2025 Grantee Spotlight: Reach for Home
A still from Reach for Home’s 2025 video, taken at the former L & M Motel, which serves as northern Sonoma County’s first interim housing site for chronically homeless community members.
Reach for Home is a lifeline for individuals and families facing housing instability in northern Sonoma County. Their prevention programs, interim housing, and long-term stability services all play a major role in reducing homelessness in our region. Below, CEO Margaret Sluyk shares how Healdsburg Forever’s flexible grant funding impacted Reach for Home and what they’re seeing on the ground, today
Q: How has support from Healdsburg Forever made a difference for Reach for Home?
A: The grant was used primarily for homeless prevention and to fill gaps where no other funding was available. It helped a Healdsburg family who was losing their housing, but did not qualify for any other programs. It also allowed us to fund a supportive services associate, who helps case managers across all of our programs. This support includes transporting participants to medical and other appointments, assisting with rental applications, and helping set up apartments and interim-housing units. Having someone in this role freed up case managers to spend more time helping participants work toward their housing goals. The flexibility of the funding has been incredibly valuable, especially during such an unpredictable year.
Q: Can you share a success story or key outcomes that highlight the impact of Healdsburg Forever’s support?
A: Thanks to the additional support for our team, we were able to maintain manageable caseloads and deepen the level of care we provide. This year:
Over 34 individuals and families were housed.
More than 50 people participated in our interim-housing program.
Over 45 individuals and families avoided homelessness through our prevention program.
We also saw a significant reduction in homelessness. According to the Point in Time Count, homelessness in northern Sonoma County decreased by more than 58 percent between 2024 and 2025, with Healdsburg seeing an even greater decrease. Support from Healdsburg Forever played a critical role in making this possible.
Q: What challenges are you facing as you work to support the community, and how are you addressing them?
A: Funding cuts and uncertainty have been major challenges. We are not receiving new housing vouchers, which means individuals and families who could have moved into permanent housing are staying longer in our interim-housing program. We currently have 22 participants who have been in interim housing for over a year, which strains our funding.
The month-long CalFresh suspension forced us to scramble to ensure everyone had enough food. We are also navigating major HUD policy changes that reduce support for Street Outreach and Permanent Supportive Housing and introduce new requirements that could limit how we serve unsheltered community members. These shifts could create a ripple effect across our programs, and we are working hard to understand and prepare for the impact.
Q: What’s next for Reach for Home, and how do you see your partnerships evolving?
A: We have increased our fundraising with private donors, which helped offset some losses from grants and foundations, including two major gifts. We are also beginning to bill certain services through Cal-Aim in partnership with Partnership HealthPlan and hope to expand this next year, though the program’s future is uncertain.
Partnerships like the one we have with Healdsburg Forever remain essential to our success. Flexible funding allows us to respond quickly and close gaps that other funding cannot cover. We are deeply grateful for Healdsburg Forever’s support. It has helped us in so many ways over the years, and it continues to be critical as we navigate so much change.
To learn more about Reach for Home, visit reachforhome.org and watch their video highlighting their work and impact.
