Samaritan House is a non-profit organization that provides services to help meet the essential daily needs of more than 12,000 low-income people per year within San Mateo County, California. We provide an interim "safety-net" for individuals and families in need while ultimately helping them move toward self-sufficiency.

With the help of volunteers, we provide food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, worker resources, and counseling services – all free of charge to our clients. Samaritan House is a community-supported organization with 70% of our operating budget coming from private groups and individuals. Our vision is to break the cycle of poverty in San Mateo County, one family at a time.

CASE MANAGEMENT AND COUNSELING

When people in need first come to Samaritan House, they meet with one of our bilingual Case Workers. Client needs are evaluated and a case plan is developed. Case Workers then refer clients to Samaritan House programs and to other agencies in the community. Each month more than 400 low-income households receive case management and counseling services.

FOOD AND NUTRITION

Clients can receive a hot, nutritious meal seven days a week at our Kitchen, Dining Room or Safe Harbor homeless shelter. Additionally, to encourage family unity, "to go" meals and food boxes are available so families can dine together in the privacy of their own homes. Samaritan House serves more than 120,000 meals each year.

HEALTH CARE

Each year our San Mateo and Redwood City Free Clinics provide 9,000 patient visits with the help of more than 100 volunteer professionals. Specialty services offered at one or both of our Free Clinics include Dentistry, Gynecology, Breast Cancer Screenings, Dermatology, Diabetic Care, Endocrinology, Neurology, Orthopedics, Ophthalmology, Pediatrics, Optometry, Podiatry, Pulmonology, Rheumatology, Nutritional Counseling, Psychology, and Psychiatry.

CLOTHING

NOTE: We have temporarily closed the Clothes Closet and will reopen it sometime in 2008. Quality new and used clothing is made available each month to more than 700 men, women, and children. To fill the four walls of a home, we also provide household goods, and lots and lots of toys. Unlike a traditional thrift store, Samaritan House's Clothes Closet does not sell donated goods. All donated goods are given, free of charge, to those who need assistance.

SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS

Each day, 90 men and women receive safe and warm shelter at Safe Harbor, our homeless shelter. Hot nutritious meals, hot showers, personal hygiene kits, on-site case management, counseling, and educational programming are all provided to give our clients a little peace of mind and resources necessary to start building their self-sufficiency.

HOLIDAY ASSISTANCE

Through the generosity of thousands of community members, approximately 5,000 of our low-income clients (including more than 1,800 children and hundreds of seniors) receive an abundance of festive cheer, food baskets, and toys during the holiday season. The Family Sharing Program, one of our many Holiday Programs, allows philanthropic families, businesses, and community groups to "adopt" specific families and seniors in need and provide them with special hand-picked holiday items.

WORKER RESOURCES

The Worker Resource Center, managed by Samaritan House and funded by the City of San Mateo, provides a safe place for workers to meet potential employers. The Center also offers classes in English as a Second Language (ESL) and Spanish Literacy, as well as counseling.

EDUCATION

Samaritan House offers classes in English as a Second Language (ESL) and Spanish Literacy to help clients improve their language skills. Financial Education classes are taught by volunteers from Citibank and the San Mateo Credit Union to help clients learn about budgeting, saving techniques, and the pitfalls of high credit card rates. Healthy-lifestyle classes are also available in stress management, parenting, and diabetes management.

TEACHING OUR CHILDREN TO GIVE

Project Wee Care teaches thousands of students from local area public and private schools the importance of giving. Parents and teachers, with the help of Samaritan House staff, teach children about the needs in our community and assist children in organizing food, clothing, and toy drives. All donations are then distributed to Samaritan House clients through our various programs. Project Wee Care is one of the reasons why the spirit of volunteerism is so strong in our community.

ALL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE.
SAMARITAN HOUSE – NEIGHBOR HELPING NEIGHBOR

1511 S. CLAREMONT STREET, SAN MATEO, CA 94402, PHONE: 650.341.4081, FAX: 650.341.0526
www.samaritanhouse.com