Reproduced from The Union Democrat Dec. 3, 2021 Resiliency Village residents join nonprofit groups to help transform Sonora into a ‘Christmas Town’ This Christmas will be the first that 31-year-old Resiliency Village resident Christopher Smith has celebrated with a roof over his head since he aged out of the foster care system at 18. Smith beamed with pride Wednesday morning at Courthouse Square in Sonora as he recounted his journey from life on the streets of Tuolumne County to becoming one of the first clients of the nonprofit organization’s live-in […]
Nuts & Bolts of Our Operation
NOTE: This post is an adaptation of a recent memo from our Executive Director, Mark Dyken, to local residents who have expressed concerns about our operation. We have been and will continue to be transparent on all relevant matters, and so we want to share this information with everyone here. We welcome your questions and feedback. Vetting Everyone is vetted. We don’t house any registered sex offenders or people with active warrants. RV is a sober living environment. We do random drug testing and refer anyone who is struggling with […]
Another Day in Paradise
“She calls out to the man on the street He can see she’s been crying She’s got blisters on the soles of her feet She can’t walk, but she’s trying…” — Phil Collins, Another Day in Paradise (1989) The concept for Resiliency Village started in a small room at the Jamestown Family Resource Center. Charts covered the walls, and on them, we scribbled our first conceptual drawings. Mark Dyken, Brenda Chapman, and I spent hours discussing how the “village” might look, how we might serve our unsheltered friends and neighbors, […]
It Starts With a Home. It Takes a Village.
The power of community is truly incredible. The recent Resiliency Village online fundraiser generated nearly $30,000 toward the purchase of property in two weeks but it’s not just about the money. The number of donors –many of whom were from out of the area- and the speed with which the funds came in affirm our belief this is the right response at the right time for the issue at hand. The team at RV is grateful for and humbled by the outpouring of support. With each contribution, encouraging message, volunteer […]
#GivingTuesday Online Fundraising Celebration Exceeds Goals in Multiple Ways
Tuesday, December 1, 2020 was #GivingTuesday, a day of generosity which has now become a global tradition on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. This year, it was marked by the need to conduct most events online due to COVID. This online venue-response included the first major fundraising effort for the nonprofit organization, Resiliency Village, of Tuolumne County. The event took place from 5-6:30pm on the Zoom platform as well as Facebook Live and was viewed by hundreds of visitors from all parts of the world. Featured were live and recorded performances […]