It is always challenging to summarize Rose Haven’s impact. There are too many personal triumphs and challenges to convey. This is especially so in 2020. Alongside ninety-nine girlfriends and other champions, we provided support to 702 children and 1,775 women last year. Most were experiencing chronic homelessness and have not been indoors anywhere in nearly a year now. Together we provided life-saving supplies, financial assistance, referrals and emotional support as they navigated living outdoors during a pandemic, raging wildfires, social unrest and ever-changing weather conditions. We educated people about the pandemic protocols, charged phones, distributed voter ballots, and delivered stimulus checks. And over the course of our work in 2020 we laughed, shed tears, and nourished souls together.
Thousands of donors, some long-time friends and others brand new, shared their financial resources and stimulus checks with us! Others, like ninety-nine girlfriends—who had grants restricted to specific projects—lifted limitations, trusting us to prioritize as needed during this unusual time. This allowed us to hire a 3rd full-time advocate, increase our direct service allocations by 70%, lease additional onsite space, and buy food and supplies as needed.
Rose Haven’s dedicated staff continued to show up at Rose Haven every day, setting aside personal fears and prioritizing service to others. Their work was supplemented by a small core group of volunteers who joined our “bubble” to help onsite with direct services. Many volunteers picked up take-home projects, while others collected needed items. Amazon packages arrived by the dozens each day! Gratefully, 575 volunteers found avenues to support our guests.
We anticipate need for services to continue to escalate as eviction moratoriums are lifted and people are still challenged to find work. We are preparing. Our staff received their second round of vaccinations this week, and optimism is our mantra for 2021. Thank you to each of the ninety-nine girlfriends for being with us on this unique and unpredictable journey. We have only just begun!
— Katie O’Brien, Executive Director Rose Haven