Home 1
HOME 1 is where Shane lives; he was referred to us by Marin Housing Authority. He grew up in Marin County and is thrilled to be back in his hometown.
Shane is a musician and songwriter. He played in rock bands throughout the 80’s, traveling all over the country and Europe, but then he hit some hard times and has spent the last six years on the streets.
He said that the night after Welcoming Home delivered a brand new bed to his apartment was the first time he had slept in a bed for six years.
Once he settles into his home, he is determined to start a podcast and get back into writing and playing music.
Return Home
Shane was overwhelmed by his transformed apartment! After six years without a home, he said he was so thrilled to be able to “nest.”
His first request had been to have his guitars hung on the wall. We were able to do this for him and it proved to be the centerpiece of his new home.
We were privileged to be serenaded by Shane, who played a couple songs for us that he had written himself. Welcome home Shane!
Home 2
Leyla recently moved into HOME 2. She was referred to us by the Downtown Streets Team who, in conjunction with Marin Housing Authority, helped her get out of a terrible situation and find her apartment
Leyla grew up in Marin. She graduated from high school, went on to get her associates degree, married her high school sweetheart and had two daughters. At the age of 28 she was diagnosed with Lupus, an autoimmune disease. The disease has attacked her body, resulting in several surgeries and years of intense pain.
Unfortunately, she and her husband grew apart and later divorced. After becoming an empty nester, she reconnected with an old acquaintance and they eventually moved into an apartment together. Very quickly things deteriorated and he became abusive and violent. The police were called on several occasions; she barely survived the last incident. Leyla spent some time in the hospital recovering. When she was released she had nowhere to go, so she slept in her car and occasionally stayed with family.
She applied for social services; Downtown Streets were incredibly helpful. Rosebay Behavioral Health has also been very supportive and actually went with her to retrieve her personal items from the apartment while her ex-partner was at work. She is truly grateful to them for giving her the strength to get out of the nightmare situation. When we first visited her, all her belongings were in trash bags but safely in her new apartment.
She told us that she, along with her little dog who is her constant companion, finally feels a sense of peace which she hasn’t felt for a long time.
We very much looked forward to furnishing and creating a comfortable home where her daughters and family could visit and see how well she is doing.
Return Home
When Leyla opened the door to her newly furnished home, she was stunned by the transformation. “I’m going to pass out, I’m light headed, I’m seriously light headed!” she exclaimed. "You guys, it looks so beautiful! Look how nice everything is! I have to sit down!” And she did….on the lovely sofa that now sat on the brand new rug in her living room.
As she walked from room to room, admiring all the little touches her volunteers had placed throughout, she could only say “It’s beautiful, it’s just beautiful!” Excitedly calling her mother to share the reveal via FaceTime, Leyla showed off her relaxing new patio, with lounge furniture and new outdoor plants creating a calm oasis.
The volunteers had remembered to treat her dog, Charlie, too, and he ran around with his new toys happily trying out all the comfortable furniture in his new surroundings.
Leyla is looking forward to being able to organize her belongings in what she hopes will be her ‘forever’ home, and finally feel settled enough to begin to rebuild her life
Home 3
Amy is a lovely single mother who has worked diligently to provide a safe space that she and her 15 year old daughter can call home. They live in HOME 3.
At the age of 15 she became pregnant with her first and only child. Determined to finish high school, Amy earned her high school diploma while caring for her very young child and receiving support from her parents. Sadly, within a few years, Amy’s parents were unable to continue their assistance. After that Amy was on her own; her very long road toward achieving stability had begun.
With a young child to care for, making ends meet had become overwhelming for Amy and the possibility of becoming homeless was a very real fear.
Thankfully, through the good works of The Brown House and more recently Homeward Bound of Marin, a safe shelter was provided, as well as assistance in finding steady employment.
As a trained driver for Marin Access, Amy now assists seniors with their crucial transportation needs. Amy noted that her job is very important to her and she really values the relationships that she has formed with her regular riders.
Additionally, after many weeks on a waiting list, Homeward Bound also assisted Amy in finding her very first apartment to live in.
While she and her daughter were grateful and excited to make the move from the Homeward Bound shelter to their new home, their possessions when we visited them were quite few. To this end, Welcoming Home was honored to assist Amy and Katie as they transition into their long awaited living space.
Return Home
As our team watched Amy walk through the door, we couldn't help but notice the exhaustion on her face from just having finished an eight-hour driving shift at her job with Marin Access. Her tiredness seemed to quickly fade, though, as she began to notice her newly furnished home.
The empty apartment that she and her daughter had left that morning had been transformed into a lovely and functional new living space. Both mother and daughter were speechless.
As they quietly walked from room to room, Amy and Katie took it all in. Then, as Amy softly ran her hand over the new comforter in Katie’s bedroom, she simply said "No way. There is just no way that this is really ours now."
Having assured Amy that indeed it was, through tears, she replied "At last, a place that actually feels like a home. We've always wanted a home like this but it just seemed so impossible.” I don't think we're ever going to want to leave!”
That said it all. Amy's sentiments were all that was needed to let us know that our efforts had been well worth it.
Welcoming Home and Amy are very grateful to the couple who sponsored the furnishing of her home, covering the cost of brand new beds, moving expenses, the Starter Kit, and needed items that were not donated. For information on sponsorship, contact info@welcominghome.org.
Home 4
David, in HOME 4, was referred to us by Community Action Marin.
He grew up on the East Coast. When he was offered a job opportunity in California, he saw it as the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Unfortunately, the move took a dark turn when his living situation became one of abuse.
Despite the hardships, David showed remarkable strength and resilience. He is now safe and rebuilding his life with hope and determination. David has a passion for cooking and enjoys soaking up the California sunshine.
Having a place of his own motivates him to keep moving forward—a space where he can finally feel secure, rest, and simply be himself.
With the support of Welcoming Home, he looked forward to that dream becoming a reality; having have a comfortable home where he can relax and continue healing.
His case manager shared, “What truly stands out about David is his perseverance, self-advocacy, and unwavering motivation to thrive. Through collaboration with partnering agencies in Marin County, including your incredible organization — we’ve been able to support David on his journey to stability and growth."
Return Home
When David arrived at his apartment he was really amazed. “I had no idea it could look like this,” he said, crying tears of joy. When he had left the apartment that morning, it had been totally empty, except for a bed, which Welcoming Home had provided earlier, and one plastic white chair.
He asked us to take his picture so he could send it to his mom.
