Tamera Kohler

Today we're talking with Tamera Kohler, Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Task Force on Homelessness (RTFH). With 19 years of experience in addressing poverty and homelessness, Tamera provides invaluable insights into the complex landscape of homelessness in our region. We discuss her leadership at the RTFH since 2018, her role as a trusted expert in San Diego County, and, importantly, delve into the upcoming Point-in-Time Count. This crucial count provides a snapshot of homelessness in our community and informs critical resource allocation and policy decisions. Click the link in the bio to watch or listen to this important conversation.

Links:

https://sandiego.pointintime.info/

https://www.rtfhsd.org/reports-data/

https://www.rtfhsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/RTFH-HMIS-Data-Newsletter-Dec-2024.pdf

https://www.rtfhsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-PITC-Regional-Cities-Breakdown-revised-Final-June-17-1.pdf

Kenneth Straight

On this episode of Homeless in San Diego, hear Kenneth Straight’s remarkable journey. After his service in the US Army ended in 2013, Kenneth struggled to regain stability upon returning to San Diego. Support from Veterans Village of San Diego during his recovery was a turning point. Interfaith's Veterans Employment and Training Services Program then provided the crucial support he needed to secure employment, including covering the cost of necessary safety classes. Now working as a machinist, with personal protective equipment and tools provided by Interfaith, Kenneth has rebuilt his life and now shares a home with his wife and dog.

Links: 

https://wfw.org/ 

https://vvsd.net/standdown/ 

Sunny Soto-Brisco

In this episode of Homeless in San Diego, we sit down with Sunny Soto-Brisco, the heart and soul of Sunny Street Outreach, a 501(c)(3) organization providing restaurant quality meals to the houseless and underserved communities in Oceanside. Sunny Soto-Brisco is a dedicated activist born and raised on the ancestral lands of the Luiseño/Juaneño band of Mission Indians in Oceanside. In just four years, Sunny Street Outreach has served over 10,000 meals. Tune in to hear Sunny’s inspiring story, her journey from grassroots mutual aid to an established nonprofit, and a discussion on how we can foster collaboration between traditional nonprofits and grassroots initiatives.

Links: 

https://sunnystreetoutreach.org/ 

https://www.instagram.com/sunnystreetoutreachmvmt

Katie Holden

On this episode of Homeless in San Diego, we interview Katie Holden, a former Occupational Therapist Intern at our Abraham & Lillian Turk Recuperative Care Center. As an intern at the Turk Center, she conducted a study on pet ownership during transitional housing. Join us to learn about the benefits of keeping owners and their pets together, the challenges they face, and the barriers to getting an Emotional Support Animal letter. Katie earned her Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Saint Augustine for Health Sciences in San Marcos.

Links: https://www.usa.edu/

Tom McDaniel

Join us this week on Homeless in San Diego to listen to Tom McDaniel’s story. Tom went through both our residential and outpatient programs, worked hard in college, and two months ago graduated with his degree in air conditioning & refrigeration from Palomar College. He was recently accepted into the Davidson Honors College at the University of Montana for Wildlife Biology.

In this episode, Tom shares his journey of resilience and growth. He talks about learning how to trust, volunteering at the Rising Scholars Network, the importance of a strong support network, and setting goals for success.

Links:  

Rising Scholars (Transitions) Program – Rising Scholars Network 
https://www.palomar.edu/risingscholars/ 

Mike Smack

Tune in to Interfaith’s Homeless in San Diego podcast as we feature local artist Mike Smack. Mike joins us to speak about his inspiring journey and the beautiful mural he created in our Escondido shelter. Inspired by conversations with detox clients, he incorporated serene clouds and even added a citrus design after seeing fresh oranges and lemons in our food pantry. Mike uses painting and other artistic practices to explore his curiosity of the human experience. Whilst wandering the world for 5+ years, he found a universal language in art - a means to connect cultural gaps and ascend communication barriers. Mike calls this mural "one of the most fun and meaningful projects I've ever worked on," and we're grateful for the lasting impact it will have on future residents of our Recovery programs. Tune in to hear Mike’s story of creativity, community, and making a difference through art.

Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ms.perp

Website: https://www.mikesmack.com

Brandon O'Connell

Welcome to this special episode of Homeless in San Diego. Today, we are honored to have Brandon O'Connell as our guest. Brandon, a Job Coach at Vantage Point for three years, is now pursuing his own company to help people coming out of incarceration. His journey from Skid Row to a stable and fulfilling life highlights his remarkable resilience, inner strength, and unwavering commitment to personal growth. Brandon runs his own podcast, Trash Can Talk, and collaborates with various companies in T-shirt printing, music, art, clothing, and stand-up comedy.

In this episode, Brandon shares insights on: 

• His personal journey

• Reintegration programs for people coming out of incarceration

• The evolution of mental health facilities

Tune in to hear Brandon’s inspiring story, how to give yourself a chance, and find support.

Links:

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/trashcancut/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trash-can-talk/id1628343387

Eddie Walker

In this episode of Homeless in San Diego, we welcome our first-ever property manager, Eddie Walker. With over a hundred episodes behind us, we're excited to bring you a new perspective on the challenges and solutions surrounding homelessness. Eddie has been working with us for several years at Quince Park Apartments, providing invaluable partnership and support in our mission to help those in need.

Join us as Eddie shares his experiences, discusses the obstacles property managers face, and explores the approaches he's seen make a difference.

Jason Ritchie

This week on Homeless in San Diego, we welcome filmmaker Jason Ritchie, a storyteller driven by the struggles of his own life. Ritchie was incarcerated for over 17 years in the California prison system and has overcome drug and alcohol addiction. He used education for his personal rehabilitation and believes it to be a crucial contributing factor for success in re-entry and recovery. Through Project Rebound, Ritchie has gone on to graduate from SDSU with an Interdisciplinary BA in Film, Journalism, and Art, and was accepted into a Master’s program in Learning Design and Technology. His goal is to help others tell their stories of incarceration and addiction in the hopes of bringing awareness that these issues do not discriminate.

Ritchie recently received a fellowship through Columbia University's INCITE program, an interdisciplinary institute that produces knowledge for public action at Columbia University. There, he is creating an experiential theatrical installation piece titled "Street Seen." The play is expected to debut in November and invites audiences to view life from the perspective of people who live on the streets.

Don't miss this inspiring episode that challenges perceptions and showcases the strength found in second chances.

https://www.theunhousedcollective.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandiegounhousedcollective/ 

https://www.voicesofourcity.org/

https://www.housingsandiego.org/heal-network

 https://www.housingca.org/our-work/run/

https://incite.columbia.edu/mission 

https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/student-success/project-rebound

David Fitzgibbons

In honor of Volunteer Appreciation month we have a remarkable podcast episode for you. Our guest today is none other than David Fitzgibbons, a dedicated volunteer and donor at Interfaith. David has been serving as an intake volunteer every Tuesday and Thursday for over four years, helping to meet the basic needs of our community. He assists with obtaining food, hygiene products, clothes, resources, and connects people with a Case Manager as needed. David's commitment to our community is exemplary, and we are grateful for his service. Volunteers are the backbone of our organization, and we invite you to listen in and hear David's perspective. You might even be inspired to become our next intake volunteer.

https://interfaithservices.org/donate/

https://interfaithservices.org/donation-inquiry/

https://interfaithservices.org/volunteer/