2016 Annual Report
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ANNUAL PORT2016 How do we say “Thank you” to our Board Presidents? A plaque, a t-shirt, maybe a glass statuette of our Samaritan House. It’s never enough, because anyone who takes on the very difficult job of leading a group of spirited volunteers to oversee a highly complex organization, such as ours, is in for a very demanding time! Jay Strauss found the right balance. He told me that he would respectfully let our staff do what we do so well every day without interfering. And he lived up to that promise, while at the same time always “being there” for all of us – Board, staff, volunteers, clients. He never took his eye off the ball nor off the prize; yet he always found a way to engage others LEADERSHIP in bringing their own vision and their best efforts to the task. He steadily led by showing that he President cared deeply about our mission as well as all of our people. Jay Strauss Vice President Jay is a “stand up guy” in every way. The best way we can thank him is to stand up and applaud for all he gave. Thank William S. Freeman you, Jay! Secretary Faye Star Treasurer Bart Charlow Mollie Marshall CEO Members Ralph Armenio Maude N. Brezinski For the past two years I enjoyed the unique privilege of serving as the President of Samaritan Nisha Chaudry House’s Board of Directors. During those two years, Samaritan House was able to significantly Sophie Cole, M.D. increase and broaden programs to better serve the individuals and families in San Mateo Philip L. Gregory County who need our support and services. For 40+ years I have been exposed to the Michael C. Griffin greatness of Samaritan House, first as a teenager thanks to my father who spent many years Laurie May as a volunteer in the kitchen. I commend our staff and the generous supporters in San Mateo Alexander Moldanado, M.D. County who have risen mightily to serve the needs of those less fortunate in our community. Christine M. Naismith You have made a difference in the lives of many people and are continuing to do so. Lana Morin Pierce Judith Powell, Ph. D. Thank you! Patti Sheedy Jason Ting Jay Strauss Board President 2014 - 2016 $ Samaritan House Case Management Financial Worker Resource Food Shelter and Counseling Kids’ Services Health Care Holiday Program Housing Services Empowerment Center 2 BY BY THE NUMBERS OUR IMPACT: WE SERVED 12,417CLIENTS FREE HEALTHCARE PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS 10,154 PATIENT 47,435 VISITS FOOD IRREPLACEABLE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM HOURS 909,487 WORKER HOLIDAY RESOURCE MEALS TO FAMILIES IN NEED PROGRAM CENTER 20,030 GIFTS GIVEN THROUGHOUT 46,608 THE HOLIDAYS HOURS OF PAID WORK SAFE HARBOR Annual Report 2016 32,407 NIGHTS OF SAFE KIDS CLOSET & WARM SLEEP 22,447 ITEMS OF KIDS’ CLOTHING 3 Finding Help, Care and Love Sam is many things. A father of seven, a grandfather of 22, a retired member of the US Army who served his country overseas for nearly a decade, and a loving husband who lost his wife this past July. From February to June of this year, Sam was also homeless. About two years ago, Sam’s wife, Ana, fell ill. Devoted to helping her receive the best care, Sam regularly drove Ana between Sacramento, SAM’S STORY where they were living with their daughter, and Mills-Peninsula Hospital, for medical appointments. This past March, however, Ana’s health took a turn for the worse and she was hospitalized. During the month and a half that Ana was in the hospital, Sam’s daughter and her family were displaced because the rented home they lived in required repairs. So, Sam spent night after night sleeping by Ana’s side in the hospital, in part because he didn’t want to leave her and also because he had nowhere else to go. Then, someone told Sam about Samaritan House and he called us. Case managers met Sam at the hospital to explain what services were available to him and his wife. In collaboration with partner agencies, we found an interim place for Sam and Ana to stay, while The #1 reason a client they awaited permanent placement through walks through our doors the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing for the first time is to program. One short month later, they got the keys to their very own one-bedroom request rental assistance apartment in San Mateo. Sadly, Ana passed away in July, just seven weeks after the couple moved into their new home. Although 2016 has not been easy for Sam, his spirits are still high and he is thankful to have a home. Samaritan House continues to provide him with fresh groceries every month and we recently helped him pay for repairs to his car, so that he can see his family and get to his medical appointments safely. Sam loves spending time at church and with his bible study group. As part of his church community, he visits the sick and elderly in their homes and care facilities and it gives him purpose. He says, “It eases my pain, comforts me and gives me peace in my heart.” He also enjoys spending time with his family members that are close by. He’s grateful to Samaritan House for helping him get back on his feet and Samaritan House wants the world to know, “there is help, care and love there.” 4 Super Man LARRY’S STORY “This is a big deal for me and, when I’m finished, I know you’ll understand.” Larry sits at a table at Samaritan House headquarters, wearing modern glasses, a stylish, pressed shirt and sipping a cup of tea. He is college educated, worked internationally during his career as a mechanical engineer, and owned a home in Burlingame. In the past six years, Larry has survived the loss of his father as well as a car accident that left him with head and spinal trauma. He also was hit by a car as a pedestrian and was left with two broken legs, a broken shoulder, and a broken elbow. He is the epitome of resilience, especially considering that, during much of that time, Larry was homeless. When Larry arrived at Samaritan House’s Safe Harbor Shelter following his first accident, he was unable to move much. He speaks about lying in his bed at the shelter, feeling hopeless and alone and so far from where he’d been. He says, “Many times in my life, I was on the handle end of the spoon, helping to feed others. All of a sudden, I was on the receiving end.” Once Larry had recovered enough to get up and moving again, the other residents started calling him “Superman” because he was the first one at the bus stop each morning, trying to get back on his feet financially and take care of his health. Unfortunately, Larry’s health issues continued. Years earlier, he was told that, like his father and brother before him, he needed open heart surgery to repair a birth defect. After he healed from the second accident, he knew it was time to have the surgery. His church raised enough money to fly his mother out, so that she could be with him at Mills-Peninsula Hospital where his surgery was performed by one of the best surgeons in the world. His Safe Harbor case manager coordinated with a long-term care facility to ensure Larry would have a place to convalesce during his recovery. While recovering, Larry kept his mind active by reflecting back on his time working in Asia. Inspired by the incredible coffees he’d tasted there, he began designing apparatuses for commercial application. Larry says, “I never gave up on wanting to create and get back to an entrepreneurial capacity.” He scrimped and saved for parts and, eventually, made his first batch. It was a big hit. Today, Larry tests his coffee on audiences all over the Bay Area, tweaking his process as he goes. Next, Larry is focused on writing a formal business plan and securing investors. Fortunately, he has the stability to do just that. Asked about his Annual Report 2016 current housing situation, Larry says “I just received permanent housing in San Francisco and, in fact, have the keys in my pocket right now.” He goes on to say, “I wouldn’t be here without Samaritan House…I’m not special. I’m not different…This is life and it can happen to anyone. That’s why it’s so important to have people and organizations like Samaritan House.” Safe Harbor Shelter 5 The First Food Pharmacies in California! Food is medicine. Eating the correct types of food is equally important as taking the correct medicine, especially for many Samaritan House clients with Type 2 diabetes. This is why Samaritan House has teamed up with our longtime partner, Second Harvest Food Bank, on an exciting new Food Pharmacy Program. In January 2016, the first Food Pharmacy opened at the Samaritan House Free FOOD PHARMACY Healthcare Clinic in Redwood City. FOOD PHARMACY This pilot program was generously underwritten by Sequoia Healthcare District and has already proven very successful. Building on that success, Samaritan House once again teamed Food is up with Second Harvest food bank to open a second pharmacy at our San Medicine! Mateo Free Healthcare Clinic. At both Pharmacies, Second Harvest Food Bank provides the food and Samaritan House provides the volunteer physicians who write the prescriptions for low-income, uninsured patients with diabetes. Patients can then fill their prescriptions weekly, by picking up the healthy food for their whole family at the clinics, just steps from where they receive their medical care.