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If you would like to make a donation, please click here -
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Our Sponsors
Visit Our Sponsor
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Visit Our Sponsor
 | | Loaves & Fishes |
Visit Our Sponsor
 | | Sacramento Homeless Organizing Committee |
Visit Our Sponsor
 | | Francis House |
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Recent Articles.... |
Tension over feeding the homeless
Sac Bee 9/9/12
Meanspirited column
Sac Bee 9/9/12
Fresno apmts for Homeless
Fresno Bee 8/18/12
Occupy Movement & the Criminalization of Homelessness
Truthout 8/17/12
Placer County's Gathering Inn may close
Sac Bee 7/26/12
Rhode Island passes
Homeless Bill of Rights
Mother Jones, 6/20/12
here is the new law -
nearly 900 homeless file claims against city
Sac Bee, 6/8/12
Illegal-camping crackdown, Tasers, U.N. reports: Sacramento homeless community under attack?By Nick Miller, SN&R, 2/9/12
California Homeless Crisis Grows As State Is Reluctant To Use Powerful Law, Huffington Post, 2/9/12
Arrested for not Having a HOME!!!!, Huffington post, 1/10/12
Number of homeless students in Sacramento County schools jumps 50% plus, Sac Bee, 7/14/11
Would you support a homeless shelter near your home? Online forum about Safe Ground on Facebook
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300 Sleeping Bags Needed
for a Moveable Sleep | |
If you would like to donate , sleeping bags, tents, or any other equipment, even office equipment (old but working PCs needed), please contact us at 916-448-2448 and/or come by our office, located across from Maryhouse.
Safe Ground Office
1400 North C. St.
Sacramento, CA 95811
(across from Maryhouse)
7:00AM-2:45PM
Donations of any of these items are always appreciated:
Sleeping Bags
Backpacks
Warm Coats
Rain Coats
Rain Boots
Scarves
Gloves
Long Johns (thermal underwear)
Hand Warmers (like hunters use)
Insect repellent
Donations are tax deductible. |
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Join Our Mailing List!
If you would like to regularly receive this newsletter, and don't already, please let us know at
safegroundsacinfo@gmail.com
And please feel free to forward our newletter to anyone you think might be interested in what we do. |
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Safe Ground Sacramento's
Community Bulletin
September/October 2012
Tenth issue
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Hello and Welcome to Safe Ground's newsletter
 | | Steve Watters Executive Director |
The Safe Ground prototype cabin is currently under construction by our great partners at Habitat for Humanity, with the help of several Safe Ground homeless volunteers. In just a few days we will be unveiling it to the public, local policy makers and any group that would like to come and get a presentation or just drop by. The schedule is below and you can call to make an appointment if you wish to bring a group from work, church or your neighborhood.
So, please plan to come to Caesar Chavez Park in downtown Sacramento and take a look at our prototype sleeping cabin designed for the planned Safe Ground community. We will also be sharing conceptual renderings of a prototypical Safe Ground community layout and talking with visitors about how it will operate and the services we plan to provide.
Save the dates below! We need your support and I look forward to seeing you there.
Steve Watters
SafeGround Sacramento |
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Safe Ground Prototype Cabin
September Premier Showing
View the Safe Ground Prototype
Sleeping Cabin & Community Designs
in Cesar Chavez Park
Where Caesar Chavez Park, 9th and I Streets, Downtown
When Wednesday Sept. 19th - 3 pm to 7 pm
Cabin Installation and final assembly
Thursday Sept. 20th - 9 am to 7 pm
Presentations
Friday Sept. 21st - 9 am to 7 pm
Presentations
Saturday Sept. 22nd - 9 am to noon
Presentations
to schedule a presentation -
Call 916-769-8877 or email us at: SafeGroundDirector@gmail.com
or, just drop by!
Safe Ground will be presenting a full scale prototype of the sleeping cabins planned for the Safe Ground Community.
The cabin will be assembled in a public demonstration in Caesar Chavez Park (9th and I Streets) on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 19th.
This will be followed by ongoing public presentations Thursday and Friday September 20th and 21st, and Saturday morning, September 22nd.
Safe Ground will provide scheduled group presentations for interested public, corporate, private and faith-based groups between 9:00am and 7:00pm Thursday and Friday and again on Saturday morning 9:00am to Noon.
The Safe Ground 10 x 12 foot sleeping cabin design has been developed by a Safe Ground Volunteer Cabin Design Team consisting of Kerrin West of Studio 81 in Folsom, Michael O'Brien of Pressey and Associates and Kyle Wicky of Mogavero Notestine Associates, both of Sacramento. Their unique design utilizes factory built, insulated panels as the major structural components. Each panel is manufactured to include predesigned electrical components, as well as windows and doors. The exterior is covered with durable hardi-trim siding and long lasting paint. The Cabin Design Team has consulted with local engineering and construction expert Dan Wilson, the Construction Director at Sacramento Habitat for Humanity. Dan has been consulting with local colleagues on the design, and in the effort to locate local suppliers of the panels and other required materials and components, including solar panels for the roof. The end product reflects the expertise of these local construction experts and suppliers.
Safe Ground volunteer professionals reviewed many potential designs from a structural, permitting and cost perspective. These designs included pre-manufactured cabins, wood framed cabins, domes, and small trailers similar to camping trailers. Our experts selected a structural modular panel construction that is both locally designed and built. These cabins will be made to our custom design specifications and manufactured as component panels that can be assembled in the field and disassembled for moving in the future. Safe Ground's look at the many alternatives on the market was highly influenced by our requirements including local standards for acceptable temporary habitats, extreme wet winter weather, our long, hot summers and our strong desire to create the type of community environment that addresses the particular needs of the homeless individuals taking a first step out of homelessness.
We look forward to having you visit the debut of our Safe Ground sleeping cabin at Caesar Chavez Park in mid-September.
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Candidate Forum - Steve Hansen and Joseph Yee
On Wednesday September 19th 2012, from 7 to 8:30 pm, Steve Hansen and Joseph Yee, candidates seeking to represent District 4 on the Sacramento City Council, will participate in a forum at Pioneer Congregational United Church of Christ at 2700 L St.
The forum will highlight the issues of homelessness and affordable housing, and will be moderated by the League of Women Voters of Sacramento County. Audience questions on any topic will be accepted, and child care will be provided.
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North Franklin District Community meeting
On August 16th Safe Ground presented a plan for a model transitional homeless community at the library of the La Familia Counseling Center at 5523 34th Street. The venue was crowded with board members from both Safe Ground and La Familia, members of the North Franklin District Business Association and the local business community, neighborhood residents, a police officer, County Supervisor Phil Serna, and City Councilman Jay Schenirer, who chaired the meeting.
To start the meeting, Safe Ground provided an overview of a proposed first-step transitional community to be located at 3331 Fruitridge Blvd., approximately 50 yards from La Familia. This was followed by audience questions and discussion. Safe Ground board members spoke with calm conviction of the immense need for such a community, of our collective experience with somewhat similar housing projects like Quinn Cottages and Serna Village, and of our willingness to hear, address, and resolve neighborhood concerns about the project.
Safe Ground presenters received a polite reception, but, unfortunately, community concerns outweighed optimism. Audience members expressed concern about a) the proximity to children engaged in activities at La Familia, b) the quality of the vetting process used to select Safe Ground community members, c) security and curfew arrangements, d) possible criminal or anti-social behavior by community members, e) the expertise and track record of Safe Ground in creating model transitional housing communities, f) the loss of the proposed site for possibilities like a hotel or business park, g) the use of the neighborhood as a "dumping ground" for social service projects, and h) the possible weakening of the neighborhood's Latino ethnic heritage.
On a positive note, Supervisor Serna spoke of his concern for finding solutions to the problem of homelessness in Sacramento county and his appreciation for the leadership and direction taken by Safe Ground. Councilman Schenirer reiterated his desire to locate a site for a Safe Ground community in his district, and suggested a neighborhood committee be assembled to look at alternatives. Safe Ground looks forward to working with both Supervisor Serna and Councilman Schenirer in the near future.
Due to the neighborhood concerns described above, particularly the concern about youth programs at La Familia, the Safe Ground board has determined that our search for a site must continue. If anyone receiving this newsletter knows of a potential site for a Safe Ground community, please let us know. Selection criteria should include 2 to 5 acres, near transportation, not near schools or parks, and commercially zoned. |
A Moveable Sleep - Midtown Sacramento
Safe Ground would like to recruit churches, synagogues, congregations, union halls and business owners in the midtown area to permit Safe Ground sponsored homeless to stay overnight on their property, from 6pm to 7am the next day. This provides the homeless with a sanctuary from arrest, and also, during much of the year, gives them a life-saving night free from the cold and the rain. Moveable Sleep provides its own staffing and cleanup. Many hosts also provide a dinner and/or breakfast, but this is not required. Those who sleep with us promise to be alcohol free, drug free and nonviolent.
We need your help with the following:
Volunteers All Ages:
* Fellowship hosts - Safe Ground sponsored homeless provide check-in. Volunteer hosts welcome people and provide information.
* Coffee host - Brew and serve
* Food supplies, paper cups and napkins - Food and paper supplies are provided by volunteers - bulk items always welcome
* Food preparation and cooking - we have great kitchen captains that would love your assistance
* Food serving - Fill those empty bellies!
* Kitchen & Great Hall cleaning
* Dishwashing
Volunteers 18 Years and older:
* Overnight/breakfast hosts - men and women
The Moveable Sleep participating churches and upcoming calendar
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September 6, 2012 *
September 12, 2012
September 13, 2012 *
September 20, 2012 *
Setpember 26, 2012
September 27, 2012 *
(* = dinner only)
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Trinity Episcopal Cathedral 2620 Capitol Avenue Sacramento, California 95816
Contact: Cheri Meadows
cnrmeadows@yahoo.com
(916) 601-6441
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September 7, 2012 * |
Trinity Lutheran
1500 27th Street Sacramento, CA 95816
Contact: Church Secretary
(916) 456-8701
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September 21, 2012 *
(* = tentative)
2nd and 4th Fridays
September 14, 2012
September 28, 2012
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Pioneer Congregational UCC
2700 L ST
Sacramento, CA 95816
Contact: Pam Tureen
pamelat2@sbcglobal.net
(916) 442-0814
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September 24, 2012
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St. John's Lutheran Church
1701 L Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Contact: Steve Ruder
scruder@gmail.com
(916) 412-0075
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All we need is a large room and someone to open the doors. We provide the rest. Please contact Dave Coburn at 916-337-7733 or coburn180@gmail.com or Amani at 916-893-0736 or amani.sfg@gmail.com for more information if you can help. |
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Contact Safe Ground
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Location: 1400 North C. St. Sacramento, CA 95811 (across from Maryhouse)Mailing Address: PO Box 1644 Sacramento, CA 95812 Website: safegroundsac.orgLetters, Questions, Comments
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About Us
Safe Ground was founded in December 2008 by homeless leaders of Sacramento's 2008-2009 Tent City encampment along the American River near downtown Sacramento. We have been incorporated as a 501(c) 3 since January 2010. We support and assist an underserved population of unsheltered homeless adults who sign a covenant to be alcohol, drug and violence free, and who are committed to using every opportunity to reintegrate into mainstream society. We help those who are among the neediest and the most overlooked.
Safe Ground advocates for the rights of homeless adults. Our goal is to create cost effective, model communities where homeless people can live in safety and dignity, without threat of violence, addiction or arrest. We envision communities that, rather
than treating homelessness as a crime, embrace the dignity of each person, and provide supportive housing with a full range of social services. |
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