Local kids host supply drive for Dignity Moves’ Hope Village

SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- Hope Village is gearing up to open 94 units to the unhoused on Saturday March 16. Local community members and organizations are "adopting" a room to help provide each unit with necessary essentials.

Santa Maria Local, 8-year-old Asa Jacobo-Anaya has donated to the unhoused since he can remember. When his family shared the news with Asa about a new shelter opening in Santa maria he took initiative and began his own supply drive.

Asa has gone to his neighbors, and school peers to collect toilet trees, blankets and much more for the units at Hope Village.

“It makes me feel a little bit sad.. Because I feel like everybody should have a home. It's because everybody's a person," said Asa about how he feels when he sees an unhoused person.

Asa's parents Joshua Anaya and Ana Jacobo-Anaya are just as happy to help this new temporary shelter in Santa Maria.

“It means a lot to see them want to help others as much as he does, because that just means that he cares. And we see him trying to help, not only people that we know, but just people in the community," said Mr. Anaya.

Dignity Moves, Regional Advancement Director, Jack Lorenz said Santa Barbara County has listened to the needs of the community and invested $1 million dollars to get Hope Village running.

“When we have a partner like the County Board of Supervisors, Good Samaritan Services, an incredibly generous philanthropic community in Santa Barbara County, it really created the perfect storm. This village was $7 million and 1 million of it came from the government, and $6 million was raised privately," said Lorenz.

The concept came from Young Presidents Organization (YPO) to borrow the land, have modular construction, and private donors to move the building process quickly.

The land on 255 Lakeside PKWY in Santa Maria is borrowed, the county will pay $3 million dollars a year to keep the village running with case managers, for physical and mental health as well as substance abuse resources.

“These folks have suffered a lot and they need a lot of help and they need a lot of attention. And so with the case managers here, social workers, doctors, nurses, everybody coming here and checking on them all the time and the results have been extraordinary," said Lorenz.

Residents will have 6 to 12 months to stabilize themselves, find work, and permanent housing. Lorenz said 3 out of the 5 Hope Villages planned for in Santa Barbara County will be up and running by April.

Lorenz said the first location in South County has helped over 130 people -- 70% has transitioned to permanent housing. He said the numbers are remarkable.

Outreach crews have been conducting surveys and talking to the unhoused population about what they need and if they would like the help. Most said yes. The requirements are simple, people must be willing to accept the case manager resources.

Hope Village does have rules; a curfew (excused with work schedule), no visitors, no weapons and no substance abuse on site. Lorenz said that he is not expecting people to come in sober, just accept the help to heal and move forward with their lives.

Some units will be reserved for veterans, for aging-out foster youth, and unhoused people exiting hospitals. Two people are welcome to stay in one unit and Hope Village is also pet friendly. There will be access to showers and laundry services on site. Guests will also be provided with three meals a day by Good Samaritan.

“It's not just a place for people to stay, but it's a place for people to get the help that they need," said Mrs. Jacobo-Anaya.

Asa will continue to collect essentials for each unit until the grand opening of Hope Village next Saturday.

"This is where we live and it's our home. So we want to make sure that everyone is taken care of as best we can," said Mr. Anaya.

To read more about Dignity Moves visit https://dignitymoves.org/