Through room service, poolside drinks, an unlimited supply of fresh towels and other perks, good hotels strive to make things easier for their guests, allowing them to forget about their everyday problems.
That goal is also the guiding principle at the Hotel de Zink, a program hosted by Menlo Park Presbyterian Church that gives local homeless people a much-needed vacation from two of their biggest problems: hunger, and not having a place to sleep.
Established by a group of Palo Alto churches, Hotel de Zink is a program headed by InnVision, a nonprofit that regularly works with the Opportunity Center in Palo Alto.
Through the program, homeless people can stay at one of 12 local churches (11 Palo Alto churches and Menlo Park Presbyterian are participants) for 90 days. During their stay, guests get three meals a day, a place to sleep and to shower, fresh clothes, and company in the people who volunteer to help with the program through the various churches.
When one of the Palo Alto churches underwent renovations five years ago, Hotel de Zink moved to Menlo Park Presbyterian in what was supposed to be a temporary move, but volunteers with the church — the people who cook the meals, set the tables, and oversee the program — wanted the program to stay.
Five years later, volunteers haven’t shown any signs of letting up.
“We can get up to 500 volunteers on any given [three-month] cycle that cook in the kitchen, bring meals in, or just come and talk to our guests,” said Renee Masterson, volunteer coordinator for Menlo Park Presbyterian’s share of Hotel de Zink. Last week, one volunteer brought in a massage chair to provide guests with back and shoulder rubs while they watched Monday Night Football.
Through the program, the church accommodates a group of 15 homeless people every three months. Ms. Masterson said the goal of the program is to provide guests with everyday necessities, so they can look for work, regain some financial stability, and get some much-needed rest. Once their 90 days are up, volunteers stay in touch with the guests to help them continue to recover, she said.
Providing stability
Patrick and Sherry are a couple who earlier this year were sharing McDonalds cheeseburgers and sleeping on park bleachers. Now getting ready to trek the path of financial independence, they say Hotel de Zink has put them back on their feet.
“Even if it’s just a temporary thing, it feels so good to have some stability,” said Sherry. Patrick and Sherry are about halfway through their term in the program, but say they “already feel like new people.”
“This is a great place to rest up, eat, and get a job,” Patrick said. “The people here are amazing, and they talk to you like you’re family. We talk about where we’re headed, not how we became homeless and how hard it was.”
Patrick and Sherry are currently looking to rent an apartment after their stay is up at the end of the year, and Patrick has landed some temporary work through several members of the church, he said. They’re also volunteering at the Opportunity Center, and passing out extra Hotel de Zink bag lunches to the homeless.
Invaluable service
Ms. Masterson acknowledged that not everyone who passes through Menlo Park Presbyterian through Hotel de Zink gets off the streets, but she and mission pastor Mark Swarner said the program provides invaluable help to people who need it.
“A vital part of our ministry is to serve the whole community,” said Mr. Swarner. “The goal [with Hotel de Zink] is to treat each person with respect, dignity, love and compassion. … Just like a hotel, people (who) come in here get the best treatment we can offer.”
