Joshua's House Provides Dignity and Grace as Hospice to the Homeless.

Marlene Fitzwater: [00:00:00] I interviewed almost, it was 197 I think now, homeless folk, and every single one, regardless of their age, and these were from 18 to 67, I would ask them, what was, what is your biggest fear or concern? And every single one of them said, to be sick and to die alone on the street. And that was a fear they lived with because they were homeless and they didn't see in the future ever having a home.

And so that really stuck with me that we had to provide dignity and love. And then as I got into it, we needed to provide hospice care.

Jeff Holden: I'm Jeff Holden. Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. Our purpose and passion is to highlight a non [00:01:00] profit organization in each weekly episode, giving that organization an opportunity to tell their story, in their words, to better inform and educate the respective communities they serve, as well as provide one more tool for them to share their message to constituents and donors.

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I may even play your message in an upcoming episode. I look forward to more engagement with you as we continue to grow and better serve our nonprofit community. Thanks. This episode on the Nonprofit Podcast Network is one unlike any other. We're all familiar with the plight of our homeless population.

There's a very hidden, dark side to being sick and homeless, and that is what happens when one becomes [00:03:00] terminally ill. The disease is irrelevant. The outcome is the same. To die in squalor, on the streets, alone, is inhumane. We're told it's one of the biggest fears a homeless individual has. We're going to hear firsthand the very personal story of a journey that is emotionally difficult in many ways, is incredibly inspiring in others, And is the epitome of conviction, determination, and perseverance.

It's the spirit and love for her grandson that prompted Dr. Marlene Fitzwater to embark on her journey to build Joshua's House, a hospice home providing dignity to the terminally ill homeless. Marlene Fitzwater, welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Thank you. 

Jeff Holden: We are so excited to have you. You have an absolutely incredible resume.

And The contributions you've made in so many ways, and you're still continuing to invest in [00:04:00] our community. This is going to be just such a wonderful conversation, Marlene. The Health Communications Research Institute was founded in 1989 by you. For context, could you give us a high level overview of what that organization is?

Marlene Fitzwater: Mm hmm. It was focusing originally on communicating with populations that are sometimes hard to communicate with around healthcare disparities, healthcare issues. And we've done over the years a number of projects with a number of different populations, including American Indian tribes. the black population around cancer.

So a number of different populations. We also did a whole series on pain management when that was an issue and developed educational programs for physicians in working with patients who have pain. And so we've had a variety of different projects, but it's always, it's a nonprofit. It's always been about, [00:05:00] delivering information and education to as many people as we could about health care issues.

Jeff Holden: And in its iteration today, what is it, what purpose is it serving today? Is it the envelope for Joshua's house? 

Marlene Fitzwater: Well, it still has its basic mission and vision, which is improving communication to address disparities. And, and so one of the disparities we discovered a few years ago was the homeless population.

And so that's its focus right now. And so we do a number of things besides Joshua's house. We also, again, do a lot of educational programs for physicians, for interns and social work students, nursing students. So we're still, we're still doing what we were doing, but with a little different focus and our focus is on the homeless.

Jeff Holden: Boy, I can't imagine where you find the energy and time to juggle all the pieces and almost a [00:06:00] general contractor the last six, seven years. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Yes, yes. That's been a whole new, new trend for me. Yes. And so I had a lot to learn when we made a decision. To try to create a place for the terminally ill homeless to go Because a lot of people don't understand that if you're terminally ill and homeless, you don't have access to hospice And we know over the years the importance and significance of hospice care But if you don't have a home You don't get hospice.

And so, that's been our focus for the last seven years is creating a facility, some sort of facility or community, where terminally ill homeless folks can be discharged by their health system or hospital to Joshua's house and then be provided with hospice care through it. Their hospital and their health care and we [00:07:00] provide everything else.

So we would provide comfort care clothing meals Trained hospice volunteers. We even we even have at Joshua's house the first trained and certified end of life doulas Which is taking the doula concept and serving people who are terminally ill if they want someone more close to them and more frequent, they stay, they can stay with a patient 24 hours.

And so, we've added some things to hospice care that didn't exist before. But that, but that's our focus now. 

Jeff Holden: And let me ask you, how we got there? Because it came almost through a circuitous route. Yes. To end up in this situation of serving the homeless. And it really isn't about just oncology or cancer.

It's. Any disease that they may be suffering from at their terminal. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Exactly. 

Jeff Holden: But something near and dear to you caused this. Would you explain that to us? 

Marlene Fitzwater: Yes. And I hope I can [00:08:00] do it without crying. 

Jeff Holden: It's okay. We understand. 

Marlene Fitzwater: I had a, I had a grandson, Joshua, who I was in the delivery room when he was born.

And helped babysit him and take care of him when he was little. And as he got older, we kind of drifted apart. And so I didn't have contact with him for several years and then he reached out and we reconnected and I at that time he was homeless. He was a young adult and he was homeless because he had developed a drug addiction and But he he was the smartest kid and and the greatest he was a poet.

He was a musician He played the guitar beautifully. He sang wonderful songs. Very creative and imaginative. And so, and this is kind of unique in that instead of calling each other all the time, he wrote these incredible letters. Nobody writes letters anymore. He writes. And he wrote and would put in [00:09:00] an art piece or a poem or something.

And so we just started, and he was kind of in and out of jail and, you know, things happen. But we wrote to each other all the time and shared things. And he started sharing stories about other homeless people that he would encounter. And and so I, I became kind of interested in this homeless population because I learned that I think a lot of people think they're all pretty much either addicts.

or alcoholics and just have never tried to do anything other than that. And what I learned from Josh and then later from my own interviewing over 200 homeless people, the majority of people who are homeless got that way because usually it's because of a bankruptcy or somehow they lost They're home or lost their job, something happened, a spouse died, and they became homeless.

And once you're homeless, it's really hard to get out of that. And so [00:10:00] I, I just learned a whole lot more about that situation. And and then he started telling me about people he met who were terminally ill. They, they'd gone in to the ER and they were diagnosed as terminally ill with. Usually only a month or two left to live and they had nowhere to go.

So initially we were just talking about housing people, how, how we could help do that. And then, because, as I said, earlier in my life, many years ago, I, when I first came to Sacramento to accept a position at Sac State, I started the Sacramento Hospice Association, because my doctoral dissertation was about death and dying.

And, uh, And I, so I started the Hospice Association here and was involved in that and had patients that I was their hospice volunteer. But then I'd gone on to other things since then, so that was sort of just something that happened back then. [00:11:00] And I realized in talking to Josh that, That's what they needed.

They needed hospice care to help relieve their pain and to help relieve the suffering. It's going to give 

Jeff Holden: them some dignity too because what a horrible situation to be suffering and dying like that alone. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Well, I interviewed almost, it was 197 I think now, homeless folks. 

Jeff Holden: 200 works. And, 

Marlene Fitzwater: and Every single one, regardless of their age, and these were from 18 to 67, uh, regardless of their age, their biggest fear, I would ask them finally at the end, after talking about their health care and their, how they were doing and their housing need and so forth, I would ask them, what is your biggest fear or concern?

And every single one of them said, to be sick and to die alone on the street. For And that was a fear they lived with because they were homeless and they didn't see in the future ever having a [00:12:00] home. And, and so that really stuck with me that we had to provide dignity and love. And then, as I got into it, we needed to provide hospice care.

Jeff Holden: Yeah, dignity and love only goes so far when you have no place to provide it. Or you're in 

Marlene Fitzwater: extreme pain. 

Jeff Holden: Right. Right. 

Marlene Fitzwater: I had cancer, cervical cancer, and almost died, and I know the pain of The last days of that as you're, as you're, you know, I didn't die, obviously, but And we're 

Jeff Holden: very grateful for that, too. I 

Marlene Fitzwater: am very grateful for that.

So, yeah, there's a lot of pain control and just comfort and, and, you know, decent meals and, and volunteers who can do things for you, like write letters or read to you or play cards with you or something. And so that, that really became the dream, and the hope, and the vision for Joshua's house. 

Jeff Holden: And it's interesting, you were already going down that [00:13:00] path prior to Joshua's passing.

Marlene Fitzwater: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And then, what was the catalyst there? 

Marlene Fitzwater: He died of an overdose on the streets of Omaha, Nebraska in 2014. And so, that's when I really, I made the commitment that I was going to create Joshua's house in his memory. And that's what's kept me going. I mean, I can't tell you how many challenges and problems there have been, but, but every single time it was going back to, for me to go back to that.

How much I loved him and cared about him and how horrible that was. So, yeah. 

Jeff Holden: How beautiful you can build this legacy though. And that you started it together. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: You know, it was, it was something that was born out of a conversation between you. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: With that understanding of compassion and dignity and love for the homeless.

Marlene Fitzwater: Right. 

Jeff Holden: What brought you to the, the genesis of I'm going to build this house [00:14:00] now. Yeah. In Sacramento. Because That's a lot of work. That's not communications. That's actually construction. It's a different sea, which is a lot harder to deal with. 

Marlene Fitzwater: So I had to learn a lot about. I can only 

Jeff Holden: imagine. 

Marlene Fitzwater: And some of the lessons I learned, I didn't know.

Um, I have four sons and three of them live in Salt Lake. One lives here and two of the ones in law enforcement, but the others are all involved in some way with, with building, cabinet building or building. And I didn't know, nor did they, that California has the most permits and inspections of any state.

Jeff Holden: Yeah, we might call that restrictive building process, right? 

Marlene Fitzwater: Well, that, and it's very expensive. Right. I'm realizing it'll cost me probably 2, 000. It's actually a little over 100, 000 just for permits and inspections. Which I hadn't budgeted. I didn't think about. I didn't know you needed that. [00:15:00] So I've learned a lot about that.

I've learned a lot about work that contractors do and subcontractors do, who does what, I mean, all of that, and how to negotiate decent agreement with folks to do the work. So, I've learned a lot about, I hope I don't ever have to do this again, but I've learned a lot about the building industry. 

Jeff Holden: Well, we're going to talk about the expansion at some point.

That comes up in a question here. So, we'll be looking at that. I think the sad part that people don't realize is Sacramento in the latest, survey was roughly 000 homeless people. 20 to 25 percent will die on the streets, right? It's an amazing number. That's 15, 1600 people who will pass on our streets. And I think last year I saw a stat from you were on the website for 190 people passed away in Sacramento on the street, right?

And that's just not right. It's just not right. So. [00:16:00] You've got the project started. Tell us a little bit about what's happening. Where is it? What's going on with it and we'll get into some of the details of the, uh, of the operation in a second. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Okay. Well, we started about seven years ago with a building on North C street and it's an incredible, I fell in love with that building the moment I saw it.

You know, it's 

Jeff Holden: hard for a lot of people to say you fell in love with a building on C street. 

Marlene Fitzwater: I know, I know, but it's an incredible building and, and so it was for sale 

Jeff Holden: and, uh, 

Marlene Fitzwater: and I Also, at the same time, the women's roller skating group rented it for a little over 4, 000 a month and they paid for it. for their, their use on Saturday night.

They did their roller skating thing because it was just a big empty building. No, it wasn't broken down into segments or anything. It was just a big empty building. And so I was able to purchase it. [00:17:00] And keep them there, roller skating and using it as we begin to develop it. Nice to have a tenant as you're working on the process.

Yes, it was very nice because it covered my monthly payment. Yeah. And they were great to work with. And so, started with that building. And of course, it was almost 100 years old. And so there were a lot of issues about the structure, And what would need to be done and, and all of that. So I had to bring in different architects and different people to look at everything.

I have to also say that at the beginning of this, one of the first people I met with to support the project, was Jeff Harris, who was a city councilman at the time, and I always tease him because I remember going in and sitting down in front of him and he having this very stern look like, okay, well, tell me what you want.

I can tell you, no, we'll be done. And I started telling him about Joshua's house and pretty soon I see tears in his eyes and it turns [00:18:00] out that he had just had his mother move in with him and provide hospice care to her until she died. And he, he said, I never thought about That if you're homeless, you can't have hospice care.

It never occurred to him. Very aware of the homeless problem. And very concerned about it. But hadn't made that connection. And so from that point on, he was a huge supporter. And 

Jeff Holden: If that isn't testament to there are no coincidences. 

Marlene Fitzwater: I know! I know. I know, and the only reason I did it, there is an organization in Salt Lake City called The In Between, and they started a hospice house for the eternally ill homeless probably a year before, and I learned a lot from them.

I went there, I met with them, I got a lot of information, and kind of learned about what they did that worked and what they did that didn't. And one of the things they did that didn't work was, they didn't. [00:19:00] meet with the city council. They didn't meet with the mayor. They didn't until they were ready to open and then they went and presented it and they didn't open for another year.

Jeff Holden: And they had to carry all that expense. Yes. 

Marlene Fitzwater: And so I was like, okay, I'm going to start there. And so I met with Daryl Steinberg in November before he took office, met with several of the city council members. And knew, had them know about it and be supportive of it before I actually moved forward. And so, I think that, that was one of the issues.

And then, I'm trying to think if there were any other issues. But I think it was just, As we went on, oh, and that building on North C Street was a historic, you know, historic site. 

Jeff Holden: On top of it. On top of it. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Top of its age. And so, that meant we couldn't do certain things we had to do. So, after about two years, it became really, really clear that [00:20:00] we couldn't use that building.

And so, I'm going, okay, we've got this building. And two months before that, the roller skating group. They got a building donated to them. So it was like, Oh my God, I have this debt and I, you know, what are we going to do? And so I put it up for sale and in two weeks we sold it. 

Jeff Holden: Wow. 

Marlene Fitzwater: It's still sitting there empty, but the people who bought it, I think their plan is to create a kind of a kitchen thing that provides meals to restaurants.

They've been in that process of developing that over the years, but to have sold it in two weeks and I lost only a total of about 200, 000. So, and then the other thing that happened in meeting with. The city council and the mayor, I got introduced to Nick Abdis, who is a land use attorney, incredible, incredible attorney.

And he stepped up and [00:21:00] volunteered and I've had his legal services for all these years. And I can't tell you how many hours and how many issues he's dealt with. Amazing guy. So it's like coincidence. Yeah. people who, who became such key players in all of this. So then we, we started looking for other property and we really couldn't find anything that would work.

And then I don't remember exactly, I think it was through Daryl Steinberg that the city got kind of involved with us looking for property. And, Jeff Harris said the city owns a little over an acre of property on just off of Northgate and on Larchwood Avenue that's been sitting there empty for years and it's completely vacant.

There's nothing on it and we're going to lease it to you. For 25 [00:22:00] years, renewable for another 25 years, at no rent, we just pay annual property tax. 

Jeff Holden: Wow. 

Marlene Fitzwater: So we had to get, write that, sign that agreement immediately. So we had the property, and then Nick actually shared that they had just brought someone on his dad's property to help run their business, who they got and bought a trailer.

Yeah. Yeah. And it was a beautiful trailer and they put it on the property and it worked really great. So we said, why don't we look at that? So we started looking, we looked at trailers and then we decided manufactured homes would be better because we could have the manufactured ADA compliant to help people who couldn't, weren't mobile.

Jeff Holden: Sure. Well, especially in that state. Yeah. If they're coming in a hospice already, they likely is, they're not going to be very mobile to begin with. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Right, and so ended up connecting with a factory in Arizona that builds, creates manufactured [00:23:00] houses and were able to, over time, purchase six of them and they're ADA compliant.

They're three bedroom each and they each have a kitchen, a laundry room, bathroom, living room and dining area. And so everything that people need to live comfortably. And the rooms are good size. And so we knew it would work. And so we purchased six of those. They've since been in storage, which I have to pay for every month, and insured, which I have to pay for.

So the longer this has taken, there's been that added expense. Well, you had 

Jeff Holden: this unfortunate circumstance called COVID that got in the way of your process. That's 

Marlene Fitzwater: right. Exactly. Exactly. And as you know, California really shut everything down. Right. And so, thank goodness, the factory in Arizona has accommodated us by storing them safely, and, and we'll transfer them here when the foundations are ready.

Okay. So, we [00:24:00] finally, and then it was just all, as I mentioned, all the permits and inspections that have had to happen for everything, because turned out the soil on the property wasn't sufficient. They had to bring in new soil and, and, and then discovered that the sewer line and the water line in the street in front, where the front entrance will be, had not been placed properly by the city in years past.

We had to correct that. 

Jeff Holden: That's why that was such a big deal on the website. I didn't quite understand, but I saw that video on the website. And I didn't 

Marlene Fitzwater: have, what's a big deal about 

Jeff Holden: a waterline and sewer line? 

Marlene Fitzwater: Because it, it, you know, it was going back and forth with the city about where it should be, since it wasn't in the right place.

And how to, you know, do it right so it could connect to the houses on the property. That took, I don't know how many months. And then also discovered there were no manholes. So we had to put. Yeah. Have manholes created, which [00:25:00] I didn't know. They weren't just in supply somewhere. You actually have to have manufactured.

Jeff Holden: Who knew. Right? 

Marlene Fitzwater: So that whole process is taken forever, but now that's pretty much all done. There's still a little bit of finishing up on the property. And now we're ready to bring in a new contractor who will lay the cement for the drive in and the sidewalk and all of that, and get ready to bring the houses in.

Get the foundations, ready. and bring the houses in. So, they're looking to kind of do all of this through the rest of October and November and as I mentioned, open late November. 

Jeff Holden: And as we speak, this is mid October. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Right. 

Jeff Holden: So, you're maybe just a month away from this dream being realized. I'm 

Marlene Fitzwater: hoping. For real, for real.

For real, for real. Yes. 

Jeff Holden: That's exciting. 

Marlene Fitzwater: It is exciting. Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: I can only imagine over the seven year process you finally get to see it come to fruition You got those water lines and the sewer lines and, and, and now you're down to [00:26:00] pads for the properties or for the Right. The buildings that use themselves and landscaping 

Marlene Fitzwater: and fencing.

We're gonna do wrought iron fencing around with a gate lock gate. Yeah. That kind of thing. Because we also had some conflict from about five neighbors who kind of spread some misinformation. Mm-Hmm. 

Jeff Holden: your. Number, I think that's 18 units or 18 bedrooms you would have, six units, three bedrooms. We'll 

Marlene Fitzwater: have 15 bedrooms to start in the six homes.

We're using one of the houses for offices and storage and training rooms. 

Jeff Holden: But 

Marlene Fitzwater: the five houses, each has three, there'll be 15 bedrooms, but there is space on the property for three more ADA manufactured homes. And so the goal over the next few years is to get those added. So we'd take up to 25. 

Jeff Holden: See, you're already adding.

I knew that was going to happen. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Well, yeah. 

Jeff Holden: As we look at the people you serve, are there any criteria you have for somebody to be eligible to get [00:27:00] into the homes? 

Marlene Fitzwater: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. Share that, please. 

Marlene Fitzwater: First of all, they have to be, they could have mild mental health issues if they're on medication and take that. But if they're severely mentally ill, we don't have the capacity, and the hospitals don't have the capacity to care for them in the homes.

And so, there's some requirements for, and we worked for several years, three years I think, with the healthcare systems. They helped develop the eligibility. So they know what they can handle and what they can provide hospice care to. And so that's one, they, you know, fairly mentally alert, mentally healthy.

They can't be alcoholic dependent or drug dependent. If they are, they can go through a detox and then come into Joshua's house, but they'd have to agree to do that. 

Jeff Holden: That's actually, that's a beautiful thing because then they're coming in clean and sober. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Right. Right. Yeah. And [00:28:00] no smoking in the houses. And pets.

A lot of the homeless have, particularly have dogs. Right. And at first we were trying to figure out how we could let them bring their dogs in with them and stay with them. But that just became the norm. a big issue health wise and everything else. And so what we've done is partner with a nonprofit organization that will take the dog house, break them, train them and place them in a loving home with an agreement that if the patient wants to see their dog, that they'll bring the dog to them to visit so they can come visit them.

They just can't live there. 

Jeff Holden: Do you have an idea on the expected average stay 

Marlene Fitzwater: in the facility? We're looking at right now, once they're diagnosed as terminally ill and they've been homeless for any length of time, they generally don't last longer than, a month or [00:29:00] two. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. Shorter than I would have expected.

Marlene Fitzwater: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. Yeah. 

Marlene Fitzwater: I mean, just because they, they aren't, sometimes they're not getting regular treatment anyway, but because of living outside and that number, yeah. And that number goes up in the cold of winter and the heat of summer because other issues come up. 

Jeff Holden: We're going to hear more from Marlene on who she's worked with Who's helped her get this project complete right after these messages from the people who make our program possible.

I was in the media business for over 35 years and had the great privilege of working with Runyon Saltzman, RSE, Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations. We collaborated on many different campaigns, but their commitment to the non profit sector hasn't changed since their founder Gene Runyon started the agency.

Over many years and many campaigns, Runyon Saltzman has been committed to improving lives by tackling California's most challenging issues. Guided by research informed strategies and insightful, creative [00:30:00] solutions, RSC develops innovative communications campaigns that raise awareness Educate and reduce stigma in diverse communities throughout our state and beyond.

To learn more about RSE, visit rs e. com. 

Scott Thomas: Hello, this is Scott Thomas with CAP Trust in our Sacramento office. I specialize in working with local nonprofits and associations. Annually, we survey private and public nonprofit organizations across the country to better understand challenges they in today's environment.

In our more recent survey, we heard concerns about proper board governance, mission aligned investment, and how to implement alternative investments. If you would like a copy of the survey or to discuss your organization, look me up, scottthomasatcaptrust. com. 

Jeff Holden: I'm thrilled to have Western Health Advantage partnering with us as they do so much to support so many non profit agencies in our community.

As a truly local health plan, you'll find individual and family options, employer [00:31:00] options, plans for CalPERS and Medicare Advantage. From medical services to pharmacy, health and wellness support, as well as behavioral health care, Western Health Advantage has a plan that fits what you need. as an employer for profit or non profit business.

As far as the people that you're collaborating with, you mentioned one already, that's, that's great to hear you have, you know, an animal facility that's able to work with, with The dogs or cats, whatever their pet might be. Who else do you collaborate? Who else has been instrumental and will continue to be instrumental in the project?

Marlene Fitzwater: Well, I certainly think the hospitals and healthcare systems. They've been part of this since the beginning. And so they're certainly very much involved. It will save them an immense amount of money to have a place to place these folks. 

Jeff Holden: To keep them out of the ER all the time. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Exactly. Exactly. 

Jeff Holden: And are they volunteer?

Or is it a paid [00:32:00] service in some way, shape, or form? 

Marlene Fitzwater: Well, volunteer in terms of the patient and, and Joshua's house and, and who provides that. But they can bill, if the person has Medi Cal, there's a way for them to bill Medi Cal for the care. But the care is provided regardless of what they have, what insurance or whatever they have.

Jeff Holden: That's wonderful. How about anybody else? Community organizations that, how do they, I don't think it's going to be an issue because once you exist, your capacity is so small. I think it's just going to be so obvious. You'll be full all the time. But how are people learning about you? Who, who's out there?

Who else do you interface with? Is it law enforcement who sees people on the street? 

Marlene Fitzwater: Yes, very much. Interact with a lot with law enforcement. Interact a lot with churches. A lot of churches now are providing beds for homeless people or meals for homeless people. So work [00:33:00] a lot with the churches and the synagogues.

I work a lot with community groups like Natomas, where, where we'll be located with their chamber. And so doing everything from speaking and sharing information about Joshua's house, but also ways that they can volunteer and help if they're interested. They've also helped us with fundraising a lot. And as I mentioned, the city and the county, the city especially has been very helpful and very supportive.

And the county is, has been really good about that. So, and then groups, a lot of the homeless now, sadly, are veterans. And so, working with that groups and associations that, that help veterans, doing a lot with them. So, it's pretty much any, Any, almost any non profit that has anything to do with the homeless, we reach out and let them know, and how can we help you and how you can help us.

And 

Jeff Holden: that's certainly something we'll be doing too to make sure as we [00:34:00] have them come through and sit in that chair to share, did you know about. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Yeah, that would be great. In so many 

Jeff Holden: cases, it happens so often where somebody's not aware. Exactly. You didn't know? How did you not know that? You know, this is right in your wheelhouse.

Marlene Fitzwater: Right. Exactly. Exactly. And Perry Communications Group has been kind of our, our marketing and PR folks and, and they've created a bi weekly e newsletter. We've got almost 2, 000 subscribers, um, to that. And so it helps to get the, the word out and, and also I have to say we just reached an agreement with SMUD and they're providing all of their services.

free. 

Jeff Holden: You're kidding. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Including once we open they believe we'll qualify for a community based program. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. 

Marlene Fitzwater: That, that we wouldn't have to pay extreme electric bills. 

Jeff Holden: Mm hmm. I can't tell you how many times we have somebody again in this seat. The organizations that come up, there are several that are open.

Every single [00:35:00] time SMUD's one of them, Rayleigh's is the other. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Yeah. We 

Jeff Holden: just hear so many times, well, one of our big supporters, in some way, shape, or form, not always monetarily. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Right. 

Jeff Holden: As in SMUD, it's not monetarily directly, but it certainly is on an expense side of things. Right. 

Marlene Fitzwater: And they've covered, I mean, there obviously are huge costs of putting electricity into the site.

And they've covered all of that. 

Jeff Holden: That's fantastic. 

Marlene Fitzwater: So they've been fantastic. Fantastic. 

Jeff Holden: Tell me a little bit about the, the budgeting. What's the expected annual revenue expense of the operation that you anticipate at this point? Well, let 

Marlene Fitzwater: me tell you how it's going to work because at my age, I know I can't run Joshua's house.

And I would like to do a couple other things before I leave this plant. Well, we 

Jeff Holden: still three, three, three more units have to get out of the property, right? Well, yeah, I'll, I'll help 

Marlene Fitzwater: with that. But. And so once Joshua's house is completed and ready to open, I'm turning it over to Yolo Cares, which is [00:36:00] probably one of the only non profit hospices in the area anymore.

And they've been around for over 30 years. Incredible organization. And the CEO, Craig, has been part of Joshua's house since day one. He was on our board. He's been part of it. And as we've gotten to know each other, we've discovered Former paths We've kind of gone along the same path. I was really active in the AIDS movement and the care for AIDS, and so was Craig in Chicago.

And then he was brought here to head up Yolo Hospice. Now it's called Yolo Cares, but I'm turning it over. So they will operate it. They already have staff lined up, a CEO and a manager and nursing staff and everybody they need. They're anticipating a little over, I think, 200, 000 a year to run it. But they've already gotten money in place and grants in place to help cover that cost.

Jeff Holden: Fantastic. 

Marlene Fitzwater: That's great. So that they don't have to worry about it, at least from the [00:37:00] beginning. 

Jeff Holden: Right. 

Marlene Fitzwater: And, and I know that, that they are. People, he's, Craig's, and I'm going to be on their board, as long as I want to be, to be sure this is done the way I want it. But Craig and I have already had so many conversations and we both really agree on, on the mission and vision and what we want to do.

What a 

Jeff Holden: perfect collaboration. That turned out to be right. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Oh my god, it did. And it's one of those again, that how, how I met someone like that. And so I'm grateful. I'm very grateful. I, one of my sons keeps saying, Josh is up there working, mom. Yes, he is. 

Jeff Holden: Well, he's getting to pull the strings from 

Marlene Fitzwater: the 

Jeff Holden: top.

The fundraising elements of it. Let's talk a little bit about that. And I'm going to give you a vision piece first. If money wasn't an object, I know this is the fun part, right? What would that look like? What could, what do you see it looking like? 

Marlene Fitzwater: Well, I know it wouldn't have taken seven years. 

Jeff Holden: This is true.

Marlene Fitzwater: I'd probably be younger. [00:38:00] It just would have saved a lot of heartbreak and work and 10 hour days and concern. And it would have happened faster. We would have opened faster. And we probably, if money was no concern, we'd probably have a bigger facility because we know the needs there. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. 

Marlene Fitzwater: So, yeah, I think it would be bigger and it would have happened sooner.

We would have been open. 

Jeff Holden: And I, I can see just from the story and the need that the opportunity is there. If that funding continues, if there's an opportunity to continue, you get three and, and you can get that many on that property. What's the next parcel? Where does somebody else have one they would like to donate?

It's. a well cared for facility versus some of the other options that could happen in a particular neighborhood. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Right. 

Jeff Holden: So, what a big plus that is. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And I'm sure it'll be nicely done in terms of its landscaping. It's going to be beautiful. Right. 

Marlene Fitzwater: It's right across the street from a grade school. So, we did have some pushback from, from the [00:39:00] principal, and like I said, there have been about five neighbors who've done everything in their power to prevent this from happening.

But there's also been an incredible number of parents and grandparents of children in that school who've written wonderful letters about how, Their children want to be involved. They want to volunteer and bake cookies. Getting the words right out of my 

Jeff Holden: mouth. 

Marlene Fitzwater: And they see that as such an opportunity for their children to learn about compassion and caring for each other.

Jeff Holden: Right. 

Marlene Fitzwater: And so that's been great. I think, and I have met with people who've flown in from all over the United States who want to create something like Joshua's house somewhere else. And I've, I'm happy to give advice, to share plans, to do anything they need to help support that, because we're going to need a lot of these across the country, unless we put every homeless person in a 

Jeff Holden: house, not 

Marlene Fitzwater: going to 

Jeff Holden: happen.

How about greatest need today? You're, you're just about to open. You have to do a little bit of [00:40:00] anticipation on this one because you're not there yet, but what is the greatest need? Since we're talking to a lot of people with this concept through the podcast, what would you say? 

Marlene Fitzwater: Well, the greatest need right now, unfortunately, is, is about a million dollars to finish this up and get everything open.

And then as we move forward, I think, I think trained hospice volunteers. We'll be immensely helpful with more facilities or more trained end of life doulas. Because these people, their families aren't there for them. Even if they, and the majority of homeless people live. Were born and raised in sacramento.

I know there's been some talk about people are coming in here from somewhere else and I haven't seen that the majority of people i've interviewed and talked to they were born and raised here They may have gone off and done something in their adult life and come back and then come back. Yeah Yeah, so [00:41:00] I think future need, you know help with raising money I'm sure they'll continue to need help raising money To just provide the, we're going to have to provide clothing, all their clothing, all their bedding.

I'm having to buy hospital beds and, you know, furnish the houses so they're comfortable. The Rotary, Sacramento Rotary, has donated about 10, 000 worth of 20 beautiful leather recliners and throw rugs and floor lamps that they've been holding in storage for us. So, We have some things like that, but I think just you know those things are gonna wear out clothing's gonna wear I mean, I think there'll be continuous need for things like that.

Jeff Holden: Yeah, that's just that maintenance part of the operation. Exactly. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Exactly. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah Well, if people are interested, where do they go to learn more? about the operation? 

Marlene Fitzwater: I would say our website. We try to give all the information on our website about not [00:42:00] only current things that are going on, but we have, as I mentioned, an e newsletter that goes out every other week.

And can you 

Jeff Holden: subscribe to that on the website? It's free and you can 

Marlene Fitzwater: subscribe to it. We have blogs. We have letters of support from, from key people like Matsui, Doris Matsui. 

Jeff Holden: Oh, wonderful. 

Marlene Fitzwater: She was kind of our initial. campaign leader, 

Jeff Holden: cheerleader catalyst for you. 

Marlene Fitzwater: And so that's all on our website. So it's www.

joshuashousehospice. org. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. And we will put that in the show notes too, for anybody. If you're looking on your phone, you can click right through and get to the, right. You know, get to the website. Dr. Fitzwater, you are. You're truly an amazing human being. And I'm sitting here, I can only imagine how disarming you were to so many people as you came with your cause, this, this, this, this powerhouse of a little tiny woman who's coming in and saying, no, we're going to get this done.

Marlene Fitzwater: We're going to get it done. How 

Jeff Holden: do we say no? You know, you're working in the field of [00:43:00] cancer alone as a lifetime of service. That is, is huge. Your, your communications. Institute and provision of what you were doing with the original nonprofit is a lifetime for some people. And here you are starting yet another operation in, I have to 

Marlene Fitzwater: say, one of the things I'm really proud of is we created the mother's wisdom breast health program for native American women who would not go have a mammogram and would not seek prevention because they didn't think that was.

What they should do. 

Jeff Holden: Culturally not appropriate. 

Marlene Fitzwater: It was culturally. And so, I connected, partnered with an American Indian woman who taught me a lot about tribal beliefs and about that culture and, and together with a group of American Indian women we created the Mother's Wisdom Breast Health Program, which is still being carried on.

in, in tribes to, to get Native American women to have mammograms and seek preventative care and treatment. 

Jeff Holden: I, I'm afraid if we [00:44:00] go on, we're going to keep 

Marlene Fitzwater: identifying these things, if we'd be going 

Jeff Holden: for another hour of the stuff that you originated. Well, realizing a vision of this magnitude with what you're doing with Joshua's, Joshua's House and completing the project.

And I understand we may even have some good news. By the time this airs with regard to that million dollars. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Exactly. 

Jeff Holden: Go ahead and, and share that. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Okay. Well, I'm very happy to report that the county, Emily with the county on, has stepped up and she in a matter of weeks has managed to come up with a little over a million 

Jeff Holden: dollars.

That is so cool. 

Marlene Fitzwater: So Anthem Blue Cross, she was able to work with them and we're getting a 400, 000 grant from them. And then we're getting over 600, 000. I think it's 687, 000. which will give us all the money we need to finish the project and furnish it and have it open before the end of the year. 

Jeff Holden: That's [00:45:00] amazing.

It is amazing. That is just amazing. And it's so exciting to be here to be able to share that. 

Marlene Fitzwater: Absolutely. So when, 

Jeff Holden: when people do listen, they'll go, Oh gosh, a million dollars. She's not going to get it. She's not going to make it. And then by the time the episode's over, we will have it. We'll be open. You'll notice that it came in.

Well, giving dignity, dignity at Life's End for those who are most in need and, and forgotten and alone is a monumental task and one that deserves a tremendous amount of recognition. So thank you so much for what you're doing and I cannot wait to see the grand opening of Joshua's house. 

Marlene Fitzwater: I can't wait either.

Thank you so much for having me on. 

Jeff Holden: Thank you.

Thank you for listening to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. I hope you enjoyed the episode. If what you heard moved you, please reach out to that organization and do what you can to help. If you like and appreciate what we're doing to support local nonprofits, please give us a positive [00:46:00] review. Subscribe.

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