Franciscan Workers of Junipero Serra

Dorothy's Drop-In CenterThe mission of Franciscan Workers and the goal of Dorothy's Place programs is to provide basic needs, essential services and transitional support that move people that are chronically homeless into housing. We serve clients that have multiple barriers and disabilities. Commonly, 90% of our clients require mental health or addiction intervention. We continue to focus on basic needs, safe shelter, transitional programming and data gathering and research that not only creates an evidence base that informs our services, but also stimulates community discussion on the greatest challenge of assisting chronically homeless people into housing, that of meeting unaddressed health needs. We provide healthcare coordination through CalAIAM where homeless, marginalized, and others who are our clients can meet basic hygiene needs (shower & laundry), be treated at our weekly health clinic, and access other services that are geared towards helping them live with greater health and dignity (mail, phone clothing, activities, and volunteering). We serve unsheltered adults, with and without families with basic needs, and our community health workers assist with the social determinants of health, including building a portfolio for each consumer with current ID, birth certificate, disability status and income status, to prepare them for healthcare coordination and housing navigation. We report healthcare coordination and housing assistance through CalAIM to record consumer progress into housing as data to develop an evidence base.

Dorothy's KitchenWe serve smiles, gentle conversation, hugs, and an atmosphere of family. Dorothy's Kitchen open at 8:30 every morning for a hot breakfast for our guests, serving approximately 300 people each day. The Kitchen also serves a hot lunch every day of the week a 1:00. Upwards of 400 free meals are served daily. On special occasions, such as Thanksgiving, we exceed that number and will serve nearly 1,000 meals. Emergency food boxes are distributed between 10:00-11:00 a.m. Mondays through Fridays. There is no charge, obligation (other than good behavior), or discrimination. We don't ask names or request IDs. Those who come are our guests, and are treated with hospitality, like family.