Homeward Bound of Marin

For more than a few years, I have worked with groups and agencies who serve the homeless in their communities. I feel priviledged to serve as a volunteer (member of their board as well as working in some of their programs) of Homeward Bound because I experience the core values which influence the entire organization. Respect for the human dignity of those served and empowerment for them to find avenues out of the dependency of being homeless. through job training, staff support and hope! Homeward Bound does more than simply house individuals and families in rough times. They creatively work to become part of the solution to end homelessness.

I have volunteered since 2008 on weekdays and help with lunches for staff, students, volunteers and on and off campus residents. This organization provides meals, support, safe housing, counseling and job training to homeless people who want to re-enter society as productive individuals. It is very rewarding to be a part of this organization! I especially like to be shopping and to see former residents working in the stores and restaurants and know that they are achieving their goals

Very rarely do you find an agency that cares from the top to the bottom which you then see coming from back from the bottom up. I had the honor of working for this agency and have yet to find another like it. I thank you for one of my greatest experiences in my life. I currently work in a different state and use everything I learned at Homeward Bound here. Yes across the states there has been a ripple effect.

HELP HELP. .."""""HOMEWARD BOUND of MARIN""""............. There are several families that have small children -Have Been DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, MIS-TREATED, VERBALLY ABUSED, LIED TO, EXPOSED TO TOXIC FUMES-BLACK MOLD-BED BUGS-COCKROACHES, AND THROWN OUT INTO THE STREETS WITH NO WHERE TO GO (small children/adults became ill because they had to inhale TOXIC SEWER WASTE that went through the Day Care, and EVERY ROOM the families lived/slept/ate at """HOMEWARD BOUND of MARIN """ FEC PROGRAM """(Family Emergency Center) located in San Rafael, CA. I am just one of those families.!!!! HBofM gets MILLIONS of dollars donated to the Non-Profit Organization each year. They own just about every shelter in Marin County, and Controls just about all of the small organizations that want/receive funding for the HOMELESS.. What they advertise on their web sites to get all this funding is NOT what is being done.. the Directors, & Staff need to be FIRED - LET GO... there is NO heart, compassion or Desire from their Staff... So where is all this money going to ??? Certainly NOT the families that need it so badly.. It COULD BE a wonderful Program if the inside was fixed. (Families were frightened to come forward - the ones that have stepped up are being so called BLACK-BALLED in the Community.. The Board of Supervisors - City/County Officials ARE LISTENING TO US.. they have heard and seen the documents to back us up..PLEASE SOME-ONE STEP UP AND HELP US.. There has been retaliation by Homeward Bound on these families, and on the Advocate (been in Business here for 25 years).Marin Justice Center-Marin Family Action is our Advocate.... Very well respected by Churches, organization, .low income families, Attorneys, the Communities all over the Bay Area.. .. AGAIN please go into your hearts and help those that truly deserve it.. AND make sure that the families that are coming into the program are NOT treated the way we were. Gotta stop it now....Thank You.... Debby Butcher

I had the splendid opportunity to come to Homeward Bound with the Novato Leadership Class. I was given a tour of their kitchen facility and the gardens. I was so impressed with the work that this center is doing to assist those who are in the deepest need and in the place where they could not help themselves. This organization derserves to have more public attention as this is an amazing place where disadvantaged folks can get back on their feet in a clean and well managed facility. The staff exhibited so much dignity towards and respect for the folks who are being served at Homeward Bound. I was humbled by their efforts to serve. This organization deserves our assistance both financially and through volunteerism. Check out their website, they are an awesome organization!

I've been lucky enough to be involved in a couple of enriching events with Homeward Bound. First, my 3rd grader's class participated in a cooking/fundraising project and several other activities all to support the families and children that are served by HB. The staff did a fantastic job educating the kids in an age appropriate manner. Recently, we held my 12 year old daughter's birthday party at the Fresh Starts Cooking Academy also an integral part of HB. The employees were professional and kind and the girls had a fantastic time cooking in their top-notch kitchen!

One and a half years ago I was invited to come to Homeward Bound.My time here has changed my life in ways I would have never imagined.Since coming here I have been clean and sober,I have graduated from culinary school,became a working chef for a number of catering companies in the area,and hired as part of the staff at Homeward Bound.It is hard to put into words how much pride and self-respect I feel at this point in my life.I know that I put in the work,but without the support of the staff here,I would still be out there in a very sad and lonely place.Clearly Homeward Bound has made my life one I am very happy to live.

Inspired by the dedication and vision of the staff, from the top to the bottom..Everyone works together to provide services and programs to help clients become self sufficient..Everyone is treated with dignity and respect. The successes have been amazing.

I have always been touched by Homeward Bound’s mission and philosophy, which can be summed up in the Chinese proverb: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. It is that empowerment of those in need that drew me to choose Homeward Bound as a place to volunteer. Homeward Bound provides opportunities for folks to develop skills in the culinary arts, landscape maintenance, janitorial maintenance, as well as computer skills and life management skills. It truly is a joy to observe clients who grow into, or return to being, productive, contributing members of society.

I have been volunteering on Homeward Bound's Social Enterprise Committee for ten years. Along with staff and other volunteers, we developed and marketed their "Halo" brand chocolate truffles. Behind the scenes, this took numerous hours, days, months, years experimenting with recipes, taste testing, manufacturing, packaging, graphics design, art, sampling, selling the truffles. So many people at different levels such as cooks, entrepreneurs, grocers, chocolatiers, all dedicated to finding meaningful ways to end homelessness. It has been a very fulfilling experience volunteering and watching this one small venture contribute to Homeward Bound's goals.

I have been involved with Homeward Bound of Marin in a variety of ways since I came to Marin County in 1982. As I began my work here as a licensed marriage and family therapist, I had many occasions to refer clients to services at this uniquely supportive and important community resource for our county. One of the most striking things about Homeward Bound is that the organization welcomes people without judgement and with open arms "where they are". Homeward Bound's staff and volunteers form a network of of services and programs geared to ending homelessness for good. This is accomplished through community education, a number of different housing support programs and job training. I became a volunteer with Homeward Bound because I could see what an extraordinary group this was, and I wanted to be a part of the action!

I am very excited to be and to have been on the Board of Directors for Homeward Bound of Marin. I am absolutely amazed by what this organization provides for the community and the homelss people it serves. Homelessness is often the problem in the "shadows" but Homeward Bound of Marin has shined the light on this growing problem and has given opporutnity and guidance for those willing to participate. All of their programs are equally important. When I visit the Homeward Bound site in Hamilton and see New Beginnings with the capacity to house 80 homeless people for up to 6 months and then right next door to have the Next Key with transitional housing, the Fresh Start Catering Program, and the fantastic Key Room, I can not be anything but wowed by this organizations grand accomplishments and service to this community!

Homeward Bound is absolutely outstanding! Our family discovered this incredible organization when delivering holiday "Street Packs" (Winter Survivival Kits for the homeless) five years ago and were amazed to discover their beautiful shelter located right in our backyard and to learn about all of the services that they provide to help the homeless and those in need. We have been supporting them ever since, from serving meals in their Fresh Starts Kitchen and organizing blanket and towel drives, to designing flyers and raising money through school bake sales. The most impressive aspect of Homeward Bound is that they are working to end homelessness through job training, counseling and other critical support services that will open doors to a new future of independent living. The staff at Homeward Bound provide these opportunites with compassion and dignity and we are extremely fortunate to have this wonderful agency in our community.

A couple of my friends and I wanted to find a local organization where we can help during the holiday season. I have donated funds to Homeward Bound before and thought they would be perfect for our group since it is right in our back yard. We had a great experience helping out by wrapping all their holiday gift donations in an afternoon and getting a chance to see their awesome facility. It is great Homeward Bound is there to help people that are a little down and out and assist these people to get back on their feet. What we realized about Homeward Bound and what they do is ... that a home is not just 4 ways and shelter but it is all the little things that Homeward Bound and their staff do to make it more personal. They know their clients by name; there are little touches like decorating common areas; and having a cheery new facility for people to live and learn in.

I am passionate about ending homelessness, especially for children. I am grateful to be part of an organization that is actually making that happen. My experience is that I get to work with a dedicated, committed, and intelligent staff. I get to witness the massive support of outside donors. I am in awe of the creative outreach strategies and their results. I am inspired by the massive impact one non-profit agency can have on this county's homeless population. More money for Homeward Bound means more individuals and families get to live with dignity and respect in a clean shelter with a chance to get their lives back. It could mean more job-training. It could mean more staff to generate more revenue. I have been volunteering at HB every week for three months and continue to be excited every day I get to be there. Constructive feedback you say? I'm there to help and feel like I'm amongst the best of the best non-profit staff.

Obviously, there is a lot of hard, tedious work to be done at homeless shelters. But at Homeward Bound of Marin, this work, while time consuming, is actually fun. As I learned more about Homeward Bound's extensive programs all centered towards helping give homeless people homes and jobs, I felt welcomed by the all the other volunteers there. Homeward Bound became a fun place to work, with the funny and entertaining volunteers. Every day, I felt good about having a good time that day at Homeward Bound but mostly about helping homeless people in the best way I could---giving not just shelter and food, but helping programs designed for all of their needs specifically, whether it be a place for the mentally ill or families, or a place centered towards getting a job

After my daughter completed her first three months in the New Beginnings culinary program I knew I wanted to be a volunteer so I could be a part of this amazing organization. While volunteering at local events selling Halo truffles and pantry goods, I quickly discovered the best part of this experience; the outreach. To my surprise, I was quite eager to speak to strangers about the details of this outstanding program. There was a great sense of pride in being connected with a group of people who over the years have fostered and inspired such a dedicated assistance program. It must be infectious as three people asked me at the holiday crafts fair at the Margaret Todd Center how they could become volunteers too. My efforts have been rewarded with constant praise and thanksgiving by the staff which prompts my eagerness to return and serve with love and pride.

Hi, My name is Diamonte. When I first started homeward Bound of Marin, I loved it. I didn't know what it would be like when I first went, but when I got there, I loved it. Today was my second day. I can't wait until tomorrow to do it again.