After the successful river evacuation program prior to the floods of 2004, the City designated the VSSTF as the community organization that it would look to for advice and guidance on issues relating to homelessness. With the development of the "10-Year Strategy to End Homelessness for Ventura County" and its endorsement by the City and County in June, 2007, the City formally recognized the VSSTF as the lead organization to coordinate, mobilize and guide community action, and to advise City policy makers on public programs of support for ending homelessness in our City.

The VSSTF is governed by a Mission Statement and a Membership Policy. We do our work primarily through four subcommittees that meet monthly.  Alphabetically, the subcommittees are:

Community Education Subcommittee, John Jones, Chair, meets every 2nd Tuesday from 3:00-5:00 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 5654 Ralston, Ventura

Faith Communities Subcommittee, Capt. William Finley, Chair, meets every 1st Tuesday from 4:00-5:00 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 5654 Ralston, Ventura

Gateway Group Subcommittee, Nick Deitch, Chair, meets every 1st and 3rd Friday from 2:00 PM at the Salvation Army, 155 South Oak Street, Ventura

Homeless Prevention Subcommittee, Cindy Cantle, Chair, meets every 4th Wednesday from 4:00-5:00 PM in Supervisor Bennett's offices, 4th Floor, Government Center, Ventura

Housing Options Subcommittee, Loretta McCarty and Carolyn Briggs, Co-Chairs, meets every 2nd Wednesday from 6:00-7:30 PM in the Topping Room, immediately left of E.P. Foster Library, 651 East Main Street, Ventura

The full VSSTF (John Jones, Chair, Capt. William Finley, Vice Chair, Debora Schreiber, Secretary meets every 1st Wednesday from 3:00 to 5:00 PM in the Family to Family dining room, 303 North Ventura Avenue, Ventura, to coordinate subcommittee and other work, and handle overarching issues.  Voting is governed by the membership policy above.

All are encouraged to volunteer to help make positive contributions to the goal of ending homelessness in our city.  Click on the subcommittee links above for more detailed information about their activities.

For additional information, please see www.vsstf.org (under construction), or email John Jones, VSSTF Chair.

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