It is easy to feel pessimistic about these myriad challenges, yet it is important during the holiday season to honor the staff and individuals who put in the work necessary to achieve lasting results in our communities. Over 1,300 households were connected to new or improved water and sewer systems. Over 10,000 people now wake up each morning in a SHE rental housing unit, invariably the best place they have ever lived. More than 3,100 low-income households have SHE to thank for uninterrupted access to water when their wells went dry. Nearly 7,000 were able to buy their first home due to the persistence of SHE. 

Looking forward to 2026, we expect to continue to “fight the good fight” while we navigate a new policy and funding landscape. We are pushing hard to get a desperately needed Housing Bond on the California state ballot for next November. As the state looks to overhaul the delivery of its housing and homelessness programs, we will work to ensure the interests of San Joaquin Valley families are represented. We will work with the federal government to improve delivery of their various housing and community development programs, including opportunities to make meaningful regulatory reforms. And we will pursue creative new financing vehicles for homeownership to augment federal and state resources.  

May your home be a place of peace and nourishment during this holiday season.

SHE recently received a generous $25,000 Sierra Grant from long-time partner Bank of the Sierra to support resident services across our affordable rental communities. The grant was presented during a check presentation with SHE’s Director of Resident Services, Erica Lutterbein, and representatives from Bank of the Sierra. 

At SHE, housing is just the beginning. Through partnerships with local agencies and nonprofits, SHE offers free programs at community centers located within our rental housing developments. These services help residents and their families build skills, stay healthy, and plan for a stronger future. 

Support from Bank of the Sierra will help sustain programs such as adult education classes, afterschool activities, financial education, health and wellness programming, and access to technology, all of which make a meaningful difference in residents’ everyday lives. We are grateful for Bank of the Sierra’s continued partnership and shared commitment to strengthening the communities we serve. 

We also extend our thanks to Provost & Pritchard, one of SHE’s long-standing engineering partners, for their recent donation in support of resident services, including Permanent Supportive Housing. Provost & Pritchard has worked closely with SHE on drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects, helping ensure safe and reliable systems for the communities we serve. Their generosity reflects a shared commitment to supporting residents beyond housing and investing in long-term community well-being.  

SHE was saddened by the news that Russell Doe passed away earlier this fall. Russ was the primary driver in donating family property in Goshen – 80 acres overall – that has truly transformed the community by providing opportunities for housing, recreation, health services, and commercial development.

So far, the donated property has resulted in the 9+ acre Peter Malloch community park, space for the Family Healthcare clinic, affordable rental housing at Goshen Village II and Sequoia Commons, nearly 100 self-help homes built by the owners (with others under construction,) commercial spaces, a well and storage tank site for Cal Water, and the Neighborhood Village, a 50+ unit permanent supportive housing community managed by Salt + Light for people who have experienced homelessness.

This game-changing donation to SHE cements Doe’s legacy as a true community builder. 

Self-Help Enterprises is now accepting applications for our annual Doris “Do” Dooley Scholarship, which supports students from SHE participant families as they pursue higher education or vocational training. We encourage staff, partners, and community members to share this opportunity with participants and their families. 

This year, we’re also proud to introduce the Colegio de la Tierra Scholarship, a new award that will be granted to one eligible applicant from a farmworker household in Tulare County. There is no separate application required. Eligible students will be automatically considered through the main scholarship application. 

Applications must be submitted online by March 27, 2026. Full eligibility requirements and application details are available through the scholarship link on our website here.

Join our team!