Homeless In San Diego

Randy and his wife were living off of social security, in an unsafe housing situation, and on the verge of eviction.  In 2021, Interfaith Community Services connected with them via our Home Safe Program, a homelessness prevention program for Seniors in our community. When asked why Randy chose to be a guest on our podcast, he shared “I was in a situation for a year when I saw no way out.  I did not know about Interfaith, and I just can’t believe what they did for us, or that it was even possible.  It was like a miracle. I get up every day giving thanks for it. Interfaith really takes good care of you and makes sure you are doing ok all the time. They don’t just say here you are…they make sure you continue to do ok.” This is our last episode for Season 2 and we look forward to you joining us again for Season 3 this Summer.

Joining us for this two-part podcast series, Levi Giafaglione reflects on his journey overcoming homelessness, his experience working in social services agency and exploring land investments.  Levi invites us to consider how each of us can be change makers. If you have not already, tune into the previous podcast for a series you won’t want to miss!

Meet Levi Giafaglione. Three years ago he started listening to our podcast and set a goal of one day being a guest and sharing his own experiences and reflections on overcoming homelessness. Levi has now made that goal a reality, and we are proud to be able to share his personal story and the various challenges he faced while living in “survival mode”. Tune in to hear about Levi’s struggles with homelessness and stay tuned for the next recording where he will be sharing his amazing success journey. This is a podcast you won’t want to miss!

Join us for an invaluable conversation discussing homelessness and giv4, an initiative of the Jewish Community Foundation San Diego and twelve curated local nonprofits confronting homelessness in San Diego.  The goal of giv4 is to learn about homelessness, the affordable housing crisis and different solutions in San Diego County.  Two of the twelve organizations receiving funding from this collective effort are Interfaith Community Services and HEAL, Homeless Experienced Advocacy & Leadership.  Ollie Benn, Director of Philanthropy and Social Impact at Jewish Community Foundation San Diego, joins Greg Anglea and Vanessa Graziano, representatives of two of the organizations in this inspiring conversation you do not want to miss.  Contact Us: interfaithservices.org/contact Interested in supporting Interfaith Community Services: www.interfaithservices.org/donate Learn more about giv4: https://giv4.jcfsandiego.org/  

Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, along with Interfaith colleague Shira Jacobs, welcome you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast. Joining us today is Vanessa. A few years ago, Vanessa lived in her car and lost her three children while she battled addiction. In her own healing process, she started a non-profit program, Oceanside Homeless Resource, now also called "Love on the ground." Listen to Vanessa's powerful story about hope, love, compassion, open hearts and minds. In Vanessa's own words, "Let us walk together and be love on the ground." Contact Us: interfaithservices.org/contact Learn more about HEAL, Homeless-Experienced Advocacy & Leadership Network: housingsandiego.org/heal-network  

Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast. Joining us today is John Brady and Levi who share a bit about their lived unsheltered experiences and their strong recommendation for San Diego community members supporting people-centered solutions including Safe Villages.  There is growing discussion in San Diego around the need to create safe villages, either as alternatives to traditional shelter or addressing our need to increase capacity as the shelters are full. This is a conversation you do not want to miss.

Please join us in listening to our inspiring conversation with David Baker and Justin Lipford.  David serves as the Program Director for Housing Our Youth at the YMCA of San Diego County. David has previously been a guest on our podcast (March and April 2019), sharing his personal journey experiencing generational homelessness and inspiring others to elevate their voices for change.  David’s advocacy work focuses on matters of equity and access for young adults. Justin serves as the Director of Community Engagement for YMCA’s Community Support Services in San Diego, and is passionate about connecting young adults to the resources necessary to flourish.     Contact Interfaith Community Services: Call (760) 489-6380 to speak with a Case Manager Weekdays from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM. For emergency services during non-business hours, please call 211.  Contact David Baker: 760.908.9126 | dbaker@ymcasd.org  Housing Our Youth is a program that provides specialized assistance to young adults up to the age of 24 who are at

John Brady and Bruce, San Diego Homeless-Experienced Advocacy and Leadership (HEAL) Network members, joined us in conversation addressing myths, the importance of move-in ready housing with integrated services, financial accountability and system improvements are integral for success in supporting our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Learn more about John’s initiative Lived Advisors, People who have experienced homelessness being compensated for their work serving as advisors: https://www.livedadvisers.com/

Host Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast. Joining us today is Ross. Prior to connecting with Interfaith, Ross shares, "My life was in shambles. Interfaith saved my life. I am now on the right path with sobriety, purpose, and a whole new outlook on life. Everyone needs help. You can’t do it on your own.”

Host Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast. Joining us today is Hugh. Hugh joined us to share his reflections on working with Interfaith. “They Listen. Ask questions. Asking for help is the hardest, but they kept on reminding me that I have a purpose. Life keeps getting better.”

Host Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast. Joining us today is Beverly. Her story highlights the shortage of shelter beds in San Diego County, the reality that many people experiencing homelessness are employed, and the positive impact of our Homeless Outreach Team.  “Thanks to Interfaith and all the people who really backed me up and never gave up hope on me. They saw the value in me. I am feeling stronger and good about reaching my goals.”  

Host Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast. Joining us today is Jen Halverson, Behavioral Health Clinician at Interfaith. Jen shares important information about factors that may contribute to people becoming homeless, ways to support our neighbors experiencing homelessness, and integral advice for self-care and supporting our neighbors in need.

Host Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast. Joining us today is Linda.  After becoming homeless, Linda was forced to stay in hotels for months while she worked on securing housing for her partner and two kids. Linda eventually found a place, but in order to afford it, she had to secure a loan which quickly exhausted her savings and had her falling behind on rent once again. Realizing that her situation would be unsustainable, Linda reached out to Interfaith for help. Here, she was matched with a case manager who helped her secure rental assistance, enroll into a financial education course, and work on monthly budgets where she could reduce spending and save. Linda has now graduated adult school and is looking to enroll into college, where she can work towards her dream of becoming a parole officer. Linda says “I want to bring light to dark places."

Host Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast. Joining us today is Kim Nye, Senior Services Case Manager. Kim works with seniors in need at Interfaith by providing them with resources to live healthy, safe and thriving lives. She shares, “it’s surprising how many seniors we have struggling with homelessness, the amount of income they have, and available affordable or low-income housing.”  

Host Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast. Joining us today is Kenan Pala. Kenan is the CEO and founder of Kids4Community. His primary goal was to encourage other children his age and younger to get involved with their communities. Now, he’s on his way to earn his undergraduate degree and we had a chance to catch up with the young superstar

Host Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast. Joining us today is Mauro Alvarez. Mauro is a local artist and now the visionary behind the largest mural in Escondido titled "Journey to Healing." This mural will live on as a symbol of recovery for all those who will begin transforming their lives at the Abraham and Lillian Turk Recuperative Care Center, for years to come.

Host Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast. Joining us today is Brenda Mitchell. Brenda redefines the words strength and community leader.  She “can’t sit back feeling sorry for herself, but instead, is hearing a call to action” with the hopes that no one feels her heartbreak. Listen and learn more about Brenda’s beloved son, Andrew, and her insights supporting our loved ones and neighbors experiencing homelessness, mental health and addiction. In partnership with Friends of La Posada, The Andrew Salazar Memorial Golf Tournament on July 16th will raise funds supporting our organizational efforts in ending homelessness. For more information visit www.homelessinsandiego.org 

Host Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast Season Two: “Homebound.” Joining us today is Richard. Richard lived on the streets for 25 long years. Now, Richard’s been housed for over 10 years. He enjoys cooking at home and working on his art. Even more incredibly, he opens his home to other people experiencing homelessness.

Host Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast Season Two: “Homebound.” Joining us today is Phyllis and Peggy Peattie. Phyllis is a Dental Hygienist with lived-experience in San Diego for a decade. Peggy is an independent photojournalist, documenting the stories of homeless populations and teaching visual journalism at SDSU and UCSD. Get ready for an amazing conversation!

Host Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes you to the Homeless in San Diego Podcast Season Two: “Homebound.” Joining us today is Mark Kaleimamahu and John Brady. Mark is a choir member who incredibly overcame homelessness. John is the Director of Advocacy for Voices of our City with lived-experience himself.