Summer 2026 Newsletter
Dear CSN Friends,
Happy Summer! We are exceptionally grateful to everyone who helps Community Support Network provide stable housing and support to our residents.
At the top of my gratitude list are the generous sponsors who invested in the transition-age youth (TAY) affected by SAY’s closure. With the help of Community Foundation Sonoma County, Bret Martin and his family, and the George S. Sandy Foundation, CSN successfully assumed the HUD Sponsor-based Rental Assistance (SBRA) Grant and housed youth affected by SAY’s closure. The SBRA program currently serves 16 transition-age youth and has exceptional outcomes.
Today, CSN’s SBRA program is the highest-ranked HUD-funded housing program in Sonoma County. We work collaboratively with youth by offering the option of living in a supportive congregate setting like Sanctuary Villas or in their own apartment, based on their unique needs. Last year, 94% of these youth maintained their housing, 94% increased their income, and 100% learned and practiced positive coping skills.
Thank you for making this life-changing work possible. Your generosity helps our residents move forward and become the best versions of themselves.
With gratitude,
Tom Bieri
Executive Director
“CSN has helped me find more stability…I feel really empowered and proud of myself.”
— Former CSN Client
“Because of CSN, my life has turned around.”
— Former foster youth and Sanctuary House resident
Special Opportunity
Double Your Gift Today
When “Nina” came to CSN, her life felt chaotic and uncertain. After years in foster care and couch surfing, she had never truly Thanks to a generous matching gift from Strategic Solutions, every donation will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $7,500.
Your gift will help fund critical housing repairs and improvements that keep CSN residents safe and stably housed.
Sonoma County’s Top-Ranked Housing Program
CSN’s Sponsor-Based Rental Assistance Program was recently recognized as the highest-performing HUD-funded housing program in Sonoma County.
When Community Support Network assumed responsibility for the Sponsor-Based Rental Assistance (SBRA) Program following the closure of Social Advocates for Youth (SAY), our priority was simple: ensure vulnerable young adults continued receiving the housing and support they needed.
Two years later, that commitment has produced remarkable results. The program has been recognized as the highest-performing HUD- funded housing program in Sonoma County through the Continuum of Care evaluation process.
Serving young adults ages 18–24 who have experienced homelessness, foster care, mental health challenges, or other barriers, the program combines permanent supportive housing with individualized services that help participants build stable, independent futures.
“CSN has helped me find more stability…I feel really empowered and proud of myself.”
— Former CSN Client
When Housing Becomes Hope
When support arrives at the right moment
Every day felt like a balancing act for “Anna.” Between financial stress, uncertainty about housing, and caring for her young daughter, simply making it through the day took all of her energy. Dreams of finishing school and building a better future had taken a back seat to survival.
Everything began to change when Anna entered Community Support Network’s Sponsor-Based Rental Assistance (SBRA) program.
“Before, I was constantly worried about how I was going to provide stability for us,” she shared. “Now, I finally feel like I can breathe.“
With the security of stable housing and CSN’s support, she has been able to focus on her education and work toward the future she has always wanted for her family.
“I’m able to build memories with her and be the kind of parent I dreamed of being.”
Today, Anna is building a future defined by stability, opportunity, and hope. Her story is a powerful reminder that housing is more than a roof; it’s the foundation that allows people to heal, grow, and create lasting change.
With heartfelt gratitude, we recognize the following recent investors in CSN’s programs:
- Community Foundation Sonoma County
- Heck Foundation
- William G. Irwin Charity Foundation
- Kaiser Permanente
- Bret Martin
- Negley Flinn Charitable Foundation
- Redwood Credit Union
- George H. Sandy Foundation
- Sutter Community Health Foundation
Partners for Lasting Change Campaign
A Three-Year, $2 Million Campaign
Every day, CSN helps people move from crisis to stability through supportive housing and trauma-informed care. This three-year campaign will provide the resources needed to preserve housing, respond to emerging needs, and help ensure this life-changing work continues well into the future.
$2 Million Campaign Priorities
Long-Term Sustainability: $1.5 Million
Ensures CSN can act quickly, remain stable in times of uncertainty, and provide consistent, life-changing support.
Capital Improvements: $300,000
Funds critical repairs, housing renovations, and essential equipment to help residents remain safe and stably housed.
Future Needs & Strategic Investments: $200,000
Supports emerging opportunities, unexpected needs, and strategic investments to strengthen CSN’s long-term impact.