Listen to this article
The Depot Family Crisis Center gets a makeover.
Thanks to the generosity and volunteer hours of Yuba Sutter Disposal and NorCal Waste, residents at the Depot Family Crisis Center in Yuba City, Calif., now enjoy an atmosphere of newly painted walls and murals full of colorful butterflies.
“It’s amazing how a coat of paint and a positive attitude can brighten anyones life,” said one occupant.
The Salvation Army bought the Depot center—formerly a train station—about 15 years ago. What began as a homeless shelter grew into a state certified drug treatment facility for men, women and families.
Residents can stay at the center for up to six months and receive three meals a day along with drug treatment counseling and assorted life-skills and parenting trainings. About 60 people—including children as young as infants—currently reside at the Depot and many are on the waiting list.
Corps Officer Captain Tom Stambaugh, and Business Administrator Chaya Galicia, cultivated a relationship with Yuba Sutter Disposal and NorCal Waste through their involvement in Rotary Club. The two companies were ready to take on a volunteer project and the Yuba-Sutter Corps became the recipient of their search.
Over 100 volunteers from the companies arrived early one Saturday and stayed late to tackle the facelift project. Along with the hours of hard labor, many of the generous volunteers also donated household cleaning and living items to the facility.
The work of both the companies continues even today. They visit once or twice a week to patch up paintwork and see what else needs to be done.
“The mural in the hallway is a reminder that God is not finished with us yet. The beautiful picture of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly is a reminder about how he intends good for all of us. It’s a way of saying ‘you never know what life will bring,’ one day you’re a caterpillar and the next you’re a butterfly,” said Stambaugh.
Because of the work of these two companies, the atmosphere throughout the Depot turned into a much more positive one, moving from a feeling of living in an institution to one of being home.
“We have been able to focus more on our holistic ministries and not had to worry about the day-to-day maintenance of this facility,” said Stambaugh.
To commemorate the fresh start of the Depot and recognize and thank the volunteers who were involved, the corps held a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception. Depot residents prepared refreshments and appetizers for the guests and gave tours of the building.
Download this page as a PDF