Agency: Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Support Needed: $40,000
Purpose: Individual counseling and independent living skills training

When people think of Napa Valley, homelessness doesn't come to mind, let alone homeless young people. Yet, the reality is that our county currently has at least 150 homeless individuals ages 18 to 23. These young adults face a host of barriers: many will never graduate from high school; 85 percent of the females among them will become pregnant; and, most will depend on public benefits, such as cash aid or food stamps, for the rest of their lives. Since 1993, Catholic Charities has run two housing programs in Napa that aim to defy these troubling statistics. The programs are called Rainbow House and Home Base (RH/HB) and are open to homeless Valley residents ages 18 to 24. Clients frequently have young children, or have aged out of foster care or the juvenile justice system. Homeless shelters, churches, as well as Napa County's Health and Human Services Agency and Probation Department, refer young adults to RH/HB year-round. A panel, comprised of RH/HB staff and community representatives, interviews each applicant to gauge compatibility with the program. About 30 percent of applicants are admitted to RH/HB; many have histories of addiction, abuse or neglect. RH/HB provides food and shelter, along with intensive coaching and support services, to 35 young adults (and 15 of their children) each year. Residents, who can live at RH/HB for up to two years, pay rent and are held accountable to personal goal-setting and an action plan. For instance, RH/HB case managers conduct daily coaching sessions, teach life skills like budgeting and cooking, and offer addiction recovery groups and parenting classes. Case managers also connect clients to public benefits programs, including subsidized child care or health insurance. The hoped-for outcome with each resident: successful transition from RH/HB to permanent housing and greater self-sufficiency. Results are positive. During the last twelve months, 40 young adults transitioned out of RH/HB, and 80 percent of them moved into permanent housing. The annual budget for RH/HB is roughly $452,000. Charitable donations have decreased $80,000 since January, as a result of the recession. What's needed now is $40,000 to continue intensive case management services. Your support would help homeless young adults create more stability in their lives.

Agency: Napa Valley Youth Symphony
Support Needed: $10,000
Purpose: Preparatory music ensemble for elementary and middle school kids

Napa Valley Youth Symphony (NVYS) wants to encourage more children in Napa County to toot their own horn--in tempo, of course. The nonprofit is poised to launch a program called "Wind Sinfonia," a training ensemble open to students ages eight to 13, who are enthusiastic about playing brass and woodwind instruments, such as flutes, clarinets, saxophones and oboes. The goal: fill a gap for needed individual instruction and ensemble playing. Marching band programs are available only to high school kids, and there is a scarcity of private teachers for woodwind and brass players. Plus, in Napa County, music education is absent in most public primary school classrooms, or is being stripped away from middle schools that are struggling to meet federal and state performance standards. NVYS already has a successful model for a training ensemble. Last year, it launched "Sinfonia," a group for elementary and middle school students wanting to play string instruments; the pilot drew 27 kids from Napa County--a healthy number for a new music program. The training ensembles are used to groom children for the larger Youth Symphony Orchestra program, which has 70 participants, most of whom are high school or college age. Wind Sinfonia kids will attend a weekly 90-minute session that includes: warm-up exercises, focused practice in smaller groups, and a final rehearsal with the full ensemble. Two professional adult musicians, who also are music teachers, will lead rehearsals; four students from the Youth Symphony Orchestra will provide coaching and guidance during small group practices and full-ensemble rehearsals. Wind Sinfonia also will perform three concerts for the community. NVYS expects 20 children for the ensemble's inaugural year, and has budgeted $20,000 for the program. Expenses include: $10,000 for the teachers ($5,000 each); $2,000 in stipends for student coaches; $1,500 for music licensing and copying fees; and, $2,000 for concert venue rentals. While students pay $325 for a year's tuition--the same fee charged to Youth Symphony Orchestra participants--this rate is far less than what it would cost for weekly private music lessons. Tuition payments comprise 20 percent of NVYS's $151,000 in annual operating expenses. Kids from low-income families, who cannot afford the fees, are given discounts or waivers. Support of this program would enrich the musical offerings available to youngsters in our Valley.

Agency: Gunilda Rianda Senior Center
Support Needed: $4,000
Purpose: Printing and postage costs for newsletter and events calendar

When the Gunilda Rianda Senior Center (Rianda House) opened its doors, St. Helena's older adults had, for the first time, a place of their own. Nearly 19,000 residents across Napa County are older than 65; an estimated 4,000 of them live up Valley. Those figures are predicted to double by 2030. For elderly people, staying physically and mentally "fit" is the best way to prolong independence and a healthy lifespan. Rianda House serves as a local, one-stop shop for older adults up Valley who want to stay active, learn, or just chat over a cup of coffee. The nonprofit was incorporated in 2005, after local resident Gunilda "Jean" Rianda died and left her craftsman-style house to the community for use as a senior center. It took a few years to complete extensive renovations on the building, and in early 2008 Rianda House volunteers began welcoming visitors with a hot pot of coffee brewing, a chess table, and a stack of newspapers. Staff (one full-time executive director) quickly ramped up programming to more than 20 activities a week. Offerings include: tai chi and dance classes; weekly bridge and chess clubs; health screenings, congregate lunches; grief support groups; and, field trips to Bay Area shopping malls and museums. Rianda House, which has an annual budget of about $239,000, partners with other nonprofits and agencies (such as Meals on Wheels, Area Agency on Aging, and Yountville's Recreation Department) that bring their services to the center. All programs are geared towards people age 50 and older; some activities are provided at no cost, while others require a nominal fee. St. Helena's seniors are responding: Rianda House logs an average of 100 visitors Monday through Friday. The goal now is to increase the number of up Valley seniors that access the center and its offerings. To that end, Rianda House wants to expand distribution of its monthly newsletter and events calendar, which is currently sent via email to keep costs down. The nonprofit plans to publish a printed version and place copies in doctors' waiting rooms, family centers, public libraries, pharmacies and grocery stores in St. Helena, Calistoga, Yountville and Angwin. Budget for a year's worth of printing and postage is $4,000. Your support would help get the word out about this important resource.