What we offer and how to access

We provide emergency shelter to homeless families with minor children.  To see if we have space available, call 510-581-3223.

Our transitional housing is designed for families with children who are coming from a shelter or similar facility.  Case managers/social workers may contact our staff about the application process by calling 510-538-0321.

FESCO alumni in need of services should call Antonette at 510-538-0321.

Other resources: Call 2-1-1

2-1-1 provides free and confidential information and referral. Call 2-1-1 for help with food, housing, employment, health care, counseling and more. Click here for the 211 website:  http://www.211alamedacounty.org

Our Programs:

Shelter:

• At the 24-bed Les Marquis Family Shelter, families facing a homelessness crisis can find a safe, secure, home-like environment where they have access to nutritious meals, case management services, mental health counseling, and life skills classes.  During their stay of up to 60 days, we help families to stabilize and connect to appropriate resources. 
• On entering the Shelter, each family meets with a senior case manager to set goals and develop a step-by-step action plan.  We monitor progress closely to ensure that families are getting their children enrolled in school, pursuing employment and training opportunities, participating in weekly parenting skills groups, saving the majority of their income, and applying for affordable housing.  Last year, 71% of families who stayed at the Shelter for two weeks or more moved to transitional or permanent housing.

Transitional Housing:   

• At Banyan House, we have private rooms with baths for eight families, with communal dining, living room, and outdoor space.  FESCO provides meals and on-site case management and mental health counseling.  Families may stay here for up to 10 months.
• Our four-unit Third Street Transitional Apartments give families the privacy and most of the responsibilities of independent living, with case management and mental health services available right next door.  Families may stay in these one-bedroom apartments for up to 18 months.

At both facilities, families pay 30% of their adjusted income as rent.  Families are referred from homeless shelters and other facilities.  Our transitional housing program is designed to provide families with an affordable and stable place to live while they work, pursue education and training, build savings, learn and practice budgeting skills, and develop in a supportive environment the skills they will need to attain and maintain self-sufficiency.

All parents in our transitional housing programs are expected to be working, in school or training programs that will qualify them for higher-wage work, or both.  Many of these parents execute amazing juggling acts seeing to their children's needs, taking on challenging educational programs, and working, usually while relying on public transportation.

Mental health counseling:  FESCO offers individual and group therapy to all its residents and alumni.  All parents in residence are required to participate in parenting classes.  The primary aim of these classes is child abuse prevention.  Our facilities are equipped with specially-designed rooms for child play therapy, where children can use toys, games, and art materials to express feelings they may not be able to put in words.  All alumni of our programs can access our mental health services whenever and for however long they need it.

A licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with extensive experience working with neglected and abused children serves as our Clinical Supervisor.  In addition to providing services directly, the Clinical Supervisor oversees the work of two to three graduate interns.  These interns have completed a master’s degree program in counseling and are completing the required hours of supervised work required to qualify for licensure as Marriage and Family Therapists.

Our Counseling Center is next door to both our emergency shelter and one of our transitional housing developments.  Our other transitional housing development, two miles away, has a private room used exclusively for counseling.

Alumni services:  Even after they have left the shelter or transitional housing, former residents continue to be eligible for mental health counseling, information and referral to resources, and other assistance. Periodically, FESCO staff contact former residents to check on their progress and determine if they need something that FESCO may be able to provide.

FESCO is able to place and support some of its most promising alumni in the McKinney Jobs/Housing Linkages Program.  This program provides a rent subsidy to former residents in private housing, along with case management services, for up to two years.  We also provide case management support for former residents who qualify for the Shelter Plus Care program, which provides permanent rent subsidies to homeless people with certain disabilities.

When families are ready to move to independent housing, FESCO provides them with a Welcome Home kit of housewares, appliances, and linens from items donated by community supporters.

FESCO conducts at least three special reunion and support events yearly for its former shelter residents. These include Adopt-a-Family programs held during the December holidays, Thanksgiving dinner baskets, and back-to-school distribution of backpacks, school supplies, and clothing.