​RSCP Location & Volunteer Update: The Rotating Safe Car Park guests are currently at St. Jude’s in Cupertino. We now have committed hosting partners to run the RSCP through Dec.  POP volunteers engage again in October where we have committed to provide volunteers and manage the RSCP at West Valley College.  
 
In addition, the safe park coordinators at St Jude’s, can use volunteer help this month. If you would like to continue to help, please go to the St. Jude’s sign up link: http://signup.com/go/hROqxwN    Please feel free to share this link with other potential volunteers. When you sign up, please be sure to add your affiliation - church/referrer name/group. 

​Rotating Safe Car Park is a shelter for individuals and families living in small vehicles. As the name implies, the parking location rotates. Prince of Peace is looking for partners in the area that can offer overnight parking spaces and access to restrooms. Contact [email protected] for more information.

LOCATIONS SECURED THROUGH DECEMBER​
The safe park guests are currently at St. Jude’s in Cupertino until mid-September, when they will transfer to St. Joseph of Cupertino. In addition, we now have committed hosting partners such that the RSCP will run through December.  Please note that POP committed to provide volunteers and manage the West Valley College Safe Car Park in October.

Our Rotating Safe Car Park (RSCP) guests are currently parking at Westhope Church next door until August 1st.  Prince of Peace will continue to provide the volunteers and additional services to make this a safe and comfortable stay for all.  We know two months in a row of volunteering has not been easy; especially during a busy vacation season!  Thank you for all your help and support in making it happen! 
 
Our current plan is that after Westhope is done hosting we will be taking a two month break. Then POP and partner volunteers return in October to assist West Valley Community College similarly as we are helping Westhope today.  This an important step for the RSCP because we will be attempting to directly assist homeless college students on a college campus.  Then in November, Westgate Church will host and provide their own volunteers.  Finally, in December, Sacred Heart Church will host and provide their own volunteers. Our role before and during November and December will be to provide leadership and mentorship to both Westgate and Sacred Heart. 
 
Did you know the Winter Faith Collaborative (a homeless advocacy and support group) is recommending to new groups, interested in starting a Safe Car Park, to join the RSCP.  This venture is truly a community effort and that is why we continue to need your help in completing the Westhope hosting activity in July, and then assisting the West Valley College hosting activity in October. If you can assist during the month of July, please sign up with this direct link.
 
Thank you for all your support of POP's new ministry in support of the homeless,
RSCP Leadership Team

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
​
Rotating Safe Car Park pilot program will move to a new location for the month of July. WestHope Presbyterian on Saratoga Road. Residents will park at WestHope overnight, but services will be offered next door at Prince of Peace. Volunteers are needed. Use the button to the right to sign-up to help. Training is offered Thursday June 28th at 7pm in the Prince of Peace Conference Room. If you would like to help, but can not attend the training session email [email protected].

The shelter moves monthly. Host locations are still needed for this pilot program. For more information simply contact [email protected].

Rotating Safe Car Park at Prince of Peace opened on June 1st. The pilot program has gone smoothly so far. When the shelter opened, 12 cars were parked in the lot overnight. Since then a few more have joined the shelter, while others have been moved into more permenent housing opportunities. This is great news! All of the residents must be screed by Amigos de Guadelupe, our social services partner, to stay overnight. The pilot has only brought a few surprises: for instance, we didn't know our parking lot was an overnight Pokemon Go hot-spot. 

Rotating Safe Car Park is a shelter for individuals and families living in small vehicles. As the name implies, the parking location rotates. Prince of Peace is looking for partners in the area that can offer overnight parking spaces and access to restrooms. Contact [email protected] for more information.

Our Rotating Safe Car Park is in the final stretch: residents move in this weekend. Word is getting out about safe parking. Last week the San Jose Mercury News posted an article describing the pilot program. Read the article here. The article has already resulted in an additional hosting partner.  Even though we are thrilled by the positive response so far, we need to be careful about messages. If you are approached by a member of the press to comment on the Rotating Safe Car Park shelter, please direct them to Pastor Sara. 

Thank you for your support!

After all our planning, we're excited that the RSCP will be opening on June 1! 

Karen will be calling those who signed up using our online interest form or at church over the next several weeks to work out your volunteer commitments for June.  In preparation for when she will calls you, I wanted to share some of the items she will be discussing with you:

1. Confirm interest.
2. Confirm the type of responsibility and/or shift you want to have (e.g. check-in, check-out, on call).
3. Confirm how many shifts/hours in June you would be able to contribute.
4. Schedule your volunteer commitments in June (e.g. which days and times)

After we finish our June commitment, there will be a need for us to also provide volunteer assistance to our partners that need volunteer help while they host (e.g. West Valley and West Hope).  Please note that in addition to the POP volunteers, our expectation is there will be other volunteers from other organizations also willing to assist.  Once we confirm dates and specific needs, we will share with you.  

​The POP Safe Car Park (SCP) Pilot program will open this June 1.  While we are working to get support within our community, we will not be advertising this SCP until our one year pilot is completed successfully.
 
We have continued to make good progress on all fronts.  Some examples;
1.      We’ve met with and received strong support from the Saratoga Ministerium and Saratoga City Council.
2.      We have firm commitments from two case management organizations (Amigos de Guadalupe and West Valley Community Services) who will screen and refer those who qualify to our SCP.
3.      We continue to get a strong interest and commitments from partners to participate by hosting and/or providing volunteers in this rotating SCP.  (Beth David Synagogue, Sacred Heart, West Valley College, St. Andrews, St. Judes and others not yet finalized.)
As a reminder:
1.  In May we will be reaching out to those who have shown interest and will confirm volunteer commitments, dates, assignments, etc.
2.  Also in May, we will be holding evening orientation sessions currently scheduled for May 24 & 29, to introduce our volunteers to the rules and responsibilities of running the POP SCP.
 
As always, if you have any questions, concerns and/or recommendations please don't hesitate to contact members of the leadership team (Norman Puck, Jim Wilczak, Karen Hauschildt, Bill Eklow and Pastor Sara.)