Background & brief history
COTS was founded in 1988 in Petaluma, California, by Mary Isaak and Laure Reichek. COTS is strongly supported by the cities of Petaluma and Rohnert Park, the County of Sonoma and by the community as a whole. COTS is the primary provider of emergency shelter, shared housing and related services in the south Sonoma County area. Through our ongoing partnership with other Sonoma County homeless service providers, COTS is a key player in the local Continuum of Care.
From our inception as an informal organization providing sleeping space for a few homeless men on the floor of a church, COTS now serves over 1,000 homeless children and adults annually, providing almost 40,000 bed nights per year. In addition to short term emergency shelter, COTS provides a variety of services and programs that help homeless individuals and families get back under a roof of their own.
Because COTS was developed as a local organization, it continues to enjoy strong community support. Over 2,000 Petalumans (including 20 congregations, numerous businesses and service clubs) think that homelessness is an important issue in our community, and support COTS by donating their time, money and resources.
A Community Response
network, and then into our shared/transitional housing. This ensures continuity of service and strengthens the relationship between the case manager and client family.
Business rigor with a nonprofit heart.
The nonprofit mission of COTS is implemented with businesslike rigor because of the professional experience of the COTS team. Prior work experience of COTS staff includes fiscal management in a Fortune 500 company, corporate and real estate law, corporate training and communications, and general administration in tech companies. COTS staff also includes formerly homeless individuals, providing a unique balance of empathy and inspiration for our clients.
Continuity of management and experience.
COTS’ four senior managers have an aggregate of 40 years with COTS
Program evaluation, development and training.
COTS recently received funding for a two-year project to systematically evaluate and improve all our programs, strengthen our outcomes-based approach to service and to export these findings to other agencies.
Job skills internship pilot program.
This program provides temporary full-time work in the local high tech industry to motivated clients and pairs them with a mentor within the company. The mentor helps the client develop life and professional skills on the job. The program recently graduated its first participant, a COTS resident who is now employed as a skilled full-time administrative assistant with comprehensive employee benefits for herself and her family.
The Children’s Haven.
COTS was the first homeless services agency in the region to offer on-site, licensed daycare. The Haven is integrated with our other programs, and while taking care of the children, enables their parents to find housing and work.
MSW On-staff.
On-site counseling and referral by a highly-experienced and well-trained social worker increases provides easy access to much-needed help.
Housing Specialist On-staff.
Intensive housing search, application assistance, interview coaching and follow-up services give families a better chance to in our very competitive housing market.
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