San Quentin staff and residents came together in a continued effort to support the homeless at-risk youth of Richmond, California.
In collaboration with Tiny Village Spirit, SQRC furthered its aim to build a relationship with the outside community by building furniture for those now living in the new Tiny Homes.
Sally Hindman, the Bay Area director of emergency housing for at-risk youth, said the new housing is the first legal place in Richmond where young unhoused people can find shelter and get off the streets.
“A lot of folks at San Quentin come from rough childhoods and ended up in prison because they had to make hard choices just to survive,” SQ resident Benjamin Greenspon said.
After the SQRC residents of the Bay Area Amends Committee held a successful food drive for the Bay Area youth earlier in the year, Warden C. Andes encouraged those involved in the initiative to continue their efforts.
“Thank you so much to San Quentin for your continued support,” Hindman said. “You really are making the difference in these young people’s lives.”
The SQRC volunteer project included the purchase of lumber by residents and outside donors, then the construction of four picnic tables and 18 Adirondack chairs for the new homes.
Pallets of lumber and hardware arrived at the facility’s plant operations where residents cut wood into pieces for the SQ members of Kids Creating Awareness Together and BAAC programs to assemble into furniture.
The smell of fresh-cut pine and the sound of screw guns driving wood fasteners during the assembly process filled the air in the South Block building of the prison.
Resource staff A. Torres supervised the venture. After asking the Tiny Home Village Spirit organization how SQRC can continue to help, they replied that they need furniture.
Torres said she sponsors residents in both the KidCAT and BAAC programs on their continued efforts to give back to communities.
“These guys had a vision and put this project together,” Torres said. “I see nothing but hard work and dedication by them to make things better.”
SQ resident Kenny York donated $1,000 to the cause and said his new focus in life is being part of the solution, not the problem.
“This is an opportunity to give back to a community that all I did was take from when I was out there on the streets,” York said.
Resident Greenspon said not every young person has a fair start at succeeding in life and has the strong foundation of a safe place to sleep; they can find themselves out on the streets just trying to survive.
Greenspon added that when a person lives with anxiety and feelings of abandonment, it can often lead to an individual turning to crime or drugs to cope.
Greenspon said it’s important for people to have the opportunity to concentrate on studying or getting a job, instead of worrying about where they are going to sleep or get their next meal.
“We want those who are struggling to know that they are not alone,” Greenspon said. “Some of us might not be here if we had some support, so this is our way of helping them have one less thing to worry about.”
Hindman said the kindness and empathy shown by the residents of The Q will go a long way in helping these young people succeed. “San Quentin continues to show up for these guys,” she added. “I thank you for that; it really means a lot.”