When George Pope, 65, moved into his apartment at Santa Fe Commons II on September 30, 2024, he was beginning a new chapter after experiencing homelessness for three years and residing at the Tulare Cares Encampment. 

At the time George moved into his apartment, he had no income. He relied on recycling cans to help pay his rent and electric bill while waiting for his Supplemental Security Income (SSI) application to be approved. Despite the financial challenges he faced, George never missed a rent payment. He remained determined to maintain his housing and build a more stable future for himself. 

For the next two years, George continued attending his medical appointments and working through the Social Security application process. There were frustrating moments along the way, but George never allowed those challenges to take away his positive outlook. He continued to greet those around him with a smile and approached each day with determination and optimism. 

After two years of persistence, George’s SSI application was finally approved, including back pay. This achievement was a significant milestone for George and provided him with the financial stability he had worked so hard to obtain. 

Reflecting on his experience, George shared: 

“I feel my life is better due to you guys. I’m here because I’m stable. Self-Help Enterprises and the supportive services we have here, have been the best thing in my recovery. You guys don’t judge me, and provide food.” 

Today, George continues to be a valued presence at Santa Fe Commons II. His positive attitude and generous personality have made an impact on the people around him through his kindness, encouragement and willingness to share a smile. 

George’s story is a reminder of what can happen when people have access to safe, affordable housing and the time and support needed to move forward. His journey demonstrates that having a stable place to call home can provide a foundation for a new chapter filled with greater stability, hope and opportunity. 

Self-Help Enterprises’ Leadership Institute brought 25 community members and leaders together September 25 and 26 for a two-day series of workshops on community engagement and water policy. Held in SHE’s Board Room, the workshops drew participants from across the region, with some traveling three hours each way to attend.

The first evening introduced SHE’s new Community Engagement Assessment Scorecard, developed by Leadership Institute staff and Stantec, Inc. The tool helps communities and agencies identify what’s working well in community engagement and where there are opportunities to strengthen dialogue around water management decisions that affect local communities.

On Saturday, participants learned how they can provide input on water policies, particularly those related to drought, dry domestic wells and flooding. They reviewed Domestic Well Mitigation Plans, learned what makes an effective public comment and then put those skills into practice by developing and presenting comments to a mock board of fellow participants.

More than half of attendees were previous Leadership Institute graduates, many of whom brought new community members and leaders with them, demonstrating SHE’s “train the trainer” approach.

Participants shared what the Leadership Institute means to them:

“The workshops that Self Help has been doing gives us knowledge and confidence to communicate our community and household needs to decision makers. We want to participate with the agencies. SHE’s LI workshops teach us how. Thank you, SHE, for providing this ‘safe space’ to learn, ask questions, and network with other community leaders.”

Thank you to Lisa Beutler of Stantec, Inc. and John Andrews, former DWT Deputy Director, for their expertise in developing and facilitating the workshops, as well as Linguistica for translation services. Special thanks to SHE’s Irene Cacho for interpreting Friday evening and Darlene Tyndal for her support throughout the workshops.

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