An Initiative of United Way
of Santa Cruz County


DEC.
UPDATE

Warming Center Program
The community-funded Warming Center Program operated by Brent Adams is anticipated to be open on the coldest and wettest nights of the winter season.

Clients may call 211 to find out when and where the Warming Center Program will be open.

Further information about the Warming Center Program can be found here.

If you have an interest in volunteering or donating, please email santacruzsanctuary
@gmail.com

What Are Smart Solutions?
1. Evidence-based
2. Produce measurable results

3. Cost effective

4. Benefit the entire community

5. Take a step toward ending homelessness

6. Support the dignity of each individual

Our VISION is a Santa Cruz County in which every community member has some form of safe shelter, and where homelessness is a rare occurrence.

Our MISSION is to build the community will to reduce and ultimately end homelessness in Santa Cruz County through education and collaborative action.
United Way
F ollow us at Smart Solutions to Homelessness
Facebook
United Way
In This Issue
Community Recognition Reception a Great Success!
A crowd of nearly 200 people packed the hall at Temple Beth El for the Smart Solutions Community Recognition event on December 4. Dozens of our friends and colleagues were recognized, Robert and his team provided great food and drink, volunteers made everything go smoothly and a dozen individuals and groups were recognized. The entire award list can be found  here , in our  November newsletter .

MariaElena DelaGarza and Supervisor John Leopold


Community Recognition Reception at Temple Beth El
We also took time at the gathering to honor the memory of one of our founding members, Jonathan Rosen, who passed away in late November.  Not only was Jonathan a great champion for our work and the work of the Association of Faith Communities, he was inspiring voice of love and compassion among everyone working to address homelessness in Santa Cruz County.  Many of Jonathan's associates in the UCBK (Jonathan's faith community) joined us and led us in a closing song that reflected the enthusiastic spirit Jonathan brought this work. 

A big thanks to our event sponsors:
GOLD Sponsors:  Rowland and Pat Rebele; Santa Cruz County Bank; Palo Alto Medical Foundation/Sutter Health
Our Table sponsors: Homeless Services Center, Encompass, UCSC,  Fred Keeley 
Our Award sponsors: Kimberly Ferm, Community Action Board, Mark Stone, Temple Beth El
Donations Made: Soif and La Posta Restaurant, David Dennis Photography, Homeless Garden Project
 
And a big thanks to all the volunteers, Leadership Council members and United Way staff that made the event possible.  With your support, the event raised more than $10,000 for our work.
Smart Solutions Leads Formation of New Housing Advocacy Network
Recognizing that the availability and affordability of housing in our area are among the leading challenges in the battle to reduce and end homelessness, the SSH Leadership decided to initiate a new network to advocate at the local level for more affordable housing. The Housing Advocacy Network agreed to the following statement of purpose: 
 
Santa Cruz County has an extraordinary shortage of housing for both working families of modest means and for our most vulnerable residents. The Housing Advocacy Network is a collection of organizations in Santa Cruz County dedicated to addressing this housing crisis.
  
We will work together in an active, advocacy network to:
1) build and mobilize broad support for government policies and community solutions that will facilitate the creation and preservation of housing units that serve these populations; and
2) build and mobilize broad support for specific housing development projects whose primary focus is providing housing for these populations.
 
You'll hear more about the Network in the weeks ahead as we go public. Here's the new website:  http:/scchousingadvocacynetwork.com/
Smart Solutions to Homelessness, United Way of Santa Cruz County/ 4450 Capitola Rad, Suite 106/ tel:831-465-2203
© United Way of Santa Cruz County, All Rights Reserved