Friendship Shelter

It has been 20 years since Friendship Shelter was founded, and we continue to be the lead agency in South County providing vital services to help the homeless regain self-sufficiency and rebuild their lives. Last year was a year of change and growth, which we owe in large measure to a hard working staff, dedicated Board of Directors, and our generous collaborators and supporters locally and throughout the county. 2008 is proving to be even more dynamic. We ended fiscal 2007 in the black, after three years of increasing deficits. The hundreds of caring neighbors and organizations who made contributions to our Annual Fund Drive helped us secure our financial position so that we can do more and do it better. We now have sufficient revenue to establish a Director of Programs to enhance and expand our services. Much of the facility was remodeled and more is in the works. Project Ready, a career and life-skills development program for our Henderson House residents, will be launched this year. And we are constantly evaluating and upgrading our services to support the homeless who are working so hard to rebuild their lives. Of course we hope to secure additional support to further cement our program. Dinners Across Laguna and Beyond, one of our two annual fundraisers, has been well-attended and great fun. The Art of Getting Home last September was a fantastic event, and this year we will host a 20 th Anniversary celebration September 19th. The city of Laguna Beach has taken a positive and compassionate stance this year to help solve the problems of chronic homelessness, and we are committed to working with local organizations towards that end. Our residents are working, saving money, improving their interpersonal and work skills, and maintaining sobriety, in the hope of creating new lives off the streets. We applaud them, and we thank you for making it possible for us to do what we do.