this is Safe Ground Sacramento's
Community Bulletin for
March and April 2014
It saddens me to have to write you at this critical time in the Safe Ground Community Project with disappointing news. My recent efforts on behalf of Safe Ground have focused on developing the Safe Ground Community Business Plan and strategy, as well as establishing critical relationships throughout the faith-based, business, political, development-construction, and neighborhood communities. All of these alliances have provided and continue to provide a strong level of support. While grants were won and critical relationships developed, unfortunately, Safe Ground has financially slipped into a position where the board no longer wishes to support the executive director position. Therefore, due to this, April 30, 2014 will be my last day.
I want to thank each of you for your willingness to work with Safe Ground and me on this critical project. It is my sincere desire to see the Community Project concept succeed and produce a model solution for the greater Sacramento Region and beyond. I will continue to make myself available to help efforts that strive to achieve the first-step community vision we have shared over the last few years.
I would also like to extend my personal appreciation to Sacramento City Councilmembers Allen Warren and Jay Schenirer and their fine staffs, for supporting the placement of a first step community in their districts. I hope to continue to contribute to this effort with both of you in the future.
I will be forever grateful to SGS volunteer Dave Coburn and his outstanding volunteer teams for their tireless effort to strengthen the church shelter program and serve homeless guests, and to Jim MacFarland for editing the Community Bulletin. In addition, support from recent board vice president Anthony Gallardo (Amani), Suzie Bowler, and other volunteers has kept things running smoothly in the Safe Ground office.
I remain personally appreciative for the guidance and support of Bill Kennedy, recent SGS legal counsel and managing attorney at Legal Services of Northern CA,
Bob Erlenbusch, recent board president and executive director of the Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness, Ron Javor, volunteer attorney, and my predecessor Tamie Dramer, housing advocacy and organizing director at the Sacramento Housing Alliance, as well as all who have supported and shaped the vision we put forward for Sacramento.
I welcome your comments and suggestions for future efforts aimed at achieving this vision. I can now be reached at swwh2os@gmail.com.
I leave you with this anonymous poem, full of hope, and written by a Safe Ground camper in 2009. Recently shared with me by my friend David Moss, Safe Ground founding member and camp liaison, it is simply called -
SafeGround
All I need right now is a Place to Rest my head...
It is all I need right now before I'm really dead
Safe Ground is more than a place to stay
It is place I call my home at least for this moment today...
I used to have a house... a bed and a place where I got fed
But in this moment now... each night brings a certain dread...
Where will I sleep tonight and get a slice of bread with ease...
So I pray for safe ground... a place to rest... a place to eat... a place of peace
Safe Ground... I'm on the rebound so let it grow and grow...
For I once was lost...but now I'm found
It's what I need right now
A place called Safe Ground.
Warmest personal regards,
Steve Watters
