top of page

ABOUT US

What We Do

Solutions for Supportive Homes is working to promote and create permanent, supportive living environments for adults who live with mental health and cognitive disabilities and need assistance to manage their lives independently. 

 

Our goal is to optimize each person's potential and ensure they will have a secure and enriching place to live in communities that maximize the dignity and well-being of each individual.

What We Do

History

In late 2018, a collaboration forum was organized to address a dire shortage of housing for adults living with serious mental health disabilities. Facilities were closing, housing costs were too high, and aging parent caregivers started to worry their adult son/daughter would have no place to live. The sponsoring organizations were the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) San Mateo County, Edgewood Center for Children and Families, and Caminar.

​

The forum created our working group in January 2019. The group is comprised of parents, family members, and caregivers deeply committed to preventing homelessness. We learned that of the existing housing opportunities, none are clearly focused on quality of life and housing as a basis of health. None offer the safety net of permanency. We went into action, found allies, met with elected officials and decision makers, looked for models that could be replicated. 

 

2020 was our year of community building and creating working relationships with key complementary organizations. We learned about community land trusts and began to search for property to purchase.  We have done the research and found inspiring models to guide our process. 

​

In 2021, Solutions for Supportive Homes is in the process of becoming a 501c3 non-profit organization. Our  aim is  to create quality, permanent supportive homes in a variety of healthy environments—urban, suburban, rural—connected to appropriate whole person services for adults who live with disabling mental health challenges. 

 

We are now actively seeking and evaluating properties in order to identify, purchase, and launch our first permanent supportive housing community. We invite families, residents, and donors to join us in our mission, work with us to prove the concept, and help form models that we can replicate in diverse environments.

​

To find out more about how to participate, email us: 

​

​

History

Thanks!

Leadership Team

Leadership Team

Carolyn Shepard

Executive Coordinator

Educator experienced in non-profit management and charitable giving.

​

​

​

​

Linder Allen

Organizational Development

International experience in organizational development and marketing for the non profit and small business sector. Co-founder of California’s first digital mental health resource network.

Joe Lanam

Finance and Property Research

President and broker of a mortgage services company, with over 30 years of experience in banking, commercial real estate, and real estate financing.

​

Donna Kelley

Business Operations

Business professional with expertise in lean startup development, product, marketing, and management.

​

​

Melinda Henning

Advocacy

Communications expert and advocate, active in the San Mateo County mental health community for 25 years.

​

​

​

Helene Zimmerman

Board Development

Former Executive Director of National Alliance for Mental Health (NAMI) San Mateo County. Board member of California Clubhouse. Mental health advocate.

Barbara Naden

Support Services and Community 

Senior manager in tech startups with extensive experience developing and leading teams.

​

​

​

Jean Perry

Legislative Oversight

Nurse practitioner. Commissioner on the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Recovery Commission, SMC. Lived Experience Education Workgroup with SMC BHRS.

bottom of page