![]() Because that, as we know it, is not always the case and it’s incredibly difficult work.”Ĭommunity member Reggie Meisler later criticized the city for helping to create some of the couple’s housing stability woes by not creating policies that cause police to ticket and tow vehicles in which individuals live. Clearly, by my getting so emotional, it’s been a privilege to help them finally get out of homelessness. “It means so much to me that I’m still in touch with this couple and have the opportunity to continually witness their successes. “Working with this couple to obtain housing reinforced the need there is for permanent supportive housing, but also for the need there is for more housing stabilization support,” Hernandez said. The city was able to beta test an “outreach module” update to the database to track 170 people out of an estimated 225 staying at the city’s San Lorenzo Park Benchlands encampment before its closure last month. An “active, supportive and transparent collaboration with other agencies” coordinated by the database is crucial, Hernandez said. Another key tool, she said, would be an expansion of the existing national database used to coordinate services, the Homelessness Management Information System, to include those living outside of traditional shelters. encampment for giving the couple the final leg-up it needed. When our list starts to fill out, our Editorial Board will reconvene and choose the next Hero.SANTA CRUZ - Detailing the pathway of a local couple from homeless to housed, a Santa Cruz city outreach worker was moved to tears Tuesday.Īs part of a quarterly homelessness presentation to the Santa Cruz City Council, Monica Hernandez credited the city’s nearly year-old 1220 River St. To continue nominating others for the next round of choosing a Santa Cruz County Hero, just send an email to and tell us who you’d like to nominate, and why. The many people who give of themselves have learned that basic truth, that in serving others, breaking free of the chains of self-interest and materialism, we receive so much more in return.Īfter all, that’s the stuff of heroes, right? But in going through the list and reading the nominating petitions, we also realized that we’ve just scratched the surface of what makes Santa Cruz County the caring community it is. While we’ve already featured stories on the five finalists, we realized that many of the other people nominated have compelling stories that we’ll feature in the Sentinel in upcoming editions. Nonprofit organizations, not surprisingly, were well represented among the nominees and those making nominations. ![]() Some nominations featured personal family stories while others were carefully crafted letters filed jointly by large groups. The 40 nominees on our list ran the gamut from nurses to firefighters to comedians and community volunteers. The other four finalists, any of whom could have been chosen as the 2023 Hero: Special needs caregiver and advocate, Amy Chavez Andy Carman, nominated for his work creating Environteers, an online hub of local environmental organizations, news, volunteer opportunities and events Ann Lopez, an advocate for farmworkers’ needs and environmental rights for more than 17 years and Judy Stabile, a tireless champion of the arts including visual arts in Watsonville. I want to be able to have people feel that they’re seen, they’re heard and respected. “All of the organizations that I’m involved with, that’s what I want to bring to whatever I do. “I think we all want to be seen for who we are, we all want to be loved,” Gaukel Forster said. In a recent interview with the Sentinel she said she looks for opportunities for loving others, a gift she said she most often receives in return. She also helps mentor new school administrators. A retired education administrator and Capitola resident, Gaukel Forster is sort of the ultimate volunteer, advocating for young people with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Santa Cruz County, serving as a hospice volunteer visitor, as well as serving on the Delta School board and guest presenting for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Santa Cruz County.
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