My Nonprofit Reviews
Rodney Nolen
Review for Building a Solid Foundation, Oakland, CA, USA
Building a Solid Foundation is exactly what (whom) they claim to be. I, too, am a Christian. We shall pray for you. We’ll accept our judgment from God alone.
We are a nonprofit organization who has, for the past 10 years, been providing warm beds, hot food, people to talk with, church on Sundays, Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, Relapse Prevention meetings, and a welcome respite from the streets.
We offer a six month recovery center and a six month transitional living program. All of our fund-raisers are volunteers. Those in the transitional living program are provided with an allotment (for daily expenditures, such as food, toothpaste, socks, etc.) as well as money management in an attempt to successfully transition these men back into society.
Does it make you think? Running 8 recovery houses from San Diego to Oakland. The commercial expenditures alone are staggering. The volunteer staff required to intake over 30 people per week. Then we transport these gentlemen to and from their doctors, their appointments for social security and food stamps, their attorneys, as well as their jobsites.
We’ll be the first to admit that our volunteers could use a little help from time to time. Many of these gentlemen have been hidden away from the rest of society for years. Whatever the reason, they often ‘surface’ in an organization such as ours. We do our best to make them presentable and courteous for our fundraising activities. We don’t always succeed. We do ask your forgiveness and beg for you prayers.
We are a ‘Social Model’ drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. We survive in an industry where less than 3% of the clients remain clean and sober over 2 years. Our success rate is roughly 1.7%.
The average drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in California receives $3,600.00 per month, per client, from State, Federal, and Private Insurance monies. We take no State nor Federal funding. Our clients are literally bottom of the barrel, from the streets, and have no health insurance. Those who ‘can’ afford to pay are only asked for $10.00 per day for room and board during the first 90 days of their recovery. The second 90 days, we ask $15.00 per day. The final 180 days, the transitional living phase, we require $25.00 per day for housing, transportation, electric, plumbing, and waste disposal. We also require our gentlemen to maintain a working list of short, medium, and long range goals. We also provide money management, career counseling, resume building, and schedule interviews for employment.
We also ask that our transitional living personnel assist with our weekly feeding of the homeless (100 full lunches per house) and our weekly visits to the local high schools to provide a positive testimony to our youth.
Finally, some homework. Our books are public. Rodney Nolen has not received a dime from this organization for 2 years. Over the past 10 years, we have taken roughly $300k per year in donations. That is less than $40k per facility per year.
The math isn’t difficult. This is, quite simply, a labor of love.
Thank you for your time and understanding. God Bless You.
Rodney Nolen
President
Building a Solid Foundation
p.s. Chris, we tried to help you, Sir. We truly did. It was you who decided to leave. God Bless.
More Feedback
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Find appropriate funding, reduce our time 'on the box', and hire a psychologist.
Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?
Definitely
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
Life-changing
Will you tell others about this organization?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
Review for Building a Solid Foundation, Oakland, CA, USA
Greetings,
I am Billy Barnes, the volunteer information technology project manager for Building a Solid Foundation.
I did, unfortunately, spell Mr. Nolen’s name incorrectly while entering this review. I apologize. If this was the incorrect forum to address the issues, again, I apologize. Mr. Nolen is a single soldier for Christ. He operates his mission from San Diego to Oakland. He had asked me to enter his sentiments on this site.
Mr. Nolen is involved in the recovery of over 120 men, women, and children. Involved, not ‘monitoring’. I am simply amazed he is still going. I volunteered my services, as do the hundreds of volunteers throughout California, because we believe in his cause.
Rita Williams, on her way out the door to retirement, reported the best she could for her employer. She actually came out to our program house in Oakland, CA, during a relapse prevention class, and was greeted with open arms. Ms. Williams interviewed several of the clients as well as Mr. Nolen. She told us we were the ONLY organization with buildings, or even staff!
We went out and picketed Channel 2 and were granted a retraction. We were also provided an apology from the Producer of Ms. Williams news segment.
Tim, instead of playing armchair quarterback, perhaps you should get in the game. Thank you, guys and gals, for your time. God Bless!
Billy Barnes
Volunteer
Building a Solid Foundation
More Feedback
Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Life-changing
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
