June 2014

Market Street for the Masses Coalition

 

The Gubbio Project is a proud member of the Market Street for the Masses Coalition, a collective voice and resource for community organizations and companies to strengthen the social, physical and economic well-being of those living in the Mid-Market, Tenderloin, and South of Market neighborhoods.

 

Over the past two years this coalition of non-profits has coalesced around the rapid changes in our neighborhoods. We're working together to bring benefits to low-income residents of our communities.

  

A recent article on the work of Market Street for the Masses: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Mid-Market-alliance-urges-tech-firms-to-think-big-5519888.php#page-1

 

Website: http://marketstreetforthemasses.org/  

 Caf� Gubbio!

 

Once a month Gubbio volunteers have been gathering to share a morning snack of baked goods and hot beverages with guests sleeping in the pews. The inspiration came from the week of Christmas this year, when warm homemade cookies were brought in daily as a message of care and community during a time which can be difficult for many people living on the street. It was so vocally appreciated by guests that volunteers thought it should be a regular event!

 

One Thursday morning a month, volunteers come in before work to bake treats and make coffee, tea and cocoa. Around 9am we serve the snacks and chat with guests. 

 

If you're interested in donating cookie dough, baked goods, or coming to bake and share, email emmaf@thegubbioproject.org.

 

  

 Volunteers prep for Caf� Gubbio

 

Making Change!
 

The Gubbio Project aims to keep some connection with various advocacy efforts, including those lead by The Coalition on Homelessness. We lend interns/volunteers out to other organizations working for change in larger systems that may positively affect homeless folks who come to sleep in St. Boniface. 

 

Our full-time volunteer, Amanda Smith, participates in the Coalition on Homelessness' Human Rights Work-group. Some recent project this group has worked on include:

- Anti-Recycling Center Closures

- Changes to Library Policy

- A Report about 16th and Mission BART Plaza

- A Safer Parking Program for vehicularly housed folks

 

In This Issue
Market Street for the Masses
Café Gubbio!
Making Change!
Spotlight on Jaime
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Spotlight on Jaime Lavender
 
Jaime has been working with The Gubbio Project through the Harm Reduction Therapy Center as a consultant for about a year. We are so grateful to have had him facilitate staff discussion, debrief with us and lead training on working with folks who have dual-diagnosis and are homeless. 
 
Jaime has worked in the Tenderloin for the past 15 years. He says his passion is: "providing really good quality mental health services to people who otherwise wouldn't have access." Lately his focus has been on helping staff stay better resourced so they can be more sustainable in the Tenderloin. 

Jaime talked about how mental health is often "used against homeless people." People generalize about the homeless population, a very diverse group, with not a lot in common as a way of avoiding talking about the "problem of poverty." On this topic he says, "It's not a big mystery. Some people have less opportunity. Income inequality is the major underlying factor."
 
Jaime's interests include social justice and music, music, music. He helped to start a therapeutic drum circle at Hospitality House, a community partner, right around the corner from Gubbio.
 
Thanks for all your work in our community Jaime!
We Need Socks!!
We receive an influx of socks every winter and each summer we run low. However, our folks resting at Gubbio still need them all year.

We cannot reiterate enough how important fresh socks are for the health and well-being of folks who walk so much. 
 
Generally, we recommend white or black crew length men's socks.
 

Want to help even more?
Organize a sock drive at your workplace, religious community, neighborhood or other group! Contact amandas@thegubbioproject.org for more information.