Homeward Bound of Marin

Homeward Bound of Marin targets housing insecurity and economic inequity as the main provider of shelter, housing and training for people experiencing homelessness in Marin County, Calif. Our innovative approach offers an array of training and employment options in the culinary field that provide supportive employment for high-barrier individuals and opportunities to build economic resources as well as resilience for long-term stability. Three distinct social enterprise business lines operate under this nonprofit umbrella, all designed to build employment skills and empower participants to create independent futures. The business lines are: Wagster Treats dog biscuits, The Key Room event venue with on-site catering, and a contract meals program. Wagster Treats are all-natural dog biscuits made by high-barrier individuals learning culinary and workplace skills. The Key Room venue provides supportive employment through event hosting, catering, and a celebrity chef dinner-and-demonstration series open to the community at large. The contract meals program employs transitional employees to prepare, deliver, and serve food daily for shelter and affordable housing residents. The career advancement provided through our supportive employment positions serves a vital purpose for individuals seeking to thrive in a region marked as the most expensive rental market in the United States (Source: National Low Income Housing Coalition, "Out of Reach" 2020). As our community’s main supportive housing resource, Homeward Bound also is uniquely able to provide affordable housing to approximately 10-20 transitional employees annually. In addition, we partner with an organization serving individuals with disabilities to employ some of their clients in appropriate positions. All proceeds from social enterprise businesses benefit the nonprofit shelter, housing and training programs.