Dreams for Change is responding with urgency to the Coronavirus pandemic in San Diego by modifying program services and expectations. Sign up to receive the latest updates in our email newsletter, and please contact us with any questions.
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Update as of 3/26/2020
Dreams for Change keeps adapting to the changing needs of our clients, and staff. All 3 of our programs are still running. Safe Parking Program is now running 24 hours a day and 2 free meals a day are being provided to clients. We have installed a shower for our clients to use.
Dreams’ Cuisine Workforce Training Program is providing the meals at our safe parking sites. Free Tax Preparation is operating through a personal virtual system. Each client gets a phone call meeting with our IRS certified tax preparers.
You can help us by making donations through our website, Venmo @dreamsforchange or on Facebook.
Update as of 3/20/2020
Last night, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statewide Stay at Home Order. Dreams for Change is quickly responding to comply with this order while continuing to provide services to our clients.
Safe Parking: We are currently at capacity on both of our Safe Parking sites. We are encouraging our clients to stay all day and night and only leave if necessary. A shower is currently being installed at the Imperial site and will be available to all Safe Parking clients.
Dreams’ Cuisine: Our food trucks are still operating at our Safe Parking locations and downtown San Diego around 17th Street and K Street. Food accessibility to our unsheltered community is vital.
Tax Assistance: We have moved to FREE virtual tax preparation for those who made less than $56,000 in 2019. Encourage those who have not filed to call 2-1-1 to schedule their appointment.
Our message from 3/19/2020:
As Dreams for Change navigates this changing environment, I wanted to reach out to keep you informed of how we are adjusting and modifying program services and expectations. The following modifications are until further notice.
Safe Parking Program: We are currently at capacity at both locations. Our participants are allowed to stay during the day time at our Imperial site. Our participants on our 28th Street site are invited an encouraged to come to The Imperial site during the day.
Our Dreams’ Cuisine food truck program will be on our Imperial site location Monday – Friday for lunch service. We encourage participants to keep the recommended social distance and discourage group gatherings. We continue to disinfect common areas with bleach and water. With the suspension of Think Dignity’s program and closures of the gyms, we are trying to find a shower trailer for the Imperial site for all our participants to use.
Free Tax Assistance Program: All of our tax sites will move to “Drop Off” only Tax returns can be completed remotely by staff and volunteers.
Dreams’ Cuisine will continue to operate to ensure hot food accessibility is available to those experiencing homelessness. Each food truck will be sanitized throughout the daily operations and advised not to allow the gathering of individuals.
As the pandemic continues to unfold, we will continue to make any necessary adjustments and step forward and stabilize the lives of underserved individuals and families.
I want to thank our volunteers and staff for being dedicated to our mission. Together we will continue to be of services while being conscious of the needs of our clients and staff.
Sincerely,
Teresa Smith, Ph.D.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
