My name is Geoff Johannsen and I’m the Housing Case Manager Supervisor for Hospitality House. My role is to oversee the case managers who work with guests and clients who have been successfully housed and ensure that they stay successfully housed. One guest I’ve recently had the pleasure of working with is someone who I will refer to as Julianna.
Julianna first arrived at the shelter as a referral from Community Beyond Violence. She was fleeing domestic abuse from a family member living in her home. At 75 years old, she was shocked and saddened to find herself without support, a home or a secure future outside of her long-term job as an at-home caregiver. Unsurprisingly, Julianna was guarded, quiet and interacted very little with other shelter guests; it took time for her to trust others and open up.
She was, however, driven to get back to “normal life” and a home of her own. After a brief, few weeks at the shelter she was moved to Sierra Guest Home, Hospitality House’s senior living and interim housing complex, where Julianna worked hard with her case manager to get herself back into permanent housing. She was patient throughout the process, but even the quiet, reserved Julianna couldn’t hold back her excitement as she secured an apartment of her own and her moving day approached. As of this past Monday, Julianna is home!
Thanks to our generous community of donors, businesses and volunteers, individuals like Julianna, and the 267 other homeless victims of domestic abuse served by Hospitality House in the past fiscal year, have a chance to find a safe home and a fresh start in life. If you’d like to help those trying to get back on their feet, please donate today.
Now I’d like to send a special shout out of thanks to this weeks volunteers who have generously offered time and energy to guests of Hospitality House. This week Hilary Dart and Kathy Perkins grocery shopped for the shelter; Bill Blount and George Dunstan provided spiritual support at Sierra Guest Home; and Robin Kinnard cooked in the kitchen with our culinary specialist. Telestream and Dad’s Dinners cook teams served freshly made meals to our guests; always a treat! A special thanks also to our partners for providing ongoing food and/or financial support: SPD Markets, BriarPatch Food Co-op, Telestream, Interfaith Food Ministry, the Bishop Store (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nevada City) and Food Bank of Nevada County. To everyone who donated our most needed items last week, thank you as well! We are incredibly grateful to all of you who give your time, energy and compassion to those who need it most.
Here is the shelter’s wish list of the week:
- Twin-size blankets & sheet sets
- NEW pillows (we are unable to accept used)
- Men’s boots or athletic shoes (sizes 10-14)
- Men’s and women’s pajamas (sizes S-XL)
- Men’s and women’s t-shirts (no long sleeve. Sizes M-2XL for men and sizes M-XL for women)
- NEW women’s underwear (sizes S-L. We are unable to accept used)
- Bath towels (in good condition)
- Bottled water
DONATION HOURS AND DROPOFF LOCATION: Donations from our needs list above and all unexpired/store-bought foods are accepted at Utah’s Place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30am – 3:30pm and Saturdays from 10am – 2pm. Our shelter is located at 1262 Sutton Way, Grass Valley, CA 95945. We greatly appreciate the community’s help at such times of uncertainty. In the words of Utah Phillips, “If we all stick together, we’ll get what we need.” Thank you!