PROJECT HOMEKEY

Real partnership for real people: the spirit of West Sacramento collaboration

Mercy Coalition is grateful to be one of the partnering agencies in the City of West Sacramento’s Project Homekey. At any one time, this interim housing program provides shelter, supportive services and re-housing resources to around 60 individuals exiting homelessness.

In coordination with City homeless coordinator Mark Sawyer and City staff, we work at Project Homekey alongside our longtime friends from the Yolo County Children’s Alliance, Yolo County Housing and Downtown Streets Team.

While YCCA oversees case management and Yolo County Housing the physical property management, Mercy’s role primarily revolves around supportive services. This includes food-bag delivery to all program participants three times a week, and the provision of laundry services for seniors or those impacted by disability.

Mercy operates an on-site clothing closet and distribution of hundreds of Emergency Food Bags each month for walk-up individuals from outside the Homekey program. We also have the opportunity to create frequent social opportunities for participants, including our weekly Thrive Lives life-skills support group, monthly “First Friday” coffee and donut gatherings, and special holiday meals or barbecues.

All of this activity creates daily opportunities for Mercy staff to interact with and come alongside those who are taking steps to exit homelessness. Many of our responsibilities at Project Homekey are handled by participants in our JAM Academy, including some who are former Project Homekey participants themselves.