415-777-0333 Last week, Mayor Daniel Lurie, President Rafael Mandelman, and Supervisor Jackie Fielder visited our Hummingbird Valencia respite center in the Mission to learn more about the value our services bring to the community. Our Hummingbird respite centers, also known as “The Birds,” are a low-barrier entry point to the homelessness response system. By day, the Hummingbirds provide a chance for people experiencing homelessness, substance use disorder or mental illness, to rest and get connected to services. By night, the Hummingbirds host nearly 60 critical beds, providing short term housing for people in our community who need it most.
We were proud to show the model to elected officials, as well as new City health and housing officials Daniel Tsai, Director of Public Health and Kunal Modi, Chief of Health, Homelessness, and Family Services, because the Birds provide a much-needed point of entry into our continuum of care. By getting people into the homelessness response system, we’re much more likely to help them address their long-term goals and wellness. Just as important, we save the city money: an overnight stay at a Hummingbird is a small fraction of the cost of a trip to the Emergency Room.
“[Hummingbird] is an example of what can work when community works together… The most important thing is we have to have spots like this to get people off the street who are suffering with addiction issues and mental health issues. Places like Hummingbird, we need to replicate [them] and get more of them online.”
– Mayor Daniel Lurie
“I strongly advocated for the Valencia Hummingbird back when I represented that part of the Mission. The need for more facilities able to meet the particular needs of unhoused people with mental illnesses is clear, and Valencia Hummingbird is helping San Francisco meet that need every day.”
– President Rafael Mandelman (D8)
“There’s a lot of work to be done to build out our system of care, making sure there are places for people to go and get the support that they need. Respite centers like Hummingbird Valencia are much needed in SF and critical to providing a place for people in distress to stabilize and make the first step towards recovery. “
– Supervisor Jackie Fielder (D9)
Hummingbird Respite Centers provide a first step into receiving services. To the unhoused, making a big change can be daunting, even if it’s in the right direction. Our Hummingbird sites remove all barriers. Individuals can drop in as they are, with their pets, partner, and belongings. With their basic needs met, we can begin to build trust and help them get comfortable with the idea of being linked to services at their own pace.
More than 7,500 people used Hummingbird’s day drop-in services each year, including laundry, meals, showers, storage, linkage to other services, and help with getting an ID.
PRC’s mission is to help people affected by HIV/AIDS, substance use, or mental health issues better realize opportunities by providing services that address the broad range of social factors impacting wellness and potential. To fulfill our mission, PRC is committed to bringing together advocates, staff, our members, and policy makers for dialogue, education, and partnership on the most challenging issues facing our communities. We’re grateful to each of these leaders for taking the time to learn more about PRC and our valuable services. We know that our collaborative and trusting partnership with the City can continue to do more good for our communities.