On Thursday, August 25, Providence representatives attended the ribbon cutting and grand opening of “Caritas Homes Phase 1” a new apartment building that offers 64 units of permanent affordable housing for those in need.
Located at the former Catholic Charities’ site on Morgan and A Street (the site where the original Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital building once stood), these homes are made possible thanks to a partnership with Catholic Charities of Santa Rosa and Burbank Housing as well as contributions from community partners, like us! We gave $2.2 million to fund these housing units in 2022.
“Caritas Homes is a visible fulfillment of Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital's Mission to care for the most poor and vulnerable,” said Rebecca Kendall, chief philanthropy officer at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial.
According to Rebecca, 30 of the units are designated for people who have experienced long-term homelessness or individuals with a mental or behavioral health condition. The remaining 34 units are reserved for hardworking families and individuals who simply cannot keep up with the high local cost of living.
“These types of supportive housing opportunities are extremely rare, and they are one of the only long-term solutions to chronic homelessness,” said Rebecca. “What makes all of these homes extra special is the fact that they are located in downtown Santa Rosa, extremely close to transportation, jobs, community events, and services."
Having served as chief development officer for Catholic Charities prior to joining our team in January, Rebecca was deeply involved in this project and shared that touring the homes was a reminder that dreams really can come true.
“I was literally brought to tears when I walked into one of the rooms set aside for folks who have suffered from homelessness and mental health issues,” she said. "It was beautifully furnished with everything someone could need to be comfortable and cozy, from dishes and linens to appliances to a hand-drawn "welcome home" sign from the kids staying next door in Caritas Village's Family Center."
Between 2019-2021, Providence funded an additional $2 million to build Caritas Center which includes a shelter, childcare center, drop-in center, and recuperative shelter.
Burbank Housing and Catholic Charities will now begin to focus on “Phase 2” of Caritas Homes, which will include an additional 64 units of affordable housing.
This is just one of the many ways Providence is investing in the health of our community members. For more information about this affordable housing project, visit https://www.caritas-village.org/aboutcv.
Photo courtesy of Burbank Housing
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