Press Releases

• Wells Fargo Bank Volunteers “Paint a Better Tomorrow” For the Residents of Banyan House in Hayward

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

  CONTACTS:
  Cheryl O'Connor | HomeAid Northern California | 925.768.0234 | coconnor@homeaidnc.org
  Gus Nodal | Infinite PR | 415.732.7825 | gnodal@infinitepr.com

  Hayward, Calif. (September 13, 2010) – More than 6 Wells Fargo Bank volunteers kicked off their corporate Week of Caring and joined HomeAid Northern California to make life brighter for the residents at Banyan House; a transitional shelter operated by FESCO (Family Emergency Shelter Coalition) and HomeAid’s second shelter project when it was completed in 2002.

  After a tour of the 8 family home, that provides up to 10 months of shelter, case management and counseling services to the residents; Executive Director Cate Steane gave a moving presentation to the volunteers describing not only the successful programs offered by Banyan House, but that reasons for being homeless are “not always glamorous: many families are referred to FESCO when they are made homeless by illness, job-loss, divorce and scarcity of affordable housing.” Steane went on, “The staff at Banyan house work with these families to work on what made them homeless to begin with and concentrate on providing children with counseling to give them self-esteem and dignity, tutoring so they are not behind in school, and basic nutrition education.” A short video was screened that highlighted two successful graduates of Fesco’s programs and described their new-found self-worth and dignity.

  “We really enjoyed this opportunity to brighten up the Banyan House living area where more than 23 children can play every day, said Bill Burke, Team Leader of the Wells Fargo Walnut Creek Branch. “Wells Fargo is proud to partner with HomeAid, to make a difference in the lives of homeless in our Bay Area Community”. This year Wells Fargo was a key sponsor of the United Way’s 20 th Annual “Week of Caring”. More than 3500 Wells Fargo employed came out to participate in events much like this one. It is important to our company and to our employees to give back to the communities in which we serve, and where we live.”

  Julie O’Connor, Executive Director of HomeAid Northern California, commented,”This event was a great success. It is vital to the HomeAid program to encourage volunteers to become intimately involved in a HomeAid shelter project. We are already planning to come back to Banyan House again next year.”

  About Homeaid
  HomeAid Northern California is a 501c(3) non-profit organization founded in 1999 as the charitable arm of the Home Builders Association of Northern California. One of the region's most active homeless agencies, HomeAid has built shelters for the transitionally homeless in nearly every county in the San Francisco Bay Area in collaboration with the homebuilding industry and its vendors, partners and suppliers. In addition to providing a safe, comfortable home, the shelters typically offer counseling and job training as core components of their programs.

  HomeAid is currently building additions to the planned 34,000 sq. ft. Mission Solano Bridge to Life Center in Fairfield, CA, which currently has the capacity to house 122 residents. Once completed, the facility will house 162 residents, making it the second largest HomeAid shelter in the USA. Other projects in the works include construction of a new facility at Shepherd's Gate in Livermore, CA; renovation of the First Christian Church in downtown San Jose, CA to provide housing and job training through the Downtown Streets Team project; and renovation of a new Oakland, CA site for DreamCatcher, Alameda County's only emergency shelter for homeless teenagers. A complete list of current and completed shelters can be found here.

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  For more information about HomeAid, including its completed and pending shelter projects, visit www.homeaidnc.org. To arrange an interview please contact Cheryl O'Connor, 925.768.0234, coconnor@homeaidnc.org, or Gus Nodal at Infinite Public Relations, (415) 732-7825, gnodal@infinitepr.com.