California Homemakers Association (CHA) - Santa Rosa, California

Garrett W.

One of the best volunteering experiences there is. Unlike when I build houses in Mexico or rebuild in New Orleans, which consist of helping people for a week and then leaving them, we stick with people to provide them the help they need, connecting them with doctors or lawyers, providing food and clothing, providing transportation to anywhere, along with anything else we can provide. The main organizers (all volunteers, like everyone in the organization) really make you feel like you belong, and will never force anything on you. During the Spring semester I had a 6 hour period between classes at the JC, and I offered to volunteer then. They drove me to the place and back, and understood when I couldn't come in because of schoolwork. This summer I have been doing a full day a week, not because I feel pressured to do so, but because the total camaraderie is something I haven't found anywhere else, and it's great to know that you are helping people get what they need.
I honestly shouldn't feel like I should need to add this, because it's a ridiculous accusation, but it isn't a cult. It is a group that is open to all people with the simple goal of helping those who are failed by the system we have. We have got lawyers to help our members with custody battles, class action suits, and tenant disputes. We get our members free medical care from volunteer doctors or dentists if they can't get that support because they are lacking the money to do so. We hold 4 food distributions a week, and if a member needs food at a different time, we can help them with that too. And what do we ask from our members? $.62 a month...as a voluntary donation, just so we can keep the lights and water on and to gas the cars. If they don't have that, it doesn't matter. We have multiple churches that support us, as well as everything from lawyers to jewelry makers to restaurant owners. Do we do other things than just that? Yes. Recently we had 17 of our volunteers go down to the capitol to try to get overtime pay for the people who take care of the disabled and elderly people, which is needed since they only get paid for 1.2 minutes of a doctor's appointment, and they literally save lives when they don't earn enough to be able to truly survive themselves. We got a 7% cut reinstated, but are still fighting to get the overtime pay for these lifesavers. I've worked alongside born-agains, atheists, pagans, blacks, whites, Mexicans, trans people, students, teachers...all sorts of people, together because we realize that the system is set up in a way to make us (those who aren't extremely rich) fail, and the only way we are going to change that is by joining together in protest. We have no religious or political affiliation. We don't take money from the government because they may attach strings to stop us from helping people. None of us make a single dollar from volunteering, even those who are full-time and who sometimes sleep overnight to protect the building and be able to answer calls from people who need help in the middle of the night. We're non-violent. I don't know how we can be called a cult, except by those who need to invent bad-sounding words to smear someone who is actually trying to make some change, something that has happened to every movement who has tried to do such. If you think that there are some problems with how people are being failed by the system and want to change that, the only way we can do so is together. So help us. You won't regret it.

Parker B.

Best Organization in Santa Rosa! All volunteer and always extremely helpful. They are organizing to change things for the better!

If you are working, were working, or plan to work sometime in the future then you should respect CHA and try and get involved.

For their members they try and do the best they possible can to meet their needs and demands, the members are there to direct and help run everything which is amazing. Instead of just a hand out to poor people this is an organization run by poor and working people, students, out of work people and their family's.

Its time for a change,

Thank you CHA!

Shelby K. M. (.

They help as many people as they can with their various benefits... All for the low suggested donation of 62¢ a month!!

Tits A.

This is the best place to volunteer. My name is Lili btw

Janice B.

People are helping people. Truly wonderful people.

Raymond R.

Great organization, they are there for the little man, helping them survive

Karla G.

Erica Diamond is the best! She's so professional!

Alex G.

Always looking for volunteers, lots of ways to help