. The first was for our work in Coyote Creek (The Jungle). 2012: Commendation from San Jose City Councilmember Sam Liccardo Our San Jose Team received a commendation from San Jose City Councilmember Sam Liccardo and Mayor Chuck Reed for removing over 4,000 cubic yards (and counting) of trash from Coyote Creek, also known as The Jungle, where the Bay Area's largest homeless encampment resides. The team far exceeded the city's expectations by collecting 10x more than their contract listed. 2006: Commendation from Palo Alto Police Department Two of our Palo Alto Team Members, Pierre and Ruben, received this commendation from Lieutenant Susan Brown (aka "Downtown Brown") for assisting her in the arrest of a flasher loose near Palo Alto High School. Having worked closely with the PAPD, our Team Members offered to help Liet. Brown while she was waiting for back-up. Our Team Members ran after the flasher and successfully held him until she could arrive with handcuffs. HOMELESSNESS IS MIND-BOGGLING There are many mind-boggling facts about homelessness, especially in Santa Clara County, the place we were founded and where the income divide is so apparent. Santa Clara County lies at the heart of the Silicon Valley, one of the most expensive places to live and also one of the wealthiest in the world. Yet, there are thousands of people who are homeless and many more living in poverty. CHANGING PERCEPTIONS Ultimately, our goal is to change perceptions about the people who experience homelessness. The truth is anyone can become homeless at any time. Homelessness is a complex issue, so understandably questions revolving around the issue don't always have simple answers. One of the best things you can do to help change perceptions is to eradicate false assumptions. Every day we do our best to answer questions, and you can too, by sharing the information you learn here. Take a moment to learn a little bit more about why we're doing what we're doing. Let's keep the conversation going. Why does someone become homeless? We know from talking with our Team Members and hearing their stories that there are many reasons someone can become homeless: A disastrous, traumatic event took place in their life, like losing a close friend or loved one; losing their job; not being able to pay for needed healthcare; or their criminal background got in the way of finding a job. 40% of people surveyed cited loss of job as their cause of homelessness, according to the Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey. Whatever the reasons, we believe in second, third and tenth chances. People do change. We witness it every single day.

How many people are homeless? These numbers are taken from the 2013 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress. United States • 610,042 homeless total • 57,849 homeless veterans California • 136,826 homeless total --> 1/4 children (23%) • 22% of the United State's homeless population • 15,179 homeless veterans Santa Clara County • 19,063 homeless total --> 1/3 children • 7,631 homeless on any given night in San Jose • 2,804 veterans

Why do they need a phone? Think about this for a moment: You don't have anywhere to sleep, you need a job, you need to contact your family, you need to make an appointment with the doctor…how will you do this without a phone? Just like with any of us, their phone is their lifeline and it's the key to getting off the streets.

Why don’t they just get a job? We get this question quite a bit. There are many factors. One, they may have a criminal background that makes it difficult to get interviews, no matter how qualified they may be. They may not have resources to get to an interview or even apply to jobs. And unless they are fortunate to have access to a washer and shower, their appearance may not be interview-ready. By the Numbers: Barriers to Employment(according to the Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey) • 34% cited no transportation • 32% cited they have a need for education and training • 28% cited lack of phone • 18% cited drug/alcohol issues

Should I give them money? You can, but it's a temporary fix. Instead, hand them one of our cards or provide them with an address to a shelter or other resource. DST staff keeps general cards in our cars and we pass them out to people we see on the streets who are looking for help.

Why don’t they sleep in a shelter? This seems like the obvious solution, unfortunately it's not that simple. Shelters can be difficult to get into because usually they require paperwork and all parties must comply with the program, which doesn't always fit their needs. One example is usually dogs or pets of any kind are not allowed. We can't blame someone for turning down a shelter if their best friend, and possibly only family, isn't allowed to come with them. Other reasons: there are not enough beds; there are more men's shelters than women's; they don't always know where to find the closest shelter. Even if they do find out where it's located they have to think about whether they have the energy or the means to make the trek there. Spend money on the bus versus eating? These are the choices they make daily. By the Numbers: Nightly Shelter Beds VS. Actual Population (according to the Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey) • 26% are sheltered VS. 74% are unsheltered • There are 10, 495 beds available in Santa Clara County, while the homeless population is over 19,000.

Why don’t they sleep in shelters? People who are homeless are constantly aware of two things: a) their health and b) their safety. Buses are warm during cold seasons and cool during hot seasons. Getting sick while homeless is bad news, especially if a doctor's appointment isn't in the cards. Buses are also safe and if they can manage to find a long bus line they can get a good hour or two of sleep, a necessity that's difficult to come by when safety is top priority.

Our Communities

PALO ALTO TEAM OUR ROOTS Downtown Streets Team was founded in 2005 by the Palo Alto Business Improvement District as the solution to the two major concerns that were plaguing the downtown area: panhandling and trash accumulation. Once the issues were identified, a work-first model was developed, in which the unhoused men and women in the community can volunteer up to 20 hours per week in exchange for case management and employment services. Thus, Downtown Streets Team was born. OUR PALO ALTO TEAM Our Palo Alto Team operates in downtown Palo Alto 14 hours a day, 7 days a week. The team reaches out to the homeless living in our focus areas along with carrying out a variety of jobs, including: • Security and cleaning of parking garages • Cleaning and lining soccer fields • Sweeping downtown streets • Peer-to-peer outreach Our first logo had the words "Palo Alto," as seen on our Yellow Shirt HEAR IT FROM THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE Faith Bell, a local business owner, and Chief Dennis Burns of the Palo Alto Police Department, are featured in the following testimonial videos. We want to thank them for taking the time to share with everyone how our program is making a difference in Palo Alto. These videos were created by Micro-Documentaries and made possible by The Peery Foundation. View more videos like these on our Video page.

VISIT US TO LEARN MORE: ALL ARE WELCOME To join our team, prospective volunteers must attend our Weekly Success Team Meetings every Thursday. Once a space opens, they are invited to accept the shift and join the team. Meetings are open to anyone interested in joining the team or learning more about our model. If you are part of an organization or business feel free to arrange a date ahead of time by contacting Marianna at [email protected] WEEKLY SUCCESS TEAM MEETINGS Thursdays at 1:00 p.m. All Saints Episcopal Church 555 Waverley Street Palo Alto, CA 94301 SAN JOSE TEAM

CLEAN CREEKS, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES In July of 2011, we expanded our model to the Capital of the Silicon Valley: San Jose. Spearheaded by San Jose Councilmember Sam Liccardo and in collaboration with United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), San Jose Environmental Services Department, Destination: Home, eBay Foundation, and Santa Clara Valley Water District, the goal was to use our model to clean up a badly impaired portion of Coyote Creek and also reach out to over 100 people living there in encampments. The project is called Clean Creeks, Healthy Communities and has been a huge success. In just one year, our San Jose Team exceeded our year-long objectives 10X over. GETTING NOTICED IN SAN JOSE Our Team Members' hard work cleaning up Coyote Creek is getting noticed. In 2013, our San Jose Team received a Commendation from Mayor Chuck Reed and Councilmember Sam Liccardo for far exceeding expectations regarding creek clean-up, outreach, and environmental impact. In February 2013, the San Jose Team will receive a second commendation from Councilmember Xavier Campos for the team's outstanding work in cleaning up the Mayfair neighborhood and District 5. KEEPING SAN JOSE CLEAN, SAFE AND VIBRANT Our San Jose Team also works in the three most blighted neighborhoods in San Jose, as determined by the city: Five Wounds/Brookwood Terrace, Mayfair, and Santee. In these neighborhoods our Team Members remove debris, roadside waste, and graffiti. They also help prevent graffiti by placing plastic covers on road signs. Volunteer with our Team Members and help keep these neighborhoods clean. COMMUNITY PROJECTS Our San Jose Team loves community projects like gardening and poverty simulations. If you or your organization is interested in kicking off a community project that will engage our Team Members with the surrounding community, please contact Marianna at streetsteam.org.

OUR WORK WITH HOUSING 1000 Together with Destination: Home, we are proud to be a part of the local Housing 1000, where we are working to house the most vulnerable homeless men and women in Santa Clara County.

VISIT US TO LEARN MORE: ALL ARE WELCOME To join our team, prospective volunteers must attend our Weekly Success Team Meetings every Wednesday. Once a space opens, they are invited to accept the shift and join the team. Meetings are open to anyone interested in joining the team or learning more about our model. If you are part of an organization or business feel free to arrange a date ahead of time by contacting Marianna at [email protected] WEEKLY SUCCESS TEAM MEETINGS Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m., Grace Community Center 484 East San Fernando San Jose, CA 95112 SAN RAFAEL TEAM

TAKING SAN RAFAEL BY STORM Our San Rafael Team launched in September 2013, and by November, the team had exceeded or nearly met all of its goals set with the city to be accomplished in one-year's time. Talk about success! Currently over 1/3 of the homeless population in San Rafael, as determined by the last Point-in-Time Count, has attended one of the Team's Weekly Success Team Meetings. Connect with our San Rafael Team and contact Andrew: [email protected]. Designate your donation: on the "Review Donation," screen, click on "Is your donation for a specific purpose?" and type San Rafael. OUR TEAM TOGETHER WITH LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS On average, our San Rafael Team volunteers 400 hours per week, Monday-Friday, working in one of four distinct work zones covering everything from the Transit Center to the library. Not only are Team Members picking up trash and beautifying downtown San Rafael, our Team Leads engage with the business community on a daily basis. By checking in with local merchants, our Team Members are able to attend to specific clean-up concerns, perform outreach to prospective Team Members, and discourage loitering, panhandling, and disorderly conduct. In addition to regular work crews, three Elite Team Members help with outreach, tool inventory, and terracycling the cigarette butts collected (learn more about this project).

LOVELY Most of our Team Members find out about us through peer-to-peer outreach. In the case of San Rafael, many of our Team Members have been recruited by one Team Member, Lovely. Watch her video created by three San Jose State International Students who were interested in learning more about our model. Take the time to learn more about their company, G5film: Facebook Page and Email.

BEYOND CLEANING UP DOWNTOWN Our team has other projects in the works. Check out what else our San Rafael Team is up to: • We have successfully averaged between 25 and 30 active Team Members the past four months, which is 250% more program participation than originally envisioned by the City of San Rafael. • Working with the City of San Rafael's Sustainability Department on a possible organic food cart at the San Rafael Transit Center. • A set-up and clean-up contract with the San Rafael Downtown Farmers Market will begin spring 2014. • Involved with San Rafael's Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Group • The Team is also part of the County of Marin's Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Selection Panel.

BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL During the first months of operation, we launched a Business Advisory Council (members of council are listed below) comprised of local leaders who can help us maximize our impact and engagement in downtown. • Carol Thompson, Director, Business Improvement District • Andre Sisneros, Co-Owner, Gamescape / President, Business Improvement District • Rich Goldstein, Owner, Copy Shop • Bob Heinen, Owner and Publisher, Pacific Sun • Ian Anderson, Esq., Burroughs & Froneberger • Joanne Webster, Director of Marketing and Community Promotion, San Rafael, Chamber / Former Owner, Double Rainbow • Ashley Applegarth, Assistant Customer Service Manager, Westamerica Bank • Linda Russel, Founder and CEO, Mugsyclicks • Joan Capurro, Former Branch Manager, Bank of Marin

VISIT US TO LEARN MORE: ALL ARE WELCOME To join our team, prospective volunteers must attend our Weekly Success Team Meetings every Wednesday. Once a space opens, they are invited to accept the shift and join the team. Meetings are open to anyone interested in joining the team or learning more about our model. If you are part of an organization or business feel free to arrange a date ahead of time by contacting Andrew at [email protected] WEEKLY SUCCESS TEAM MEETINGS Mondays at 2PM St. Vincent’s Dining Hall 820 B Street San Rafael, CA 94901

SUNNYVALE TEAM

WORKING TOGETHER In July 2012, we expanded our model to Sunnyvale where community leaders were concerned not only about the appearance of their city but also about the well-being of the homeless who were living there. With new funding, in partnership with Sunnyvale Community Services, we began to reduce blight in Sunnyvale and work with members of the homeless community on finding permanent employment and housing.

GROUND ZERO Our Sunnyvale Team works in an area called Ground Zero for Homelessness as part of the Neighborhood Enhancement Action Team (NEAT) Contract. The team carries out their jobs in three locations: Fair Oaks Park, Sunnyvale Armory, and the surrounding neighborhoods where they: • Sweep streets • Report gang activity and tagging • Remove graffiti • Perform peer-to-peer outreach at Fair Oaks Park, Sunnyvale Armory, and Sunnyvale Public Library

RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Our Sunnyvale Team also works alongside the Housing Division and Abode Services to administer Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) subsidies. TBRAs are designed for homeless individuals who will be able to pay their rent after taking part in case management and employment services for two years. VISIT US TO LEARN MORE: ALL ARE WELCOME To join our team, prospective volunteers must attend our Weekly Success Team Meetings every Tuesday. Once a space opens, they are invited to accept the shift and join the team. Meetings are open to anyone interested in joining the team or learning more about our model. If you are part of an organization or business feel free to arrange a date ahead of time by contacting Marianna at [email protected] WEEKLY SUCCESS TEAM MEETINGS Tuesdays at 12:30PM Trinity Church in Sunnyvale 477 North Mathilda Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94085 DOWNTOWN FOOD CLOSET

HISTORY In 1976 Patsy McAfee, a long-time All Saints parishioner, was working at Ecumenical Hunger Program in East Palo Alto when she was approached by the Reverend Jim McLeod, pastor of All Saints Episcopal Church, about starting a food program. There had been many requests for food and shelter from needy people who were living on the streets. Patsy contacted five churches in the downtown Palo Alto area and they agreed to join in with All Saints to sponsor this program. It was opened on All Saints Day in 1976. In those first months they served about 20 people a week. The area designated by All Saints was truly a closet with two rooms and a very dark hall. The entrance was on Waverly Street. In 1995 a new addition was added to the church grounds and the Downtown Food Closet moved into new quarters around the corner at 425 Hamilton Avenue. It now serves between 60 and 80 people per day with approximately 75 volunteers working 2-hour shift under the supervision of five volunteer managers.

DONATE FOOD AND NECESSITIES Many faith groups and secular organizations contribute to the growth of the closet through in-kind donations. To make a donation contact Zia MacWilliams at [email protected]

FROM COSTCO • Ziploc baggies • Paper towels • Dixie Cups (pink flowers) SMART AND FINAL • Produce bags for veggies • Cases of mayonnaise 1 oz. packets (Brand: First Street) • Eggs (buy in bulk - case size) ORCHARD SUPPLY • Compostable trash bags - 33 gallon

LOCATION AND HOURS Monday-Friday - 10AM to 2:30PM 425 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301 Be Involved

Volunteer GET M.A.D. ABOUT HOMELESSNESS Join us and Make A Difference about homelessness - or in other words, get M.A.D.! Our goal isn't to start a riot but instead get people riled up by volunteering and spreading the word about the realities surrounding homelessness. Volunteering with us provides an opportunity to learn and do some good in the community. Plus our Team Members love to help change perceptions. Spending time with our Team Members while beautifying our communities is a win-win for everyone. NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN-UP If you prefer working with your hands outdoors, side-by-side with our Team Members, while cleaning up the community you'll love Neighborhood Clean-Up.

Three Saturdays of the month, our San Jose Team cleans up three of the most blighted neighborhoods in the city of San Jose. Their activities include clearing debris and graffiti removal and prevention, among various other tasks. SCHEDULE A TIME To schedule a time to volunteer for a Neighborhood Clean-Up please contact Brandon, Project Manager, at [email protected]. SANTEE NEIGHBORHOOD JOIN US AT 8:30AM EVERY 1ST SATURDAY Santee Community Center 1535 Santee Drive San Jose, CA 95122 FIVE WOUNDS/BROOKWOOD TERRACE NEIGHBORHOOD JOIN US AT 8:30AM EVERY 2ND SATURDAY McKinley Community Center 651 Marcrades Avenue San Jose, CA 95116 MAYFAIR NEIGHBORHOOD JOIN US AT 9AM EVERY 3RD SATURDAY Mayfair Community Center 2039 Kammerer Avenue San Jose, CA 95116

About Us A QUICK HISTORY Since its inception in 2005, Downtown Streets Team has grown exponentially. We sprouted from humble beginnings as part of a goal to reduce panhandling and homelessness in Palo Alto and have since began to grow deep roots throughout the Bay Area. In the beginning, Downtown Streets Team was run out of the Business Improvement District (BID). Eileen Richardson, our Executive Director, took the lead in 2005 when Downtown Streets Team broke away from the BID and became a certified 501 (c)(3) nonprofit. She was the only employee until her son joined nearly one year later as the Director of Operations. From there we grew quickly - jump-starting our next team in San Jose in 2011 and Sunnyvale in 2012, and in the summer of 2013 we launched our fourth team in San Rafael. Eileen Richardson began with one employee (herself) and now oversees a company of over 40 employees – a number that continues to grow. With Teams in five bay area cities and two satellite locations in Daytona, Florida and another in Gilroy, California, we're cleaning up neighborhoods all over the Bay Area, while restoring hope for those who are unhoused and seeking employment. Our goal is to end homelessness in our lifetime by putting people back to work and restoring the hope they have lost. OUR LOGO "Our logo will never change," are words often spoken by our Executive Director Eileen Richardson. It was designed by Susan Hemmingway, one of the great minds behind our model. Susan passed away from cancer soon after Eileen took over as Executive Director. Her memory will live on forever through our logo. MISSION STATEMENT Downtown Streets Team is ending homelessness by restoring the dignity and rebuilding the lives of unhoused men and women. Serving the community through work teams prepares members for permanent employment and housing.

Eileen Richardson | Executive Director To get in touch with Eileen, please contact her Senior Executive Assistant, Shin:[email protected]

OUR TEAM LEADS

Chris Richardson | Regional Director of Silicon Valley

Elfreda Strydom | Chief Administrative Officer

Chad Bojorquez | Associate Director of Employment

Andrew Hening | Regional Director of Marin County

Tashia Owens | Lead Case Manager

Jessica Orozco | Associate Director of Services

Stephanie Leven | Manager of Impact and Strategic Initiatives

OUR AWESOME STAFF Executive Assistants Shin Schwartz | Senior Executive Assistant to Eileen Richardson: [email protected] Robyn Peterson | Executive Assistant to Elfreda Strydom: [email protected] Accounting Jimmy Nguyen | Staff Accountant: [email protected] Tennille Frye| Accountant: [email protected] Administrative Shannon Brown | Administrative Assistant [email protected] Pam Rodriguez | Office Receptionist: [email protected] Communications Marianna Moles | Communications & Outreach Specialist: [email protected] Business Outreach Brock Burrell | Business Outreach Specialist: [email protected] Case Managers Angelique Villegas Diaz | Place-Based Case Manager: [email protected] Anita Miles| Place-Based Case Manager: [email protected] Cliff Navales | Senior Case Manager: [email protected] Jaclyn Epter | San Rafael Case Manager: [email protected] Julia Lang | Palo Alto Case Manager: [email protected] Logan McDonnell | Place-Based Case Manager: [email protected] Matt Pendo | Housing 1000 Case Manager: [email protected] Nadia Zazie |San Jose Case Manager: [email protected] Rachel Davidson |Sunnyvale Case Manager: [email protected] Raymond Austin | San Jose Case Manager: [email protected] Shannon Robinson| Palo Alto Case Manager: [email protected] Employment Specialists Caitlin Bitcon | San Jose Employment Specialist: [email protected] Kelty Spencer | Senior Employment Specialist: [email protected] Olivia Drake| Employment Specialist: [email protected] Tara O'Grady | Palo Alto Employment Specialist: [email protected] Robert Sanchez | Palo Alto Employment Specialist: [email protected] Project Managers Zia MacWilliams | Palo Alto Project Manager: [email protected] Brandon Davis | San Jose Project Manager: [email protected] Maureen Damrel | San Jose Assistant Project Manager: [email protected] Greg Pensinger | Sunnyvale Project Manager: [email protected] BOARD OF DIRECTORS Owen Byrd, Board Chair | Chief Evangelist & General Counsel, Lex Machina Michael Boulton, CPA, Board Treasurer | Senior Manager, Audit, ArmaninoLLP Dave Peery | Managing Director, Peery Foundation Chief Dennis Burns | Chief of Police, Palo Alto Police Department Norm Robinson | Dean of Student Affairs Emeritus, Stanford University Sally Cadigan | former nonprofit Executive Director Jeanne Murphy, Board Secretary | former nonprofit Executive Director Matthew Bahls | Associate Director of Development, Stanford School of Engineering Carol Hubenthal | former Art Director for the Palo Alto Weekly Eileen Richardson | Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, Downtown Streets Team SAN JOSE STREETS TEAM BOARD OF DIRECTORS Michael L. Cox, Board Chair | Vice President, Human Resources and Talent Acquisition, Walmart Global eCommerce Kim Carson | Financial Advisor, Ameriprise Financial Annette Hancock |nonprofit Board Member Jennifer Van Every | Public Relations and Communications Consultant Spencer Ackermann | Senior Fund Accountant, The Social+Capital Partnership Natthan Mesfin | 11 years old. At 9 years old, Natthan shuttered at the thought of homeless men and women sleeping on the street in the cold. In the last two years Natthan has raised over $7,000 for a sleeping bag give-away to homeless individuals. Eileen Richardson | Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, Downtown Streets Team WORK WITH US We are always looking for top talent! If there are no open positions, feel free to send your resume and cover letter to the below contact person. CURRENT OPEN POSITIONS Employment Specialist (two positions available: San Jose and Palo Alto Teams) Please address your cover letter to the person indicated in the job description. For all other inquiries not listed above, please send your resume and cover letter addressed to Chris Richardson to [email protected] IF YOU’RE WITH THE PRESS… Download our Press Kit For all media related inquiries, please contact Chris Richardson at [email protected] and (650) 804-6701. CONTACT US Have a general question about us and what we do? Please send us an email or give us call! For all media related inquiries, please contact Chris Richardson at [email protected] and (650) 804-6701. For all speaking engagement inquiries, please contact Marianna Moles at [email protected]. HEADQUARTERS Our address: 1671 The Alameda, Suite 306 San Jose, CA 95126 Contact details: [email protected] TwitterDowntownStreets Phone number: 650-305-1174

NORTH COUNTY OFFICE Our address: 555 Waverley Street Palo Alto, CA 94301 Contact details: [email protected] Phone number: 650-305-1174

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