2024 Awardees:

2023 Awardees:

2022 Awardees:

“I wish I had an opportunity to thank him one last time for everything, but I find some solace in knowing we at least had a chance to honor him and pay tribute in the present, where we celebrated his legacy with our Board, staff and friends together, and for that, I am grateful,” added Baglietto.

In addition to Night of Giving, Mikail gave his time year-round to the Hospitality House Board of Directors and recently celebrated five years of service as Board Secretary this past June. He’s been instrumental not only in Hospitality House’s fundraising success but in spreading awareness on the need through his vast channels and connections, encouraging neighbors to come together as one to address homelessness. His servitude never wavered through the years, even when faced with a pandemic.

When the pandemic hit, many assumed Night of Giving would be canceled, but for Mikail, the show must always go on … and it did. Mikail hosted our first ever virtual event in 2020. When our community was separated and in lockdown with many feeling at an all-time low, Mikail found a way to bring people together from afar and to lift people up with hope and newfound spirit.

“When I think about the inspiration for why it [Night of Giving] became a big part of my life, I’d have to turn back to Utah Phillips,” said Mikail of Night of Giving in 2020. “Bruce was somebody who I had the pleasure to produce a record with. I got to record one of his last spoken word pieces, ‘What We Need’ … It just reaches into the heart is all I can say and it really is something that touched me, which is why I have been able to give all these years.”

Today, and always, we honor and thank Mikail Graham for his service and commitment to our community and for the countless hours he’s given to better the lives of others.

In Mikail’s memory today, we share his inspiration for love and giving.

“What We Need,” by Bruce Utah Phillips, co-founder of Hospitality House

Everyone needs a nice place to live in,
And good food to eat that’s not too expensive,
And clean clothes with no holes or patches;
A doctor to call, an old friend to visit,
A way to get places, parties, and music;
A street to walk safely,
And benches to sit on with shade in the summer,
And warm friendly places to be in the winter;
Some work to do that’s useful to others
and doesn’t get boring;
People to come to for all kinds of answers,
And somebody checking so nobody’s forgotten;
Money to spend that’s given and taken
Without feeling guilty;
Love without pity,
Pride without anger—
Everyone knows what everyone needs,
But programs, laws, city councils, commissions,
Agencies, bureaus can’t give it to us.
All of us need the best in each other.
And if we can find it,
And if we can give it,
The rest will soon follow.
If we all stick together,
We’ll get what we need.

Amen.

June Volunteer Spotlight: Chris Simmons

One of the most special times at Hospitality House is when an individual or family receives the keys to their new home. Chris Simmons helps make the housing transition extra special.

Chris has always been a fan of one of our founders, Utah Phillips, and back in 2014, she had a chance to connect with his surviving partner, Joanna Phillips (Robinson), to get more involved in Hospitality House.

“At first, I just donated cash but after creating cleaning supply baskets for a local auction it occurred to me that there are limited resources for folks that are moving into new homes,” explained Chris.

From then on, Chris and her husband began creating and donating cleaning supply baskets to Hospitality House, which are given to guests the day they move into their new home. When Chris learned that Brunswick Commons would open this summer, she made and donated 40 baskets!

“The baskets are a thoughtful way to help our guests save money on essential needs as they settle into their new homes,” explained Tyson Powers, Hospitality House’s operations officer. “It also reminds our guests that it’s not just staff who support them but an entire community who wants to see them succeed.”

In addition to donating cleaning gift baskets to Hospitality House, Chris and her husband also donate baskets to The Gathering Inn, a homeless services provider in Placer County, to help guests there also get settled into their new homes.

“When delivering the baskets, guests at Hospitality House would always thank me for our donations,” said Chris. “We appreciate these kind words and it makes us consider what more we can do.”

Thank you, Chris. We appreciate all your help these last several years!

May Volunteer Spotlight: Tailan Izet

Tailan Izet first heard about Hospitality House from her son, who was in eighth grade at the time. His school was participating in Hospitality House’s Cup o’ Kindness campaign, which is where children learn about homelessness in the community and fill cups with coins and dollar bills to help homeless children and additional community members receive food, shelter and the tools needed to return to housing.

“I was very impressed with the cause,” said Tailan. “I participated in a shelter tour the next week and I put in my volunteer application.”

In a matter of days, Tailan formed her own cook group at Hospitality House and for the last several years, she and her group, Repeat Offenders, cooked on the second Thursday of the month until the pandemic hit. Being able to give people a hearty meal—to fill their bellies with hope and nourishment—has meant a lot to Tailan, who grew up in communist Romania and experienced food insecurity first-hand.

“In the 80’s, food was rationed and most adults who did not belong to the Party’s Elite were spending most of their time and their hard-earned money to find and buy food on the black market for their families,” explained Tailan. “The effort to find access to super expensive basic food was destroying any desire to even dream of a better life. The prospect of a decent life was very dire. I was in high school and I was still dreaming of a different life… I left Romania after the Eastern Block collapsed. I promised myself that as an adult I would help others to not feel that mental block because of hunger and not knowing when the next meal is in reach. Hospitality House gave me the opportunity to keep that promise.”

More than keeping her promise, her experience at Hospitality House has brought her much joy through the years.

“I have many good memories here,” she said. “While we prepare dinner, I enjoy hearing some of the guests singing and playing the piano. Hearing the music and the small talk in the background makes the place feel like a long forgotten positive childhood memory. The area feels like a safe place where a big family is ready to have dinner. Every dinner makes me feel grateful and hopeful for the future.”

The Repeat Offenders were the last group to cook in the kitchen before lockdown, but Tailan’s support of Hospitality House never waivered. While she was unable to cook in person, she continued to send in financial support for food each month, ensuring those in need continued to receive nourishment. Today, the Repeat Offenders are officially back in the kitchen, cooking up their signature dish: ground beef marinara sauce with penne pasta, mixed vegetables, green salad, freshly made garlic bread and a dessert, usually a cobbler with fruits in season and ice cream.

“I believe that food and shelter are basic needs and should be available to everyone,” concluded Tailan. “The counseling and life skills provided at the Hospitality House make the difference that is needed in the guests’ lives. They can focus on learning skills because they don’t worry about food and housing. Knowing that one who had a rough time has a chance to a new start gives hope to us all.”

Thank you, Tailan, for your unwavering commitment to ensure locals have a chance to get back on their feet. We appreciate you and your team for all your love and support.

April Volunteer Spotlight: Barbara Agrimonti

“In a world filled with need, it’s important to us to make our corner as good as we can.”

Barbara Agrimonti started volunteering for Hospitality House four years ago when she and her husband relocated to the area from Los Gatos. She had served in the homeless ministry in their church in Los Gatos, helping to provide hot showers, healthy meals, and essential care items to those in need. She grew attached to the clients, caring deeply for them, so when she relocated to Nevada County, she quickly reached out to Hospitality House, hoping to continue to help those in need.

“The reward is the feeling that another person gets when they feel they have been truly seen by someone. That they are important and worthy of love and care. Every person deserves to be a full member of every community.”

Barbara formed the cook group Seasoned with Love and prepared hamburger stroganoff for the guests on her first night. The dish was such a hit with the guests that she added it to their regular meal schedule.

When Hospitality House reopened its kitchen volunteer program after a two-year suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barbara was one of the first volunteers to express interest in returning. Her cook group, Seasoned with Love, will be the first group we welcome back into the kitchen this month.

“I think all of us are called to be in service to our community and those among us in need.”

We thank you, Barbara, for your continued support of those in need.

If you would like to form your own cook group, please call (530) 615-0852 or email us at info@hhshelter.org.

March Volunteer Spotlight: Kathleen Shaffer

February Volunteer Spotlight: Keith Johnson

“The feeling of gratitude that’s expressed can keep ya going.”

Keith Johnson is always looking for ways to help those in need. A member of the Unitarian Universal Community of the Mountains (UUCM), Keith believes in practicing the principles of Unitarianism. Those principals led him to volunteer at Hospitality House.

“As a Unitarian, we joke that our principals are more important than our prayer. We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person.”

Keith first learned of Hospitality House from one of the founders, Utah Phillips, who was a member of the UUCM congregation. UUCM also served as a location for Hospitality House back when it was still operating as a nomadic shelter. Keith started volunteering with Hospitality House six years ago as a dinner coordinator. He also volunteers at our Night of Giving and has lent a hand during our semi-annual camp clean-ups. As the dinner coordinator, he organized the volunteers in the congregation, collected money to purchase the food, and prepared the meal on-site. When the volunteer program was suspended because of COVID-19, Keith made sure that the UUCM still contributed monthly to help cover food costs for our guests.

“The unhoused are with us, and they deserve our respect. I try to do what I can because of that.”

Keith and his crew are anxiously awaiting the return of the cook groups volunteer program. Their favorite thing to make for guests is enchilada pie, a casserole-style enchilada dish with beef, cheese, tomatoes, and more. He says it’s the dish that brings the most guests back for seconds, an experience he’s missed during the current temporary suspension of our volunteer program.

“I am looking forward to getting back into the kitchen and seeing the people really are appreciative of what you do, and they tell you that. It can sustain you.”

In the meantime, Keith continues to look for creative ways to support Hospitality House’s efforts by fundraising within the UUCM community and checking in with our Program Officer and Outreach Director to see if there are any specific needs that he and UUCM can fill. Thank you, Keith, for all you do. We are grateful and can’t wait to have you back in the kitchen!

January Volunteer Spotlight: Josh Bostic

This month, Hospitality House would like to highlight the work of volunteer Josh Bostic.

Josh Bostic first started volunteering at Hospitality House 5 years ago when his Telestream co-worker Doug Lautzenhiser suggested joining the cooking team. After Doug moved out of the community, Josh stepped up to lead the Telestream cook group.

When asked why volunteering with Hospitality House is important to him, Josh says getting to meet the residents is the reason he keeps coming back:

“The Telestream group loves to volunteer with Hospitality House since we get to provide a warm meal and interact with members of our Nevada County community. Everyone we chat with when we are at Hospitality House has a story and getting to talk with everyone while there is great.”

As a business, Telestream is a steadfast supporter of Hospitality House, and its commitment to aid individuals in need is demonstrated by much of its staff.

“I’d just like to say that the Telestream group is wonderful in providing the ingredients each month we make a hot meal. The core group who help is Mary Ann and Ron Dunant, Dom Jackson, Michelle Jarret, and of course Doug Lautzenhiser, who ran the group for the longest time. There are a lot more folks than the mentioned at Telestream who are kind enough to donate either monetarily or in the form of specific food donations. The group is seriously awesome!”

Lasagna is a favorite meal to prepare among the cook group, but they all enjoy the opportunity to recreate dishes they make in their own homes and share their favorites with the guests. While cook groups have been put on pause during the pandemic, Josh has still found ways to support Hospitality House by making a monthly contribution and encouraging his colleagues to do the same.

We are so grateful for volunteers like Josh, who have continued to engage with Hospitality House through the last two years, and we look forward to welcoming all of our volunteers back as soon as we are safely able to do so.

2021 Awardees:

December Volunteer Spotlight: Maggie McKaig

“I think it’s more vital than ever to support Hospitality House,” said Maggie McKaig.

For 16 long years, Maggie has volunteered her time and talent, performing each year at Night of Giving, an event she helped create to raise financial support for those in need. How Night of Giving came about is somewhat serendipitous. As Maggie recalled:

“One November afternoon in 2006, I happened to run into Utah Phillips at Ike’s Quarter Cafe in Nevada City. I asked him about Hospitality House, the organization he had helped found in 2005 to help the homeless. He explained how difficult the financial challenges were for the fledgling organization. As I’m a musician, I had helped organize many events over the years, and believed very strongly in the mission and vision of Hospitality House; I asked if he’d like me to create some kind of musical benefit. He thought it a grand idea and gave his blessings on the proposal. So, I ran with it, enlisted the help of Mikail Graham (who was running Coopers at the time), and on December 23, at Coopers, the very first Night of Giving was manifested.”

While it didn’t have an official name that first year, the evening was far more successful than anyone could have imagined. Subsequently, she, Utah and Mikail decided to do it again the next year at Miners Foundry (and for several years to come!), giving it the official name: Night of Giving.

“It was a sign that our community clearly understood the importance of supporting Hospitality House, and that they very much appreciated and loved being able to offer that support while being immersed in a joyous, live music community experience,” said Maggie. “Therein beats the heart of Night of Giving.”

Night of Giving has changed shape and form through the years, ballooning into a mass hometown holiday party with nearly 50 performers at its peak. This year, in the face of an ongoing pandemic (and associated challenges), the event is being held virtually on Saturday, Dec. 18, in a much smaller, intimate format. This year, Maggie took on the role of artistic director to help in the recruitment of dozens of artists who banned together to do something magical—something never before done in these last 16 years.

“While it might be difficult to imagine how a 20-minute-long video can even begin to capture the magic and warmth of our traditional, 7-hour-plus community gathering at the Miners Foundry, I think everyone who watches Night of Giving 2021 will nonetheless be powerfully moved by the obvious amount of love and effort that went into this particular Night of Giving,” she said.

To see first-hand the love that has gone into this year’s event, tune in this Saturday night at 7 p.m. at hhshelter.org. We thank you, Maggie, for singing now and always to help those in need.

November Volunteer Spotlight: Mark Triolo

We’d like to give our heartfelt thanks to Mark Triolo for his steadfast dedication and support of Hospitality House these last 10 years. Mark is skilled at telling the story of Hospitality House through video. From one-on-one guest testimonials to Night of Giving filming, if there is a camera handy, Mark can make magic happen on screen.

“I do a lot of similar video production work in our community, and Hospitality House is one of the best organizations that I work with,” said Mark. “They take such good care of their volunteers, are great to collaborate with, are so well organized, and are so driven to do good in our community. For a volunteer, there is no better place than Hospitality House.”

Throughout the pandemic, volunteer opportunities have been limited at Hospitality House to best protect our volunteers and people experiencing homelessness. However, Mark has been working away these last few months to help in the virtual production of the 16^th annual Night of Giving.

“I started by doing video testimonials at Night of Giving and making them into promotional videos for Hospitality House, then moved on to being on the team that was live streaming the event for a few years, and this year have taken on the job of working with Maggie McCaig to produce the Night of Giving program to be viewed online,” explained Mark.

Mark has been shooting and editing artist videos into a single, special rendition, never before done by Hospitality House, which will be released on Saturday, Dec. 18 as a featured segment of this year’s Night of Giving.

“I hope people will appreciate the fact that the pandemic has inhibited our ability to produce a full-on traditional Night of Giving event, but, in opposition to this, the pandemic has increased the community need for Hospitality House’s services,” said Mark. “So I hope people will keep this in mind when donating to the cause this year.”

We thank you, Mark, for donating nearly 100 hours toward this year’s Night of Giving and for the countless hours you’ve given through the years. We appreciate you.

October Volunteer Spotlight: Suzie Miller

“It’s in my genes. I follow in my mother’s footsteps,” said Suzie Miller. “I always feel by the grace of God I could have easily been in their position (homeless). In my earlier days, I could have easily taken one turn and been homeless. I am grateful that I can help.”

For the last decade, Suzie has been giving her heart to Hospitality House with no plans to slow down. She first heard about our nonprofit at women’s bible study offered at Twin Cities Church (TCC) and knew she wanted to get involved. At that time, Hospitality House had no physical shelter and relied on churches to open their doors each night to those in need.

“We would cook everything from home and bring big fat batches of soup to the church,” recalled Suzie, who noted at that time, she generally cooked for 30 to 40 people experiencing homelessness. (Today, Hospitality House averages 90 people a day).

When our permanent shelter, Utah’s Place, opened in 2013, Suzie’s desire to cook only deepened. In addition to cooking with the TCC team under volunteer Margaret Little and eventually taking over as team co-lead with fellow volunteer Laurel Vieaux, she also helped lead a second cook group, the Lake Wildwood Christian Club, for two years, on top of volunteering in other capacities, such as helping at Hospitality House events and coordinating speaking engagements for Hospitality House staff.

“What I have enjoyed most is bringing along people who don’t know about Hospitality House and getting them to come in and volunteer,” she said. Suzie recruited not only friends and neighbors but family, too. “It was very special that I was able to bring my granddaughter Alyce in to help serve one time.”

Over the years, the TCC team became well-known in the shelter for their famous meatloaf, that they typically serve with fresh veggies, a loaded salad, and dessert.

“We did meatloaf once and everyone loved it, so we do it every time,” she explained. “It made it easy for shopping and as the numbers got bigger, it was easy to add onto the ingredients.”

The team, which Suzie and Hospitality House deeply credit for their devotion, includes Donna Ellert, Bob Whiteaker, Dorin Rollins, Susanne Vaughn, Barbara Tiegs, Becky Thompson, Pat Miller-Fee and Sharon Norton (as well as subs: Larry Ellert, Carol Battles, Glenda Skibitzke, Rhonda Yates, Arlin and Olivia Torbett).

“I love Hospitality House,” she concluded. “They get involved in the community and they have wonderful hearts … and the guests, you can see it in their eyes—they are so grateful.”

Thank you, Suzie. We are grateful for you!

August Volunteer Spotlight: Karl Miller

We’d like to recognize and thank Karl Miller for his decade of service to Hospitality House. Karl and his wife Suzie (also an amazing volunteer) learned about Hospitality House through Twin Cities Church, shortly after moving here from San Mateo. At the time, Hospitality House was nomadic and relied on the kindness of churches to open their doors for people experiencing homelessness.
Karl and Suzie began helping with the lunch efforts offered at TCC and soon began to familiarize themselves with the guests.

“Working with the guests was a powerful experience,” recalled Karl. “We got to see the regulars, see the new people, hear their stories. It was just a great experience.”

After Hospitality House’s permanent shelter, Utah’s Place, opened, Suzie began cooking at the shelter with fellow TCC members and Karl found another way to help people experiencing homelessness: Empty Bowl. While attending the 2016 Empty Bowl benefit for Hospitality House at Peace Lutheran Church, Karl admired the many bowls donated by local artists. However, as a woodcraftsman and member of the Gold Country Woodturners, he immediately noticed all the bowls were ceramic.

“I found the woman who was organizing the bowls and I asked if they might like to have wooden bowls,” recalled Karl. The answer was a resounding yes and for the last five years, Karl and fellow Gold Country Woodturners have been turning bowls for Empty Bowl.
Today, Karl remains the woodturner coordinator for Empty Bowl, rallying the woodturners to turn bowls throughout the year. With the volunteer program at the shelter suspended as a result of the pandemic, Karl and Suzie have been faithfully donating month after month to ensure guests receive fuel and sustenance to move forward.

“Volunteers make things happen in Nevada County,” said Karl. “We wouldn’t see nearly as much done if it weren’t for the volunteers.”
Thank you, Karl, Suzie, and fellow woodturners for standing by Hospitality House and helping guests get back on their feet through art, cooking and kindness.

July Volunteer Spotlight: Robert Cairns

Rob Cairns first began volunteering at Utah’s Place in 2016 after learning from then board member, Yvonne Turner, and co-founder, Joanna Robinson, that the shelter was looking to introduce a volunteer spiritual support group.

“We mainly stay quiet and just listen to people and give them a voice, and that in itself sometimes works miracles,” explained Rob. “If a guest wants to talk about their spirituality or religion, we are happy to go there with them, but we do not necessarily talk about that; it’s basically supporting their spirits and knowing that someone cares about them and that what they think and say is important and worthy.”

For the last few years, with the exception of covid, Rob and other spiritual support volunteers have faithfully visited the shelter and opened their hearts and minds to anyone who needed it.

“After guests get to know me and trust me, some of the things they share with me are pretty personal and deep, deep seeded things,” reflected Rob. “Some of the guests there they just boggle my mind, what they have been through, the things that they have gone through, what they have accomplished in the past, their intellect and insight on things, it has really expanded my consciousness and awareness.”

Rob’s consciousness and compassion for those experiencing homelessness comes easy, as he himself has been in their shoes. For years, Rob intermittently struggled with addiction and homelessness, never knowing for sure if he would have a warm bed in a shelter or be sleeping under the stars.

“I camped for a while and would find a land way out, and sometimes I would have to move every once in a while, if someone found me,” he shared. “And then another time I would stay wherever I could, sometimes in people’s couches, garage, basement, or anybody that would take me in. I managed to get over my addiction issues and steady work and went through the steps of sharing a room in a house, getting my own apartment, and then stepping up until I was able to buy a home. One step at a time, it is an arduous journey.”

Rob’s journey back to housing and sustainability led him to giving back. On top of volunteering, he is a member of Hospitality House’s Hearts & Hands Club, giving every month to ensure the shelter can continue to respond to the greatest needs. Rob and his family recently moved to Santa Fe, but he hasn’t stopped thinking about Hospitality House. To ensure help will always be available for those who need it, including in the long years after he is gone, he joined the Hospitality House Legacy Circle by naming the nonprofit as a beneficiary in his will.

“An organization like Hospitality House meets the most basic needs that people have,” he said. “Starting from the very bottom, physical safety, food and shelter and a sense of belonging and a sense that someone cares about them, these are basic human needs. You can’t really fulfill people’s higher needs until they begin to fulfill their basic needs. That’s really to me the most important thing of organizations like Hospitality House. They are starting from scratch to take care of people …”

Thank you, Rob, for caring for Nevada County residents and lending your ears to those who need help being heard.

June Volunteer Spotlight: Christine Mulvey

Hospitality House would like to honor Christine (Cris) Mulvey as Volunteer of the Month for June.

Cris first learned about Hospitality House when she moved from Montana to Nevada County in 2015. Her husband Jack began volunteering as a shelter advocate just before COVID-19. When the pandemic struck in 2020, Hospitality House reacted to an increased need for service by expanding programs and operations. When Hospitality House was met with increased expenses, Cris stepped in to help.

Cris created a way to meaningfully contribute to the work of Hospitality House by volunteering online. She worked with the Development Department, researching grants and identifying potential funding options.

Cris shared, “sharing what has been given to us, my husband and I, is increasingly imperative. Homelessness is growing in the U.S. and around the world [and] seems to me to be a priority issue, the most basic need there is, without which people have no hope of creating a life that works or of living into their potential.” She and Jack also wrote an article, published May 2020 in The Union, which encouraged residents to give during the pandemic.

“I have found volunteering to be a source of great peace and satisfaction to me as a retired person,” shared Cris. “Being able to use the skills and knowledge I developed in my professional life, to contribute to those who are working now for the values I believe in, rather than letting them fade away, feels good. More importantly, I am making a practical contribution to the quality of life for those in my community who do not have what they need and deserve.”

Although Cris and Jack recently relocated to the coast, she still offers to volunteer remotely for Hospitality House. She is grateful for all that Hospitality House does for the community, and we are grateful for her.

May Volunteer Spotlight: Nancy Holtz

The needs at Hospitality House are many, and Nancy and the Pine Tree Quilt Guild help to fill the need. For several years, the Quilt Guild has given quilts to our shelter, providing covering and a gentle hug to those who need warmth and security.

Nancy has been involved with Pine Tree Quilt Guild for five years. For the past two and a half years, she has been the chair of Community Service team. “Community Service is a caring group of volunteers who help every month in various capacities,” explained Nancy. She and her fellow volunteers sort fabric donations, sew on labels, match backs to donated tops, cut batting and sew binding. “Creating a quilt and giving such a gift is a group effort,” she added, noting that she and the Community Service provide quilts for Hospitality House and other organizations.

Nancy has fifty total years of nursing experience, with the last twenty as a nurse practitioner. Her experience and passion has led her to volunteer in the community. Nancy has administered Covid vaccines, volunteered with California Care Force in both Grass Valley and Sacramento clinics. She continues to work two days a week in a family practice office with no plans to retire any time soon.

“I have a heart for helping others,” said Nancy.

Thank you, Nancy and the Pine Tree Quilt Guild, for sharing your skills, passion, and love for the homeless individuals in our care.

April Volunteer Spotlight: Beverly Werntz

This month, we would like to honor Beverly Werntz for eleven years of service as she continues to care for homeless individuals in Nevada County. Serving others has always been important to Beverly, both in her professional role as a registered nurse and through volunteering with Hospitality House.

After retirement, she wanted to continue to serve. Beverly says, “Many of the guests have touched my life. I still see so many of those faces when I close my eyes and the differences in them after being accepted and loved by the work of Hospitality House.”

Beverly’s friend Judy Olson invited her to help provide lunch for guests when the emergency shelter was still nomadic. Originally, she thought she would help once a month, but soon fell in love with the guests and experienced meaningful fulfillment in the service. Beverly started helping at least once a week. When Utah’s Place opened four years later, she coordinated two cook groups, Blessed Sister and Kitchen Kut Ups. These groups purchased, prepared, and served dinner to shelter guests for six years, until Covid-19 restrictions prevented volunteers from entering the shelter. “The most impactful time at Hospitality House is every time I serve,” said Beverly.

The groups with which she serves bring her such joy, and there is always an encounter that stays with her long after she leaves for the night. The sincere and heartfelt appreciation that comes to her after a lovingly prepared meal makes her work in the kitchen meaningful. She looks forward to the time she and her group can come back in person.

“I am so proud to volunteer for this organization,” shares Beverly. “Hospitality House really is the model for caring for our homeless population. Spending time with guests, looking them in the eye when talking to them, and hearing their stories has changed my heart and mind about our homeless issues. I wish every community could come together like we do here in Nevada County.”

Thank you, Beverly for your continued dedication to Hospitality House and the guests we serve!

March Volunteer Spotlight: Barbara Dean

For years, Barbara was disturbed whenever she passed a struggling person holding a sign or asking for help. She wished there was something she could do that would make a lasting difference.

When Hospitality House was a nomadic shelter, Barbara got involved once a month with her church. She started out serving dinner to homeless guests. As the program expanded, and the number of guests grew, she increased her service by becoming a member of the “Lunch Bunch”. This group of volunteers served sandwiches, salads, and hot food. Barbara served faithfully as a member of the Lunch Bunch until Utah’s Place opened in 2013.

Barbara witnessed the excitement of the opening of Utah’s Place and began serving right away. Barbara reflects, “I love to cook, and the guests have been so appreciative of our efforts. I have also enjoyed working with and getting to know other members of our community who have come to serve.”

Barbara has demonstrated a strong commitment to Hospitality House and our guests. For a while, she held a weekly class for women guests, sharing what she was doing in Sacramento at Women’s Empowerment.

Although the pandemic has limited her direct involvement, Barbara continues to be an advocate for Hospitality House. She is pleased to see that guests have stepped up to help with cooking and have the opportunity to live at the shelter full time as they work toward permanent housing solutions.

Thank you, Barbara, for making a lasting difference!

February Volunteer Spotlight: Pamela Roberts

Pamela has been gifting her marketing talents to Hospitality House for approximately four years, specializing in event promotions, ad strategy and placement, and social media to increase awareness and support for Hospitality House.

“One of the first campaigns I really dove in on was the Empty Bowl event a few years ago,” recalled Pamela. “When it sold out and Hospitality House reported it was the best attendance they’d ever had, I knew that meant I’d been able to help raise essential funds and awareness for HH. Rewarding for sure.”

“I’m a big fan of the ideals of the great Utah Phillips,” added Pamela. “I see what incredible work Hospitality House does and how they show up as champions for friends in our community that are struggling. This is work we should all find a way to get involved with.”

In addition to helping in the promotional efforts of signature events, such as Empty Bowl and Night of Giving, Pamela takes it a step further by donating her musical talents, too. You may recognize Pamela as a member of the SierraCapella band, a group that sings their heart out at Night of Giving.

“It’s an honor to be helping HH and see that my contributions have real impact for the organization and their guests,” said Pamela. “I’m in awe of the work the staff and volunteers do for our community. They have my sincere gratitude.”

Thank you, Pamela, for your loyal advocacy of our shelter and for furthering our work through awareness, promotions and song. We appreciate you.

January Volunteer Spotlight: Dick Mentzer

2020 Awardees:

December Volunteer Spotlight: Jim Heck

Did you know that livestreaming of Night of Giving started because of our volunteers? Jim Heck was one of them. Five years ago, he learned that Hospitality House didn’t have the capabilities or technology to livestream their annual musical benefit, so he offered his help and hasn’t looked back.

“During my early days with Nevada County Community Television (NCTV) we began collaborating with Telestream to bring livestreaming to Nevada County by utilizing Wirecast, Telestream’s professional live video production software,” recalled Jim. “My goal was to use livestreaming to YouTube, Facebook and other CDN’s to help nonprofits reach out to their members and assist in fundraising. When I found out Hospitality House was going to do its Night of Giving event, Dick Mentzer [another volunteer] and I reached out to Mikail Graham [event host] about livestreaming the performers.”

Ever since that first event, Jim has stayed connected to Hospitality House and has helped not only on the video technology side of Night of Giving but with additional video projects throughout the years, including guest interviews, our solar install last year, and related.

Jim understands that when he volunteers, he directly helps people in crisis, but that knowledge really came to light when Jim discovered someone he knew was staying at Hospitality House.

“I stopped at a local coffee shop a couple of years ago and ran into a familiar face,” recalled Jim. “I hadn’t seen him in a long time …  He was gracious, soft spoken and always went the extra mile to help everyone. Through no fault if his own he ran into health problems, found himself without a job and homeless. Fortunately, he had Hospitality House to help him during that difficult time. This emphasized to me the importance of having Hospitality House in our community to help when unforeseen circumstances happen and can render someone homeless. It is vital for our community to keep Hospitality House financially viable through volunteering, donations and grants.”

Today, Jim continues to help Hospitality House as much as he can. He recently helped film some of the segments that will be featured in this year’s Night of Giving. Thank you, Jim, for bringing technology and heart to our team.

November Volunteer Spotlight: Mindy Oberne

This month we’d like to recognize Mindy Oberne for her faithful support of Hospitality House and advocacy on behalf of those less fortunate. Mindy is a well-known artist in the community and the founder of Twin Star Gallery Ceramics & Photography. She began volunteering with Hospitality House after learning about the nonprofit through friend and fellow artist, Chic Lotz. Since that time, every year Mindy has created and donated 100 bowls to help make Empty Bowl possible.

“I think we all need to feel like we’re making a positive difference in people’s lives,” said Mindy. “It gives purpose and great fulfillment knowing you’ve helped others.”

Despite the traditional Empty Bowl being canceled this year due to the pandemic, Mindy was the featured Empty Bowl artist of 2020 and assisted in bowl distribution to ticketholders this past July. In past years, she’s also led the silent auction efforts for Empty Bowl, in addition to volunteering for other opportunities as they arise with Hospitality House and alike nonprofits.

“It’s important that those who are down and out know that there are people out there who do care,” added Mindy.

Mindy’s care for others inspired her to do more for Hospitality House and on Dec. 5 and 6, she is hosting a special artist benefit called “The Weekend of Giving” in the shelter’s honor. Mindy specializes in one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces, including statues as well as functional art, such as teapots, bowls, cups, and more. She’s also a professional photographer of local scenes and of Antarctica, all of which will be on display and available for purchase. 100% of the proceeds from this weekend will be donated by Mindy to Hospitality House. Buy an item from Mindy and directly support Hospitality House in the process.

We thank you, Mindy, for your continued advocacy, love and support and for hosting what is sure to be a beautiful artist benefit for our homeless community.

October Volunteer Spotlight: Jo Ann DeSena

Jo Ann has been a part of the Hospitality House family since its nomadic days when guests found sanctuary at various churches each night, including her church, Peace Lutheran.

“I saw it in the church bulletin and immediately volunteered to cook,” recalled Jo Ann, who has been cooking ever since (pre-pandemic).

Jo Ann’s devotion to those less fortunate has been ingrained in her since a young age. Her grandmother had a cherry and apricot orchard and while her grandmother didn’t own a vehicle or ever drive, she built a three-car garage on her property so the people working in her orchard would have a place to sleep each night.

“I carry on my Nana’s legacy and provide for those that need a helping hand,” explained Jo Ann. “God Bless them.”

Through her years of cooking for those in need, Jo Ann has served many people, several of whom left lasting impact on her heart.

“One gentleman, who I observed back in the days when they slept at Peace began by never looking up,” she recalled. “He looked at the ground and did not communicate at all. It took him a very long time but little by little he began looking up. The final time I saw him, he smiled and asked how my day was going. That is what I call a miracle!”

Encounters like these remind us that each guest’s journey back to housing and stability is different, but everyone needs fuel and nourishment to move forward. In time, guests began recognizing the nourishment Jo Ann provided and they began fondly referring to her as the “Sausage Mashed Potatoes and Gravy Lady,” a moniker for one of her favorite meals to cook and share with our homeless community.

We thank you, Jo Ann, for the countless meals you’ve made through the years. We miss seeing you at the shelter but appreciate your continued help from afar by donating food and financial support so we can serve your signature dish in your honor. Our volunteer program is expected to return when the County reaches Stage 4, but until then, we thank you, Sausage Mashed Potatoes and Gravy Lady!

September Volunteer Spotlight: Kathy Dotson

For the last several years, Kathy Dotson, local designer and illustrator, has been gifting her graphic design talents to Hospitality House in a variety of capacities, but she’s most known for her beautiful posters and flyers that bring awareness and support to Hospitality House events, such as Night of Giving and Empty Bowl.

“It is wonderful knowing that my design and artwork have been appreciated and valued over the years,” said Kathy. “Hospitality House serves such a large need in our community. And over the years they have been such a valuable and necessary resource for so many people. As a busy graphic designer, I am fortunate that I can give some service to Hospitality House during the year.”

Kathy has been loyally helping Hospitality House since approximately 2011, but prior to that, she had an experience with one of our founders, Utah Phillips, that has stayed with her all these years.

“A wonderful memory is having Utah Phillips sit for me while I sketched his portrait,” recalled Kathy. “The finished watercolor painting sits in the offices of KVMR radio.”

Today, Kathy continues to help Hospitality House and when she isn’t designing, you can find her enjoying the great outdoors with her husband and two daughters. Thank you, Kathy!

August Volunteer Spotlight: Mark Triolo

For the last nine years, Mark has been gifting his time and talents to Hospitality House. As a video production extraordinaire, Mark has helped create a number of videos for Hospitality House to raise public awareness and financial support for the shelter.

“These videos were designed to help the community understand what Hospitality House does, how they do it, the stories of guests … Many videos were to introduce new programs that Hospitality House was running or events like the Empty Bowl.”

Mark has produced videos individually and as part of video teams, helping with concept development, production, filming and editing, but of all the videos he’s helped produce, his favorite video tells the story of Hospitality House without words.

Watch here:

Since this video was created by Mark, Hospitality House has expanded its services further by embracing a Housing First model, introducing recuperative care, expanding outreach and transportation, and even launching a pet program, but the video still reflects the heart of Hospitality House: the people—helping real people on their journeys back to sustainable living and permanent housing, and just like Mark, we love this video.

“One of my personal goals upon retirement was to give back to the community,” said Mark. “I think we all, as community members, need to donate our time and talent to make this a better place to live … I get significant satisfaction from knowing that what I do makes life better for someone else … Since I know many of their personal stories, I feel a connecting to seeing them move forward. The most satisfaction comes from hearing that someone I know moved into housing and is now self-sufficient.”

Thank you, Mark, for your years of dedication and for helping not only Hospitality House, but volunteering to further the work of multiple organizations in the community, including Interfaith Food Ministry, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, KVMR, and The Nevada Theater.

July Volunteer Spotlight: Pat Forman

Pat has a passion to serve. For the last two decades, she’s been involved with the end of life movement and in teaching folks about advance care planning. She moved to Nevada City in 2015 and connected with Hospitality House soon after, becoming a steady volunteer and an honored member of the Hearts & Hands Club. She’s served in a variety of capacities through the years, including cooking with the Mountain Stream team, helping at events and fundraisers, working at the former Bread & Roses Thrift and More, and acting as a spiritual care and end of life advocate in the shelter.

“From my college days, fighting injustice – working to make services and opportunities more equitable, affordable and available for underserved populations – has been my passion,” said Pat.

Pat developed a deeper appreciation for helping those less fortunate following a trip to Cuba in 1988 with her teenage daughter. When they visited a local high school, a comment from a student in a class changed her forever.

The student had heard there were homeless people living on the streets in the US and said that couldn’t be true and asked her daughter to explain.

“When my daughter talked about there being thousands of homeless people in the US, and having to step over homeless people on her way to school, the Cuban students were dumbfounded,” recalled Pat. “The student said, ‘How could that be? In Cuba, if someone saw a homeless person, she would take him/her home. We would never allow someone to live on the street.’’’

Pat acknowledged things in Cuba are much different 30 years later but said, “That’s one reason that this cause matters so much to me.”

With Pat at our sides, Hospitality House continues to help people off the streets and into permanent homes of their own. We are grateful for Pam’s kind heart, her advocacy, and her spiritual care and commitment to our homeless community.

June Volunteer Spotlight: Cissy Murphy

Cissy has been a volunteer of Hospitality House since its second winter open. She was part of the Abundant Life group that provided dinners at one of the host churches during our nomadic period and packed lunches for 40-50 guests a couple times a week during the summer months.

“I’ve always wanted to help be a part of a solution, no matter the cause in which I feel called to embrace,” said Cissy. “I also believe local communities are the ones best suited to provide solutions for local problems. In its beginnings, Hospitality House was a grassroots effort that was seeking to responsibly provide solutions to the problem of homelessness in Nevada County. Local people seeking local solutions that involved community members from civic organizations, churches, city councils, supervisors and individuals all working together. I was also attracted to Hospitality House because they had found a way for over 30 churches in our county to cooperate together to help provide a hand up to those in need. I thought that was so awesome–a common reason to set aside doctrinal differences to help others.”

As the years passed on, Cissy’s willingness to help only continued. Utah’s Place opened in 2013 and Cissy and her Abundant Life Church group continued to cook and she also recruited staff from her work, Grass Valley Charter School, to come and cook as well. In addition to cooking, Cissy has been an instrumental event volunteer, leading the kitchen crews for Empty Bowl and Night of Giving and helping in the organization of smaller events, such a walkathon and yard sale fundraisers for Hospitality House.

“Cissy is a star volunteer who deserves to be recognized for her longtime volunteerism with Hospitality House,” said Christina Apkarian, Marketing & Development Specialist at Hospitality House. “She has devoted many hours to help many in need in our community. Our events, as an example, take extensive hours to plan, and Cissy has always been there to lend not only her time, but her ideas to make each event experience the best possible.”

We thank you Cissy for your years of dedication and love to our homeless community.

May Volunteer Spotlight: Mary Liebke

Mary has been a part of the Hospitality House family since it first came to be in 2005. For fifteen faithful years, Mary has been there for people struggling with homelessness. She’s provided unconditional love as well as nurturing meals and peer support.

For those who have visited Utah’s Place, the kitchen is named in her honor as Mary continues to carry the torch, leading and overseeing all volunteer cook groups who come to serve.

“Mary is an incredible human being,” said Shelter Manager, Janella Kirkman. “She has a beautiful soul and she spreads goodness everywhere she goes. We are grateful to Mary and the compassion she always gives.”

Even now, during a pandemic when fellow loyal volunteers like Mary can’t come to the shelter due to safety, she inspires people to give in other meaningful ways. From afar, Mary has continued to engage our volunteers and advocate for our help, raising financial support and food for our shelter guests and motel clients.

“I appreciate being acknowledged but the spotlight goes to all of our volunteers right now,” said Mary. “This is happening because of them.”

We agree! ALL of our volunteers are incredible and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back soon.

Thank you, Mary, and to all of our volunteers, for all that you do!

April Volunteer Spotlight: Frank Goss

Frank Goss first learned about the efforts of Hospitality House in May of last year, and after one conversation with staff, he took a tour of Hospitality House and immediately signed up to be a volunteer.

“Frank’s dedication to Hospitality House has been incredible,” said Ashley Quadros, Development Director. “It’s hard to believe we’ve only had Frank in our lives for about a year because in just one year’s time, he’s changed so many lives forever.”

Frank has taken on many hats at Hospitality House, including delivery driver for church donations, business sponsorship recruitment, raffle ticket sales for events, fundraising to help launch the pet program, volunteer recruitment and most recently, he’s now one of the volunteer drivers from Lake Wildwood, helping with weekend food service to ensure the folks who have been temporarily placed in motels are also receiving hot and healthy meals.

“It’s just one of those things I feel so deeply about,” said Frank. “Seeing the smiles on the faces of people who receive the food, and the various things that we do. It’s so community wise, so giving.”

Thank you, Frank, for giving your time and talents. From all of us at Hospitality House, we thank you!

March Volunteer Spotlight: Chic Lotz

Thank you, Empty Bowl volunteer extraordinaire, Chic Lotz!

Chic’s involvement with Empty Bowl precedes Hospitality House’s inception. She first discovered this great opportunity to highlight the intersection between food and housing insecurity back in 1996 when she attended one in Ashland, Oregon. Soon after, she began bringing local potters together to create beautiful handcrafted bowls to be auctioned off with donations going to our local food bank and eventually to Hospitality House. Her dedication eventually blossomed into the driving-force behind this effort for our current event.

Back when we were a nomadic shelter, Chic held workshops for our guests teaching them her art and trade after Joanna Robinson (Utah Philip’s wife) reached to her. Volunteering for Empty Bowl as was the workshops is near and dear to her heart because it is a combination of her two passions, giving back to her community and working with clay. As she puts its “doing this event has been a lot of fun” and at the same time she recognizes that homelessness can happen to anyone so in her words she “wants to give love-in whatever form- service, food, or support.”

Thank you for your decades of support as we work together to help members of our homeless community transition to housing.

February Volunteer Spotlight: Tommie Conlen

Tommie Conlen has dedicated her time to our mission for almost a decade. She first heard about Hospitality House nearly 15 years ago when she went to a birthday party and had the honor of meeting the late-great, Utah Phillips. A few years later, she attended a donor thank you dinner and learned about our food group program, in which volunteers cook meals for our guests nearly every night of the year. She and a good friend soon formed an 8-person group which is now fully funded by students at the local Jazzercise (her other passion)!

Over the years, Tommie, like many of us, has seen the devastating impact of chronic homelessness. She recognizes how people often can’t keep up with how fast the world seems to move at times and how vulnerable members of our community slip into a cycle that can be extremely difficult to break, especially without help and support.

Tommie also is a heartfelt member of our Hearts & Hands Club, giving monthly to further the efforts of Hospitality House and has a long history of giving back to the community. When asked why volunteering is important, she simply said, “It is part of being a good citizen of the world.”

Thank you, Tommie! We appreciate your years of support and dedication as we work together to further our mission in helping our community members transition from homelessness to housing!

January Volunteer Spotlight: Rick Baron

Rick’s life as a member of the Hospitality House family began many years ago when he volunteered overnight, back when Hospitality House operated as a nomadic shelter. These were the days when various local churches opened their doors and their arms to our community members experiencing homelessness night after night, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Rick worked the shift few others would, arriving at midnight and leaving at 6 a.m., spending his evenings making sure our guests were able to get a good night’s rest even though he would not.

In the years to follow, Rick spent time volunteering for other organizations and other communities, including in Southern California to give out food and later for four months to help our Paradise neighbors after the devastating fire.

Recently, Rick rejoined our team after hearing about the new pet program at our shelter. He became an invaluable member of our Volunteer Department Team, helping plan and manage the volunteer side of our most recent camp cleanup in October. Since then, he enthusiastically joined our Volunteer Event Leadership Team as we geared up for last month’s annual fundraiser, Night of Giving. The success of Night of Giving largely rides on the backs of our robust volunteer staff which this year included over 100 unique individuals who filled 124 positions. We were able to successfully recruit and manage the volunteer side of this incredible community event because of Rick, his hours of pre-event office assistance, his innate ability to think outside of the box, and his fantastic team management style.

After the event, Rick was asked why he dedicates his time. He said, “I do it for my soul.” He pointed out that the issue of homelessness is growing both in our community and throughout the nation and that the best way to address this issue is to, “be an advocate for humankind.”

2019 Awardees:

December Volunteer Spotlight: William Wallace

Many community members know William or at least part of his story.

William struggled with addiction for several years and his involvement with Hospitality House began while he was in the hospital recovering from a heartbreaking overdose. People from Hospitality House visited him in the hospital often and upon release, with no home or place to go, William went to Hospitality House on Dec. 11, 2013, which happened to be opening day of Utah’s Place, our permanent shelter.

William received help and care at the shelter and has been housed and thriving ever since! When asked why he volunteers his time now, he says matter-of-factually, “Because volunteering is a community builder, no matter what community—even if it’s out of the area helping people in a disaster. We are all one community helping each other; we are the building blocks.”

Thank you, William. You are an invaluable member of our volunteer team.

Want to help your community like William? Then come and join Hospitality House’s team of volunteers! We have many areas where you can help including at Utah’s Place, Bread & Roses Thrift store, and in our office. Volunteering with us is a great way you can make new friends, while giving back to your community!

November Volunteer Spotlight: Rob Cairns

Four years ago, Rob was approached by his minister and asked if he would be interested in starting a new spiritual support program at Utah’s Place. The group’s only mission is a simple, although extremely valuable one, to listen. They are not there to pressure or to teach or to council or to advise – they are just there to sit and listen.

To no one’s surprise, Rob said yes even though he had absolutely no idea what to expect or what to do. Announcements about Rob’s arrival were made at the shelter in the preceding days, and to everyone’s delight there were people lined-up waiting to talk to him that very first day. Since then, Rob has grown the program to a rotating volunteer staff of four that come into our shelter every Sunday to do what they do best, listen.

Rob was ordained as a minister through the Independent Church of the Essence and sees volunteering as a calling. As anyone who has the honor of spending time with Rob can clearly see, he is passionate about his work and does it from a deeply genuine place in his heart. When asked about how we should best try to address homelessness in our community, Rob’s response was clear: “We have to address the entire person, the whole social situation; there is more to it than just connection to social services—it all comes back to sharing and having respect for people. We demonstrate that we are all worthy, that someone cares about us.” Or more simply put, he says, “I see you, I hear you, I respect you, and I love you.”

Well Rob, we see you and appreciate you. Your dedication to our guests and to Hospitality House over the years cannot be easily measured. It lives in a place that goes beyond words and beyond simple human understanding. We are truly blessed to call you a member of our Hospitality House family and are forever grateful for all that you do.

Want to help your community like Rob? Then come and join Hospitality House’s team of volunteers! We have many areas where you can help including at Utah’s Place, Bread & Roses Thrift store and in our office. Volunteering with us is a great way you can make new friends, while giving back to your community!

Learn about volunteer opportunities>

October Volunteer Spotlight: Teri Gevry

Over the last six and half years, Hospitality House has had the honor and privilege of having Teri on our volunteer team as a dedicated and passionate advocate. She first came on board as what we now call a Guest Advocate, working in our shelter. She currently serves as an Outreach Advocate, supporting women in our post-housing program.

Teri’s story with Hospitality House began when she first heard a plug for a play at KVMR which many of us have come to know and love, called “A Place to Call Home.” That evening, Teri went to the show at the Center for the Arts and had a conversation with a former Utah’s Place guest, which changed the course of her life forever. As he shared the story of his journey, she began to appreciate the issues surrounding our homeless neighbors and embarked on her own journey to understand and address homelessness in our community.

Since that day, Teri has worked tirelessly to help Hospitality House further its mission of helping support members of our homeless community as they transition from homelessness to housing. Like so many of our volunteers, Teri dedicates her time to Hospitality House because she loves working with our guests.

“I get to help them on their journey, on their path,” said Teri. “I love the fact that they have embraced me as I help them see a new vision.”

Teri, your dedication to our guests is greatly and forever appreciated. Your strength and endurance as you help meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable members of our community is only matched by your passion and kindness. Thank you for all that you do!

Learn about volunteer opportunities>

September Volunteer Spotlight: LuAnne Myers

Anyone who has had the honor of meeting LuAnne, knows just how dedicated she is to Hospitality House and our mission. LuAnne started volunteering with us at Bread & Roses almost two years ago, following a long career as a school counselor.

Her years of working with students from a wide range of backgrounds has given her a unique and beautiful perspective on the world which she carries with her every day. All it takes is a single conversation with LuAnne to see just how much she cares about helping our guests, fellow volunteers, and greater community.

As she puts it, “I am here because I have been very lucky to have people in my life who have helped me, and now I can help others who need a hand up.”

We are very fortunate to have LuAnne on our team and appreciate all that she has done to help further our mission of assisting those who are experiencing homelessness in Nevada County as they transition to housing. With a great deal of gratitude, we thank you, LuAnne, for your dedication and hard work.

August Volunteer Spotlight: George Dunstan

George began volunteering at Hospitality House in 2005 when it was a nomadic shelter. He vividly remembers when guests and volunteers used to meet at the Welcome Center, and a bus would pick them up and take them to a designated church for the night. George has volunteered every week nonstop for 14 years as a shelter advocate (formally monitor). He helps with guests’ immediate needs, such as providing clothes and toiletries, dedicates time to talk to guests, and has helped with the installing of beds for the Onward Dorm and in many other countless areas.

“I wanted to be part of this community,” explained George. “I like having person to person contact and interacting with people. It makes it more meaningful and having direct contact with people is fulfilling. It’s what I do on Thursdays and I have built friendships with staff and other volunteers. Volunteering for Hospitality House has become part of my life. It keeps me going and I look forward to it every week.”

His dedication to our guests and Hospitality House’s mission to bring homeless people in Nevada County into a circle of community caring that offers shelter, sustenance, and care as we assist them in transitioning from homelessness to housing is such a blessing. Thank you, George!

People volunteer with Hospitality House in a variety of ways, and we’re always looking for new volunteers who can help further our mission and services. If anyone has an interest in learning more about volunteer opportunities, we welcome you to contact Leah Farkas, our new Volunteer Manager at 530-615-0805 or get started now>

July Volunteer Spotlight: Bill Blount

We are so grateful to Bill; he has volunteered as a shelter advocate (aka monitor) since the beginning of our shelter. He has tirelessly shown his commitment in helping our homeless neighbors by volunteering every Thursday for four hours and supporting our shelter advocates in the Onward Dorm.

“He is always there for us, and I never have to worry if he is going to show up or not,” said Janella Kirkman, Shelter Supervisor.

Bill makes sure that guests have towels, toiletries, blankets, or anything that is needed to accommodate our guests that night. Bill also has conversations with our guests, creating strong bonds and trust between them.

“He is here for the cause, and that is why he has been with us for so long, because he truly cares. He is also here to help others, not only the guests but our staff who deeply appreciate his ongoing support,” said Kirkman.

Thank you, Bill, for helping everyone you meet, and for your faithful commitment through the years. We are blessed to have you as our super star volunteer!

If you’d like to join our shelter volunteer team, we’re always looking for wonderful people to join our crew. Get started>

June Volunteer Spotlight: Karen Steffa

Karen Steffa joined the Bread & Roses Thrift and More team six months ago, and she’s been an asset ever since.

“Karen has been absolutely amazing!” explained Store Manager, Miranda Stuart. “She always has a smile on her face and is so unbelievably humble.”

Karen’s dedication to the team has been steadfast, but following the loss of a fellow colleague, Karen stepped up to fill the void, and extended her volunteerism to three days a week, tackling merchandising, processing and acting as a backup cashier.

“The staff often say they don’t know what we would do without her,” added Stuart.

Thank you, Karen! We appreciate your devotion and leadership to make our store a success!

If you’d like to join our crew at Bread & Roses, we’re always looking for wonderful people to join our team. Get started>  

May Volunteer Spotlight: Mary Liebke

Mary Liebke is a loyal volunteer who has been a major part of the Hospitality House story from the start.

“I’ve been volunteering since the beginning when my church (Grass Valley United Methodist) vowed to start it,” she recalled. She explained when she left church that day, she and fellow church members found a homeless woman sitting outside on a bench with no where to go. They knew then with certainty that they made the right decision and together, they rallied their money to provide the woman temporary shelter in a local hotel.

From there, Mary’s journey with Hospitality House only grew and she later helped open the welcome center and launched the Lunch Bunch crew—a group who made lunches every day to help local homeless individuals in need, but she recalled it wasn’t always easy. Many days they worried they wouldn’t have enough food for the families and individuals who were hungry, homeless, and needed help.

“We’d pray for food for lunches and it would always come,” she said.

When Utah’s Place opened in 2013, Mary was eager to help. “I was there every night for the first few months of the dinners to help people,” she recalled.

Today, the culinary kitchen is named in her honor and she continues to lead every volunteer cook team at Hospitality House.

“Mary Liebke is a stone in the ever-changing sea of humanity that is our shelter,” said Isaias Acosta, Program Manager. “She is foundational in the greatest sense and without her, like the keystone of a building, so many things would lack the support to stand. Her commitment to the mission of Hospitality House, and her support of myself and the food teams through straight forward communication and practical decision making demonstrates the power of resolve when there is nothing else but the will to do what is right. She is a paragon of virtue, and someone who is of the highest quality. It’s through her consistent attention to putting everything in its place that the miracle of the food group calendar comes together without so much as a gap. Mary’s ability to find the right person, or team, to fill the next gap when the time comes for teams to move on is the stuff of legend. There is no discounting the amazing work our food providers and other volunteers do but every stone needs its mortar, and Mary is the divine instrument which holds our house in order. Thank you, Mary, I appreciate you more than you know.”

From all of us at Hospitality House, thank you, Mary!

Learn more about volunteer opportunities at Hospitality House>

April Volunteer Spotlight: Liz McGuire

Liz began volunteering at Bread & Roses in June 2017, working there four days a week, on average three to four hours per day to help ensure the store’s success—that’s approximately 1,472 hours donated to date! Last month, when Liz learned the administrative office needed help, she jumped at the opportunity to give further.

Liz now volunteers in the admin office two days a week, in addition to volunteering at Bread & Roses three days a week as well. Be sure to say hi to Liz the next time you’re shopping.

From all of us at Hospitality House, thank you, Liz! We appreciate you!

Volunteer Opportunities

Interested in joining the amazing volunteer team at Hospitality House? There are several areas of need, and you can make a difference like Liz. If you’d like to learn more about volunteering, contact Frank at 530-615-0805 or by email at frank@hhshelter.org.

March Volunteer Spotlight: Margaret Little

In the wet, cold winter of 2004, a small group of concerned residents gathered to discuss their dream of helping the many homeless people in western Nevada County by providing shelter and food during the winter months. Margaret Little was among this small group who helped start Hospitality House.

After 15 years of committed volunteer work, Margaret is still serving homeless neighbors in Nevada County. She has served as a board member for Hospitality House; she currently volunteers at Bread & Roses Thrift and More twice a week; and she helps at fundraising events every single year to benefit the shelter.

Margaret is committed to the mission of Hospitality House and its efforts to bring homeless people in Nevada County into a circle of community caring that offers shelter, sustenance, medical care, advocacy, opportunity, dignity, and hope as they transition from homelessness to housing.

Thank you, Margaret, for being a pioneer of the only emergency shelter in Nevada County; for tirelessly giving back to your community; and for never leaving a homeless neighbor behind.

2021 Awardees:

December Volunteer Spotlight: Maggie McKaig

“I think it’s more vital than ever to support Hospitality House,” said Maggie McKaig.

For 16 long years, Maggie has volunteered her time and talent, performing each year at Night of Giving, an event she helped create to raise financial support for those in need. How Night of Giving came about is somewhat serendipitous. As Maggie recalled:

“One November afternoon in 2006, I happened to run into Utah Phillips at Ike’s Quarter Cafe in Nevada City. I asked him about Hospitality House, the organization he had helped found in 2005 to help the homeless. He explained how difficult the financial challenges were for the fledgling organization. As I’m a musician, I had helped organize many events over the years, and believed very strongly in the mission and vision of Hospitality House; I asked if he’d like me to create some kind of musical benefit. He thought it a grand idea and gave his blessings on the proposal. So, I ran with it, enlisted the help of Mikail Graham (who was running Coopers at the time), and on December 23, at Coopers, the very first Night of Giving was manifested.”

While it didn’t have an official name that first year, the evening was far more successful than anyone could have imagined. Subsequently, she, Utah and Mikail decided to do it again the next year at Miners Foundry (and for several years to come!), giving it the official name: Night of Giving.

“It was a sign that our community clearly understood the importance of supporting Hospitality House, and that they very much appreciated and loved being able to offer that support while being immersed in a joyous, live music community experience,” said Maggie. “Therein beats the heart of Night of Giving.”

Night of Giving has changed shape and form through the years, ballooning into a mass hometown holiday party with nearly 50 performers at its peak. This year, in the face of an ongoing pandemic (and associated challenges), the event is being held virtually on Saturday, Dec. 18, in a much smaller, intimate format. This year, Maggie took on the role of artistic director to help in the recruitment of dozens of artists who banned together to do something magical—something never before done in these last 16 years.

“While it might be difficult to imagine how a 20-minute-long video can even begin to capture the magic and warmth of our traditional, 7-hour-plus community gathering at the Miners Foundry, I think everyone who watches Night of Giving 2021 will nonetheless be powerfully moved by the obvious amount of love and effort that went into this particular Night of Giving,” she said.

To see first-hand the love that has gone into this year’s event, tune in this Saturday night at 7 p.m. at hhshelter.org. We thank you, Maggie, for singing now and always to help those in need.

November Volunteer Spotlight: Mark Triolo

We’d like to give our heartfelt thanks to Mark Triolo for his steadfast dedication and support of Hospitality House these last 10 years. Mark is skilled at telling the story of Hospitality House through video. From one-on-one guest testimonials to Night of Giving filming, if there is a camera handy, Mark can make magic happen on screen.

“I do a lot of similar video production work in our community, and Hospitality House is one of the best organizations that I work with,” said Mark. “They take such good care of their volunteers, are great to collaborate with, are so well organized, and are so driven to do good in our community. For a volunteer, there is no better place than Hospitality House.”

Throughout the pandemic, volunteer opportunities have been limited at Hospitality House to best protect our volunteers and people experiencing homelessness. However, Mark has been working away these last few months to help in the virtual production of the 16^th annual Night of Giving.

“I started by doing video testimonials at Night of Giving and making them into promotional videos for Hospitality House, then moved on to being on the team that was live streaming the event for a few years, and this year have taken on the job of working with Maggie McCaig to produce the Night of Giving program to be viewed online,” explained Mark.

Mark has been shooting and editing artist videos into a single, special rendition, never before done by Hospitality House, which will be released on Saturday, Dec. 18 as a featured segment of this year’s Night of Giving.

“I hope people will appreciate the fact that the pandemic has inhibited our ability to produce a full-on traditional Night of Giving event, but, in opposition to this, the pandemic has increased the community need for Hospitality House’s services,” said Mark. “So I hope people will keep this in mind when donating to the cause this year.”

We thank you, Mark, for donating nearly 100 hours toward this year’s Night of Giving and for the countless hours you’ve given through the years. We appreciate you.

October Volunteer Spotlight: Suzie Miller

“It’s in my genes. I follow in my mother’s footsteps,” said Suzie Miller. “I always feel by the grace of God I could have easily been in their position (homeless). In my earlier days, I could have easily taken one turn and been homeless. I am grateful that I can help.”

For the last decade, Suzie has been giving her heart to Hospitality House with no plans to slow down. She first heard about our nonprofit at women’s bible study offered at Twin Cities Church (TCC) and knew she wanted to get involved. At that time, Hospitality House had no physical shelter and relied on churches to open their doors each night to those in need.

“We would cook everything from home and bring big fat batches of soup to the church,” recalled Suzie, who noted at that time, she generally cooked for 30 to 40 people experiencing homelessness. (Today, Hospitality House averages 90 people a day).

When our permanent shelter, Utah’s Place, opened in 2013, Suzie’s desire to cook only deepened. In addition to cooking with the TCC team under volunteer Margaret Little and eventually taking over as team co-lead with fellow volunteer Laurel Vieaux, she also helped lead a second cook group, the Lake Wildwood Christian Club, for two years, on top of volunteering in other capacities, such as helping at Hospitality House events and coordinating speaking engagements for Hospitality House staff.

“What I have enjoyed most is bringing along people who don’t know about Hospitality House and getting them to come in and volunteer,” she said. Suzie recruited not only friends and neighbors but family, too. “It was very special that I was able to bring my granddaughter Alyce in to help serve one time.”

Over the years, the TCC team became well-known in the shelter for their famous meatloaf, that they typically serve with fresh veggies, a loaded salad, and dessert.

“We did meatloaf once and everyone loved it, so we do it every time,” she explained. “It made it easy for shopping and as the numbers got bigger, it was easy to add onto the ingredients.”

The team, which Suzie and Hospitality House deeply credit for their devotion, includes Donna Ellert, Bob Whiteaker, Dorin Rollins, Susanne Vaughn, Barbara Tiegs, Becky Thompson, Pat Miller-Fee and Sharon Norton (as well as subs: Larry Ellert, Carol Battles, Glenda Skibitzke, Rhonda Yates, Arlin and Olivia Torbett).

“I love Hospitality House,” she concluded. “They get involved in the community and they have wonderful hearts … and the guests, you can see it in their eyes—they are so grateful.”

Thank you, Suzie. We are grateful for you!

August Volunteer Spotlight: Karl Miller

We’d like to recognize and thank Karl Miller for his decade of service to Hospitality House. Karl and his wife Suzie (also an amazing volunteer) learned about Hospitality House through Twin Cities Church, shortly after moving here from San Mateo. At the time, Hospitality House was nomadic and relied on the kindness of churches to open their doors for people experiencing homelessness.
Karl and Suzie began helping with the lunch efforts offered at TCC and soon began to familiarize themselves with the guests.

“Working with the guests was a powerful experience,” recalled Karl. “We got to see the regulars, see the new people, hear their stories. It was just a great experience.”

After Hospitality House’s permanent shelter, Utah’s Place, opened, Suzie began cooking at the shelter with fellow TCC members and Karl found another way to help people experiencing homelessness: Empty Bowl. While attending the 2016 Empty Bowl benefit for Hospitality House at Peace Lutheran Church, Karl admired the many bowls donated by local artists. However, as a woodcraftsman and member of the Gold Country Woodturners, he immediately noticed all the bowls were ceramic.

“I found the woman who was organizing the bowls and I asked if they might like to have wooden bowls,” recalled Karl. The answer was a resounding yes and for the last five years, Karl and fellow Gold Country Woodturners have been turning bowls for Empty Bowl.
Today, Karl remains the woodturner coordinator for Empty Bowl, rallying the woodturners to turn bowls throughout the year. With the volunteer program at the shelter suspended as a result of the pandemic, Karl and Suzie have been faithfully donating month after month to ensure guests receive fuel and sustenance to move forward.

“Volunteers make things happen in Nevada County,” said Karl. “We wouldn’t see nearly as much done if it weren’t for the volunteers.”
Thank you, Karl, Suzie, and fellow woodturners for standing by Hospitality House and helping guests get back on their feet through art, cooking and kindness.

July Volunteer Spotlight: Robert Cairns

Rob Cairns first began volunteering at Utah’s Place in 2016 after learning from then board member, Yvonne Turner, and co-founder, Joanna Robinson, that the shelter was looking to introduce a volunteer spiritual support group.

“We mainly stay quiet and just listen to people and give them a voice, and that in itself sometimes works miracles,” explained Rob. “If a guest wants to talk about their spirituality or religion, we are happy to go there with them, but we do not necessarily talk about that; it’s basically supporting their spirits and knowing that someone cares about them and that what they think and say is important and worthy.”

For the last few years, with the exception of covid, Rob and other spiritual support volunteers have faithfully visited the shelter and opened their hearts and minds to anyone who needed it.

“After guests get to know me and trust me, some of the things they share with me are pretty personal and deep, deep seeded things,” reflected Rob. “Some of the guests there they just boggle my mind, what they have been through, the things that they have gone through, what they have accomplished in the past, their intellect and insight on things, it has really expanded my consciousness and awareness.”

Rob’s consciousness and compassion for those experiencing homelessness comes easy, as he himself has been in their shoes. For years, Rob intermittently struggled with addiction and homelessness, never knowing for sure if he would have a warm bed in a shelter or be sleeping under the stars.

“I camped for a while and would find a land way out, and sometimes I would have to move every once in a while, if someone found me,” he shared. “And then another time I would stay wherever I could, sometimes in people’s couches, garage, basement, or anybody that would take me in. I managed to get over my addiction issues and steady work and went through the steps of sharing a room in a house, getting my own apartment, and then stepping up until I was able to buy a home. One step at a time, it is an arduous journey.”

Rob’s journey back to housing and sustainability led him to giving back. On top of volunteering, he is a member of Hospitality House’s Hearts & Hands Club, giving every month to ensure the shelter can continue to respond to the greatest needs. Rob and his family recently moved to Santa Fe, but he hasn’t stopped thinking about Hospitality House. To ensure help will always be available for those who need it, including in the long years after he is gone, he joined the Hospitality House Legacy Circle by naming the nonprofit as a beneficiary in his will.

“An organization like Hospitality House meets the most basic needs that people have,” he said. “Starting from the very bottom, physical safety, food and shelter and a sense of belonging and a sense that someone cares about them, these are basic human needs. You can’t really fulfill people’s higher needs until they begin to fulfill their basic needs. That’s really to me the most important thing of organizations like Hospitality House. They are starting from scratch to take care of people …”

Thank you, Rob, for caring for Nevada County residents and lending your ears to those who need help being heard.

June Volunteer Spotlight: Christine Mulvey

Hospitality House would like to honor Christine (Cris) Mulvey as Volunteer of the Month for June.

Cris first learned about Hospitality House when she moved from Montana to Nevada County in 2015. Her husband Jack began volunteering as a shelter advocate just before COVID-19. When the pandemic struck in 2020, Hospitality House reacted to an increased need for service by expanding programs and operations. When Hospitality House was met with increased expenses, Cris stepped in to help.

Cris created a way to meaningfully contribute to the work of Hospitality House by volunteering online. She worked with the Development Department, researching grants and identifying potential funding options.

Cris shared, “sharing what has been given to us, my husband and I, is increasingly imperative. Homelessness is growing in the U.S. and around the world [and] seems to me to be a priority issue, the most basic need there is, without which people have no hope of creating a life that works or of living into their potential.” She and Jack also wrote an article, published May 2020 in The Union, which encouraged residents to give during the pandemic.

“I have found volunteering to be a source of great peace and satisfaction to me as a retired person,” shared Cris. “Being able to use the skills and knowledge I developed in my professional life, to contribute to those who are working now for the values I believe in, rather than letting them fade away, feels good. More importantly, I am making a practical contribution to the quality of life for those in my community who do not have what they need and deserve.”

Although Cris and Jack recently relocated to the coast, she still offers to volunteer remotely for Hospitality House. She is grateful for all that Hospitality House does for the community, and we are grateful for her.

May Volunteer Spotlight: Nancy Holtz

The needs at Hospitality House are many, and Nancy and the Pine Tree Quilt Guild help to fill the need. For several years, the Quilt Guild has given quilts to our shelter, providing covering and a gentle hug to those who need warmth and security.

Nancy has been involved with Pine Tree Quilt Guild for five years. For the past two and a half years, she has been the chair of Community Service team. “Community Service is a caring group of volunteers who help every month in various capacities,” explained Nancy. She and her fellow volunteers sort fabric donations, sew on labels, match backs to donated tops, cut batting and sew binding. “Creating a quilt and giving such a gift is a group effort,” she added, noting that she and the Community Service provide quilts for Hospitality House and other organizations.

Nancy has fifty total years of nursing experience, with the last twenty as a nurse practitioner. Her experience and passion has led her to volunteer in the community. Nancy has administered Covid vaccines, volunteered with California Care Force in both Grass Valley and Sacramento clinics. She continues to work two days a week in a family practice office with no plans to retire any time soon.

“I have a heart for helping others,” said Nancy.

Thank you, Nancy and the Pine Tree Quilt Guild, for sharing your skills, passion, and love for the homeless individuals in our care.

April Volunteer Spotlight: Beverly Werntz

This month, we would like to honor Beverly Werntz for eleven years of service as she continues to care for homeless individuals in Nevada County. Serving others has always been important to Beverly, both in her professional role as a registered nurse and through volunteering with Hospitality House.

After retirement, she wanted to continue to serve. Beverly says, “Many of the guests have touched my life. I still see so many of those faces when I close my eyes and the differences in them after being accepted and loved by the work of Hospitality House.”

Beverly’s friend Judy Olson invited her to help provide lunch for guests when the emergency shelter was still nomadic. Originally, she thought she would help once a month, but soon fell in love with the guests and experienced meaningful fulfillment in the service. Beverly started helping at least once a week. When Utah’s Place opened four years later, she coordinated two cook groups, Blessed Sister and Kitchen Kut Ups. These groups purchased, prepared, and served dinner to shelter guests for six years, until Covid-19 restrictions prevented volunteers from entering the shelter. “The most impactful time at Hospitality House is every time I serve,” said Beverly.

The groups with which she serves bring her such joy, and there is always an encounter that stays with her long after she leaves for the night. The sincere and heartfelt appreciation that comes to her after a lovingly prepared meal makes her work in the kitchen meaningful. She looks forward to the time she and her group can come back in person.

“I am so proud to volunteer for this organization,” shares Beverly. “Hospitality House really is the model for caring for our homeless population. Spending time with guests, looking them in the eye when talking to them, and hearing their stories has changed my heart and mind about our homeless issues. I wish every community could come together like we do here in Nevada County.”

Thank you, Beverly for your continued dedication to Hospitality House and the guests we serve!

March Volunteer Spotlight: Barbara Dean

For years, Barbara was disturbed whenever she passed a struggling person holding a sign or asking for help. She wished there was something she could do that would make a lasting difference.

When Hospitality House was a nomadic shelter, Barbara got involved once a month with her church. She started out serving dinner to homeless guests. As the program expanded, and the number of guests grew, she increased her service by becoming a member of the “Lunch Bunch”. This group of volunteers served sandwiches, salads, and hot food. Barbara served faithfully as a member of the Lunch Bunch until Utah’s Place opened in 2013.

Barbara witnessed the excitement of the opening of Utah’s Place and began serving right away. Barbara reflects, “I love to cook, and the guests have been so appreciative of our efforts. I have also enjoyed working with and getting to know other members of our community who have come to serve.”

Barbara has demonstrated a strong commitment to Hospitality House and our guests. For a while, she held a weekly class for women guests, sharing what she was doing in Sacramento at Women’s Empowerment.

Although the pandemic has limited her direct involvement, Barbara continues to be an advocate for Hospitality House. She is pleased to see that guests have stepped up to help with cooking and have the opportunity to live at the shelter full time as they work toward permanent housing solutions.

Thank you, Barbara, for making a lasting difference!

February Volunteer Spotlight: Pamela Roberts

Pamela has been gifting her marketing talents to Hospitality House for approximately four years, specializing in event promotions, ad strategy and placement, and social media to increase awareness and support for Hospitality House.

“One of the first campaigns I really dove in on was the Empty Bowl event a few years ago,” recalled Pamela. “When it sold out and Hospitality House reported it was the best attendance they’d ever had, I knew that meant I’d been able to help raise essential funds and awareness for HH. Rewarding for sure.”

“I’m a big fan of the ideals of the great Utah Phillips,” added Pamela. “I see what incredible work Hospitality House does and how they show up as champions for friends in our community that are struggling. This is work we should all find a way to get involved with.”

In addition to helping in the promotional efforts of signature events, such as Empty Bowl and Night of Giving, Pamela takes it a step further by donating her musical talents, too. You may recognize Pamela as a member of the SierraCapella band, a group that sings their heart out at Night of Giving.

“It’s an honor to be helping HH and see that my contributions have real impact for the organization and their guests,” said Pamela. “I’m in awe of the work the staff and volunteers do for our community. They have my sincere gratitude.”

Thank you, Pamela, for your loyal advocacy of our shelter and for furthering our work through awareness, promotions and song. We appreciate you.

January Volunteer Spotlight: Dick Mentzer

2020 Awardees:

December Volunteer Spotlight: Jim Heck

Did you know that livestreaming of Night of Giving started because of our volunteers? Jim Heck was one of them. Five years ago, he learned that Hospitality House didn’t have the capabilities or technology to livestream their annual musical benefit, so he offered his help and hasn’t looked back.

“During my early days with Nevada County Community Television (NCTV) we began collaborating with Telestream to bring livestreaming to Nevada County by utilizing Wirecast, Telestream’s professional live video production software,” recalled Jim. “My goal was to use livestreaming to YouTube, Facebook and other CDN’s to help nonprofits reach out to their members and assist in fundraising. When I found out Hospitality House was going to do its Night of Giving event, Dick Mentzer [another volunteer] and I reached out to Mikail Graham [event host] about livestreaming the performers.”

Ever since that first event, Jim has stayed connected to Hospitality House and has helped not only on the video technology side of Night of Giving but with additional video projects throughout the years, including guest interviews, our solar install last year, and related.

Jim understands that when he volunteers, he directly helps people in crisis, but that knowledge really came to light when Jim discovered someone he knew was staying at Hospitality House.

“I stopped at a local coffee shop a couple of years ago and ran into a familiar face,” recalled Jim. “I hadn’t seen him in a long time …  He was gracious, soft spoken and always went the extra mile to help everyone. Through no fault if his own he ran into health problems, found himself without a job and homeless. Fortunately, he had Hospitality House to help him during that difficult time. This emphasized to me the importance of having Hospitality House in our community to help when unforeseen circumstances happen and can render someone homeless. It is vital for our community to keep Hospitality House financially viable through volunteering, donations and grants.”

Today, Jim continues to help Hospitality House as much as he can. He recently helped film some of the segments that will be featured in this year’s Night of Giving. Thank you, Jim, for bringing technology and heart to our team.

November Volunteer Spotlight: Mindy Oberne

This month we’d like to recognize Mindy Oberne for her faithful support of Hospitality House and advocacy on behalf of those less fortunate. Mindy is a well-known artist in the community and the founder of Twin Star Gallery Ceramics & Photography. She began volunteering with Hospitality House after learning about the nonprofit through friend and fellow artist, Chic Lotz. Since that time, every year Mindy has created and donated 100 bowls to help make Empty Bowl possible.

“I think we all need to feel like we’re making a positive difference in people’s lives,” said Mindy. “It gives purpose and great fulfillment knowing you’ve helped others.”

Despite the traditional Empty Bowl being canceled this year due to the pandemic, Mindy was the featured Empty Bowl artist of 2020 and assisted in bowl distribution to ticketholders this past July. In past years, she’s also led the silent auction efforts for Empty Bowl, in addition to volunteering for other opportunities as they arise with Hospitality House and alike nonprofits.

“It’s important that those who are down and out know that there are people out there who do care,” added Mindy.

Mindy’s care for others inspired her to do more for Hospitality House and on Dec. 5 and 6, she is hosting a special artist benefit called “The Weekend of Giving” in the shelter’s honor. Mindy specializes in one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces, including statues as well as functional art, such as teapots, bowls, cups, and more. She’s also a professional photographer of local scenes and of Antarctica, all of which will be on display and available for purchase. 100% of the proceeds from this weekend will be donated by Mindy to Hospitality House. Buy an item from Mindy and directly support Hospitality House in the process.

We thank you, Mindy, for your continued advocacy, love and support and for hosting what is sure to be a beautiful artist benefit for our homeless community.

October Volunteer Spotlight: Jo Ann DeSena

Jo Ann has been a part of the Hospitality House family since its nomadic days when guests found sanctuary at various churches each night, including her church, Peace Lutheran.

“I saw it in the church bulletin and immediately volunteered to cook,” recalled Jo Ann, who has been cooking ever since (pre-pandemic).

Jo Ann’s devotion to those less fortunate has been ingrained in her since a young age. Her grandmother had a cherry and apricot orchard and while her grandmother didn’t own a vehicle or ever drive, she built a three-car garage on her property so the people working in her orchard would have a place to sleep each night.

“I carry on my Nana’s legacy and provide for those that need a helping hand,” explained Jo Ann. “God Bless them.”

Through her years of cooking for those in need, Jo Ann has served many people, several of whom left lasting impact on her heart.

“One gentleman, who I observed back in the days when they slept at Peace began by never looking up,” she recalled. “He looked at the ground and did not communicate at all. It took him a very long time but little by little he began looking up. The final time I saw him, he smiled and asked how my day was going. That is what I call a miracle!”

Encounters like these remind us that each guest’s journey back to housing and stability is different, but everyone needs fuel and nourishment to move forward. In time, guests began recognizing the nourishment Jo Ann provided and they began fondly referring to her as the “Sausage Mashed Potatoes and Gravy Lady,” a moniker for one of her favorite meals to cook and share with our homeless community.

We thank you, Jo Ann, for the countless meals you’ve made through the years. We miss seeing you at the shelter but appreciate your continued help from afar by donating food and financial support so we can serve your signature dish in your honor. Our volunteer program is expected to return when the County reaches Stage 4, but until then, we thank you, Sausage Mashed Potatoes and Gravy Lady!

September Volunteer Spotlight: Kathy Dotson

For the last several years, Kathy Dotson, local designer and illustrator, has been gifting her graphic design talents to Hospitality House in a variety of capacities, but she’s most known for her beautiful posters and flyers that bring awareness and support to Hospitality House events, such as Night of Giving and Empty Bowl.

“It is wonderful knowing that my design and artwork have been appreciated and valued over the years,” said Kathy. “Hospitality House serves such a large need in our community. And over the years they have been such a valuable and necessary resource for so many people. As a busy graphic designer, I am fortunate that I can give some service to Hospitality House during the year.”

Kathy has been loyally helping Hospitality House since approximately 2011, but prior to that, she had an experience with one of our founders, Utah Phillips, that has stayed with her all these years.

“A wonderful memory is having Utah Phillips sit for me while I sketched his portrait,” recalled Kathy. “The finished watercolor painting sits in the offices of KVMR radio.”

Today, Kathy continues to help Hospitality House and when she isn’t designing, you can find her enjoying the great outdoors with her husband and two daughters. Thank you, Kathy!

August Volunteer Spotlight: Mark Triolo

For the last nine years, Mark has been gifting his time and talents to Hospitality House. As a video production extraordinaire, Mark has helped create a number of videos for Hospitality House to raise public awareness and financial support for the shelter.

“These videos were designed to help the community understand what Hospitality House does, how they do it, the stories of guests … Many videos were to introduce new programs that Hospitality House was running or events like the Empty Bowl.”

Mark has produced videos individually and as part of video teams, helping with concept development, production, filming and editing, but of all the videos he’s helped produce, his favorite video tells the story of Hospitality House without words.

Watch here:

Since this video was created by Mark, Hospitality House has expanded its services further by embracing a Housing First model, introducing recuperative care, expanding outreach and transportation, and even launching a pet program, but the video still reflects the heart of Hospitality House: the people—helping real people on their journeys back to sustainable living and permanent housing, and just like Mark, we love this video.

“One of my personal goals upon retirement was to give back to the community,” said Mark. “I think we all, as community members, need to donate our time and talent to make this a better place to live … I get significant satisfaction from knowing that what I do makes life better for someone else … Since I know many of their personal stories, I feel a connecting to seeing them move forward. The most satisfaction comes from hearing that someone I know moved into housing and is now self-sufficient.”

Thank you, Mark, for your years of dedication and for helping not only Hospitality House, but volunteering to further the work of multiple organizations in the community, including Interfaith Food Ministry, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, KVMR, and The Nevada Theater.

July Volunteer Spotlight: Pat Forman

Pat has a passion to serve. For the last two decades, she’s been involved with the end of life movement and in teaching folks about advance care planning. She moved to Nevada City in 2015 and connected with Hospitality House soon after, becoming a steady volunteer and an honored member of the Hearts & Hands Club. She’s served in a variety of capacities through the years, including cooking with the Mountain Stream team, helping at events and fundraisers, working at the former Bread & Roses Thrift and More, and acting as a spiritual care and end of life advocate in the shelter.

“From my college days, fighting injustice – working to make services and opportunities more equitable, affordable and available for underserved populations – has been my passion,” said Pat.

Pat developed a deeper appreciation for helping those less fortunate following a trip to Cuba in 1988 with her teenage daughter. When they visited a local high school, a comment from a student in a class changed her forever.

The student had heard there were homeless people living on the streets in the US and said that couldn’t be true and asked her daughter to explain.

“When my daughter talked about there being thousands of homeless people in the US, and having to step over homeless people on her way to school, the Cuban students were dumbfounded,” recalled Pat. “The student said, ‘How could that be? In Cuba, if someone saw a homeless person, she would take him/her home. We would never allow someone to live on the street.’’’

Pat acknowledged things in Cuba are much different 30 years later but said, “That’s one reason that this cause matters so much to me.”

With Pat at our sides, Hospitality House continues to help people off the streets and into permanent homes of their own. We are grateful for Pam’s kind heart, her advocacy, and her spiritual care and commitment to our homeless community.

June Volunteer Spotlight: Cissy Murphy

Cissy has been a volunteer of Hospitality House since its second winter open. She was part of the Abundant Life group that provided dinners at one of the host churches during our nomadic period and packed lunches for 40-50 guests a couple times a week during the summer months.

“I’ve always wanted to help be a part of a solution, no matter the cause in which I feel called to embrace,” said Cissy. “I also believe local communities are the ones best suited to provide solutions for local problems. In its beginnings, Hospitality House was a grassroots effort that was seeking to responsibly provide solutions to the problem of homelessness in Nevada County. Local people seeking local solutions that involved community members from civic organizations, churches, city councils, supervisors and individuals all working together. I was also attracted to Hospitality House because they had found a way for over 30 churches in our county to cooperate together to help provide a hand up to those in need. I thought that was so awesome–a common reason to set aside doctrinal differences to help others.”

As the years passed on, Cissy’s willingness to help only continued. Utah’s Place opened in 2013 and Cissy and her Abundant Life Church group continued to cook and she also recruited staff from her work, Grass Valley Charter School, to come and cook as well. In addition to cooking, Cissy has been an instrumental event volunteer, leading the kitchen crews for Empty Bowl and Night of Giving and helping in the organization of smaller events, such a walkathon and yard sale fundraisers for Hospitality House.

“Cissy is a star volunteer who deserves to be recognized for her longtime volunteerism with Hospitality House,” said Christina Apkarian, Marketing & Development Specialist at Hospitality House. “She has devoted many hours to help many in need in our community. Our events, as an example, take extensive hours to plan, and Cissy has always been there to lend not only her time, but her ideas to make each event experience the best possible.”

We thank you Cissy for your years of dedication and love to our homeless community.

May Volunteer Spotlight: Mary Liebke

Mary has been a part of the Hospitality House family since it first came to be in 2005. For fifteen faithful years, Mary has been there for people struggling with homelessness. She’s provided unconditional love as well as nurturing meals and peer support.

For those who have visited Utah’s Place, the kitchen is named in her honor as Mary continues to carry the torch, leading and overseeing all volunteer cook groups who come to serve.

“Mary is an incredible human being,” said Shelter Manager, Janella Kirkman. “She has a beautiful soul and she spreads goodness everywhere she goes. We are grateful to Mary and the compassion she always gives.”

Even now, during a pandemic when fellow loyal volunteers like Mary can’t come to the shelter due to safety, she inspires people to give in other meaningful ways. From afar, Mary has continued to engage our volunteers and advocate for our help, raising financial support and food for our shelter guests and motel clients.

“I appreciate being acknowledged but the spotlight goes to all of our volunteers right now,” said Mary. “This is happening because of them.”

We agree! ALL of our volunteers are incredible and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back soon.

Thank you, Mary, and to all of our volunteers, for all that you do!

April Volunteer Spotlight: Frank Goss

Frank Goss first learned about the efforts of Hospitality House in May of last year, and after one conversation with staff, he took a tour of Hospitality House and immediately signed up to be a volunteer.

“Frank’s dedication to Hospitality House has been incredible,” said Ashley Quadros, Development Director. “It’s hard to believe we’ve only had Frank in our lives for about a year because in just one year’s time, he’s changed so many lives forever.”

Frank has taken on many hats at Hospitality House, including delivery driver for church donations, business sponsorship recruitment, raffle ticket sales for events, fundraising to help launch the pet program, volunteer recruitment and most recently, he’s now one of the volunteer drivers from Lake Wildwood, helping with weekend food service to ensure the folks who have been temporarily placed in motels are also receiving hot and healthy meals.

“It’s just one of those things I feel so deeply about,” said Frank. “Seeing the smiles on the faces of people who receive the food, and the various things that we do. It’s so community wise, so giving.”

Thank you, Frank, for giving your time and talents. From all of us at Hospitality House, we thank you!

March Volunteer Spotlight: Chic Lotz

Thank you, Empty Bowl volunteer extraordinaire, Chic Lotz!

Chic’s involvement with Empty Bowl precedes Hospitality House’s inception. She first discovered this great opportunity to highlight the intersection between food and housing insecurity back in 1996 when she attended one in Ashland, Oregon. Soon after, she began bringing local potters together to create beautiful handcrafted bowls to be auctioned off with donations going to our local food bank and eventually to Hospitality House. Her dedication eventually blossomed into the driving-force behind this effort for our current event.

Back when we were a nomadic shelter, Chic held workshops for our guests teaching them her art and trade after Joanna Robinson (Utah Philip’s wife) reached to her. Volunteering for Empty Bowl as was the workshops is near and dear to her heart because it is a combination of her two passions, giving back to her community and working with clay. As she puts its “doing this event has been a lot of fun” and at the same time she recognizes that homelessness can happen to anyone so in her words she “wants to give love-in whatever form- service, food, or support.”

Thank you for your decades of support as we work together to help members of our homeless community transition to housing.

February Volunteer Spotlight: Tommie Conlen

Tommie Conlen has dedicated her time to our mission for almost a decade. She first heard about Hospitality House nearly 15 years ago when she went to a birthday party and had the honor of meeting the late-great, Utah Phillips. A few years later, she attended a donor thank you dinner and learned about our food group program, in which volunteers cook meals for our guests nearly every night of the year. She and a good friend soon formed an 8-person group which is now fully funded by students at the local Jazzercise (her other passion)!

Over the years, Tommie, like many of us, has seen the devastating impact of chronic homelessness. She recognizes how people often can’t keep up with how fast the world seems to move at times and how vulnerable members of our community slip into a cycle that can be extremely difficult to break, especially without help and support.

Tommie also is a heartfelt member of our Hearts & Hands Club, giving monthly to further the efforts of Hospitality House and has a long history of giving back to the community. When asked why volunteering is important, she simply said, “It is part of being a good citizen of the world.”

Thank you, Tommie! We appreciate your years of support and dedication as we work together to further our mission in helping our community members transition from homelessness to housing!

January Volunteer Spotlight: Rick Baron

Rick’s life as a member of the Hospitality House family began many years ago when he volunteered overnight, back when Hospitality House operated as a nomadic shelter. These were the days when various local churches opened their doors and their arms to our community members experiencing homelessness night after night, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Rick worked the shift few others would, arriving at midnight and leaving at 6 a.m., spending his evenings making sure our guests were able to get a good night’s rest even though he would not.

In the years to follow, Rick spent time volunteering for other organizations and other communities, including in Southern California to give out food and later for four months to help our Paradise neighbors after the devastating fire.

Recently, Rick rejoined our team after hearing about the new pet program at our shelter. He became an invaluable member of our Volunteer Department Team, helping plan and manage the volunteer side of our most recent camp cleanup in October. Since then, he enthusiastically joined our Volunteer Event Leadership Team as we geared up for last month’s annual fundraiser, Night of Giving. The success of Night of Giving largely rides on the backs of our robust volunteer staff which this year included over 100 unique individuals who filled 124 positions. We were able to successfully recruit and manage the volunteer side of this incredible community event because of Rick, his hours of pre-event office assistance, his innate ability to think outside of the box, and his fantastic team management style.

After the event, Rick was asked why he dedicates his time. He said, “I do it for my soul.” He pointed out that the issue of homelessness is growing both in our community and throughout the nation and that the best way to address this issue is to, “be an advocate for humankind.”

2019 Awardees:

December Volunteer Spotlight: William Wallace

Many community members know William or at least part of his story.

William struggled with addiction for several years and his involvement with Hospitality House began while he was in the hospital recovering from a heartbreaking overdose. People from Hospitality House visited him in the hospital often and upon release, with no home or place to go, William went to Hospitality House on Dec. 11, 2013, which happened to be opening day of Utah’s Place, our permanent shelter.

William received help and care at the shelter and has been housed and thriving ever since! When asked why he volunteers his time now, he says matter-of-factually, “Because volunteering is a community builder, no matter what community—even if it’s out of the area helping people in a disaster. We are all one community helping each other; we are the building blocks.”

Thank you, William. You are an invaluable member of our volunteer team.

Want to help your community like William? Then come and join Hospitality House’s team of volunteers! We have many areas where you can help including at Utah’s Place, Bread & Roses Thrift store, and in our office. Volunteering with us is a great way you can make new friends, while giving back to your community!

November Volunteer Spotlight: Rob Cairns

Four years ago, Rob was approached by his minister and asked if he would be interested in starting a new spiritual support program at Utah’s Place. The group’s only mission is a simple, although extremely valuable one, to listen. They are not there to pressure or to teach or to council or to advise – they are just there to sit and listen.

To no one’s surprise, Rob said yes even though he had absolutely no idea what to expect or what to do. Announcements about Rob’s arrival were made at the shelter in the preceding days, and to everyone’s delight there were people lined-up waiting to talk to him that very first day. Since then, Rob has grown the program to a rotating volunteer staff of four that come into our shelter every Sunday to do what they do best, listen.

Rob was ordained as a minister through the Independent Church of the Essence and sees volunteering as a calling. As anyone who has the honor of spending time with Rob can clearly see, he is passionate about his work and does it from a deeply genuine place in his heart. When asked about how we should best try to address homelessness in our community, Rob’s response was clear: “We have to address the entire person, the whole social situation; there is more to it than just connection to social services—it all comes back to sharing and having respect for people. We demonstrate that we are all worthy, that someone cares about us.” Or more simply put, he says, “I see you, I hear you, I respect you, and I love you.”

Well Rob, we see you and appreciate you. Your dedication to our guests and to Hospitality House over the years cannot be easily measured. It lives in a place that goes beyond words and beyond simple human understanding. We are truly blessed to call you a member of our Hospitality House family and are forever grateful for all that you do.

Want to help your community like Rob? Then come and join Hospitality House’s team of volunteers! We have many areas where you can help including at Utah’s Place, Bread & Roses Thrift store and in our office. Volunteering with us is a great way you can make new friends, while giving back to your community!

Learn about volunteer opportunities>

October Volunteer Spotlight: Teri Gevry

Over the last six and half years, Hospitality House has had the honor and privilege of having Teri on our volunteer team as a dedicated and passionate advocate. She first came on board as what we now call a Guest Advocate, working in our shelter. She currently serves as an Outreach Advocate, supporting women in our post-housing program.

Teri’s story with Hospitality House began when she first heard a plug for a play at KVMR which many of us have come to know and love, called “A Place to Call Home.” That evening, Teri went to the show at the Center for the Arts and had a conversation with a former Utah’s Place guest, which changed the course of her life forever. As he shared the story of his journey, she began to appreciate the issues surrounding our homeless neighbors and embarked on her own journey to understand and address homelessness in our community.

Since that day, Teri has worked tirelessly to help Hospitality House further its mission of helping support members of our homeless community as they transition from homelessness to housing. Like so many of our volunteers, Teri dedicates her time to Hospitality House because she loves working with our guests.

“I get to help them on their journey, on their path,” said Teri. “I love the fact that they have embraced me as I help them see a new vision.”

Teri, your dedication to our guests is greatly and forever appreciated. Your strength and endurance as you help meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable members of our community is only matched by your passion and kindness. Thank you for all that you do!

Learn about volunteer opportunities>

September Volunteer Spotlight: LuAnne Myers

Anyone who has had the honor of meeting LuAnne, knows just how dedicated she is to Hospitality House and our mission. LuAnne started volunteering with us at Bread & Roses almost two years ago, following a long career as a school counselor.

Her years of working with students from a wide range of backgrounds has given her a unique and beautiful perspective on the world which she carries with her every day. All it takes is a single conversation with LuAnne to see just how much she cares about helping our guests, fellow volunteers, and greater community.

As she puts it, “I am here because I have been very lucky to have people in my life who have helped me, and now I can help others who need a hand up.”

We are very fortunate to have LuAnne on our team and appreciate all that she has done to help further our mission of assisting those who are experiencing homelessness in Nevada County as they transition to housing. With a great deal of gratitude, we thank you, LuAnne, for your dedication and hard work.

August Volunteer Spotlight: George Dunstan

George began volunteering at Hospitality House in 2005 when it was a nomadic shelter. He vividly remembers when guests and volunteers used to meet at the Welcome Center, and a bus would pick them up and take them to a designated church for the night. George has volunteered every week nonstop for 14 years as a shelter advocate (formally monitor). He helps with guests’ immediate needs, such as providing clothes and toiletries, dedicates time to talk to guests, and has helped with the installing of beds for the Onward Dorm and in many other countless areas.

“I wanted to be part of this community,” explained George. “I like having person to person contact and interacting with people. It makes it more meaningful and having direct contact with people is fulfilling. It’s what I do on Thursdays and I have built friendships with staff and other volunteers. Volunteering for Hospitality House has become part of my life. It keeps me going and I look forward to it every week.”

His dedication to our guests and Hospitality House’s mission to bring homeless people in Nevada County into a circle of community caring that offers shelter, sustenance, and care as we assist them in transitioning from homelessness to housing is such a blessing. Thank you, George!

People volunteer with Hospitality House in a variety of ways, and we’re always looking for new volunteers who can help further our mission and services. If anyone has an interest in learning more about volunteer opportunities, we welcome you to contact Leah Farkas, our new Volunteer Manager at 530-615-0805 or get started now>

July Volunteer Spotlight: Bill Blount

We are so grateful to Bill; he has volunteered as a shelter advocate (aka monitor) since the beginning of our shelter. He has tirelessly shown his commitment in helping our homeless neighbors by volunteering every Thursday for four hours and supporting our shelter advocates in the Onward Dorm.

“He is always there for us, and I never have to worry if he is going to show up or not,” said Janella Kirkman, Shelter Supervisor.

Bill makes sure that guests have towels, toiletries, blankets, or anything that is needed to accommodate our guests that night. Bill also has conversations with our guests, creating strong bonds and trust between them.

“He is here for the cause, and that is why he has been with us for so long, because he truly cares. He is also here to help others, not only the guests but our staff who deeply appreciate his ongoing support,” said Kirkman.

Thank you, Bill, for helping everyone you meet, and for your faithful commitment through the years. We are blessed to have you as our super star volunteer!

If you’d like to join our shelter volunteer team, we’re always looking for wonderful people to join our crew. Get started>

June Volunteer Spotlight: Karen Steffa

Karen Steffa joined the Bread & Roses Thrift and More team six months ago, and she’s been an asset ever since.

“Karen has been absolutely amazing!” explained Store Manager, Miranda Stuart. “She always has a smile on her face and is so unbelievably humble.”

Karen’s dedication to the team has been steadfast, but following the loss of a fellow colleague, Karen stepped up to fill the void, and extended her volunteerism to three days a week, tackling merchandising, processing and acting as a backup cashier.

“The staff often say they don’t know what we would do without her,” added Stuart.

Thank you, Karen! We appreciate your devotion and leadership to make our store a success!

If you’d like to join our crew at Bread & Roses, we’re always looking for wonderful people to join our team. Get started>  

May Volunteer Spotlight: Mary Liebke

Mary Liebke is a loyal volunteer who has been a major part of the Hospitality House story from the start.

“I’ve been volunteering since the beginning when my church (Grass Valley United Methodist) vowed to start it,” she recalled. She explained when she left church that day, she and fellow church members found a homeless woman sitting outside on a bench with no where to go. They knew then with certainty that they made the right decision and together, they rallied their money to provide the woman temporary shelter in a local hotel.

From there, Mary’s journey with Hospitality House only grew and she later helped open the welcome center and launched the Lunch Bunch crew—a group who made lunches every day to help local homeless individuals in need, but she recalled it wasn’t always easy. Many days they worried they wouldn’t have enough food for the families and individuals who were hungry, homeless, and needed help.

“We’d pray for food for lunches and it would always come,” she said.

When Utah’s Place opened in 2013, Mary was eager to help. “I was there every night for the first few months of the dinners to help people,” she recalled.

Today, the culinary kitchen is named in her honor and she continues to lead every volunteer cook team at Hospitality House.

“Mary Liebke is a stone in the ever-changing sea of humanity that is our shelter,” said Isaias Acosta, Program Manager. “She is foundational in the greatest sense and without her, like the keystone of a building, so many things would lack the support to stand. Her commitment to the mission of Hospitality House, and her support of myself and the food teams through straight forward communication and practical decision making demonstrates the power of resolve when there is nothing else but the will to do what is right. She is a paragon of virtue, and someone who is of the highest quality. It’s through her consistent attention to putting everything in its place that the miracle of the food group calendar comes together without so much as a gap. Mary’s ability to find the right person, or team, to fill the next gap when the time comes for teams to move on is the stuff of legend. There is no discounting the amazing work our food providers and other volunteers do but every stone needs its mortar, and Mary is the divine instrument which holds our house in order. Thank you, Mary, I appreciate you more than you know.”

From all of us at Hospitality House, thank you, Mary!

Learn more about volunteer opportunities at Hospitality House>

April Volunteer Spotlight: Liz McGuire

Liz began volunteering at Bread & Roses in June 2017, working there four days a week, on average three to four hours per day to help ensure the store’s success—that’s approximately 1,472 hours donated to date! Last month, when Liz learned the administrative office needed help, she jumped at the opportunity to give further.

Liz now volunteers in the admin office two days a week, in addition to volunteering at Bread & Roses three days a week as well. Be sure to say hi to Liz the next time you’re shopping.

From all of us at Hospitality House, thank you, Liz! We appreciate you!

Volunteer Opportunities

Interested in joining the amazing volunteer team at Hospitality House? There are several areas of need, and you can make a difference like Liz. If you’d like to learn more about volunteering, contact Frank at 530-615-0805 or by email at frank@hhshelter.org.

March Volunteer Spotlight: Margaret Little

In the wet, cold winter of 2004, a small group of concerned residents gathered to discuss their dream of helping the many homeless people in western Nevada County by providing shelter and food during the winter months. Margaret Little was among this small group who helped start Hospitality House.

After 15 years of committed volunteer work, Margaret is still serving homeless neighbors in Nevada County. She has served as a board member for Hospitality House; she currently volunteers at Bread & Roses Thrift and More twice a week; and she helps at fundraising events every single year to benefit the shelter.

Margaret is committed to the mission of Hospitality House and its efforts to bring homeless people in Nevada County into a circle of community caring that offers shelter, sustenance, medical care, advocacy, opportunity, dignity, and hope as they transition from homelessness to housing.

Thank you, Margaret, for being a pioneer of the only emergency shelter in Nevada County; for tirelessly giving back to your community; and for never leaving a homeless neighbor behind.

2021 Awardees:

October Volunteer Spotlight: Suzie Miller

“It’s in my genes. I follow in my mother’s footsteps,” said Suzie Miller. “I always feel by the grace of God I could have easily been in their position (homeless). In my earlier days, I could have easily taken one turn and been homeless. I am grateful that I can help.”

For the last decade, Suzie has been giving her heart to Hospitality House with no plans to slow down. She first heard about our nonprofit at women’s bible study offered at Twin Cities Church (TCC) and knew she wanted to get involved. At that time, Hospitality House had no physical shelter and relied on churches to open their doors each night to those in need.

“We would cook everything from home and bring big fat batches of soup to the church,” recalled Suzie, who noted at that time, she generally cooked for 30 to 40 people experiencing homelessness. (Today, Hospitality House averages 90 people a day).

When our permanent shelter, Utah’s Place, opened in 2013, Suzie’s desire to cook only deepened. In addition to cooking with the TCC team under volunteer Margaret Little and eventually taking over as team co-lead with fellow volunteer Laurel Vieaux, she also helped lead a second cook group, the Lake Wildwood Christian Club, for two years, on top of volunteering in other capacities, such as helping at Hospitality House events and coordinating speaking engagements for Hospitality House staff.

“What I have enjoyed most is bringing along people who don’t know about Hospitality House and getting them to come in and volunteer,” she said. Suzie recruited not only friends and neighbors but family, too. “It was very special that I was able to bring my granddaughter Alyce in to help serve one time.”

Over the years, the TCC team became well-known in the shelter for their famous meatloaf, that they typically serve with fresh veggies, a loaded salad, and dessert.

“We did meatloaf once and everyone loved it, so we do it every time,” she explained. “It made it easy for shopping and as the numbers got bigger, it was easy to add onto the ingredients.”

The team, which Suzie and Hospitality House deeply credit for their devotion, includes Donna Ellert, Bob Whiteaker, Dorin Rollins, Susanne Vaughn, Barbara Tiegs, Becky Thompson, Pat Miller-Fee and Sharon Norton (as well as subs: Larry Ellert, Carol Battles, Glenda Skibitzke, Rhonda Yates, Arlin and Olivia Torbett).

“I love Hospitality House,” she concluded. “They get involved in the community and they have wonderful hearts … and the guests, you can see it in their eyes—they are so grateful.”

Thank you, Suzie. We are grateful for you!

August Volunteer Spotlight: Karl Miller

We’d like to recognize and thank Karl Miller for his decade of service to Hospitality House. Karl and his wife Suzie (also an amazing volunteer) learned about Hospitality House through Twin Cities Church, shortly after moving here from San Mateo. At the time, Hospitality House was nomadic and relied on the kindness of churches to open their doors for people experiencing homelessness.
Karl and Suzie began helping with the lunch efforts offered at TCC and soon began to familiarize themselves with the guests.

“Working with the guests was a powerful experience,” recalled Karl. “We got to see the regulars, see the new people, hear their stories. It was just a great experience.”

After Hospitality House’s permanent shelter, Utah’s Place, opened, Suzie began cooking at the shelter with fellow TCC members and Karl found another way to help people experiencing homelessness: Empty Bowl. While attending the 2016 Empty Bowl benefit for Hospitality House at Peace Lutheran Church, Karl admired the many bowls donated by local artists. However, as a woodcraftsman and member of the Gold Country Woodturners, he immediately noticed all the bowls were ceramic.

“I found the woman who was organizing the bowls and I asked if they might like to have wooden bowls,” recalled Karl. The answer was a resounding yes and for the last five years, Karl and fellow Gold Country Woodturners have been turning bowls for Empty Bowl.
Today, Karl remains the woodturner coordinator for Empty Bowl, rallying the woodturners to turn bowls throughout the year. With the volunteer program at the shelter suspended as a result of the pandemic, Karl and Suzie have been faithfully donating month after month to ensure guests receive fuel and sustenance to move forward.

“Volunteers make things happen in Nevada County,” said Karl. “We wouldn’t see nearly as much done if it weren’t for the volunteers.”
Thank you, Karl, Suzie, and fellow woodturners for standing by Hospitality House and helping guests get back on their feet through art, cooking and kindness.

July Volunteer Spotlight: Robert Cairns

Rob Cairns first began volunteering at Utah’s Place in 2016 after learning from then board member, Yvonne Turner, and co-founder, Joanna Robinson, that the shelter was looking to introduce a volunteer spiritual support group.

“We mainly stay quiet and just listen to people and give them a voice, and that in itself sometimes works miracles,” explained Rob. “If a guest wants to talk about their spirituality or religion, we are happy to go there with them, but we do not necessarily talk about that; it’s basically supporting their spirits and knowing that someone cares about them and that what they think and say is important and worthy.”

For the last few years, with the exception of covid, Rob and other spiritual support volunteers have faithfully visited the shelter and opened their hearts and minds to anyone who needed it.

“After guests get to know me and trust me, some of the things they share with me are pretty personal and deep, deep seeded things,” reflected Rob. “Some of the guests there they just boggle my mind, what they have been through, the things that they have gone through, what they have accomplished in the past, their intellect and insight on things, it has really expanded my consciousness and awareness.”

Rob’s consciousness and compassion for those experiencing homelessness comes easy, as he himself has been in their shoes. For years, Rob intermittently struggled with addiction and homelessness, never knowing for sure if he would have a warm bed in a shelter or be sleeping under the stars.

“I camped for a while and would find a land way out, and sometimes I would have to move every once in a while, if someone found me,” he shared. “And then another time I would stay wherever I could, sometimes in people’s couches, garage, basement, or anybody that would take me in. I managed to get over my addiction issues and steady work and went through the steps of sharing a room in a house, getting my own apartment, and then stepping up until I was able to buy a home. One step at a time, it is an arduous journey.”

Rob’s journey back to housing and sustainability led him to giving back. On top of volunteering, he is a member of Hospitality House’s Hearts & Hands Club, giving every month to ensure the shelter can continue to respond to the greatest needs. Rob and his family recently moved to Santa Fe, but he hasn’t stopped thinking about Hospitality House. To ensure help will always be available for those who need it, including in the long years after he is gone, he joined the Hospitality House Legacy Circle by naming the nonprofit as a beneficiary in his will.

“An organization like Hospitality House meets the most basic needs that people have,” he said. “Starting from the very bottom, physical safety, food and shelter and a sense of belonging and a sense that someone cares about them, these are basic human needs. You can’t really fulfill people’s higher needs until they begin to fulfill their basic needs. That’s really to me the most important thing of organizations like Hospitality House. They are starting from scratch to take care of people …”

Thank you, Rob, for caring for Nevada County residents and lending your ears to those who need help being heard.

June Volunteer Spotlight: Christine Mulvey

Hospitality House would like to honor Christine (Cris) Mulvey as Volunteer of the Month for June.

Cris first learned about Hospitality House when she moved from Montana to Nevada County in 2015. Her husband Jack began volunteering as a shelter advocate just before COVID-19. When the pandemic struck in 2020, Hospitality House reacted to an increased need for service by expanding programs and operations. When Hospitality House was met with increased expenses, Cris stepped in to help.

Cris created a way to meaningfully contribute to the work of Hospitality House by volunteering online. She worked with the Development Department, researching grants and identifying potential funding options.

Cris shared, “sharing what has been given to us, my husband and I, is increasingly imperative. Homelessness is growing in the U.S. and around the world [and] seems to me to be a priority issue, the most basic need there is, without which people have no hope of creating a life that works or of living into their potential.” She and Jack also wrote an article, published May 2020 in The Union, which encouraged residents to give during the pandemic.

“I have found volunteering to be a source of great peace and satisfaction to me as a retired person,” shared Cris. “Being able to use the skills and knowledge I developed in my professional life, to contribute to those who are working now for the values I believe in, rather than letting them fade away, feels good. More importantly, I am making a practical contribution to the quality of life for those in my community who do not have what they need and deserve.”

Although Cris and Jack recently relocated to the coast, she still offers to volunteer remotely for Hospitality House. She is grateful for all that Hospitality House does for the community, and we are grateful for her.

May Volunteer Spotlight: Nancy Holtz

The needs at Hospitality House are many, and Nancy and the Pine Tree Quilt Guild help to fill the need. For several years, the Quilt Guild has given quilts to our shelter, providing covering and a gentle hug to those who need warmth and security.

Nancy has been involved with Pine Tree Quilt Guild for five years. For the past two and a half years, she has been the chair of Community Service team. “Community Service is a caring group of volunteers who help every month in various capacities,” explained Nancy. She and her fellow volunteers sort fabric donations, sew on labels, match backs to donated tops, cut batting and sew binding. “Creating a quilt and giving such a gift is a group effort,” she added, noting that she and the Community Service provide quilts for Hospitality House and other organizations.

Nancy has fifty total years of nursing experience, with the last twenty as a nurse practitioner. Her experience and passion has led her to volunteer in the community. Nancy has administered Covid vaccines, volunteered with California Care Force in both Grass Valley and Sacramento clinics. She continues to work two days a week in a family practice office with no plans to retire any time soon.

“I have a heart for helping others,” said Nancy.

Thank you, Nancy and the Pine Tree Quilt Guild, for sharing your skills, passion, and love for the homeless individuals in our care.

April Volunteer Spotlight: Beverly Werntz

This month, we would like to honor Beverly Werntz for eleven years of service as she continues to care for homeless individuals in Nevada County. Serving others has always been important to Beverly, both in her professional role as a registered nurse and through volunteering with Hospitality House.

After retirement, she wanted to continue to serve. Beverly says, “Many of the guests have touched my life. I still see so many of those faces when I close my eyes and the differences in them after being accepted and loved by the work of Hospitality House.”

Beverly’s friend Judy Olson invited her to help provide lunch for guests when the emergency shelter was still nomadic. Originally, she thought she would help once a month, but soon fell in love with the guests and experienced meaningful fulfillment in the service. Beverly started helping at least once a week. When Utah’s Place opened four years later, she coordinated two cook groups, Blessed Sister and Kitchen Kut Ups. These groups purchased, prepared, and served dinner to shelter guests for six years, until Covid-19 restrictions prevented volunteers from entering the shelter. “The most impactful time at Hospitality House is every time I serve,” said Beverly.

The groups with which she serves bring her such joy, and there is always an encounter that stays with her long after she leaves for the night. The sincere and heartfelt appreciation that comes to her after a lovingly prepared meal makes her work in the kitchen meaningful. She looks forward to the time she and her group can come back in person.

“I am so proud to volunteer for this organization,” shares Beverly. “Hospitality House really is the model for caring for our homeless population. Spending time with guests, looking them in the eye when talking to them, and hearing their stories has changed my heart and mind about our homeless issues. I wish every community could come together like we do here in Nevada County.”

Thank you, Beverly for your continued dedication to Hospitality House and the guests we serve!

March Volunteer Spotlight: Barbara Dean

For years, Barbara was disturbed whenever she passed a struggling person holding a sign or asking for help. She wished there was something she could do that would make a lasting difference.

When Hospitality House was a nomadic shelter, Barbara got involved once a month with her church. She started out serving dinner to homeless guests. As the program expanded, and the number of guests grew, she increased her service by becoming a member of the “Lunch Bunch”. This group of volunteers served sandwiches, salads, and hot food. Barbara served faithfully as a member of the Lunch Bunch until Utah’s Place opened in 2013.

Barbara witnessed the excitement of the opening of Utah’s Place and began serving right away. Barbara reflects, “I love to cook, and the guests have been so appreciative of our efforts. I have also enjoyed working with and getting to know other members of our community who have come to serve.”

Barbara has demonstrated a strong commitment to Hospitality House and our guests. For a while, she held a weekly class for women guests, sharing what she was doing in Sacramento at Women’s Empowerment.

Although the pandemic has limited her direct involvement, Barbara continues to be an advocate for Hospitality House. She is pleased to see that guests have stepped up to help with cooking and have the opportunity to live at the shelter full time as they work toward permanent housing solutions.

Thank you, Barbara, for making a lasting difference!

February Volunteer Spotlight: Pamela Roberts

Pamela has been gifting her marketing talents to Hospitality House for approximately four years, specializing in event promotions, ad strategy and placement, and social media to increase awareness and support for Hospitality House.

“One of the first campaigns I really dove in on was the Empty Bowl event a few years ago,” recalled Pamela. “When it sold out and Hospitality House reported it was the best attendance they’d ever had, I knew that meant I’d been able to help raise essential funds and awareness for HH. Rewarding for sure.”

“I’m a big fan of the ideals of the great Utah Phillips,” added Pamela. “I see what incredible work Hospitality House does and how they show up as champions for friends in our community that are struggling. This is work we should all find a way to get involved with.”

In addition to helping in the promotional efforts of signature events, such as Empty Bowl and Night of Giving, Pamela takes it a step further by donating her musical talents, too. You may recognize Pamela as a member of the SierraCapella band, a group that sings their heart out at Night of Giving.

“It’s an honor to be helping HH and see that my contributions have real impact for the organization and their guests,” said Pamela. “I’m in awe of the work the staff and volunteers do for our community. They have my sincere gratitude.”

Thank you, Pamela, for your loyal advocacy of our shelter and for furthering our work through awareness, promotions and song. We appreciate you.

January Volunteer Spotlight: Dick Mentzer

2020 Awardees:

December Volunteer Spotlight: Jim Heck

Did you know that livestreaming of Night of Giving started because of our volunteers? Jim Heck was one of them. Five years ago, he learned that Hospitality House didn’t have the capabilities or technology to livestream their annual musical benefit, so he offered his help and hasn’t looked back.

“During my early days with Nevada County Community Television (NCTV) we began collaborating with Telestream to bring livestreaming to Nevada County by utilizing Wirecast, Telestream’s professional live video production software,” recalled Jim. “My goal was to use livestreaming to YouTube, Facebook and other CDN’s to help nonprofits reach out to their members and assist in fundraising. When I found out Hospitality House was going to do its Night of Giving event, Dick Mentzer [another volunteer] and I reached out to Mikail Graham [event host] about livestreaming the performers.”

Ever since that first event, Jim has stayed connected to Hospitality House and has helped not only on the video technology side of Night of Giving but with additional video projects throughout the years, including guest interviews, our solar install last year, and related.

Jim understands that when he volunteers, he directly helps people in crisis, but that knowledge really came to light when Jim discovered someone he knew was staying at Hospitality House.

“I stopped at a local coffee shop a couple of years ago and ran into a familiar face,” recalled Jim. “I hadn’t seen him in a long time …  He was gracious, soft spoken and always went the extra mile to help everyone. Through no fault if his own he ran into health problems, found himself without a job and homeless. Fortunately, he had Hospitality House to help him during that difficult time. This emphasized to me the importance of having Hospitality House in our community to help when unforeseen circumstances happen and can render someone homeless. It is vital for our community to keep Hospitality House financially viable through volunteering, donations and grants.”

Today, Jim continues to help Hospitality House as much as he can. He recently helped film some of the segments that will be featured in this year’s Night of Giving. Thank you, Jim, for bringing technology and heart to our team.

November Volunteer Spotlight: Mindy Oberne

This month we’d like to recognize Mindy Oberne for her faithful support of Hospitality House and advocacy on behalf of those less fortunate. Mindy is a well-known artist in the community and the founder of Twin Star Gallery Ceramics & Photography. She began volunteering with Hospitality House after learning about the nonprofit through friend and fellow artist, Chic Lotz. Since that time, every year Mindy has created and donated 100 bowls to help make Empty Bowl possible.

“I think we all need to feel like we’re making a positive difference in people’s lives,” said Mindy. “It gives purpose and great fulfillment knowing you’ve helped others.”

Despite the traditional Empty Bowl being canceled this year due to the pandemic, Mindy was the featured Empty Bowl artist of 2020 and assisted in bowl distribution to ticketholders this past July. In past years, she’s also led the silent auction efforts for Empty Bowl, in addition to volunteering for other opportunities as they arise with Hospitality House and alike nonprofits.

“It’s important that those who are down and out know that there are people out there who do care,” added Mindy.

Mindy’s care for others inspired her to do more for Hospitality House and on Dec. 5 and 6, she is hosting a special artist benefit called “The Weekend of Giving” in the shelter’s honor. Mindy specializes in one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces, including statues as well as functional art, such as teapots, bowls, cups, and more. She’s also a professional photographer of local scenes and of Antarctica, all of which will be on display and available for purchase. 100% of the proceeds from this weekend will be donated by Mindy to Hospitality House. Buy an item from Mindy and directly support Hospitality House in the process.

We thank you, Mindy, for your continued advocacy, love and support and for hosting what is sure to be a beautiful artist benefit for our homeless community.

October Volunteer Spotlight: Jo Ann DeSena

Jo Ann has been a part of the Hospitality House family since its nomadic days when guests found sanctuary at various churches each night, including her church, Peace Lutheran.

“I saw it in the church bulletin and immediately volunteered to cook,” recalled Jo Ann, who has been cooking ever since (pre-pandemic).

Jo Ann’s devotion to those less fortunate has been ingrained in her since a young age. Her grandmother had a cherry and apricot orchard and while her grandmother didn’t own a vehicle or ever drive, she built a three-car garage on her property so the people working in her orchard would have a place to sleep each night.

“I carry on my Nana’s legacy and provide for those that need a helping hand,” explained Jo Ann. “God Bless them.”

Through her years of cooking for those in need, Jo Ann has served many people, several of whom left lasting impact on her heart.

“One gentleman, who I observed back in the days when they slept at Peace began by never looking up,” she recalled. “He looked at the ground and did not communicate at all. It took him a very long time but little by little he began looking up. The final time I saw him, he smiled and asked how my day was going. That is what I call a miracle!”

Encounters like these remind us that each guest’s journey back to housing and stability is different, but everyone needs fuel and nourishment to move forward. In time, guests began recognizing the nourishment Jo Ann provided and they began fondly referring to her as the “Sausage Mashed Potatoes and Gravy Lady,” a moniker for one of her favorite meals to cook and share with our homeless community.

We thank you, Jo Ann, for the countless meals you’ve made through the years. We miss seeing you at the shelter but appreciate your continued help from afar by donating food and financial support so we can serve your signature dish in your honor. Our volunteer program is expected to return when the County reaches Stage 4, but until then, we thank you, Sausage Mashed Potatoes and Gravy Lady!

September Volunteer Spotlight: Kathy Dotson

For the last several years, Kathy Dotson, local designer and illustrator, has been gifting her graphic design talents to Hospitality House in a variety of capacities, but she’s most known for her beautiful posters and flyers that bring awareness and support to Hospitality House events, such as Night of Giving and Empty Bowl.

“It is wonderful knowing that my design and artwork have been appreciated and valued over the years,” said Kathy. “Hospitality House serves such a large need in our community. And over the years they have been such a valuable and necessary resource for so many people. As a busy graphic designer, I am fortunate that I can give some service to Hospitality House during the year.”

Kathy has been loyally helping Hospitality House since approximately 2011, but prior to that, she had an experience with one of our founders, Utah Phillips, that has stayed with her all these years.

“A wonderful memory is having Utah Phillips sit for me while I sketched his portrait,” recalled Kathy. “The finished watercolor painting sits in the offices of KVMR radio.”

Today, Kathy continues to help Hospitality House and when she isn’t designing, you can find her enjoying the great outdoors with her husband and two daughters. Thank you, Kathy!

August Volunteer Spotlight: Mark Triolo

For the last nine years, Mark has been gifting his time and talents to Hospitality House. As a video production extraordinaire, Mark has helped create a number of videos for Hospitality House to raise public awareness and financial support for the shelter.

“These videos were designed to help the community understand what Hospitality House does, how they do it, the stories of guests … Many videos were to introduce new programs that Hospitality House was running or events like the Empty Bowl.”

Mark has produced videos individually and as part of video teams, helping with concept development, production, filming and editing, but of all the videos he’s helped produce, his favorite video tells the story of Hospitality House without words.

Watch here:

Since this video was created by Mark, Hospitality House has expanded its services further by embracing a Housing First model, introducing recuperative care, expanding outreach and transportation, and even launching a pet program, but the video still reflects the heart of Hospitality House: the people—helping real people on their journeys back to sustainable living and permanent housing, and just like Mark, we love this video.

“One of my personal goals upon retirement was to give back to the community,” said Mark. “I think we all, as community members, need to donate our time and talent to make this a better place to live … I get significant satisfaction from knowing that what I do makes life better for someone else … Since I know many of their personal stories, I feel a connecting to seeing them move forward. The most satisfaction comes from hearing that someone I know moved into housing and is now self-sufficient.”

Thank you, Mark, for your years of dedication and for helping not only Hospitality House, but volunteering to further the work of multiple organizations in the community, including Interfaith Food Ministry, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, KVMR, and The Nevada Theater.

July Volunteer Spotlight: Pat Forman

Pat has a passion to serve. For the last two decades, she’s been involved with the end of life movement and in teaching folks about advance care planning. She moved to Nevada City in 2015 and connected with Hospitality House soon after, becoming a steady volunteer and an honored member of the Hearts & Hands Club. She’s served in a variety of capacities through the years, including cooking with the Mountain Stream team, helping at events and fundraisers, working at the former Bread & Roses Thrift and More, and acting as a spiritual care and end of life advocate in the shelter.

“From my college days, fighting injustice – working to make services and opportunities more equitable, affordable and available for underserved populations – has been my passion,” said Pat.

Pat developed a deeper appreciation for helping those less fortunate following a trip to Cuba in 1988 with her teenage daughter. When they visited a local high school, a comment from a student in a class changed her forever.

The student had heard there were homeless people living on the streets in the US and said that couldn’t be true and asked her daughter to explain.

“When my daughter talked about there being thousands of homeless people in the US, and having to step over homeless people on her way to school, the Cuban students were dumbfounded,” recalled Pat. “The student said, ‘How could that be? In Cuba, if someone saw a homeless person, she would take him/her home. We would never allow someone to live on the street.’’’

Pat acknowledged things in Cuba are much different 30 years later but said, “That’s one reason that this cause matters so much to me.”

With Pat at our sides, Hospitality House continues to help people off the streets and into permanent homes of their own. We are grateful for Pam’s kind heart, her advocacy, and her spiritual care and commitment to our homeless community.

June Volunteer Spotlight: Cissy Murphy

Cissy has been a volunteer of Hospitality House since its second winter open. She was part of the Abundant Life group that provided dinners at one of the host churches during our nomadic period and packed lunches for 40-50 guests a couple times a week during the summer months.

“I’ve always wanted to help be a part of a solution, no matter the cause in which I feel called to embrace,” said Cissy. “I also believe local communities are the ones best suited to provide solutions for local problems. In its beginnings, Hospitality House was a grassroots effort that was seeking to responsibly provide solutions to the problem of homelessness in Nevada County. Local people seeking local solutions that involved community members from civic organizations, churches, city councils, supervisors and individuals all working together. I was also attracted to Hospitality House because they had found a way for over 30 churches in our county to cooperate together to help provide a hand up to those in need. I thought that was so awesome–a common reason to set aside doctrinal differences to help others.”

As the years passed on, Cissy’s willingness to help only continued. Utah’s Place opened in 2013 and Cissy and her Abundant Life Church group continued to cook and she also recruited staff from her work, Grass Valley Charter School, to come and cook as well. In addition to cooking, Cissy has been an instrumental event volunteer, leading the kitchen crews for Empty Bowl and Night of Giving and helping in the organization of smaller events, such a walkathon and yard sale fundraisers for Hospitality House.

“Cissy is a star volunteer who deserves to be recognized for her longtime volunteerism with Hospitality House,” said Christina Apkarian, Marketing & Development Specialist at Hospitality House. “She has devoted many hours to help many in need in our community. Our events, as an example, take extensive hours to plan, and Cissy has always been there to lend not only her time, but her ideas to make each event experience the best possible.”

We thank you Cissy for your years of dedication and love to our homeless community.

May Volunteer Spotlight: Mary Liebke

Mary has been a part of the Hospitality House family since it first came to be in 2005. For fifteen faithful years, Mary has been there for people struggling with homelessness. She’s provided unconditional love as well as nurturing meals and peer support.

For those who have visited Utah’s Place, the kitchen is named in her honor as Mary continues to carry the torch, leading and overseeing all volunteer cook groups who come to serve.

“Mary is an incredible human being,” said Shelter Manager, Janella Kirkman. “She has a beautiful soul and she spreads goodness everywhere she goes. We are grateful to Mary and the compassion she always gives.”

Even now, during a pandemic when fellow loyal volunteers like Mary can’t come to the shelter due to safety, she inspires people to give in other meaningful ways. From afar, Mary has continued to engage our volunteers and advocate for our help, raising financial support and food for our shelter guests and motel clients.

“I appreciate being acknowledged but the spotlight goes to all of our volunteers right now,” said Mary. “This is happening because of them.”

We agree! ALL of our volunteers are incredible and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back soon.

Thank you, Mary, and to all of our volunteers, for all that you do!

April Volunteer Spotlight: Frank Goss

Frank Goss first learned about the efforts of Hospitality House in May of last year, and after one conversation with staff, he took a tour of Hospitality House and immediately signed up to be a volunteer.

“Frank’s dedication to Hospitality House has been incredible,” said Ashley Quadros, Development Director. “It’s hard to believe we’ve only had Frank in our lives for about a year because in just one year’s time, he’s changed so many lives forever.”

Frank has taken on many hats at Hospitality House, including delivery driver for church donations, business sponsorship recruitment, raffle ticket sales for events, fundraising to help launch the pet program, volunteer recruitment and most recently, he’s now one of the volunteer drivers from Lake Wildwood, helping with weekend food service to ensure the folks who have been temporarily placed in motels are also receiving hot and healthy meals.

“It’s just one of those things I feel so deeply about,” said Frank. “Seeing the smiles on the faces of people who receive the food, and the various things that we do. It’s so community wise, so giving.”

Thank you, Frank, for giving your time and talents. From all of us at Hospitality House, we thank you!

March Volunteer Spotlight: Chic Lotz

Thank you, Empty Bowl volunteer extraordinaire, Chic Lotz!

Chic’s involvement with Empty Bowl precedes Hospitality House’s inception. She first discovered this great opportunity to highlight the intersection between food and housing insecurity back in 1996 when she attended one in Ashland, Oregon. Soon after, she began bringing local potters together to create beautiful handcrafted bowls to be auctioned off with donations going to our local food bank and eventually to Hospitality House. Her dedication eventually blossomed into the driving-force behind this effort for our current event.

Back when we were a nomadic shelter, Chic held workshops for our guests teaching them her art and trade after Joanna Robinson (Utah Philip’s wife) reached to her. Volunteering for Empty Bowl as was the workshops is near and dear to her heart because it is a combination of her two passions, giving back to her community and working with clay. As she puts its “doing this event has been a lot of fun” and at the same time she recognizes that homelessness can happen to anyone so in her words she “wants to give love-in whatever form- service, food, or support.”

Thank you for your decades of support as we work together to help members of our homeless community transition to housing.

February Volunteer Spotlight: Tommie Conlen

Tommie Conlen has dedicated her time to our mission for almost a decade. She first heard about Hospitality House nearly 15 years ago when she went to a birthday party and had the honor of meeting the late-great, Utah Phillips. A few years later, she attended a donor thank you dinner and learned about our food group program, in which volunteers cook meals for our guests nearly every night of the year. She and a good friend soon formed an 8-person group which is now fully funded by students at the local Jazzercise (her other passion)!

Over the years, Tommie, like many of us, has seen the devastating impact of chronic homelessness. She recognizes how people often can’t keep up with how fast the world seems to move at times and how vulnerable members of our community slip into a cycle that can be extremely difficult to break, especially without help and support.

Tommie also is a heartfelt member of our Hearts & Hands Club, giving monthly to further the efforts of Hospitality House and has a long history of giving back to the community. When asked why volunteering is important, she simply said, “It is part of being a good citizen of the world.”

Thank you, Tommie! We appreciate your years of support and dedication as we work together to further our mission in helping our community members transition from homelessness to housing!

January Volunteer Spotlight: Rick Baron

Rick’s life as a member of the Hospitality House family began many years ago when he volunteered overnight, back when Hospitality House operated as a nomadic shelter. These were the days when various local churches opened their doors and their arms to our community members experiencing homelessness night after night, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Rick worked the shift few others would, arriving at midnight and leaving at 6 a.m., spending his evenings making sure our guests were able to get a good night’s rest even though he would not.

In the years to follow, Rick spent time volunteering for other organizations and other communities, including in Southern California to give out food and later for four months to help our Paradise neighbors after the devastating fire.

Recently, Rick rejoined our team after hearing about the new pet program at our shelter. He became an invaluable member of our Volunteer Department Team, helping plan and manage the volunteer side of our most recent camp cleanup in October. Since then, he enthusiastically joined our Volunteer Event Leadership Team as we geared up for last month’s annual fundraiser, Night of Giving. The success of Night of Giving largely rides on the backs of our robust volunteer staff which this year included over 100 unique individuals who filled 124 positions. We were able to successfully recruit and manage the volunteer side of this incredible community event because of Rick, his hours of pre-event office assistance, his innate ability to think outside of the box, and his fantastic team management style.

After the event, Rick was asked why he dedicates his time. He said, “I do it for my soul.” He pointed out that the issue of homelessness is growing both in our community and throughout the nation and that the best way to address this issue is to, “be an advocate for humankind.”

2019 Awardees:

December Volunteer Spotlight: William Wallace

Many community members know William or at least part of his story.

William struggled with addiction for several years and his involvement with Hospitality House began while he was in the hospital recovering from a heartbreaking overdose. People from Hospitality House visited him in the hospital often and upon release, with no home or place to go, William went to Hospitality House on Dec. 11, 2013, which happened to be opening day of Utah’s Place, our permanent shelter.

William received help and care at the shelter and has been housed and thriving ever since! When asked why he volunteers his time now, he says matter-of-factually, “Because volunteering is a community builder, no matter what community—even if it’s out of the area helping people in a disaster. We are all one community helping each other; we are the building blocks.”

Thank you, William. You are an invaluable member of our volunteer team.

Want to help your community like William? Then come and join Hospitality House’s team of volunteers! We have many areas where you can help including at Utah’s Place, Bread & Roses Thrift store, and in our office. Volunteering with us is a great way you can make new friends, while giving back to your community!

November Volunteer Spotlight: Rob Cairns

Four years ago, Rob was approached by his minister and asked if he would be interested in starting a new spiritual support program at Utah’s Place. The group’s only mission is a simple, although extremely valuable one, to listen. They are not there to pressure or to teach or to council or to advise – they are just there to sit and listen.

To no one’s surprise, Rob said yes even though he had absolutely no idea what to expect or what to do. Announcements about Rob’s arrival were made at the shelter in the preceding days, and to everyone’s delight there were people lined-up waiting to talk to him that very first day. Since then, Rob has grown the program to a rotating volunteer staff of four that come into our shelter every Sunday to do what they do best, listen.

Rob was ordained as a minister through the Independent Church of the Essence and sees volunteering as a calling. As anyone who has the honor of spending time with Rob can clearly see, he is passionate about his work and does it from a deeply genuine place in his heart. When asked about how we should best try to address homelessness in our community, Rob’s response was clear: “We have to address the entire person, the whole social situation; there is more to it than just connection to social services—it all comes back to sharing and having respect for people. We demonstrate that we are all worthy, that someone cares about us.” Or more simply put, he says, “I see you, I hear you, I respect you, and I love you.”

Well Rob, we see you and appreciate you. Your dedication to our guests and to Hospitality House over the years cannot be easily measured. It lives in a place that goes beyond words and beyond simple human understanding. We are truly blessed to call you a member of our Hospitality House family and are forever grateful for all that you do.

Want to help your community like Rob? Then come and join Hospitality House’s team of volunteers! We have many areas where you can help including at Utah’s Place, Bread & Roses Thrift store and in our office. Volunteering with us is a great way you can make new friends, while giving back to your community!

Learn about volunteer opportunities>

October Volunteer Spotlight: Teri Gevry

Over the last six and half years, Hospitality House has had the honor and privilege of having Teri on our volunteer team as a dedicated and passionate advocate. She first came on board as what we now call a Guest Advocate, working in our shelter. She currently serves as an Outreach Advocate, supporting women in our post-housing program.

Teri’s story with Hospitality House began when she first heard a plug for a play at KVMR which many of us have come to know and love, called “A Place to Call Home.” That evening, Teri went to the show at the Center for the Arts and had a conversation with a former Utah’s Place guest, which changed the course of her life forever. As he shared the story of his journey, she began to appreciate the issues surrounding our homeless neighbors and embarked on her own journey to understand and address homelessness in our community.

Since that day, Teri has worked tirelessly to help Hospitality House further its mission of helping support members of our homeless community as they transition from homelessness to housing. Like so many of our volunteers, Teri dedicates her time to Hospitality House because she loves working with our guests.

“I get to help them on their journey, on their path,” said Teri. “I love the fact that they have embraced me as I help them see a new vision.”

Teri, your dedication to our guests is greatly and forever appreciated. Your strength and endurance as you help meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable members of our community is only matched by your passion and kindness. Thank you for all that you do!

Learn about volunteer opportunities>

September Volunteer Spotlight: LuAnne Myers

Anyone who has had the honor of meeting LuAnne, knows just how dedicated she is to Hospitality House and our mission. LuAnne started volunteering with us at Bread & Roses almost two years ago, following a long career as a school counselor.

Her years of working with students from a wide range of backgrounds has given her a unique and beautiful perspective on the world which she carries with her every day. All it takes is a single conversation with LuAnne to see just how much she cares about helping our guests, fellow volunteers, and greater community.

As she puts it, “I am here because I have been very lucky to have people in my life who have helped me, and now I can help others who need a hand up.”

We are very fortunate to have LuAnne on our team and appreciate all that she has done to help further our mission of assisting those who are experiencing homelessness in Nevada County as they transition to housing. With a great deal of gratitude, we thank you, LuAnne, for your dedication and hard work.

August Volunteer Spotlight: George Dunstan

George began volunteering at Hospitality House in 2005 when it was a nomadic shelter. He vividly remembers when guests and volunteers used to meet at the Welcome Center, and a bus would pick them up and take them to a designated church for the night. George has volunteered every week nonstop for 14 years as a shelter advocate (formally monitor). He helps with guests’ immediate needs, such as providing clothes and toiletries, dedicates time to talk to guests, and has helped with the installing of beds for the Onward Dorm and in many other countless areas.

“I wanted to be part of this community,” explained George. “I like having person to person contact and interacting with people. It makes it more meaningful and having direct contact with people is fulfilling. It’s what I do on Thursdays and I have built friendships with staff and other volunteers. Volunteering for Hospitality House has become part of my life. It keeps me going and I look forward to it every week.”

His dedication to our guests and Hospitality House’s mission to bring homeless people in Nevada County into a circle of community caring that offers shelter, sustenance, and care as we assist them in transitioning from homelessness to housing is such a blessing. Thank you, George!

People volunteer with Hospitality House in a variety of ways, and we’re always looking for new volunteers who can help further our mission and services. If anyone has an interest in learning more about volunteer opportunities, we welcome you to contact Leah Farkas, our new Volunteer Manager at 530-615-0805 or get started now>

July Volunteer Spotlight: Bill Blount

We are so grateful to Bill; he has volunteered as a shelter advocate (aka monitor) since the beginning of our shelter. He has tirelessly shown his commitment in helping our homeless neighbors by volunteering every Thursday for four hours and supporting our shelter advocates in the Onward Dorm.

“He is always there for us, and I never have to worry if he is going to show up or not,” said Janella Kirkman, Shelter Supervisor.

Bill makes sure that guests have towels, toiletries, blankets, or anything that is needed to accommodate our guests that night. Bill also has conversations with our guests, creating strong bonds and trust between them.

“He is here for the cause, and that is why he has been with us for so long, because he truly cares. He is also here to help others, not only the guests but our staff who deeply appreciate his ongoing support,” said Kirkman.

Thank you, Bill, for helping everyone you meet, and for your faithful commitment through the years. We are blessed to have you as our super star volunteer!

If you’d like to join our shelter volunteer team, we’re always looking for wonderful people to join our crew. Get started>

June Volunteer Spotlight: Karen Steffa

Karen Steffa joined the Bread & Roses Thrift and More team six months ago, and she’s been an asset ever since.

“Karen has been absolutely amazing!” explained Store Manager, Miranda Stuart. “She always has a smile on her face and is so unbelievably humble.”

Karen’s dedication to the team has been steadfast, but following the loss of a fellow colleague, Karen stepped up to fill the void, and extended her volunteerism to three days a week, tackling merchandising, processing and acting as a backup cashier.

“The staff often say they don’t know what we would do without her,” added Stuart.

Thank you, Karen! We appreciate your devotion and leadership to make our store a success!

If you’d like to join our crew at Bread & Roses, we’re always looking for wonderful people to join our team. Get started>  

May Volunteer Spotlight: Mary Liebke

Mary Liebke is a loyal volunteer who has been a major part of the Hospitality House story from the start.

“I’ve been volunteering since the beginning when my church (Grass Valley United Methodist) vowed to start it,” she recalled. She explained when she left church that day, she and fellow church members found a homeless woman sitting outside on a bench with no where to go. They knew then with certainty that they made the right decision and together, they rallied their money to provide the woman temporary shelter in a local hotel.

From there, Mary’s journey with Hospitality House only grew and she later helped open the welcome center and launched the Lunch Bunch crew—a group who made lunches every day to help local homeless individuals in need, but she recalled it wasn’t always easy. Many days they worried they wouldn’t have enough food for the families and individuals who were hungry, homeless, and needed help.

“We’d pray for food for lunches and it would always come,” she said.

When Utah’s Place opened in 2013, Mary was eager to help. “I was there every night for the first few months of the dinners to help people,” she recalled.

Today, the culinary kitchen is named in her honor and she continues to lead every volunteer cook team at Hospitality House.

“Mary Liebke is a stone in the ever-changing sea of humanity that is our shelter,” said Isaias Acosta, Program Manager. “She is foundational in the greatest sense and without her, like the keystone of a building, so many things would lack the support to stand. Her commitment to the mission of Hospitality House, and her support of myself and the food teams through straight forward communication and practical decision making demonstrates the power of resolve when there is nothing else but the will to do what is right. She is a paragon of virtue, and someone who is of the highest quality. It’s through her consistent attention to putting everything in its place that the miracle of the food group calendar comes together without so much as a gap. Mary’s ability to find the right person, or team, to fill the next gap when the time comes for teams to move on is the stuff of legend. There is no discounting the amazing work our food providers and other volunteers do but every stone needs its mortar, and Mary is the divine instrument which holds our house in order. Thank you, Mary, I appreciate you more than you know.”

From all of us at Hospitality House, thank you, Mary!

Learn more about volunteer opportunities at Hospitality House>

April Volunteer Spotlight: Liz McGuire

Liz began volunteering at Bread & Roses in June 2017, working there four days a week, on average three to four hours per day to help ensure the store’s success—that’s approximately 1,472 hours donated to date! Last month, when Liz learned the administrative office needed help, she jumped at the opportunity to give further.

Liz now volunteers in the admin office two days a week, in addition to volunteering at Bread & Roses three days a week as well. Be sure to say hi to Liz the next time you’re shopping.

From all of us at Hospitality House, thank you, Liz! We appreciate you!

Volunteer Opportunities

Interested in joining the amazing volunteer team at Hospitality House? There are several areas of need, and you can make a difference like Liz. If you’d like to learn more about volunteering, contact Frank at 530-615-0805 or by email at frank@hhshelter.org.

March Volunteer Spotlight: Margaret Little

In the wet, cold winter of 2004, a small group of concerned residents gathered to discuss their dream of helping the many homeless people in western Nevada County by providing shelter and food during the winter months. Margaret Little was among this small group who helped start Hospitality House.

After 15 years of committed volunteer work, Margaret is still serving homeless neighbors in Nevada County. She has served as a board member for Hospitality House; she currently volunteers at Bread & Roses Thrift and More twice a week; and she helps at fundraising events every single year to benefit the shelter.

Margaret is committed to the mission of Hospitality House and its efforts to bring homeless people in Nevada County into a circle of community caring that offers shelter, sustenance, medical care, advocacy, opportunity, dignity, and hope as they transition from homelessness to housing.

Thank you, Margaret, for being a pioneer of the only emergency shelter in Nevada County; for tirelessly giving back to your community; and for never leaving a homeless neighbor behind.