Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco

Nonprofit organizations are vital and improve the lives of our most vulnerable and underserved communities. As nonprofits continue to support our community each and everyday, find out below how you can support their work 👉 Donate! Whether it be clothing, food, or cash, your support is instrumental in helping nonprofits carry out their missions. 👉 Volunteer! Make a difference for people in need by helping nonprofits near you. Your support maximizes nonprofits’ impact! 👉 Use your voice! Be a part of the solution by speaking out in support of local initiatives and housing projects in your community, raising awareness about the importance of supporting vulnerable communities with your neighbors and network, and voting for measures that address community needs such as Proposition 5, which will make it easier for local governments to approve local infrastructure improvements and housing.

We’re grateful for volunteers like Grace Hughes, who graciously donated her time to ensure formerly unhoused residents at 1251 South Eliseo Drive in Marin County are registered to vote! Expanding access to voter registration is crucial to fostering a more inclusive democracy. Are you registered to vote? Make sure to register before the deadline on October 21, 2024. More info at https://loom.ly/8H0_Gns

Huge shoutout to the team at ECS’ 1251 S. Eliseo Drive for organizing a health fair to connect formerly chronically unhoused residents in Larkspur with important community resources supporting their well-being. The stress of homelessness can have major consequences for one’s health and events like this play an instrumental role in breaking down barriers to care. The Health Fair, held last Monday, was the first of what will be a biannual event to reduce barriers to affordable, accessible health care, according to Kristin Ullom, Associate Director of Housing Services with Episcopal Community Services. Many thanks to our partners who helped make this event a success Ritter Center Mobile Clinic, Downtown Streets Team, United Way Bay Area, Marin County Parks and Recreation, OD Free Marin, and the Center for Domestic Peace Be sure to read about this exciting event in the Marin Independent Journal https://loom.ly/QBlcalo

On #IndigenousPeoplesDay, our nation celebrates the resilience and strength of Indigenous peoples. ECS proudly recognizes the contributions of Native American Nations, who were the first inhabitants of this land, and their rich cultures and histories. On this day, we stand in solidarity with their right to sovereignty and reaffirm our commitment to a brighter future for first American communities.

ECS was honored to share about the power of storytelling during the 45th Annual Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California (NPH) Affordable Housing Conference last week! ECS resident Solomon spoke about how meaningful it was to share his story and showcase how housing has made a difference in his life. Thank you to our partners at Begins with Home and All Home for helping us uplift Solomon’s story. If you haven’t already, hear about the transformative impact of housing in Solomon’s own words: https://loom.ly/IXDai0Q

Imagine a world where everyone has a safe place to live. Together, we can solve homelessness through the power of community and collaboration! 🌟🏠 This #WorldHomelessDay, help us end homelessness 👉 https://lnkd.in/dspdXV9F #HomelessnessIsSolvable

📊 Impact in Action! 📊 Our city relies on nonprofits to provide critical support during tough times. Led by seasoned experts committed to supporting the most vulnerable in our communities, these organizations are evaluated and held accountable to ensure they maximize their impact. Learn more about Mauricio Cordova, ECS’ Chief Operating Officer, and how he helps ECS carry out its mission below ⬇️ With over 25 years of operational leadership in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, Mauricio is passionate about exceeding operational performance metrics by building, leading, and developing high-performing teams. As ECS’ Chief Operating Officer, Mauricio oversees multiple teams, from operations to contracts to risk management, and helps the organization move forward in its efforts to prevent and end homelessness. Mauricio holds a Master’s Degree in Science-Sustainable Food Systems, a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from California State University, East Bay, and certificates in Nonprofit Organizational Management from the University of the Pacific. We are incredibly grateful for leaders like Mauricio who support operational excellence at ECS! #SFNonprofitsWork #SocialSafetyNet

In late September, ECS employees descended on San Francisco's famous Emporium Arcade for an 80s-themed employee appreciation party! This annual tradition is an opportunity for ECS to recognize the contributions of its incredible employees—case managers, administrative staff, housing staff, data and finance teams, social workers, fund development and more—to the organization and communities we serve. #employeeappreciation #socialworkers

💖 Transformative Change: Ashleyt’s Experience 💖 Meet Ashleyt, who has worked towards a better life with housing and job assistance support from ECS. Ashleyt emigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala in 2007. After a breakup with a partner, Ashleyt became homeless and lived on the street for four years. During the pandemic, Ashleyt met an ECS social worker who connected her to services and the opportunity for short-term housing. She was eventually offered her own space through Rapid Rehousing. “My first thought (after I moved in) was to find a job,” Ashleyt said. Through the ECS Job Center, Ashleyt found a job as a housekeeper, which she has maintained for over two years. “When I got the opportunity (to have housing), it changed my life. ECS helped me get my life on track again.” Now living in her own apartment, Ashleyt is grateful for stability and new opportunities. She has a California ID, social security number, and work authorization. “I can afford the rent. I don’t have any complaints about my life. I don’t need to run away.” She’s now able to support herself and her family from afar. “When I left Guatemala I promised to my family to give them what is needed. In the two years I’ve been in housing, I’ve been able to support my mother and family. This was not on my mind when I was living in the street.” “What everybody's doing to help unhoused people, keep doing it,” Ashleyt said. “A lot of people outside need the help.” #SFNonprofitsWork #SocialSafetyNet

We are so proud of our latest cohort of 7 CHEFS graduates! Having developed technical kitchen skills and earned food safety certification over a rigorous 10-week training, they’re prepared for successful employment in the culinary industry. Workforce development support like our CHEFS program is key to our mission of preventing and ending homelessness and we are so excited to see all that our CHEFS graduates will accomplish!