November 2023
Praise and Celebration
The Sum of Small Effects
Unity and Victory
Nearing The Finish Line
Praise and Celebration
November 25, 2023
Dear Friend of SOS,
It’s time to celebrate!
We opened our Unity Kitchen on Monday, November 20. A dozen people waited outside anxiously to be the first to grab meals at the new site. On that first day, we served 233 meals.
In the words of Oprah Winfrey, “The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”
I would like to praise the SOS staff and volunteers who worked so hard to get everything operational and to make sure that we had no break in service for those who are hungry. We celebrate the fact that the entire community came together to make this a reality.
Special thanks to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for not only making monetary donations, but also for giving us access to their food pantry for many years. On November 21, representatives from LDS — James Fulton, LDS Communications Director of Vallejo, Benicia, and St. Helena; Jamie Adams, Relief Society President, and Danny Wells, Communications Director of Northern California — made a site visit to Unity Kitchen, with the commitment of continued support in the future.
We celebrated Thanksgiving early on Wednesday, serving 330 meals. Our chefs and volunteers roasted 14 turkeys, made 100 pounds of mashed potatoes, 3 gallons of cranberry sauce, and 4 gallons of gravy, plus green beans, corn, and sixteen 9″ pumpkin pies.
We are on track to serve a record-breaking 6,000+ meals per month and will reach 72,000+ meals by the end of the year.
Please consider making a year-end gift so we can continue to provide nutritious, healthy food and finish paying for the renovations, construction, and new commercial kitchen equipment.
Thank you in advance for your support!
Gratefully,
Kathy King
Executive Director
The Sum of Small Effects
November 18, 2023
Dear Friend of SOS,
We’re excited that we were able to move all of our equipment into Unity Kitchen last weekend. With the help of volunteers and the Eric Solis Construction Company trucks, it went smoothly and fast. We are looking forward to serving our first meal there on November 20.
We are grateful to The Sonoma Valley Grange #407 leadership for our partnership, which helped us serve the food deprived and homeless over the past three years. During the transition week we were thrilled to have Elaine Bell Catering’s delicious donations:
Chicken enchiladas and chili verde 200 meals
Beef shepherd’s pie 150 meals
Chicken pot pie with biscuits 200 meals
Pasta Bolognese with parmesan 150 meals
“Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out “ – Robert Collier
Every single day the SOS staff and volunteers accomplish small things that add up to provide healthy, nutritious food. In October we served 6,080 meals:
2,465 breakfasts
3,130 lunches
485 deliveries
We will be serving a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday.
The food crisis is growing and promises to become even more prevalent over the holidays. If you can, please donate to feed those in Sonoma and Sonoma Valley who are in most need, and to finish paying off the construction and renovation costs for Unity Kitchen. You can make a gift online through our website, or mail a check to SOS, PO Box 748, Sonoma, CA 95476.
At this time, I want to thank you all for your continued support, and to wish you and your families a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving.
With appreciation and gratitude,
Kathy King
Executive Director
Unity and Victory
November 11, 2023
Dear Friend of SOS,
I have fabulous news! WE’RE MOVING IN!
SOS’s new kitchen has passed the environmental health inspection, and we have received approval from Permit Sonoma to occupy our new site.
UNITY KITCHEN
On Saturday, November 11, we will be transporting all of our equipment, kitchenware, and supplies from The Grange to the Unity Kitchen, with the help of the 41 volunteers who have signed up. We will pack up on Friday, move on Saturday, and unpack on Sunday. Eric Solis of Solis Construction Company will provide a truck.
We will still serve meals out of The Grange, November 13-17, thanks to the generosity of Elaine Bell Catering. There will be no disruption of meal delivery during this time of transition. We just need time to get everything running smoothly.
“Where there is unity, there is always victory.” – Publilius Syrus
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.” – Psalm 133
We hope to have a soft opening of the Unity Kitchen on November 20, just in time for Thanksgiving, and a grand opening early in January 2024, when we will celebrate the victory of completion of a dream.
This beautiful new site is the result of the unity of our community: volunteers, private foundations, individuals, nonprofit community partners, faith-based institutions, and recently, the kindness of a grant from Supervisor Susan Gorin.
In the meantime, we still continue to feed those who are food deprived, hungry, and unhoused.
With the unexpected and welcome donation of 16 cases of bell peppers from Sonoma Food Runners, our chefs added ground beef, cheese and rice to make 440 stuffed bell pepper lunches for clients at The Grange and home deliveries.
We are so very grateful to Redwood Empire Food Bank for being a vital partner in our effort to end hunger in our community. With their help, we were able to provide 9,990 meals in 2023, with an estimated retail value of $24,500.
There are still more expenses to complete the necessary kitchen renovations, with the added cost of new tables and folding chairs, additional lighting, and fire suppression equipment. So, please, if you are able, can you make a contribution today and help us celebrate?
Thanks so much,
Kathy King
Executive Director
Nearing The Finish Line
November 4, 2023
Dear Friends of SOS,
The final preparations to move into our new SOS Unity Kitchen are in full swing. This means that we were unable to hold our annual Halloween drive-through dinner this year. We missed seeing you as you arrived to pick up the delicious pre-ordered meals cooked by our chefs and plated by our dedicated volunteers. We hope we can offer an equally delightful event next year.
Perhaps you saw the Press Democrat report (Oct. 31) that a Federal Reserve-affiliated Institute found that 36% of working households in Sonoma County are unable to afford all their basic household needs.
According to David Goodman, CEO of the Redwood Empire Food Bank, “All walks of life are seeking hunger relief.”
That is certainly true for SOS. In October, we served 1,287 more meals than in October 2022 – a 30% increase. This October 359 unique individuals received food. Last October we served 140 unique individuals.
This significant increase in food needs is why we are moving. We are committed to feeding all those in our community who are hungry or food insecure.
UNITY KITCHEN
The last 10% of the building requirements are nearly complete. Our landlord repaired the roof and the emergency phone inside the elevator is being installed.
Volunteers are ready to pack boxes on Nov. 10 at the Grange. Our contractor has generously offered a moving crew and truck to pick up all the boxes and kitchen equipment on Nov. 11 and deliver them to the Unity Kitchen.
Food prices and costs for utilities continue to rise for all of us. But for those who are struggling to make ends meet, such increases can lead to everything from poor nutrition to homelessness.
I am asking you again to consider making a contribution this weekend to help ensure that we can continue to serve healthy food to all those who are in need of hunger relief.
Thank you to all who have given so generously.
Gratefully,
Kathy King
Executive Director
October 2023
A Dream Coming True
A Step Towards Completion
Great Joy in Service
An Opportunity to Help
A Dream Coming True
October 28, 2023
Dear Friends of SOS,
As we reach the end of October, SOS is close to fulfilling our dream of a new commercial kitchen large enough to serve the needs of the food deprived, homeless, and hungry in Sonoma and Sonoma Valley.
In the words of Walt Disney: “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
We have pursued this dream with the generous help of all of you – our donors, community leaders, volunteers, faith-based groups, private foundations, businesses, and nonprofit partners. We are nearing the finish line while we continue to serve 340 meals each weekday at the Grange.
I am grateful to the Sonoma Index Tribune for the front-page article and photo of the new signage at the Unity Kitchen. Unfortunately, an error occurred in the article’s last line. It should read that SOS has received no funds from Sonoma County or the City of Sonoma to carry out this monumental task.
MEALS CONTINUE DURING TRANSITION
Our food service will continue at the Grange until we have received our permit from the County Health Department and all of our equipment has been moved to the Unity Kitchen and is functioning successfully.
During the transition period, Elaine Bell Catering in Napa has generously offered to donate meals that our staff can heat up for lunches. Her staff will prepare and cook:
8 hotel pans of chili verde chicken and vegetable enchiladas
11 hotel pans of pasta with bolognese sauce and cheese
8 hotel pans of chicken pot pies and 170 biscuits
11 hotel pans of shepherd’s pie with beef
Our chefs Dan and Dawn will prepare the breakfast meals. We will also continue to prepare and deliver 50 meals twice weekly to persons who are homebound and struggling to have healthy food.
Since September 13, SOS has provided 1,188 meals to the tiny home residents of HAS (Home and Safe Village). At our cost of $6.25 per meal, this has totaled $7,425.
Our services at the HAVEN continue. This month, SOS has provided 180 showers, 45 uses of the washer and dryer, and has distributed 642 hygiene items, 127 T-shirts, 127 pairs of underwear, and 147 pairs of socks. Bombas Socks has been generously donating the socks and will continue to do so through 2024.
DONATIONS STILL NEEDED
SOS Board President Elena Alioto joins me in asking you to make a financial gift to help us with this final stretch.
Thank you in advance for all your support.
Onward,
Kathy King
Executive Director
A Step Towards Completion
October 21, 2023
Dear Friend of SOS,
In the midst of all the tragic global events calling forth our attention and compassion, our chefs and volunteers continue to provide weekday respite and nurture to those in our local community who are hungry and lack the resources to have healthy meals.
They live out what renowned local chef Thomas Keller once said, “A recipe has no soul. You as a cook must bring soul to the recipe.”
Our menus are carefully planned, using donated and purchased food. Last week we served 120 breakfasts and 160 lunches. We prepared another 50 meals to be delivered to persons who are homebound.
Last week’s lunch menu:
Monday: A slice of pepperoni pizza and rigatoni with a meat sauce, salad, dessert
Tuesday: BBQ chicken legs, macaroni and cheese, roasted carrots, garden salad, dessert
Wednesday: Grilled cheese sandwiches, cream of tomato soup, garden salad, dessert
Thursday: Carnitas verde, Spanish rice, refried beans, tortillas, garden salad, dessert
Friday: Pasta shells with summer squash, corn, beans, and tomatoes, garden salad, dessert
UNITY KITCHEN UPDATE
We’ve taken another step towards opening our new SOS Unity Kitchen. An outdoor sign is being installed by local sign maker Robert Sanders & Co. Bob designed and made the sign to give our building a clear identity.
We eagerly await the Oct. 24 delivery of some final items to complete the building’s renovation.
In the meantime, we are working to make sure everything is ready when we finally move next month. These include setting up accounts with Recology and arranging for their delivery of the proper bins and cans; installing security cameras; getting the phone lines for the premises and the elevator to the second-floor offices and storage areas; checking thermometer readings for the walk-in refrigerator and freezer; and ensuring that our contractor hooks up all our kitchen equipment once it is moved from the Grange.
Packing date is set for Nov. 10 with move-in on Nov. 11. The unpacking will take place on Nov. 12 while we await inspection and final approval from the Sonoma County Health Department. We’ll continue to serve food at the Grange until the permit is received.
If you are interested in helping with the move, please contact our volunteer coordinator, Andy Gonzalez at: volunteers@sonomaovernightsupport.org
Stay tuned for the Grand Opening!
ONGOING SUPPORT
We continue to be grateful for all the support we have received from local faith-based congregations and others in our community, in particular those individuals who continue to contribute funds on a monthly basis.
We recently received a $14,000 grant from United Way’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program to purchase food. We are most grateful for these funds to help cover anticipated costs moving forward. We have already provided 57,491 meals this year. We expect to significantly exceed last year’s 60,000 meals by the close of 2023.
YOUR HELP IS STILL NEEDED
I need to ask again if you can make a sacrificial one-time gift to help us finish our capital campaign while we continue to provide services and meals to our neighbors in need. Thank you!
Onward,
Kathy King
Executive Director
Great Joy in Service
October 14, 2023
Dear Friend of SOS,
Things are moving at a fast pace for SOS. We are trying to finish paying for the renovation and equipment at the new Unity Kitchen, while continuing to feed 350 people a day, provide services, and get ready to move.
All of us at SOS want to be of service to those we encounter each day, following the words of Rabindranath Tagore, poet and the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize: “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life with service. I acted, and behold, service was joy.”
The staff, Board, and volunteers at SOS feel that our service brings us great joy.
CLIENT DEMOGRAPHICS
I thought you might be interested to see the demographics of the 614 unique
individuals we have served since the beginning of January 2023:
Males 61 %
Females 39%
Unhoused 30%
Housed 70%
Hispanic 46%
Caucasian 50%
Other. 4%
UNITY KITCHEN
I am overwhelmed by the generosity of our community. I would especially like to recognize Eric Solis of Solis Construction, who power washed and painted the front of the new site, free of charge. This would have cost SOS over $25,000, and he even included moving equipment as part of his in-kind donation.
Unfortunately, we’ve had a supply chain issue regarding materials needed to complete the renovations, so we are pushing back the time to move until early November. We must wait until we get permission from the health department to open up once all equipment is in the new kitchen and running properly. Until then, we will continue to provide services and meals out of The Grange.
We are not done yet – this last phase is the hardest.
The contributions from private foundations, individuals, businesses, nonprofit groups, and faith-based organizations have been truly remarkable. But we’ve had no financial support from any County entities or the City of Sonoma, and this is why I have to ask again for your help. We will have a recognition wall of gratitude listing the names of those who have made contributions.
Thank you for bringing all of us such joy in service to the most vulnerable in our Sonoma community.
Onward,
Kathy King
Executive Director
An Opportunity to Help
October 7, 2023
Dear Friend of SOS,
Bad news, good news.
The torrential downpour last weekend was totally unexpected and came down in such high volume that it got inside our Unity Kitchen. It damaged the ceiling and some of the floor that was still under renovation. Luckily, the workmen were able to fix the roof quickly and put us back on track to make the move from The Grange on October 21. If you can help with the move, please email our Volunteer Coordinator, Andy Gonzalez.
We will continue to provide meals and services out of The Grange until we get approval for the permits to officially open the Unity Kitchen. The continuity is important. In September we served 5,940 meals: 2,389 breakfasts, 3,107 lunches, and 444 home deliveries and provided 174 showers and 44 loads of laundry.
We recently had some wonderful help:
Rob Larman, owner of and a staunch supporter of SOS, donated 8 racks of ribs, 50 pounds of pork shoulder, and 75 bread rolls.
Haystack Farm gave us lots of bell peppers, zucchini, eggplants, radishes, and tomatoes. They were delivered by longtime SOS volunteer Kay Austin, via Farm to Pantry gleanings.
Rob Larman, owner of and a staunch supporter of SOS, donated 8 racks of ribs, 50 pounds of pork shoulder, and 75 bread rolls.
Haystack Farm gave us lots of bell peppers, zucchini, eggplants, radishes, and tomatoes. They were delivered by longtime SOS volunteer Kay Austin, via Farm to Pantry gleanings.
IN THE NEWS
Madolyn Agrimonti, SOS Board member and former Sonoma Mayor and City Council member, wrote a letter to the editor of the Sonoma Index-Tribune to highlight geographic inequity for Sonoma Valley, lack of preparation for winter shelter, and the plan to relocate 60 homeless from Los Guilicos Village. Currently, SOS has 15 of the huts set aside for Sonoma Valley residents, with 12 people in residence and three on the wait list. Read it here.
As we continue to move forward, I need to ask you again for your financial support to finish paying for the renovations and to meet the increased demand for meals.
In the words of Albert Einstein, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.”
We at SOS have the opportunity to see that no one in Sonoma Valley goes hungry. Please be as generous as you can.
Gratefully,
Kathy King
Executive Director