Who We Are
Shelter & services to create stable homes for families
The Family Emergency Shelter Coalition (FESCO) is an Alameda County nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeless families move to self-sufficiency.
We are a coalition of 23 local churches and community members. We are the only shelter in our area that enables families with fathers and teenage sons to stay together during a crisis of homelessness. We serve 80 families per year, most of whom move to permanent housing after their stay. Two-thirds of our residents are children.
Our team members have worked to successfully help connect people to housing for over 35 years and many of them have personally experienced homelessness, either directly or within their families. This creates a space where you can get what you need and begin to replace fear and uncertainty with hope for the future.
Our Mission
Family Emergency Shelter Coalition (FESCO) is on a mission to support homeless families, with the support of the community, as they move from crisis to stability, end their homelessness, and find a place called home.
Our Core Beliefs
In the execution of its mission, FESCO is motivated by the following core beliefs:
- Communities have a responsibility to ensure that every child has a safe and decent place to live and sufficient nutrition to thrive.
- Self-reliance creates self-respect, which strengthens families, individuals, and communities.
- All people, regardless of their circumstances, deserve to be treated with respect, fairness, dignity.
- Accountability is fundamental to the success of the people we serve and our organization.
Our values
We help those around us feel important, connected, and confident in a community of hope. This sense of belonging is rooted in compassion and respect for shared cultures, values, and lived experiences.
We amplify the voices of our community to fight for systems, policies, opportunities, and services that promote social and economic justice and improve the quality of life for all.
We help people recognize and build on their talents, strengths, and goals to enhance their self-determination, leadership, and power.
We engaged in meaningful partnerships with organizations, communities, and the people we serve.
We hold ourselves to the highest standards of respect, truthfulness, follow through, and accountability. As a result, we achieve measurable results for the people and communities we serve.
Our History
FESCO was founded in 1986 by a passionate coalition of everyday people just like you. These community members/churches banded together to address their concerns about the growing number of families falling into homelessness in Mid-Alameda County. In its founding documents, special emphasis was placed on keeping families together during their period of homelessness. Thus, in addition to serving single mothers with children, your support helps us to serve single fathers, two-parent families with children, and families that include a teenage boy.
FESCO is currently comprised of over 22 churches/community members in Mid-Alameda County, most located/living/working in Hayward. Your impact allows FESCO to provide low/extremely low-income homeless families with food, emergency, transitional, permanent housing, and supportive services in furtherance of its mission to move these families toward self-sufficiency.
Our Leadership
Aaron Ortiz
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Jennifer Ellis
Chief Strategy Officer
Aiyana Knowles
Chief Program Officer
Sarah Voit
Program Director
Stephanie Miller
Development MANAGER
Alejandra Ramirez
Development AssOCIATE
Our Board of Directors
Agustin Arteaga Jr., MPA-HCA
Board Chair
Manager Public Works Coordinator
AT&T
René F. Macias, MS-HCA
Board Secretary
Health Services Manager
Eastmont Wellness Center HEAL Alameda Health System
Elgin Lowe
Senior Deputy District Attorney
Alameda County District Attorney's Office
Gabriel A. Arteaga, Ed.D.
Director
American Association of State Colleges and Universities
The Democracy Commitment
Manuel Jimenez, LMFT
Retired Director
Alameda County Behavioral Health
Eleanor Dwyer, LCSW
Retired County Administrator
San Mateo County
The Friends of FESCO who help us
Hayward City
Gloria Santiago
Castro Valley City
Robyn Woidtke
Castro Valley City
Aaron Dahlstedt
Beverly Dahlstedt
Hayward City
Darla Fisher
Hayward City
Bob Peppler (President)
Gail Stringer (Secretary)
Rev. Rochelle Frazier
Castro Valley City
Janet Alfaro
Nancy Robles
Rev. Dr. Shijung Shim
510-581-3486 pastorshijung@castrovalleyumc.org
