Think Dignity: Nonprofit Supplies San Diego’s Homeless Community with Hope
Nonprofits reflect the needs of their community, which is why, when tasked with finding nonprofits that assisted individuals facing homelessness in San Diego for an activation at Cisco Live!, we didn’t have to look far.
In 2018, the latest numbers that were available when planning for Cisco Live! 2019, San Diego County had the fourth-most homeless residents in the United States. Only Los Angeles, New York City, and Seattle/King County had more homeless residents.
That didn’t mean, however, that choosing nonprofit partners for the event was easy. Each of the nonprofits we choose are vetted not only to meet our stringent requirements, but also those of our clients. But, when we met with the Think Dignity team, we knew that we had found a perfect match.
Think Dignity was founded in 2006 when a group of professional women who had seen and assisted their displaced neighbors in small ways — donating dollars or buying coffees or meals — realized that they wanted to do more. They wanted to restore basic dignity to these individuals by providing more essential items as well as advocating for their rights at City Council meetings.
Among their signature programs are Fresh Start Showers, which give homeless individuals access to safe shower facilities as well as hairstylists and barbers in various communities; Street Boutique, which provides homeless individuals with access to new undergarments as well as menstrual and incontinence products; and Street Café, which gives individuals the opportunity to ‘shop’ for healthy food like fruits and vegetables.
They also provide survival supplies and pocket-sized, laminated “Know Your Rights” cards that explain the seven areas of law most likely to affect those who are homeless in San Diego including information about trolley discounts and types of citations, illegal lodging, immigration, homeless court, family law facilitators, and more.
Although California has been hard hit by the coronavirus, Think Dignity has still been able to serve its most vulnerable community members. In March, it temporarily closed all of its programs — except its Transitional Storage Center — to protect the health and welfare of homeless individuals.
Two programs — Legal Clinics and Street Boutique — have been converted into virtual services and the Street Café has been re-opened for in-person food distributions so that guests continue to have access to legal, menstrual hygiene, and nutritional resources. Think Dignity has also created three new programs including:
An online COVID-19 Resource Database which provides detailed information on services available specifically for individuals experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dignity Kits, which include comprehensive hygiene kits with items that require minimal to no water usage like rinse-free shampoo caps that are pre-filled with a shampoo-water formula and provide the same cleansing experience as taking a shower.
Mask Distribution. Think Dignity has received more than 8,000 disposable and reusable masks through generous donations from community members and businesses. These are packaged into separate plastic bags with resource packets with information on participating in the census, registering to vote, contacting Think Dignity’s legal clinics, and more. The masks and resource kits are distributed to those who are unsheltered and don't have access to a clean and/or suitable mask.
At present, Think Dignity allows volunteers to support the Mask Distribution, by passing out masks to those in their neighborhood, and Street Cafe efforts.
Street Café volunteers are equipped with face shields, masks, and gloves. Social distancing is enforced to ensure that food packaging and guest areas are all safe. To volunteer, please contact Think Dignity’s Volunteer and Resources Coordinator, Christine Lopez.
Those who would prefer to donate can do so, too. The organization is currently looking for funding for more Dignity Kits, as the pandemic has lasted longer than expected. And, of course, be sure to mark your calendars for Think Dignity’s upcoming Gala, which will be a virtual event this year. Hosted on Nov. 14, all proceeds go directly to Think Dignity’s programs.
To learn more about Think Dignity, please contact their Programs and Operations Manager Merlynn Watanabe. If you’re not located in San Diego, but would like to assist those struggling with homelessness where you are, consider participating in one of our At-Home Volunteer Programs.