It Takes a Village

Much gratitude

Back to school can be a stressful time for children experiencing homelessness. In addition to the usual worries about making new friends and tougher subjects in school, they are often dealing with a lack of new clothes, supplies, or fond summer memories that other children take for granted. Thanks to our many community partners, children from Hamilton return to the classroom confident and proud.

Ready for School!

Our friends at Bloomingdale's continue to outdo themselves. In May, they committed to providing 200 backpacks filled with supplies. A week later, they committed to 300! Every single child receiving services from Hamilton got a backpack provided by an employee or vendor of Bloomingdale's. We're so grateful!

In addition, Blue Shield and Accenture both provided backpacks filled with supplies. These will be distributed to children throughout the year as families move through our programs.

New shoes = Big smiles

But that's not all. The amazing folks at My New Red Shoes provided 178 pairs of brand new shoes, along with a $50 gift card to Old Navy. Children were able to go shopping for new clothes.

Furthermore, four amazing hair stylists provided free haircuts for 27 children so that they can walk into the classroom looking sharp. And our dear friend Robin Hultgren took family photos.

Yes, it truly takes a village to raise a child. We thank our community for surrounding us with support and generous gifts during this busy and exciting time of year. In the words of Dr Seuss, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It's not."

Summer Recap

Hamilton's awesome children's program staff develop great programs during the summer to create memorable experiences for the kids living in our programs. Highlights this summer included:

Camping makes me happy!

• Twenty-four children camped overnight in the Presidio. Everyone was thrilled to see dolphins and a huge sea lion playing in the ocean on the hike. The kids were eager to help with dinner prep and even dishes! On the night hike, kids and staff talked about fear and courage as they experienced life outside of their comfort zones. 

• The children and staff at the emergency center have been harvesting food from the newly-planted rooftop garden throughout August. The cooks picked enough lettuce one night last week to prepare a delicious salad for all the residents. They also used fresh cilantro to make homemade salsa to be served alongside burritos. The kids are learning about where their food comes from and enjoying fresh produce.

• Home Away from Homelessness opened up their Beach House to the children at Transitional Housing Program. The kids spent the day dressing up in costumes, taking a hike in the Marin Headlands, playing at the beach, visiting the Marine Mammal Center, and enjoying a meal together. It was a special way to wrap up summer vacation.

Looking Ahead

As the kids go back to school, our energy shifts towards ways to support them year round.

• Our staff provide academic support both directly and through partnerships.
• We continually support families at our temporary housing program who are moving into the SF school district, and families moving out of SF into permanent housing in other cities, by providing information and advice about school enrollment and transfers.
• Our case managers help parents who want to continue their own education by connecting them with resources and information about programs for adults.
• We are looking for volunteers to help with tutoring and in the playroom of all three of our residential programs. Check out the volunteer page of our website for more information and to apply!

We know this school year will be a success for everyone thanks to our well trained staff, generous volunteers and donors, supportive parents, and great kids!