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$150,000 Goal
Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless (TCH) was started in 2015 by a small group of dedicated volunteers led by Dr. Marissa Muscat, a physician at Barton Memorial Hospital. Marissa and her fellow doctors watched people cycle through the hospital with conditions tied directly to their lack of shelter, a pattern of suffering that also cost the community significant resources and money.
The Coalition opened its first winter warm room that year, providing 20+ beds (mats on the floor with sheets and blankets) each night from December through March. This was not a shelter because our guests could not stay the day; everyone had to leave by 7 a.m. regardless of the weather. The effort was entirely funded by local donations and staffed by volunteers. Over the next five years, our operations expanded to include homelessness prevention services, rapid rehousing, street outreach, community education, and the operation of the Coordinated Entry System for El Dorado County.
A partnership with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) in 2020 led the Coalition to join the state and federal effort known as Homekey. The Coalition purchased three 1960s vintage motels on Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe. Not surprisingly this massive expansion came with significant growing pains. The condition of the properties turned out to be much worse than expected, the cost of operation higher than expected, and follow-on funding for operations much harder to obtain.
Needed construction and maintenance were delayed. Services were reduced. We spent a full year unsure whether we would be able to keep the doors open beyond the next month. Fortunately, our key staff stayed committed, our Board accepted and met the challenges, and our community came through with the support we needed to stay open.
We are optimistic about the future of the Coalition. We are now doing more for our neighbors experiencing homelessness and for our community at large than we have ever done.
We provide long-term housing to forty individuals who are among the most vulnerable in our community fostering independence through our programmatic services. We operate a true winter shelter where people not only get off the street for the worst winter months but they are also fed and receive services to help them move to a more stable life after the winter is over. We are providing street outreach, rapid rehousing, and case management to homeless individuals and victims of domestic violence throughout El Dorado County and will soon open a Placerville office. We are also very excited to begin offering healthcare-related case management for the most vulnerable unhoused in conjunction with the county’s MediCal providers through a program called CalAim.
Today, we have opportunities to improve and expand our services and professionalize our operations in ways we could not have imagined five years ago. The task requires dedication, inspiration, and heart. It also requires the generous support of people who care about those who have faced trauma and life-debilitating challenges that have taken almost everything from them, including their homes and, most especially, hope.
Please join us today in restoring hope to our neighbors experiencing homelessness by making a generous donation to the Coalition for the Homeless on this Big Day of Giving, May 2nd, 2024.
We partner with our community to house, shelter, and support our neighbors experiencing or at risk of homelessness to foster their independence.
We need volunteers and supporters to advocate for The Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless and support our organization with much-needed funds to end homelessness.
Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless (TCH) does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income, disability, age, medical condition, genetic information, citizenship, primary language, immigration status (except where explicitly prohibited by federal law), arbitrary characteristics, and all other classes of individuals protected from discrimination under federal or state fair housing laws, individuals perceived to be a member of any of the preceding classes, or any individual or person associated with any of the preceding classes be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity sponsored by the organization per the Fair Employment and Housing Act including accompanying regulations, 2 CCR Section 12005 et seq, covering tenant screening and affirmative marketing requirements. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.
Organization name
Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless
other names
TCH
2015
Tax id (EIN)
47-4825924
Mission Category
Housing, Shelter
Operating Budget
$250,001-$500,000
Organization Need
Funding: Program, Funding: Unrestricted, Funding: Other, Board Members, In-Kind Donations, Volunteers, Furniture
Demographics Served
Homeless/Underhoused/Unhoused
Local Counties Served
El Dorado
Equity Statement
Equity Statement
Address
PO BOX 13514South Lake Tahoe, CA, US, 96150