Spotlight on Reach for Home: Q&A with CEO Margaret Sluyk

In the images above, people with trash are Russian Riverkeepers helping clean the Syar property. The L&M is the interim housing location.

As Reach for Home celebrates its 10th anniversary this October, we sat down with Chief Executive Officer Margaret Sluyk to reflect on their progress, challenges, and future goals. Reach for Home has been a critical lifeline for Northern Sonoma County’s shelterless population, offering housing, mental health services, and community support. With the 2022 launch of their Interim Housing Project, our grant has been vital in helping them meet the growing demand for staff, mental health services, and operational needs. In this Q&A Margaret shares their recent successes and what’s next as they continue their mission toward ending homelessness.

What has been your most significant area of progress this year?

One of our biggest accomplishments this year has been our work along the Russian River near the Syar property. At the start of the year, 42 people were living along the river in Healdsburg, and by July, that number was down to just 2. We worked closely with Russian Riverkeepers to clean up over 150,000 pounds of trash. Even better, no one has returned to live in the area since. We’re staying proactive by continuing to monitor and support anyone new who may come to town. It’s been a major success for both the people we serve and the environment.

What challenges have you faced in your efforts to support people?

One of the ongoing challenges is helping people adjust to being housed, especially those dealing with severe mental health issues. Transitioning from homelessness to stable housing can be difficult, and things like budgeting or staying sober can be tough for some. But we’re committed to sticking with each person until they’re stable. We also have an open-door policy, meaning that if someone struggles after being housed, we’re always here to help. Another challenge is finding unrestricted funding. Flexible funding allows us to serve people in the best way possible, without being tied to strict guidelines that might not fit their needs.

How have you been able to use the grant from Healdsburg Forever?
The support from Healdsburg Forever has been a huge benefit. It’s given us the flexibility to spread the funds across all of our programs, which is essential since program-specific funding doesn’t always cover everything. Thanks to this grant, we were even able to kick off our homelessness prevention program a year ahead of schedule. One great example of this support in action is a senior who had been in his apartment for over 20 years and lost his Social Security payments for a while. With the help of our case manager and this funding, we were able to keep him housed by working with Social Security, his landlord, and utility companies.

What are you most excited about for the year ahead?

We’re really looking forward to expanding our homelessness prevention efforts as part of our “journey to zero,” where homelessness is rare and brief. Our goal is to house about 34 individuals each year, and we’re working toward reaching functional zero by the end of 2026. We’re also adding more permanent housing units and continuing partnerships with organizations like Farm to Fight Hunger and Farm to Pantry. On top of that, we’re part of a new county-wide homelessness prevention pilot that will provide over $2.5 million in support for at-risk families and individuals. It's going to be a busy but rewarding year. 

For more information about Reach for Home, visit reachforhome.org.