I’m Danna and I’m the Medical Case Manager for Hospitality House. I connect our guests with medical services as well as handle their medical insurance needs. I also help guests who own animals connect with our Pet Program, a program established by local donors in the community that provides full care for animals.
This month we had a client, who I will call Matt, who was surviving unsheltered with his two dogs. Matt engaged with our California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) program with Grass Valley Police Department over the last few months and it was clear that he has tried to provide the best care possible for himself and his animals in his situation. It was apparent to our team that Matt urgently needed inpatient recovery treatment, and while open to the idea, Matt’s concern wasn’t for himself but of his dogs.
While dogs are allowed at Hospitality House, thanks to the Pet Program, the dogs were not eligible to go with him to specialty recovery treatment. The fact that he could not bring them into the treatment program was creating a serious barrier to his personal betterment. In order to increase his potential success in treatment, funding from our Pet Program went on to help board his dogs so he could be assured of their safety while he was in the treatment. Because the Pet Program provides all-inclusive animal care, the dogs also received a vet checkup, shots, and licenses before they were boarded with a local community member. And the best news of all? Matt successfully completed a month of inpatient treatment! I was lucky enough to be the one to reunite him with his dogs and share all of their mutual excitement. Matt’s journey to housing will still take time, but with the community behind him, we won’t give up. For more information about Hospitality House’s work, please visit hhshelter.org.
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 Sandro and Chef Assistant, Gina are safely cooking all meals instead. We’d like to thank Wolf Creek Co-Housing, Telestream, The Gourmet Squad, Meals by Heals, Simple Truth, St. Pat’s Sidekicks, Blessed Sisters, and The Home Team, 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!
Now, on to the needs of the shelter for this week are:
• Blankets and sheets, twin size
• New pillows
• Bottled water
• Men’s T-shirts, sizes L, XL and XXL
• Women’s T-shirts, sizes M, L and XL
• Men’s and Women’s deodorant
• Duffel bags and backpacks
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!