Caminar Connections: January 2025

Forward Together in 2025
A Message from Mark, our CEO

Dear Supporters of Caminar,

I wish you a happy and healthy new year! I am writing to express my most sincere gratitude for your support of our clients, our community, and Caminar’s mission.

Your care and dedication have ensured that Caminar clients have experienced success and healing on their journey to well-being for the last 60 years. Together, we can provide clients with the same evidence-based, high-quality care over the next 60 years.

Let’s celebrate last year's accomplishments made possible with your support. Caminar continues to grow, provide best-in-class care to our clients, and work to ensure the health and well-being of our community. Here are just a few (in no particular order) of our 2024 accomplishments:

Served over 41,000 individuals in FY 2023-24
Expanded operations into Contra Costa County with Bringing Families Home and Eviction Prevention for Families programs
Awarded Rapid Rehousing grant for Concord, in Contra Costa County, which will begin in 2025
Received a $100,000 grant from Wells Fargo for Resource Connect Solano
Expanded Northern California operations to Shasta County, where our Friendship Circle program recently opened
Obtained a $255,000 grant from the City of Chico to fund the conversion of a two-bedroom unit at Avenida Apartments into two studio units, with work to be completed in January
Welcomed our first clients to the new Willow Mental Health Rehabilitation Center (MHRC) in San Mateo County, a 16-bed locked setting that offers therapeutic and/or rehabilitation services in a structured program for clients experiencing significant mental health challenges
Opened the Zanker Road clinic in San Jose for Mental Health and LGBTQ programs, a facility that has been fully renovated for best-in-class trauma-informed care
Championed our School-Based Services team and Maritza Henry and Brian Hinojosa’s presentation at the Wellness Together Conference in Anaheim
Celebrated 60 years of service to our community with our donors, with the help of journalist Lisa Ling and Neil Chand from our STEP program
Completed our agency rebrand, which will position the organization to expand revenue sources beyond government funding; the new website, visual identity, and messaging have been rolled out
Recognized Sayoko Yoshimura, Program Director of Caminar's Hawthorne House, and Kendra Ceccato, Assistant Director at Hawthorne House, who were celebrated for their outstanding work at the 17th Annual San Mateo County Housing Heroes Awards
Celebrated our Expressive Arts program and clients via an art show and reception at the Burlingame Library
Appreciated the Solano Wellness and Recovery Center’s recognition by the Food Bank of Conta Costa and Solano
Recruited an outstanding new medical team, including Medical Director Dr. Gayani DeSilva and Director of Nursing Jenny Low
Made significant strides in addressing substance use conditions across Santa Clara County by co-locating trained outpatient counselors at seven shelters and expanded P90 Outpatient services to Samaritan House-Safe Harbor Shelter in South San Francisco
Appreciated the IPS Employment Center's highlight of Caminar’s Jobs Plus
Acknowledged Drishti Verma, MA, LAADC, Executive Director of Substance Use Treatment Services at Caminar, who is currently also serving as the Behavioral Health Contractors Association (BHCA) Treasurer
Recognized the STEP team's involvement in community work, especially with the Trunk or Treat event in October
Applauded Adrienne Keel, our Director of LGBTQ Programs, and our LGBTQ programs for receiving the City of San Jose Pride Month Proclamation at City Hall
Received another three years of CARF accreditation for Caminar Jobs Plus
Implemented Contingency Management and Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) services in Santa Clara SUTS as part of Outpatient (OP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs
Obtained DHCS certification to extend P90 Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient services to women
Acknowledged DeAndre Richard (Dre), Program Director of Resource Connect Solano, for his selection to Chair Housing First Solano Continuum of Care (HFS CoC) through 2026
Increased grant funding from the Leo M Shortino Family Foundation for the School-Based Services FAST program by over 10%
Welcomed four new board members: Marie Jackson, Shannon Hernandez, Yan Leykin, and Rafael Dugarte

Because of you, tens of thousands of people are living purposefully, connecting to family, thriving at work, and experiencing joy. Your support helps at-risk populations whose conditions frequently originate in poverty, trauma, complex family situations, and challenges to daily functioning. Because of you, and along with you, we help heal the psyche and empower those who come to us for help with a deep commitment to the best science, compassion, and whole-person care. Thank you for all you do.

Warmly,
Mark‍

‍Celebrating our Board of Directors

Caminar began 2025 with a few updates to our Board of Directors, an incredible team dedicated to the strategic direction and governance of our organization and mission.

Barbara Patterson, our Board Chair for the last three years, stepped down at the end of 2024. Barbara will remain on the Board as a Member, and Jo-Ann Sockolov assumed the role of Board Chair on January 1st.

Belinda Hanson and Tze Pin Tai, both of whom served on the Caminar Board for an impressive nine years, stepped down at the end of December. Neither will be straying far from Caminar, though. More news of their next steps coming soon.

On January 1, we welcomed three new Board Members to the team, all of whom bring impressive skills and talents we know will be impactful. Welcome Shannon Hernandez, Yan Leykin, and Rafael Dugarte. We look forward to sharing more about Shannon, Yan, and Rafael in future newsletters.

We owe a debt of gratitude to our Board Members - past, present, and future - for the time, energy, and expertise they share with Caminar, our clients, and our community. Thank you!

‍Recent Educational and Thought Leadership Resources