Toriana Thompson won’t be at The Grove’s emergency homeless shelter much longer. The 23-year-old, who spent much of the past year living in motels and then in her car, is due to give birth to her baby girl in a few weeks, and will then move into her own apartment.
But for the other unhoused young adults at the shelter and those who arrive in coming months or years, Thompson says she’s excited about a new initiative to spruce up the 50 shed-sized cabins at the North Sacramento shelter.
Toriana Thompson, who has lived at The Grove the past two-and-a-half months, says the shelter helps unhoused youth experience “a different life,” and “shows them there’s [more] than just being homeless.”Chris Nichols / CapRadioThe nonprofit First Step Communities launched an “Adopt a Cabin” program this week, offering donors the chance to fund repairs, maintenance, landscaping and new community porches at the Grove, which opened three years ago and serves people ages 18 to 24.
Organizers hope the effort will make the sparse wooden cabins feel more like home.
“There’s a lot of kids here who don’t have anything,” said Thompson, speaking inside her cabin No. 6, which includes a bed, air-conditioner and storage tubs.
“They’re not used to having something like this,” she added. “I’m sure adding to that lets them know there’s more to life. There’s a lot to look forward to.”
First Step Communities opened The Grove with the goal of helping unhoused youth find stability. It offers services including meals, case management, mental health counseling and housing connections.
Alex Garlinger, The Grove’s program manager, said the shelter has the unique opportunity to prevent unhoused youth from falling into a life of chronic homelessness. Program staff say they’ve connected 49% of all shelter guests with housing and helped 45% find jobs.
“We have that ability to provide that early intervention – to really swoop ‘em up, and put our arms around them while they are still so young,” Garlinger said. “To be able to give them that education and information and to empower them to go out and make different choices so they don’t have to come back to an emergency shelter again in their life.”
Alex Garlinger, The Grove’s program manager, says the emergency shelter offers its guests both stability and housing connections.Chris Nichols / CapRadio
Both individuals and organizations can adopt a cabin, according to First Step Communities. The program promises to display sponsors’ names or logos on cabins, adding that “you will receive regular updates on the progress of your cabin(s) and exclusive success stories!”
Asked how the program will benefit shelter guests, Steve Watters, the nonprofit’s executive director, said it will make them feel more welcome.
“The important thing in our mind is to help them feel good about things,” Watters explained. “They’re trying to overcome some trauma in their life and build a positive attitude [going] forward. And I think feeling really good about where you are … is a really good step toward helping to heal.”
More information about the Adopt a Cabin program is at firststepcommunities.org/adopt-a-cabin-program
Contact CapRadio news reporter Chris Nichols at [email protected]
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