Sacramento, California

Cottage Housing

Mission: To develop healing communities that are solution-focused, participant-driven and strength-based, where homeless people help themselves – and each other – through their transition from the streets to self-sustainability.

Cottage Housing has established a unique, home-grown solution to Sacramento’s homeless dilemma by managing two healing residential communities – Quinn Cottages, primarily for single adults and Serna Village, a large family facility. They offer a multitude of services and programs such as counseling, financial literacy instruction, access to employment information and skill building workshops, nutrition and healthy eating education parenting classes, and recovery groups. Their offerings are based on an innovative approach to intervention and following a method that is participation-driven, solution-focused and strength-based. A volunteer is needed to serve as a personal development coach, fostering relationships with and assisting the residents in setting and implementing personal goals and implementing workshops directed to the needs of the Cottage Housing community.

Hope Cooperative

Mission: To transform the lives of those living with mental health challenges, substance use disorders, and homelessness by supporting their independence, promoting their housing stability, and empowering them to make positive changes in their lives.

Hope Cooperative has been providing behavioral health and supportive housing services for people with mental health challenges for over 41 years in Sacramento County. As a client-driven organization, it is dedicated to the independence and empowerment of individuals with psychiatric disabilities and co-occurring substance use disorders including those experiencing homelessness. Two volunteers are needed to serve as wellness center associates. The wellness center makes a critical difference by providing a space where members can engage in positive activities, rather than activities that could jeopardize their sobriety and stable mental health, possibly leading to incarceration or hospitalization. The responsibilities of the volunteers include planning and implementing activities, client support, and advocacy for clients seeking resources and support.

Sacramento Loaves & Fishes

Mission: To provide an oasis for homeless men, women, and children seeking survival services in an environment of welcome, hospitality, safety and cleanliness.

Sacramento Loaves & Fishes is located in the River District, just outside of the city center. In its 40 years serving unhoused people the organization has grown to offer over a dozen programs and services to those who’ve been otherwise forgotten & left to navigate the uncertainty of homelessness on their own. Loaves & Fishes recognizes the dignity and spiritual destiny of each person, it is with this in mind the each staff person & volunteer moves toward unhoused guests to remind them that they are seen, heard & worthy. Radical hospitality and nonjudgment are at the core of the work done on the 4.5-acre campus, an embodiment of the mission founders, Chris & Dan Delany imagined so long ago.

A volunteer is needed to serve at Maryhouse, a daytime drop-in hospitality center for unhoused women and families, offering individual and intentional resource support, crisis intervention, mail services, a hot breakfast, showers & survival supplies. The Maryhouse volunteer is an integral part of triaging guests and supporting them as they arrive, often in crisis. A second volunteer is needed to serve as the service center coordinator at Friendship Park, including visiting with the guests, assessing needs, distributing meal tickets, and coordinating access to survival supplies.