SOS served 6,820 meals in their Unity Kitchen in April

Kathy King, Executive Director of SOS (Sonoma Overnight Support) reports that SOS served 6,820 meals in April, 2024.

“Every day,” King notes, “our intake specialist, Laura Zavala, greets those who come to Unity Kitchen. Some are cold and hungry, while others have just finished the first of their multiple jobs and need a hot meal. On average, 86 unique individuals come in looking for nourishment and a place where they feel safe.”

“Laura, who speaks both English and Spanish, makes all of them feel welcome. She checks how many times they come in – by first name only – and their age. If they’re feeding anyone else, she asks their ages. That’s how we track the number of children who are being fed. In our software program, we keep daily lists and therefore are able to produce a monthly report that goes to me and our Board of Directors to review,” she added.

23% of SOS clients describe themselves as unhoused. They are asked where they slept the night before, so that those numbers can be reported, per the request of the City of Sonoma.

6% of SOS clients prefer not to answer any questions. All SOS lists are confidential.

King continues, “In April, as you can see from the report prepared by Executive Administrative Assistant, Nathalia Zavala, 1,568 of the almost 7,000 meals went to homeless individuals. The rest went to those who are precariously housed and food insecure.”

To donate to the SOS meal program, CLICK HERE.