St. Vincent de Paul Society - Helping the poor, homeless, victims of domestic violence

New Hope for Homeless People Struggling With Addiction

As we look toward the future, the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco is revitalizing our substance abuse treatment programs to bring the latest clinical methods and a holistic mind-body-spirit approach to the homeless San Franciscans we serve.

Addiction is a pervasive contributor to homelessness, with as many as 60% of homeless men and women reporting substance abuse issues. And for many, caught in the revolving door of outpatient drug treatment programs, the downward spiral of addiction can seem an intractable problem.

For 30 years, the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s Ozanam Program has played an important role in the city-wide safety-net for the needy. The only social-model detox for homeless men and women in the city, the Ozanam offers detoxification beds, showers, meals, recovery support groups and help to access treatment programs.

On the crest of our 150th year, the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco is excited to build upon the Ozanam Program by adding a new Wellness Center, a ministry and a healing space dedicated to holistic and sustained recovery from addiction.

The Wellness Center Vision
The new Wellness Center emphasizes a daily program of meditation, exercise, spirituality, social support groups and nutrition. The Wellness Center also employs best clinical practices in substance abuse treatment, and features drop-in services such as yoga, meditation, massage, and creativity workshops.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Wellness Center, offering workshops and participating in programs in fellowship with clients. Our vision is to foster a non-hierarchical sense of community among clients and volunteers

The Research Project
Our goal is that the innovative Wellness Center model will prove significantly more effective than traditional outpatient treatment settings. Beyond our clients, we hope to benefit the field of substance abuse treatment as a whole, by academically researching the effects of positive changes in diet, exercise, prayer / meditation and social supports on low-income substance abusers.

The Wellness Center will track client participation and outcomes in areas such as sustained sobriety, housing, employment, feelings of wellness and empowerment. We also aim to benefit the local network of substance abuse treatment providers by serving as a convener and leader in adopting and disseminating best practices.

The Green Building and Rooftop Garden

Ultimately, with community support, we hope to “green” the entire facility, housing the Wellness Center in a LEED-certified building with a rooftop garden. We aim to make the entire building as sustainable and environmentally-friendly as possible. Plans include the addition of solar panels to support clean energy and reduce costs, installation of environmentally friendly flooring, and other elements to make the facility a shining example of sustainability in architecture.
Eventually, the rooftop community garden - the jewel in our vision - will reduce energy costs, produce fresh food for use in our programs, and create access to the outdoors and connection to nature in a neighborhood that has few trees and even fewer parks or other open space.

Growing In Stages
We will introduce the new program and transform the physical space in stages, each hinging on community support to proceed:
Phase 1: Planning & Preparation
Complete environmental scan to ensure coordination with other agencies. Build Advisory Committee. Design research project and procedures to track outcomes. Minor cosmetic upgrades to first floor, exterior and entrance of building.
Phase 2: Initiate First-Tier Programs
Open doors to clients and volunteers. Initiate first slate of services and begin tracking participation. Begin architectural plans for greening and renovation.
Phase 3: Renovate & Green Building, Introduce New Programs
Assess success of first-tier programs and make adjustments as needed. Introduce new / second-tier programs. Assess tracking procedures and adjust as needed.
Phase 4: Install Rooftop Garden & Solar Panels
Build stairway to access roof, reinforce roof to hold weight of garden, install safety railings or parapet, extend plumbing to roof, install solar panels, and install garden.
Our vision for the Wellness Center program and facility is perhaps the most ambitious project the Society has proposed in decades. Everything hinges on community support. It is only with generous financial support that we can move forward with each phase of the vision.

Cost to Operate $104,000
Cosmetic Improvements $12,000
Greening & Rooftop Garden $2.58 million

Please join us in building an unprecedented healing ministry, space and community for those who need it most.