2016 event

HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Date: Thursday, September 22, 2016

Location: The historic Camarillo Ranch

Attendance: 170+ supporters of affordable housing and people with special needs.
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Funds Raised: about $40,000 net, benefiting Ventura County’s only non-profit revolving loan fund dedicated to Affordable Housing.

RECEPTION ON THE WEST LAWN
Among good conversation, guests enjoyed delicious food provided by Smokin’ Steve’s BBQ, cold beer provided by Institution Ale, and wine and sangria donated by the Velarde Family. Following appetizers served on the beautiful west lawn, guests enjoyed a delicious BBQ dinner in the barn followed by warm apple crisp and coffee/tea.

A special thank you to: Dyer Sheehan Group for sponsoring the reception and City National Bank for sponsoring the wine/beer garden and coffee/dessert treats.

ENTERTAINMENT: RACHEL FLOWERS
Composer and multi-instrumentalist Rachel Flowers wowed guests with her beautiful music during dinner and throughout the program. Rachel, living most of her 22 years in Ventura County, lost her eyesight at three months old. At two she began playing piano, playing every song she heard by ear. She became a student at the Southern California Conservatory of Music at four where she learned Braille Music Code and adaptive computer music applications. Rachel was featured in two segments of “60 Minutes“ and has performed with numerous jazz musicians and internationally known performers. Rachel composes much of her own material forging jazz, classical, and progressive rock in a style uniquely her own. She will perform in the upcoming International Festival Jazz Plaza in Havana, Cuba, and is the subject of the documentary “Hearing is Believing”, by award winning Ventura filmmaker Lorenzo DeStefano (www.rachelflowersfilm.com/main).

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: DR. JOSHUA BAMBERGER
josh5Dr. Bamberger, a foremost practicing physician aiding people living with poverty, homelessness, mental illness and disabilities in the San Francisco area, gave an insightful, informative and yet practical presentation on the effects housing plays on a person’s physical and mental health. Please contact the VCHTF office for an online link to the presentation. Dr. Bamberger coordinates all medical and behavioral health services at the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s supportive housing programs, serving over 1750 tenants. He helped establish the first integrated health clinic designed to serve people in supportive housing and was a Special Advisor to the United States Interagency on Homelessness. Dr. Bamberger also assists Mercy Housing develop policy to bridge the gap between housing and healthcare. He is an attending physician at the VA health clinic and  an Associate Clinical Professor at U.C. San Francisco.

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MEMORIAL TRIBUTE: LYNN JACOBS
With husband Gary Jacobs and many friends present, VCHTF honored the memory of long-time affordable housing advocate Lynn Jacobs. Lynn passed away on July 4th, 2016 of leukemia, to the shock and dismay of all her friends in the community.  Lynn served as the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development for the State of California from 2006 to 2011, and held numerous other posts locally for the City of Ventura, Building Industry Association, Soroptomists International, Museum of Ventura County and Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation. We are privileged to honor her legacy by establishing the Lynn Jacobs Memorial Fund, continuing her work advocating for housing diversity and affordability. To make a donation to the fund: CLICK HERE.

TRIBUTE: KATHY LONG, RETIRING COUNTY SUPERVISOR
VCHTF thanked Supervisor Kathy Long for her 20+ years of dedication, commitment, and resolve to secure more affordable housing in Ventura County. As early as 2005, Kathy was addressing the desperate need for affordable housing. She was instrumental in encouraging the Board of Supervisors to provide a $500,000 investment into VCHTF as part of the “10 year Strategy to End Homeless”. This support helped VCHTF leverage an additional $3.5m. Kathy, representing the 3rd District on the Board of Supervisors, will be retiring at the end of the year. Thank you Kathy. Your leadership will be missed but we look forward to seeing you in the community.

JOHN AND CATHI NYE
During a poignant part of the evening John Nye and his mother Cathi spoke about their struggles and experiences finding supportive, independent living. As an infant John suffocated causing significant brain injury resulting in Cerebral Palsy and intellectual disabilities. He lived in a local group home until Kindergarten where he met Cathi Nye, his teacher, and became part of the Nye family. Along with her husband Jim, they have 4 adult-aged children, including a son with Autism, John and his group home sister, Frances, also present at the event.

John shared what it is like to live on his own at Castillo del Sol, a 39-unit affordable housing complex that utilized VCHTF funds. With a great sense of humor, enthusiasm and an infectious smile, John shared his joys and struggles of living independently with his disabilities.

AUCTION BASKETS FOR CASTILLO DEL SOL
With the help of two local Girl Scouts (Ginny Fraser and Shelby Richards) and the generosity of many individuals, VCHTF compiled five Community-Building Baskets for the general use of the special-needs residents at Castillo del Sol. The items, falling into one of five categories (Electronics, Library, Entertainment, Gardening, and On-the-Go), will help build community, enrich social interaction, enhance learning and education, support healthy living, and provide opportunities for independence. The complex is distinctive as it provides independent living for 39 adults with special needs: physical, mental or developmental disabilities with on-site support services. Several of the Castillo del Sol residents were at the event.

With the help of the fabulous Elena Brokaw, the baskets were auctioned off at the event raising $4,650 additional dollars toward desperately needed affordable housing in the County. On the following Sunday, the items were delivered to the apartment complex along with an ice-cream social. The residents sure had fun checking out their new gifts!

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CENTERPIECE RAFFLE
Guests had the opportunity to take home one of 20 beautiful succulent table centerpieces constructed from re-purposed kitchen and household items. The raffle was a fun way to end a wonderful evening.

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Thank you!

This event would not be possible without the efforts and generosity of many:

• VCHTF Board of Directors and Staff
• Event volunteers, including members of Girl Scout troop #60192
• Program invitees including Dr. Josh Bamberger, Rachel Flowers, Kathy Long, John & Cathi Nye, Elena Brokaw, Gary Jacobs
• Attending guests
• And especially, Individual and corporate sponsors of the event and auction baskets

$5,000 Underwriters
City National Bank  ♦  Dyer Sheehan Group, Inc.

$2,500 Foundation Sponsors
Autism Society of Ventura County  ♦  Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura  ♦  Montecito Bank & Trust

$1,000 Framework Sponsors
Brokaw Nursery  ♦  California Lutheran University  ♦  CBC Federal Credit Union  ♦  City of San Buenaventura  ♦  City of Simi Valley  ♦  City of Thousand Oaks  ♦  County of Ventura  ♦  Gold Coast Health Plan  ♦  Leavens Ranches LLC  ♦  Mainstreet Architects + Planners  ♦  Pacific Western Bank  ♦  Rabobank  ♦  The ARC of Ventura County

$500 Building Block Sponsors
American Medical Response  ♦  Blois Construction  ♦  Camarillo Ranch Foundation  ♦  CBIZ MHM, LLC  ♦  Century Housing Corp  ♦  Citizens Business Bank  ♦  Farber Hass Hurley, LLP  ♦  Housing Opportunities Made Easier  ♦  Institution Ale Co.  ♦  Jackson Tidus, a Law Corp  ♦  Limoneira  ♦  William & Elise Kearney  ♦  Merewether Community Fund @ VCCF  ♦  Peoples’ Self-Help Housing Corp.  ♦  S.L. Leonard & Associates  ♦  Somis Investments  ♦  Ralph and Peggy Velarde  ♦  Ventura Investment Co.  ♦  Williams Homes

Castillo del Sol Community Building Basket Sponsors
Ellen Brokaw  ♦  Elena Brokaw  ♦  Debbie Brokaw Jackson  ♦  Marni Brook  ♦  Harvey Champlin  ♦  Sal & Darlene Gonzalez  ♦  Donna Hamer  ♦  Spence Hoglund  ♦  Mary Ann Krause  ♦  Jeff Lambert  ♦  Leslie Leavens  ♦  Sean Leonard  ♦  Kathy Long  ♦  Mike & Loretta Merewether  ♦  Patrick Miller  ♦  Sean Morreale  ♦  Tom & Susan Murphy  ♦  Catherine & Jim Nye  ♦  Karen Peck  ♦  Melissa Sayer  ♦  Patricia Schultz  ♦  Mary Schwabauer  ♦  Eric Taylor  ♦  Ralph Velarde  ♦  Douglas Wood

Castillo del Sol Community Building Basket Donors
Hector Areanas  ♦  Armand Belanger  ♦  Nick Birck  ♦  Steve Boggs  ♦  Linda Braunschweiger  ♦  Marni Brook  ♦  Elaine Denham  ♦  Theresa & Paul DesLaurier  ♦  Diane Falcon  ♦  John & Karen Fraser  ♦  Cathy Fraser  ♦  Carol Fraser  ♦  Anne Kowalski  ♦  Peter Lyons  ♦  Mary Lou Miller  ♦  Joyce Moore  ♦  Kathy Plante  ♦  John & Tina Richards  ♦  Donna Seuplveda-Weber  ♦  Stephanie Spampanato  ♦  Ralph Velarde  ♦  Jack Warwick  ♦  Barry & Bobbi Yablow
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Bed Bath and Beyond  ♦  Bills Bike Shop  ♦  Blenders In The Grass  ♦  California Pizza Kitchen  ♦  Eggs and Things  ♦  Gold Coast Transit District  ♦  Green Thumb  ♦  Home Depot  ♦  Lowe’s  ♦  Office Depot  ♦  Red Robin  ♦  Reid’s Gift  ♦  Sports Clips  ♦  Target  ♦  Trader Joe’s  ♦  Waba Grill  ♦  Zonta Club of Conejo Valley