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Housing for Kids (H4K), the grassroots organization that the Franklin Legacy Fund helped found in March of 2022, is honored to be in this year’s MC Gives annual fundraising effort for select nonprofits. The campaign, which partially matches all donations, runs through Dec. 31. In addition to the obvious fundraising benefits, this is a wonderful opportunity for H4K to raise public awareness about the 11,734 students who have been identified as homeless in Monterey County. Sadly, in the year and a half since H4K’s inception, the numbers have actually increased by 1,700 over the previous year. Donate now and help get a family in a home for the holidays. www.montereycountygives.com/h4k
How H4K is helping families get into homes
A single mom and her grade-school-aged son have been living in their car after escaping from her husband, who was a serial abuser -- physically, sexually, financially, verbally. Her son has been having a terrible time at school with this disruption and cannot sleep. She has good credit and access to ongoing support once she can get into a permanent home, but she can’t afford the upfront costs for an apartment. This describes one of three families with students in the public school systems that Housing for Kids (H4K) is helping get into homes through a collaboration with Downtown Streets Team (DST). We are paying upfront costs – fees, deposits and first and last months’ rent – and DST is subsidizing their rent and providing wraparound services. We are also teaming with the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District to pay upfront costs for homeless student under a pilot project that has been able to house six families to date. In Salinas the average upfront expenses are $3,000; on the Monterey Peninsula $7,500. This approach is called Rapid Rehousing, which recently was identified by leaders in the field at a public panel as the most effective approach to provide immediate help for the homeless.
Here is what one of the mothers says:
“I’ve been living in my car for a few years now after hitting some bad luck and raising my son who is in high school. Having to see my son getting dressed for school outside of our car every day breaks my heart. Getting the help I need from DST to move in somewhere would give my son a chance to have a roof over his head for the first time since he was in elementary school. Right now, I’ve got a part time job and I’m working on my goals trying to make this happen.”
Here is what one of the mothers says:
“I’ve been living in my car for a few years now after hitting some bad luck and raising my son who is in high school. Having to see my son getting dressed for school outside of our car every day breaks my heart. Getting the help I need from DST to move in somewhere would give my son a chance to have a roof over his head for the first time since he was in elementary school. Right now, I’ve got a part time job and I’m working on my goals trying to make this happen.”
Ending Child & Youth
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It is unthinkable to us that in this beautiful area that we call home, with all its wealth, any child should go without having their basic needs for shelter met. If you are so moved, please support us in our efforts to find a home for every child in Monterey County.
In 2021/2022 school year 10,030 students were homeless in Monterey County according to the Monterey County Office of Education. |
Creating a Film on "The New Face of Homelessness"
The Franklin Legacy Fund has committed to producing a film on "The New Face of Homelessness” to help address these obstacles. Maren Elwood, our Film and Digital Media Consultant, an award-winning filmmaker, is going to be leading this effort. (Go to On-Site Research Associates to view her prize-winning documentary on immigration.)
Misperception about who makes up the homeless population and public resistance to proposed solutions are among the biggest obstacles to resolving the issue of homelessness, according to leaders in the field. Today’s homeless population includes single women, families with children, and youth. Most of these people work in service jobs, in small businesses, in the hospitality industry and in our agricultural fields and are essential to keeping our economy thriving.
With a Little Help from Our Friends . . .
We are delighted to announce that we have received two grants from the Arts Council for Monterey County. The first, a Community Arts Grant, is supporting our film on “The New Face of Homelessness.
2023 Leadership Retreat
We received a second grant from the Arts Council for Monterey County to design and facilitate a day-long retreat for leaders in the field of homelessness. The challenges of running a nonprofit in the post-COVID world, especially one focusing on those who are un-sheltered, can easily lead to burnout. This retreat took place in October 2023 and you can read about it below: |
Sponsors
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Reconnect, Reinvigorate, Re-Envision
The Franklin Legacy Fund recently sponsored a day-long retreat in Carmel Valley for leaders in the field of homelessness to acknowledge their dedication and commitment in a challenging arena and to offer tools to help them manage the demands on their time, energy and talents. Leaders from Gathering for Women, I-Help, Downtown Streets Team, Sun Street Centers, Victory Mission and Housing Resource Center participated in the event.
The Franklin Legacy Fund recently sponsored a day-long retreat in Carmel Valley for leaders in the field of homelessness to acknowledge their dedication and commitment in a challenging arena and to offer tools to help them manage the demands on their time, energy and talents. Leaders from Gathering for Women, I-Help, Downtown Streets Team, Sun Street Centers, Victory Mission and Housing Resource Center participated in the event.
Attendees were introduced to a variety of practices for stress reduction and alternative approaches to problem solving including Qi Gong, meditation, a mindful nature walk and a visioning process using collage.
Our thanks to The Arts Council of Monterey County for funding the retreat, Housing for Kids for providing the food, and Coalition of Homeless Services Providers for their support and guidance.
"Today's leaders have very little time for self-reflection and self-care. Thank you to the Franklin Legacy Fund for this retreat that allowed us to identify the stressors and, dare I say, be human. The movement techniques, poems, and other creative outlets allowed me to decompress and attempt the week's challenges from a different perspective. It was a much-needed retreat, and I hope another day just like it comes around again where I can send other staff to experience that same level of relief. Thank you!"
Alexa Johnson / Housing Resource Center
Our thanks to The Arts Council of Monterey County for funding the retreat, Housing for Kids for providing the food, and Coalition of Homeless Services Providers for their support and guidance.
"Today's leaders have very little time for self-reflection and self-care. Thank you to the Franklin Legacy Fund for this retreat that allowed us to identify the stressors and, dare I say, be human. The movement techniques, poems, and other creative outlets allowed me to decompress and attempt the week's challenges from a different perspective. It was a much-needed retreat, and I hope another day just like it comes around again where I can send other staff to experience that same level of relief. Thank you!"
Alexa Johnson / Housing Resource Center
Concerned Citizens’ Group Formed
Housing for Kids
We also are supporting a grassroots group of concerned citizens who have been meeting regularly to be a part of ending child and youth homelessness in our county. This group is working with PK Diffenbaugh, superintendent of the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, to help the over 2,000 students defined as homeless in his district. Some 200 of these students are in dire straits, living in vehicles or on the streets. The group is still in the formative stages, but it is beginning to find areas where it can offer support to those in the field. Anyone who might like to become involved with this group can go to our contact page and request more information. You can find their website at: Housingkids.com
Mission Statement
The Franklin Legacy Fund is a catalyzing agent for positive change in Monterey County, California, and beyond, bringing together diverse groups and individuals from the private and public sector to find innovative solutions to pressing problems. It provides transformative, cutting-edge facilitation and programming in the form of workshops, trainings, presentations and coaching on creativity, inspirational leadership, non-linear thinking, socially conscious digital communication and other like topics to individuals and organizations to help them to reach their highest potential.
The Franklin Legacy Fund is a catalyzing agent for positive change in Monterey County, California, and beyond, bringing together diverse groups and individuals from the private and public sector to find innovative solutions to pressing problems. It provides transformative, cutting-edge facilitation and programming in the form of workshops, trainings, presentations and coaching on creativity, inspirational leadership, non-linear thinking, socially conscious digital communication and other like topics to individuals and organizations to help them to reach their highest potential.
New Era, Old and New Faces
As we move forward with this new phase of the Franklin Legacy Fund, we would like to introduce you to our team, which includes three returning board members and two new ones, as well as our staff. Go to the “Who We Are” tab to learn more about the impressive group of individuals who are working to carry on the mission of the Franklin Legacy Fund.
As we move forward with this new phase of the Franklin Legacy Fund, we would like to introduce you to our team, which includes three returning board members and two new ones, as well as our staff. Go to the “Who We Are” tab to learn more about the impressive group of individuals who are working to carry on the mission of the Franklin Legacy Fund.
Sandra Leader
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Marty Fleetwood
Board Chair 
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Maren Elwood
Film & Digital Media Consultant
Coaching, Classes & Workshops
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Visioning |
Classes & Workshops
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Stress Reduction Workshops For Non-Profits
Video Meditations Available For Download
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As if running a charitable institution isn’t enough, add in all the restrictions to our lives that have been imposed on us in the past year plus due to the pandemic and you have a formula for cumulative stress that could lead to leadership and staff exhaustion.
Learn More Inquiries may be directed to Sandra at 831-659-5528 or [email protected]. Audio Meditations Available For Download
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