HomeFirst

Last Tuesday, a groundbreaking ceremony signified the start of the Rue Ferrari interim housing site expansion. The site, which currently features 98 private cabins for 120 residents, will soon grow by 107 cabins, providing space for an additional 144 people. Mayor Matt Mahan and Rep. Jimmy Panetta kicked off the ceremony with powerful speeches about the importance of interim housing sites as a steppingstone to permanent housing. They also discussed the value of partnership and community support. The event wrapped with a current Rue Ferrari resident sharing his personal story. He highlighted how the site has given him stability and enabled him to achieve a recent milestone – securing monthly income. HomeFirst was honored to attend the event, and we’re excited to see how the site develops. Construction is slated for completion in September 2025! #endhomelessness #buildingcommunity #emergencyinterimhousing

🎉 #FunFriday! Last month, participants at our BHCs (Bridge Housing Communities) celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month by creating beautiful papel picado! ✂️   Papel picado, or “perforated paper,” is a traditional Mexican art form often used in celebrations. These arts and crafts sessions foster creativity, promote cultural expression, and provide a wonderful outlet.🌟   Join us in celebrating culture and creativity!

✨ What an amazing success! Our first Community Conversations Event was a hit! A huge thank you to everyone who registered, participated, and contributed insightful questions.   If you couldn’t join us but are interested in the topic - “Understanding Homelessness: Past, Present, and Future” - you can still register to watch the entire panel by commenting below, and we'll send you the link!   Thank you once again! It's with this community collaboration that ending homelessness will be possible.

Last week, we were honored to welcome San Jose’s Vice Mayor, Rosemary Kamei, to BHC (Bridge Housing Community) Mabury, one of our interim housing sites. Mabury was the first interim housing site to open in San Jose. As such, it has served as a model for newer housing sites. The Vice Mayor toured the site and had the opportunity to meet with a resident who will soon be moving to permanent housing. With our BHC Program Manager and Vice President of Emergency Housing, she discussed the site’s facilities, community concerns, and the complexity of the affordable housing and homelessness crises. Thank you, Vice Mayor Kamei, for your ongoing support and commitment to addressing homelessness! We appreciate your visit! #BetterTogether #CommunityUnity #BridgeHousingCommunity

We're excited to announce that our annual In From the Cold Gala will be catered by Hunger at Home - an extremely hardworking nonprofit whose mission is to build food security and self-sufficiency for a healthier and more equitable Silicon Valley.   When: Saturday, November 2nd | 5pm - 8pm Where: Pivot Interiors | 3355 Scott Blvd., Santa Clara, CA   A huge thank you to all of our sponsors for making this event possible! Premier sponsor: Pivot Interiors Platinum sponsors: Griffis Residential, Star One Credit Union, Linda Chin, and John Parissenti. Gold sponsors: Order of Malta and XL Construction.   Join us for an evening of community, connection, and delicious food! 🥳✨ #InFromTheCold #CommunitySupport #IFTC #IFTC2024

Join us at our Job Fair on October 4th from 10 AM to 3 PM!    We're on the lookout for passionate individuals to join our Street Based Services Department in Santa Clara County. We're hiring for Case Managers, Shift Supervisors, and Resident Advocates. Come meet our team, learn about our mission, and discover how you can make a difference in our community! See you there! 💼✨ #JobFair #Hiring #SantaClaraCounty #JoinUs

🌟 Last Wednesday, HomeFirst hosted an amazing All Staff Picnic! 🎉 The day was filled with awards, (a lot of) heartfelt shoutouts, games, delicious food, and plenty of fun. It was wonderful to connect with everyone from the organization and celebrate all the hard work we put in day in and day out. Days like these remind us of the importance of building relationships and strengthening our team to better serve our community. They say it takes a village, and we’re so proud of ours! 💖 #TeamHomeFirst #Community #AppreciationDay #LifeatHF #JoinTheTeam #WereHiring

Exciting news! For the first time, our annual In From the Cold Gala will feature a panel addressing the ongoing challenges faced by unhoused Veterans.   Join us as we hear from our knowledgeable panel of HomeFirst staff: ✨ Ed Howard - Outreach Specialist, former FTM3 (Fire Control Technician - Missile) 3rd class ✨ Maria Velasco - Program Manager (Vets), former Military Human Resources, Specialist ✨ Kamron Phinney - Case Manager, former Aircraft Technician, Sr. Airman ✨With our moderator: Dameca Bailey - Director of Housing Stabilization   These experts are uniquely qualified to discuss this important topic given their varying military statuses or work with the Veteran population.   📅 Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 2nd, from 5 PM to 8 PM. Get your tickets through the link in our bio!   A heartfelt thank you to Pivot Interiors for being our premier sponsor and hosting us, along with our Platinum sponsors: Griffis Residential, Star One Credit Union, Linda Chin & John Parissenti.   Together, we can make ending homelessness a reality! 💙 #InFromTheCold #Veterans #EndHomelessness

Did you know our Boccardo Reception Center (BRC) houses our largest kitchen, serving up delicious meals to participants across our Santa Clara County housing sites? And it's no wonder this food looks so amazing! Our Kitchen Manager, Chef Eric, has an extensive background in the culinary industry -- A chef at the Fatted Calf in Napa, Gatehouse Restaurant in St. Helena, and Sous Chef for Lita's Catering in Gilroy. In addition, Eric was also a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army. Our kitchen team is made up of talented individuals with diverse experiences, ranging from renowned restaurants to tech giants like eBay and Facebook. Together, they create meals that nourish both body and spirit. Thank you so much for all of the hard work you do! 👏

🕛 The clock is ticking! Join us this Thursday at noon for Community Conversations featuring Bea Ramos, our VP of Emergency Housing.   Bea’s journey from Program Manager to Director of Supportive Services and now VP reflects her unwavering dedication to serving our community in the nonprofit sector. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear her insights and passion for making a difference!   💬 Register now to take part in the conversation! Link in bio. #CommunityConversations #EndHomelessness #NonprofitLeader #ServeYourCommunity