Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco

71% of ECS's 7,000 clients are currently or formerly homeless. 20% are African American, 21% Caucasian, 10% Latino, 30% Asian/Pacific Islander, 1% Native American, and 18% of mixed or other ethnicity. Over 60% of ECS clients live with disabilities, chronic illness, substance abuse disorders, cognitive impairments or other medical or behavioral health challenges.

Founded in 1983, Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco (ECS) operates two year-round shelters for homeless adult women and men in San Francisco. Along with hot meals, showers, laundry facilities, and clean, warm beds, ECS's The Sanctuary and Next Door shelters offer on-site health services, support groups, recreational activities, and access to programs to assist them in moving toward housing and increased stability. ECS also collaborates with The San Francisco Interfaith Council to provide 80-100 nightly shelter beds and meals from November to March.[4]

Coordinating with the Department of Public Health, ECS staffs an 11-person roving behavioral health team that serves residents with the most acute need in five San Francisco shelters. The staff includes mental health specialists, bilingual case managers, and substance abuse counselors. The shelters also partner with San Francisco State University School of Nursing to provide additional on-site health services.[5][6]

ECS provides supportive housing to over more than 1,300 formerly homeless men, women, and children. The eleven sites offer on-site support services such as case management, health education, employment counseling, food pantries, after school care, and community activities because the majority of tenants suffer from mental or health disabilities, HIV/AIDS, substance use issues, and literacy and/or vocational barriers. The on-site support services enable 96% of tenants to stay housed and improve their quality of life. Partnering agencies include SF-Marin Food Bank, Embarcadero YMCA, Samuel Merritt University and Casa de Las Madres. ECS's Canon Kip Community House, built in 1994, was San Francisco's first new-construction supportive housing site. ECS's Canon Barcus Community House is lauded as a model site by the Corporation for Supportive Housing. ECS's Bishop Swing Community House, built in 2009, was awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification as a green building.[7]

ECS's Canon Kip Senior Center serves over 1,200 very low-income and homeless seniors and adults with disabilities. The program targets seniors with mental health, substance abuse, or physical health issues who are not linked with other systems of care. Seventy percent are currently or formerly homeless, and 40% are Filipino elders from the surrounding community. The Center provides Monday-Friday hot lunch, daytime programs, and ongoing case management. The Center partners with Department of Aging and Adult Services, City College of San Francisco, American Red Cross, On Lok Lifeways, Walgreens, Senior and Disability Action and Asian and Pacific Islander Legal Outreach to provide on-site health services and education and social programs.[8]

CHEFS (Conquering Homelessness through Employment in Food Services) is a 5-month culinary training program that prepares homeless adults for gaining employment in the food service industry.[9][10]

CHEFS is a social enterprise of Episcopal Community Services that prepares congregate meals for its shelter, senior and education programs and caters to local tech firms Zendesk, Yammer, and One King’s Lane. Professional chefs from over 30 restaurants (Kuleto’s, E&O Asian Kitchen, Millennium, Scala's Bistro) volunteer as instructors in the CHEFS classrooms or as supervisors for CHEFS student interns.[11][12][13]

The Adult Education Center enables homeless and low-income adults to sharpen their literacy skills, advance their education, prepare for GED exams, and learn important job skills. Five Keys Charter School provides a part-time teacher in the center.

Over 2,400 people volunteer yearly with ECS. They come from companies like Wells Fargo, Union Bank, Google, Twitter, Yammer, Zen Desk, as well as nonprofit or religious organizations like Episcopal Charities and Grace Cathedral. Volunteers serve meals, mentor youth, supervise student interns, distribute food bags, lead games, and help in many other ways.[14][15][16][17]