Cumbersome referral processes have contributed to higher vacancies in supportive housing despite more people living on the streets. DISH pushed to work directly with street outreach teams to ensure that those most in need had an expedited entry process with an immediate offer of housing.

Kiki found a home at DISH after years of being unhoused in San Francisco. Kiki faced many challenges throughout her life, yet her energy has remained bright. She is adjusting to her new home, which she shares is possible with the support of the DISH community.

Every new move is an opportunity for a resident to unlock their full potential and build a brighter future. DISH was proud to launch the City’s “Street to Home” pilot prioritizing the most vulnerable unhoused individuals. City outreach teams identified 42 participants who were shown a vacant room with the option to sign a lease that day. This eliminated barriers for residents who have historically needed to complete eligibility steps before having a safe space. DISH continues to break barriers, putting people before paperwork, and ensuring that everyone has a place to call home, including Kiki.

They have people on staff, so a person can ease through their transition. They have been helping me feel like ‘Okay, this is your home now, Kiki’. It’s really a supportive community, it’s helped me a lot. I have felt that from the very beginning that they are like family members, instead of just working here, they are very welcoming.

-Kiki

177
New Residents
Welcomed Home in 2023

_{Kiki, Pictured in front of her new home}

This year, our Community Development crew responded to resident requests for more creative outlets with the ‘We Are Home’ Tenderloin Community Quilt Project. Funded by California Humanities, the Tenderloin Community Quilt was an interactive arts project to amplify the voices of DISH residents along with the broader Tenderloin community as they reflected on the meaning of home.

During the creation process, we hosted workshops allowing a regular space for residents to engage in a personal creative practice, getting together as a group to both discuss the meaning of ‘home’ and work on a group art piece. By the end of this process, more than 70 DISH residents participated in creating individual contributions which ultimately transformed into 10 unique community quilt artworks.

When asked how it made her feel to be able to create, express, and be seen, Barbara, contributing artist, responded

It was good, it makes you feel like you’re at home and that you can inspire others to do something creative and take care of their mental health, which is important. It helps you break out of the routine.

Through projects like this, residents are able to experiment with creativity in new ways and openly explore and enjoy the practice of being an artist; seeing their artwork contributing to a greater project. It is our goal to offer the opportunity for residents to shine their light in an inclusive and welcoming environment. The ‘We Are Home’ Quilt project is a beautiful reminder of the unique talent and potential that exists within all of us.

87%
Tenant Satisfaction
As Reported in Our Annual Community Survey

^{Barbara, Artist and Resident}

The Wants & Needs program is a privately funded, individualized grant to support residents with a meaningful investment of their choice. In January 2023 we expanded our Community Development team to support resident “wants & needs” and successfully delivered a total of 296 unique $400 grants to residents across our portfolio! Residents selected things they felt would improve their lives, including smart TVs, new clothing, and art supplies.

The goal for this grant is to empower residents to define what they “want and need” to bring them joy. One resident used the grant to get new shoes to match his favorite shirt. We were thrilled to learn he wore that ensemble a few days later to propose to his girlfriend and she said YES! The program continues to expand to more buildings this year and will cover new residents as they settle into their new home.

I am so happy. I really thank God and the donor of this program because we are so blessed to have this. You know I feel like I could maybe make do with what I have but some of my friends here really needed it, and it’s been so great to see everyone so happy. We’re blessed to have this program and to have DISH that cares about us so much. It’s more than our needs, it’s our wants! And we don’t usually get that cared for – that’s so beautiful.

– Larry

97%
DISH Employees
Providing Service 24-7

^{Larry, Resident & Community Advisory Board Member}

DISH’s goal is to build a team with diverse lived experiences creating compassion and empathy with our residents. Our team has powerful stories of their own that bring joy, humor, and inclusion to the workplace. We are able to invest in each individual
and truly see our staff flourishing through upward mobility, longevity at DISH, and opportunities to take time for self-care.

Allyson, Assistant General Manager at The Camelot, shares how she transformed her life.

I want people to know I’m a success story. I first moved into supportive housing in 2000. When I moved in, I had lost all trust in humankind, but I learned how to love and trust and be a part of something again. It gave me a sense of love and respect, and I bettered my life. The staff saw potential in me, and I was hired as a desk clerk.

Being on the other side of the desk as a tenant made me want to give back to something that helped me. I love what I do. It gives me purpose. Tenants deserve to be surrounded by people with compassion. I know how it feels to be treated like nobody. We’re all special in our own way; we just need to see that quality and help that person see that in themselves.

94
DISH Employees
Providing Service 24-7

^{Allyson Ulrich, Assistant General Manager, DISHer since 2007, 2023 Sabbatical Awardee}

^{Rey Regala, Senior General Manager, DISHer since 2007, 2023 Sabbatical Awardee}

Rey, who started as a desk clerk and is now the Camelot’s Senior General Manager, shared

Allyson knows the residents and empathizes with them. I respect her insight with tenants, and she asks for my advice whenever she is in doubt. Our working relationship grew stronger through our honest feedback and trust with each other.

Allyson reflected on her years of service and shared a powerful memory.

When I had just been promoted to Assistant General Manager, I moved a tenant in, and I was able to really connect with him. He struggled with mental health, but he got a job and was stable for the first time. When he moved on to independent housing, he told me it was all because of me. It was overwhelming. It keeps me going forward that you make a difference in people’s lives.

DISH’s team embodies the spirit of supporting one another and building community.Rey and Allyson’s partnership, growth together at DISH, and ability to create a supportive environment encourage others to thrive and flourish in their own journeys.

17
DISHers
Awarded Paid Sabbatical

DISH would like to thank all of our 2023 volunteers, especially the Gateway students who spent 4 days serving the community and learning about root causes of homelessness. Their curiosity and commitment to social justice were impressive. We loved seeing future changemakers in action!

I learned more about the history and gentrification of the Tenderloin. I learned that the rising housing costs have led to higher rents and property values. This makes it difficult for lower-income people to afford housing, leading to displacement and houselessness. This is especially the case for many of the DISH residents. I also learned that there are a variety of reasons why one might become homeless that one can’t control.

I feel enlightened and educated after concluding the project. I am extremely grateful to have had this opportunity to work on my personal growth and work with individuals that could give me
a different perspective on the Tenderloin.

– Ikrame Gateway High Volunteer

^{Gateway High School Volunteers}

As we prepare to be an independent 501c3, your support is even more critical to ensure DISH can flourish and grow alongside our residents. In the next year, DISH seeks to raise upwards of $3 million to continue providing innovative and unique support to the communities we serve. This investment in our buildings, communities, and most importantly, residents, will require your dedication and support. As always, we need your help to push the boundaries of what supportive housing means in San Francisco!

DISH’s special sauce is that it combines respect and support for the humanity of people who have experienced homelessness with a relentless focus on excellence in the way DISH manages housing for and with them. Hundreds of individuals – many with complex health challenges – are living in secure, well-maintained housing due to the Herculean efforts of DISH’s outstanding team members. I feel fortunate to be able to support the team who does incredibly challenging work every day making good on our desire to both reduce the number of people who don’t have a home while providing jobs and income to many who have had similar experiences, while creating a culture and practices that embody integrity, humanity, and the persistence needed.

– Carla Javits DISH Supporter Since 2006

^{Dan Hernandez, BASH Sponsor, from PCS pledging support}