I’m Bill, Outreach Case Manager at Hospitality House. I help Veterans and individuals who suffer from substance abuse find programs and a place for treatment. I also help homeless individuals find the needed medical and financial resources to help them get back on their feet and into housing.
I want to share a story with you about a 71-year-old Veteran man who I will call Frank. Frank was an IV meth user living on the streets for many years. I met him about four months ago, on the streets underweight, dehydrated and fragile. I would come to see him every week and bring him food, clothing and chat with him. After months of visitations, I was able to gain his trust, and helped enroll him in treatment with our partner, Granite Wellness Centers. He is now two months sober and has gained 30 pounds. I helped him secure Social Security financial help, CalFresh benefits, a primary care physician and soon he will get a new set of free dentures, thanks to our partner, Chapa-De Indian Health. He continues to stay clean and attends a 12-step program to maintain his soberness. Frank says that he can’t wait to have his set of new dentures and eat a delicious steak again. Additionally, he wants to fully recover and one day work at Granite Wellness Centers to help others that have gone through the same journey of addiction as him. Thank you to all who support our cause, who work together with Hospitality House to give Veterans like Frank a second chance at a healthy and self-sufficient lifestyle. To learn more about Hospitality House, please visit hhshelter.org.
Empty Bowl tickets now on sale! Instead of a large gathering, patrons will visit a select restaurant to try a specialty dish and will keep an artisan bowl forever too (generously donated by local artists). Help people on their journey back to housing and support local businesses too. The restaurants participating are donating every meal to help make the event possible, so please patronize them. This week we are featuring Tofanelli’s Gold Country Bistro and Lola at The National Exchange Hotel and tickets are now for sale for fudenjüce and Golden Gate Saloon at the Holbrooke Hotel. Get your tickets today before they are gone! For additional details about Empty Bowl, please visit https://emptybowl.rsvpify.com. We’d like to thank Peters’ Drilling and Pump Service for being a sponsor again this year! Peters’ Drilling and Pump Service has specialized in being a one-stop shop for water needs since 1983. Still family owned and operated. Peter’s reputation of friendly professionalism still holds true. For your next water project, trust experience…give Peters’ a call! Thank you, Peters’ Drilling and Pump Service
Normally at this time, we thank all the cook groups who came and cooked over the last week, but to keep our shelter safe, our cooking groups are supporting our meals by donating financial support and food. Chef Gina is safely cooking all meals instead. We’d like to thank Wolf Creek Co-Housing, St. Pat’s Sidekicks, Blessed Sisters, Telestream, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Blessed Sisters, and The Home Team, and BriarPatch Food Co-Op and SPD Markets for all their recent help. To everyone who donated our most needed items last week, thank you as well!
And the needs of the shelter for this week are:
• Baby car seat, blankets, stroller and newborn diapers
• Blankets, twin size
• Bottled water
• Headphones
• Men’s and Women’s deodorant
• Men’s pants, sizes 32-40
• Men’s shoes, sizes 10 and up
• Men’s t-shirts, sizes M, L and XL
• New pillows
• PPE masks (disposable)
• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• Travel bags, duffle bags and backpacks
• Women shirts, all sizes
Please drop off urgent items or mail them to Utah’s Place, located in Brunswick Basin, past the DMV, at 1262 Sutton Way in Grass Valley. For a tax receipt, please ring the doorbell and wait for someone to come outside to assist you. We greatly appreciate the community’s help at such times of uncertainty. In the words of Utah Phillips, “If we all stick together, we’ll get what we need.” Thank you!