60 Monterey County GIVES! 2024 mcgives.com Community & Social Services DONate online mcgives.com ly with all the schools in the county to serve this population. Our collaboration with Housing for Kids is instrumental, as it empowers us to extend vital services aimed at both securing stable housing for families currently experiencing homelessness and furnishing necessary resources to prevent at-risk families from losing their homes.” -Donna Smith I-HELP Year Founded: 1992 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 11 paid, 300 volunteers Budget: $330,000 251-8663 ihelpmontereybay.org Big Idea: Every single night men and women who need emergency shelter on the Monterey Peninsula find a safe place to sleep indoors, a hot meal and people who care at I-HELP. This Big Idea developed a network of partnering faith communities in Pacific Grove, Marina, Seaside, Monterey, Carmel and Carmel Valley who drive the I-HELP buses and provide security each night at the shelter locations. The organization just purchased an 18-passenger van to bring clients to and from these overnight quarters, and donations through MCGives! help pay off the new vehicle—and also replace a second 2005 van with 360,000 miles on it. “People don’t know how hard it is to be without a place to live. I worked as a cook and a laborer. I was always very healthy, until I was injured on the job. Back surgery did not end the pain. I’m 68 now and I’m unable to work. My family’s home was lost due to taking a reverse mortgage. It seemed like the best idea at the time. However, when we lost the house, I was forced to find housing, which is very difficult in this area. I am thankful to I-HELP. I need help with housing. I never thought I would be in this situation. It really can happen to anyone.” -Anonymous Interim, Inc. Year Founded: 1975 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 202 paid, 125 volunteers Budget: $34,351,315 649-4522 interiminc.org Big Idea: Interim, Inc. plans to build a new 24-unit permanent supportive housing development called Marina Kai Apartments in Marina, providing housing for very-low-income individuals living with mental illness. This new development joins Interim’s 19 other facilities serving 2,800 clients each year, making it the leading agency in Monterey County serving adults living with serious mental illness. The Marina Kai Apartments Big Idea will fill an overwhelming demand, with more than 500 people currently on Interim’s waiting list. “Staff are really supportive, and I feel like I can talk to the counselors about anything. They are welcoming and helpful. I feel like I have built a sense of community and belonging here. When I was homeless, I didn’t have anyone to talk to and it was really hard. Now I feel like I have everything I need. I love living here.” -Meredith C. “When I was homeless, I didn’t have anyone to talk to and it was really hard. Now I feel like I have everything I need. I love living here.” -Meredith C., Interim, Inc. ITNMontereyCounty Year Founded: 2012 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 12 paid, 56 volunteers Budget: $730,720 233-3447 iTNMontereyCounty.org Big Idea: Giving up the car keys, a choice more than 600,000 older adults make each year, means a significant reduction in personal independence and seemingly insurmountable barriers to common tasks like errands and appointments. ITNMontereyCounty provides an individualized travel service with its Big Idea, mobilizing volunteer drivers to provide a more affordable (and friendlier!) transportation service for older Americans. In 2023, ITNMontereyCounty volunteers delivered nearly 97,000 rides, with 40 percent of newly recruited volunteers serving isolated, rural areas. ITN helps seniors and visually impaired adults age in place. “Your group has been a lifesaver for me for so many years. The kindness shown by your drivers is unbeatable; they offer arm-in-arm support, cheerful moral support and even help with my dog. They go over and above more than just giving rides at a reasonable rate. I couldn’t live without your wonderful service!” -Patricia Nash spotlight
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