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Every day, a small army of women and men rise to meet the needs of the tens of thousands of Californians — many of them children, seniors, veterans, or those experiencing mental health and substance use disorders — who live on the streets of our cities and towns.
This army does not bear weapons or ride in tanks. Instead, they are people who work at hospitals: social workers, case managers, nurses, doctors, and more. And they are on the front lines of the fight to care for those with the greatest needs — those who don’t know where they will sleep or when their next meal will be.
As your association, being successful in our work relies on being able to show the importance of yours.
That’s why I’m proud to share the launch of a new project about homelessness, where we are sharing four stories from hospitals throughout the state that invite readers to learn about the quiet, compassionate, and perpetual care that makes a real difference in people’s lives.
This compilation of stories, photos, statistics, and videos, called our “Homeless Guardians” series, is a powerful, compelling glimpse into the lives of hospital workers whose mission is to help those with the most complex challenges, those whom others might cast aside.
The people who choose to work at hospitals also choose, purposefully, to not look the other way. Instead, they turn their time and their lives toward the people who are often cast aside, to those who need their care the most.
For this, they deserve our gratitude and admiration.
I hope you’ll show them that their work matters to you by taking a few minutes to read their stories.
They get at the heart of why California’s hospitals will forever be special places in their communities.
– Carmela
