Downtown Fellowship February 2014 Newsletter

Downtown Fellowship February 2014 Newsletter
Monthly Meeting
Thursday, Feb 13
Presentation:
Downtown Fellowship
2014 Goals
11:30 Lunch (provided by ECCU)
Noon- Presentation
First Presbyterian Church
320 Date Street   (park in 3rd Ave parking lot and enter on 3rd)
"Doing it Better Together"- Responsible Street Outreach
DF HOSP Coordination Action Group: Homeless Outreach Service Providers met again on January 16. The meeting focused on sharing best practice around holistic relational outreach, with a special presentation from James Merino of the San Diego Dream Center. See DF website Projects tab (Homeless Outreach) for detailed minutes of this meeting. The next HOSP meeting is February 20 at 6:30 PM at FPC. For more information please contact Stephanie Renick, Tim Driscoll, and Ben Montoya.
Proposal to PCUSA: the Doing it Better Together leadership team is currently finalizing the plan to utilize a small grant from PCUSA.
Proposal to Knight Foundation Proto Type Fund: On January 31, DF submitted a brief application to the Knight Foundation, seeking funding for the development of a mapping tool, designed to improve coordination of street outreach downtown San Diego. Jeff Sloan and Anne Kerr are leading this project team in collaboration with an advisory team.
Transitional Storage Center
Downtown Fellowship supports
keeping it open
Downtown Fellowship has joined Harbor Presbyterian Church Downtown, Girls Think Tank, and the City of San Diego in raising $45,000 to fund the Transitional Storage Center through June 2014. The DF/HPC component aims to raise $15,000, matching the same amount from the City and from Girls Think Tank. Over half of the goal has been raised so far. This money will primarily be used to lease the property which allows the TSC to remain open.
Donate here.
Transitional Storage Center offers safe, secure and accessible storage for the personal belongings of our homeless population.  The Center makes it easier for its clients to use public transportation, seek employment, work, attend classes, meet with health & service providers and transition back to housing.  It also frees the City of San Diego from almost 30,000 lbs of items that would otherwise be cluttering the streets and sidewalks of our community. 
Transitional Storage Center
Connections Housing
Our DF partnership with PATH, ALPHA, and other social service providers  continues at Connections Housing (CH). The DF executive director maintains regular office hours at CH and coordinates collaboration between DF members and the CH team.
DF members continue to engage at CH. A few highlights:
Life skills training: coordinated by Dick Karlson and Paul Ghizzone from Presbyterian Urban Ministries (PUM). DF is working with ALPHA/PATH on plans to roll out the life skills curriculum for CH residents in February.
Companionship Program: UPLIFT (represented by Monica Ball) and DF are working together with PATH on the possible commencement of this program early in 2014. Volunteers will be needed as companions/friends for recipients of housing vouchers and case management. Companions will assist with integration in the community.
Celebrate Recovery (CR): CR restarted on January 13 with a special movie evening. CR is now lead by Kevin Graves (ALPHA Project), and Mel and Ruth Ely.
Practical support for CH residents: in recent weeks DF has provided transportation assistance for residents on route to job interviews and new jobs. This timely support has been a great encouragement to several CH residents.
February Meetings/Events
February 4: Homeless Youth Task Force Meeting
February 5: Meet the Need Presentation CH 11:30- 1 PM
February 6: Ending Homelessness Campaign Small Group Work on Goal 2 (Coordinated Entry System)
February 12: DIBT LT Meeting FPC 12 noon
February 13: DF Monthly Meeting; Focus: 2014 Goals
February 14: PATH Partners Meeting CH 10 AM
February 18-20: Good Cities Conference Phoenix (DF, Meet the Need, Vision SD, and Rock Church reps attending from SD region)
February 20: DP Ending Homelessness Campaign LT Meeting County Building 10:30- 12 noon (Mel Ely representing DF)
February 20: HOSP Coordination Monthly Meeting FPC 6:30-8:00 PM
February 27: Ending Homelessness Campaign Small Group Work on Goal 2
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Our mailing address is: 
SD Downtown Fellowship
964 5th Ave, San Diego, CA
Suite 535
San Diego, Ca 92101
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