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Raphael House
Fall 2010 Volume 27
Moving Families from Crisis to Community
Dear Friends, In This Issue
Ways to Give this Season 2
We suspect many of you are interested in knowing how Raphael
House is faring during this year of transition. A comprehensive Donate to Community Thrift 3
Strategic Plan recently developed by our Board of Directors, Become a Volunteer 3
Board Emeriti and key staff has been the road map that has kept
us focused on accomplishing specific goals. Amanda King’s Journey 4
We are happy to report that significant progress has been Volunteering is a Family Affair 4
made with management reorganization that has resulted in an Day of Beauty 5
increase in staff providing direct services to our families. Board
Become part of Wise Elders 5
committees focusing on the executive transition, the upgrading
of governance protocols, and two newly formed committees Teens Travel to DC 6-7
assisting with enhancing our information technology and Upcoming Events 7
facilities management are all underway. These accomplishments,
along with attention to a myriad of other details pertaining to
infrastructure, policies and procedures, have kept us busy.
Enough of that! What Raphael House really wants you to know
is that over the past year we have become much more than
what one might commonly think of as a homeless shelter. We
want you to know we are a service-enriched family program
offering assistance tailored to each family that includes
counseling, workforce development, and educational workshops
on parenting and financial literacy. We’ve increased case
management and mental health counseling, and have expanded
services to former residents now in our AfterCare Program.
We’ve increased offerings in our Academic Enrichment and
ChildReach Programs. We have also added Wise Elders, a new
program providing case management linkage and social events
for seniors living in our neighborhood.
Raphael House has much to be grateful for as we head into the
holiday season. We are especially grateful for you! We would not
exist without your generous year-round contributions and we
thank you for all the ways you support our mission.
Wishing you every kindness.
The Raphael House ChildReach Program took 8 teens
From all of us at Raphael House. on a trip of a lifetime to Washington, DC after they
fulfilled a committment to a year of weekend tutoring.
To read more about this amazing trip, see page 6.
Ways to give this season...
Thanksgiving Wish List Pumpkin Pie Mix
Fall is officially here and with it Cranberry Sauce
comes Halloween, Thanksgiving, Boxed Stuffing
pumpkins, turkeys, pies, cranberries
and all the scrumptious treats the
Noodles & Pasta
season has to offer. We would once Mixtures of Nuts & Dried Fruit
again like to ask for your help Canned Vegetables
with donations for our
FALL PANTRY WISH LIST
Curry Sauce
to ensure that our AfterCare families Bags of Beans
have everything they need for a Canned Beans
warm and cheerful season.
If you would like to donate one or
Gravy Mix
more of these items, please deliver Pie & Cake Mixes
them to Raphael House, Boxed Mashed Potatoes
1065 Sutter Street,
between Hyde and Larkin.
Bags of Rice
Adopt-a-Family
The Adopt-a-Family Holiday Program is a great way to help
struggling families during the holiday season!
How it Works
• Two gifts per child and one family gift (please adhere to the two-gift limit).
All gifts should be new.
• A gift certificate to a grocery store.
• We suggest that you include a disposable camera
and a coupon for developing film for the family
to take pictures on their special day. (This is optional)
• We want to make sure that all gifts go to the right child.
To help us accomplish this, please be sure to clearly label
all gifts with each person’s first and last name.
• Please limit one family per bag and have each gift wrapped.
Also AppreciAted Are gift cArds for vArious stores such As
tArget, old nAvy, And sAfewAy to use for holidAys And birthdAys
throughout the yeAr.
To participate, please contact Stephanie Younger at 415.474.4621
ext. 609 or syounger@raphaelhouse.org; specify the family size that you would
like to sponsor and we will e-mail you their Wish List.
2
and throughout the year
Donate Clothing to Community Thrift What we still take
Beginning November 1st, allows families a wider For questions regarding at Raphael House,
all clothing donations made selection of necessary items donations and our 1065 Sutter Street:
to Raphael House will be and the independence to partnership with Community Newborn Clothing
redirected to Community shop at their leisure and with Thrift Store, please Women’s XL Clothing
Thrift Store. Both Raphael privacy. contact Anna Hurtado at Diapers
House and 415.474.4621
Towels
our families ext. 606.
Comforters/Blankets
will continue For more
to benefit information Sets of Sheets
from generous about Kitchen Towels
donations Community New Toys
made by you, Thrift Store Books
By donating your items
our community members, drop-off hours and donation School Supplies
in Raphael House’s
through vouchers that guidelines, please visit
name to Community
families can use to shop for Thrift Store, you will help www.communitythriftsf. All items should be new or
clothing. This partnership us maintain a program that org or call at 415.861.4910.
gently used.
assists Raphael House with is very beneficial to our
They are located at
our restricted storage and families!
623 Valencia Street, SF.
Become a Raphael House Volunteer!
good fit for Hal as a volunteer
Current Volunteer Needs: opportunity. He has been with
• Workforce Development us ever since!
Help our parents get their résumés and Hal says, “Raphael House is
cover letters together. Walk them through a special place. It is hard to
mock interviews and how to navigate an explain verbally to someone
online job search. why that is, but everyone gets it
• Supervised Child’s Play during our on site Hal Dawson was a Board once they set foot through our
workshops and events for parents. member at Raphael House door.” The children have always
for six years, but he has been been an inspiration to Hal; he
• Kitchen Servers - Friday evenings and a tutor for our Academic
alternate Sundays. finds their resilience to be most
Enrichment Program for heroic. All the children he has
Ongoing opportunities include: almost sixteen years! How did worked with have been special.
• Evening children and family activities, he find Raphael House? His
after-school and Saturday tutoring wife, Mary, was teaching in the “I’m almost 74, and for many
programs, ESL tutoring, Saturday field College of Education at San Jose years I was a grandfather-in-
trips, among other activities. State when our then Children’s waiting. Now I have a grandson,
• Group and individual opportunities that Program Director, Carol Cole, but the children of Raphael
don’t require long-term commitments came to speak to her class. House will continue to be like
are always available for cooking, Mary was so impressed with grandchildren to me.”
maintenance projects, and special events. the program that she came Thank you, Hal, for all that you
home and suggested it may be a have done for our children!
Please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Kim Lessard at 415.345.7264 or klessard@raphaelhouse.org for more information.
3
Amanda King Shares Her Story
to Indiana wasn’t possible without a life, and view of life, fundamentally.
“Self-sufficiency
wasn’t my middle
large custody battle. I couldn’t qualify I thought the other mothers there
for rental assistance because I made were extraordinary for dealing with,
name. Though I
too much money, but it wasn’t enough and overcoming, the challenges they
was raised within
money to pay all my bills. faced. My situation felt silly compared
a family of highly
So with only two weeks left before to theirs… but we all learned from
self-sufficient,
I had to be out of my apartment, I each other and grew.
successful
women, I never went back to the agency I had tried Raphael House enabled me to think
thought about the previously – at my wit’s end. Still about my life objectively and create
need to have my unable to help me due to funding new goals. At first, I thought the
Amanda King qualifications they suggested, as a long schedule a bit grueling and awfully
performed at the bases covered. I
Raphael House thought success shot, that I try Raphael House. hard-line, but it was great not to have
Gala, April 2010. would come easy. A SHELTER??!! Life just stopped. to think about everything all at once.
I married young My thoughts raced to all the scenes all the time. Raphael House gave me
of homeless shelters that I’d seen in time to think and plan – rethink and
and had good jobs. I highly doubt
movies. ACK! In my head I began plan. When I left, I was on my own
most married middle-class women
chanting over and over – ‘I can’t do for the first time in more than ten
think about ending up in a shelter
this, I can’t do this, this is too much, I years. Scared, but strong, with a clear
with their child, but I’m wagering it
can’t do this to Duncan.’ sense of purpose and priority. They
happens more than most think.
helped me begin to TRULY appreciate
In 2007, my husband and I separated But I called Raphael House and made
and understand the power of ‘baby
an appointment. They extended their
after ten years of marriage; a few
months later I lost my job. It was a arms and took me in. I walked in ”
steps.’
thinking I just needed a place to stay Amanda King is a jazz singer in
contentious divorce so no support was
while I got on my feet, not realizing San Francisco. Information about
coming from my husband at that time,
that I needed to grow new legs upcoming concerts can be found
even though we shared custody of our
because mine had been cut off. My on her blog, amandakingsings.
two-year-old son.
mother refers to my time in Raphael blogspot.com. In October of
In mid-2008, I was evicted from the this year, Amanda was invited to
House as ‘financial rehab.’ It was that,
apartment I’d lived in for the previous perform during the 2010 New York
and more… the people I met and my
five years. I had no savings and no Cabaret Convention, and made her
experience of being there changed my
back-up plan and moving back home debut at the Metropolitan Room.
Volunteering at Raphael House is a Family Affair for the Damons
When the Damons first heard about in 2007. Allen loves watching his son play several games
Raphael House from St. Mary’s simultaneously while teaching each child the game. Jack took
Church in San Francisco, they loved his love of computers and started the Computer Club, which
the idea of working with children and has opened up the world of microprocessors and the internet
families. Having children of their to the young residents of Raphael House. Some of
own, they felt it was important to these children had never used a computer before,
teach them the value of giving back. but by the end of the first year they were making
slide shows and editing movies.
Both Sloan (16) and Jack (14) are competitive chess
players who are also quite adept at working with Overseeing his own kids while they teach the
computers. Allen and Delphine thought it would be children, Allen says that it was wonderful to watch
great for the boys to share these skills with children the children of Raphael House discover new things.
who might not have the chance to be exposed to “These kids are terrific; smart, hardworking and
them. Sloan started the Raphael House Chess Club eager to learn.”
4
A Day of Beauty for Raphael House Moms
What do you get when two of San Francisco’s premiere hair
stylists are paired up with make-up artists from Sephora on
a Sunday afternoon at Raphael House? Add a little nail color
and toss in a relaxing massage and you have one special Day of
Beauty!
On September 12th, eighteen moms living in shelter received
beauty treatments, delicious food and an afternoon of
relaxation! This Raphael House tradition has been going on
for sixteen years as a way of providing a day for our moms to
be pampered and be able to relax for a few hours on a Sunday
afternoon. Bonjo and Eddy D. have been styling hair for our
Day of Beauty since its inception. Says Bonjo, “I enjoy this
event very much. I like that it makes people happy. Making
people feel better and more confident about themselves is very
important. These moms deserve it.”
We would like to thank the following people and businesses who made this event happen. They
donated their time, talent, and materials to make this day so very special. We are very grateful!
Bonjo 415.922.2121 - hair • Eddy D. 415.310.3233 - hair
Edward’s Salon, Mill Valley 415.640.3753 - nails • Christine Brusati 415.699.7197 - massage
Dima Mogannam and the wonderful artists from Sephora for the make-up and make-overs
Claude Perasso for the decorations and food
Bonjo and Eddy D.
“It is a place to get
The Wise Elders
together, to grow, to learn
new things, it’s family.” We are happy to announce The Wise Elders weekly tea on Thursdays
-Jerry, Wise Elders member from 2-3:30pm at Raphael House. Friends in the local community who
since May, 2010 are 55 years and older are invited to attend. We start with a hearty
snack followed by an activity or educational topic. Activities will range
from bingo or other board games, art projects and fitness classes to
“We learn from each roof garden enjoyment and monthly birthday celebrations.
other, sharing our talents
We currently have visiting Public Health Nurse Interns available to
and knowledge. It provides
check blood pressure, discuss medications and side effects, and answer
variety in our lives and an
questions about other health care concerns. The nurse interns and a
outlet to give-back. We
mental health counselor are also available for private consultation upon
help with the mailings and
request.
share our experiences and
resources.”- Sally, Wise Elders The Wise Elders is a resurgence of the Neighborhood Senior Association
member since May, 2010 which began in 1979; Raphael House is looking towards future
expansion of senior services for our neighbors. If you would care to
drop-in to check us out, please call Carmela Biggs at 415-474-4621 ext.
104, to RSVP. We look forward to seeing you here at Raphael House.
5
Raphael House Teens Earn
Trip to Washington, DC
At the start of the last school year, achieved two specific goals with this
we challenged the teens in our program. First, the teens participated
AfterCare Program to in an educationally rich
attend tutoring sessions experience that expanded
at Raphael House three their perspective of their
Saturdays per month, with community and the
a trip to Washington, DC history of their nation.
as an educational incentive. Second, the students
After a year of Saturday realized the rewards that
tutoring, eight teens come with hard work
completed the program. and dedication. While
The trip was planned by it was difficult for some
the teens themselves (with of the teens to come to
the guidance of ChildReach their tutoring session
staff). The students created each Saturday, every
an itinerary that highlighted student agreed that it was
all of the sights they wanted well worth it, and they
to see and experience are proud of themselves
in DC. The teens were for maintaining such
engaged and excited by the entire dedication throughout the school year.
experience. We believe that we
Teens in DC Journal By Stephanie Younger, ChildReach Supervisor
Day 1: Lincoln,Washington, Jefferson commented on how many facts she the Capitol
and Obama had yet to learn, and it was a great Building
The trip started with a hearty Raphael opportunity to teach the group even was built,
House dinner.Yes, that’s right, we more about U.S. History. destroyed, and
started at night! We took a red-eye Later that day, feeling refreshed and
built again.
flight from San Francisco and arrived in The tour also
ready for the evening, we ventured out
District of Columbia at 6am. in the night heat to see the Washington
included a
walk through
After checking in to our hotel, we Monument, the Lincoln Memorial,
the tunnel
headed to the and the WWII Memorial up-close.
connecting the
Smithsonian We walked through the memorials in
Capitol to the
Museum of awe of their size, beauty, and historical
Library of Congress, where we were
American History significance. The light of the Washington
able to explore the vast reading rooms
where we explored Monument reflecting off the water was
and collections of literature.
the history of the certainly a sight to behold for the entire
United States group. After the Capitol tour, we headed
presidency and the off to the International Spy Museum
Day 2:The Life of a Senator
wars of the world and a Spy where we participated in our own
including World Wars I and II, and the spy adventure: Operation Spy. We
What a fun day! We started off with a
Korean and Vietnam Wars. It was very tour of the US Capitol Building, which pretended to be spies on a mission,
gratifying to see how much the kids decoding and gathering intelligence,
provided the students with lots of great
learned about the president’s role and information about the history of DC
listening in on phone calls and even
the history of the office. One student and the U.S. government, like how searching apartments and catching
6
rebels. The rest of the museum was just Day 3: Who Done It? the actors solve the mystery. After the
as interesting. There was a spy school, We spent most of the afternoon at the play, we were off to pack and get ready
along with gadgets and simulators, Holocaust Museum learning about the for our last day in DC.
designed to give students a realistic history and devastation of WWII. The
Day 4: College Bound
picture of what life as a spy might exhibits were full of historical facts
Our last day in DC included a tour of
actually be like. about the Holocaust, the war, and the
the Georgetown University campus.
After the museum, we met up for human devastation. It was an emotional
This gave the students an excellent
dinner with long-time Raphael House experience for our students as they
opportunity to learn more about
supporters, Peggy and Richard Burrows experienced the Holocaust through the
the college, its curriculum and
at Matchbox 365. lives and stories of actual survivors.
expectations. We were also able to view
The food, atmosphere To lighten things up the picturesque campus. The students
and company were all after the museum, we learned about what it meant to be a
fantastic, and it was a attended a live show college student and how they could
wonderful opportunity called “Shear Madness” get there themselves. Because of this
for the kids to have a at the Kennedy Center, tour, we have the opportunity to follow
“night on the town,” but not after getting up with students to discuss college
while Peggy and Richard caught in the rain in options, applications and financial aid
got a chance to see first-hand how a our yellow rain ponchos. The play, a and scholarship information. From
Raphael House trip is run. comedic, interactive murder mystery, Georgetown, it was off to the airport
After dinner, we took a quick stroll was a hit with both the students and to make our way back home to
through Chinatown, and then returned the staff. The students were able to San Francisco. What a trip! What great
to the hotel for a game of cards before participate by using their critical memories!
turning in for the night. thinking and perception skills to help
. .
One Home,
Many Hearts
GALA
.
Benefiting
RAPHAEL HOUSE
OF SAN FRANCISCO
BIMBO’S 365 CLUB | SAN FRANCISCO
APRIL 1, 2011
. .
For more information about these Raphael House fundraising events, please contact Flavia Henrique at
415.345.7262 or fhenrique@raphaelhouse.org.
7
Raphael House
Moving Families From Crisis to Community
Non-Profit Org
US Postage
PAID
San Francisco, CA
1065 Sutter Street Permit No. 13863
San Francisco, CA 94109-5817
Return Service Requested
Raphael House of San Francisco Board of Directors
CLAUDIA JOHN LATTA Raphael House
CASTILLO ROSS Founding Principal Board Emeriti:
Mission Chairman of the Board Orion Group, LLC JANET F. CHAPMAN
Raphael House is dedicated to helping at-risk children and their Founding Partner, BARRY MIGYANKO Director Emeritus
parents achieve stable housing and financial independence, while Cross Marketing Vice President, VP of Privacy and
strengthening family bonds and personal dignity. Our mission is EBRAHIM ABBASI Raphael House Deposit Operations
clear and permeates our work: helping families thrive. Exec. Vice President Administrator, Compliance,
Force 10 Networks Diocese of the West Union Bank
CHERYL BAXTER JESSICA MOMENT J. HALLAM DAWSON
Funding Community Volunteer Owner Chairman Emeritus
Raphael House relies solely on private sources to meet its annual RICK DADE Philanthropist, LLC Chairman,
budget. Support is received from individuals, foundations, Founder and President KIM NASH IDI Associates
corporations, businesses, civic groups and congregations that are R3 Builders Deputy Regional PETER HALL
CHARLES DOYLE Counsel, HUD Director Emeritus
committed to promoting stability for at-risk families. We neither Managing Director,
Managing Director MELISSA
seek nor accept federal, state or municipal funding. Equinox Search
Business Capital RICHARDSON
FR. JOHN DRESKO Community Volunteer CAROLE A. OBLEY
Rector WILL ROBBERTS Chairman Emeritus
St. Paul the Apostle CEO V.P., Bank of the West
Contact Us Orthodox Church, Kempton Advisors FRANCIS J. RIGNEY,
Las Vegas, Nevada M.D.
Mail: 1065 Sutter Street KATE SMITH
WILLIAM FREEMAN Community Volunteer Chairman Emeritus
San Francisco, CA 94109 Entrepreneur Retired Chief of Staff
MARY WOLFE
Phone (Main): 415.474.4621 K & F Development Pacific Presbyterian
Marketing Consultant
Hospital (CPMC)
Fax: 415.474.7020 ANTHONY GLAVES Wolfe + Associates
CEO, BNT Ventures FRANK ROSENBACH
Development Office: 415.474.3245 ANASTASIA
Director Emeritus
JOHN HINMAN, Esq. ZAANDAM-DeSOUSA
To learn more, please visit our website: raphaelhouse.org Retired Vice President
Partner, Hinman & Community Volunteer
Morgan Guaranty
Carmichael LLP
