ABOUT US

Our mission

• to contribute directly to the health and well-being of our unhoused neighbors
• to provide encouragement for our neighbors to take the next step toward a more sustainable life

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What we do

Our program is based on three core tenets:

On the last Saturday of every month, we are now hosting more than 250 of our unhoused neighbors, providing a hot breakfast, clothing and personal items, a hot shower, bus and trolley passes, and lunches to go.

We offer resources that can help connect our neighbors to opportunities for housing, employment, medical care, and other services, and we continue to add additional service providers every month.

All of us—our neighbors and our volunteers—enjoy getting to know each other and forming relationships that enrich and deepen our mutual respect and understanding. We engage in conversations that let our guests know we see them as individuals—as one of us. We offer simple hospitality and grace with no strings attached.

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Home Base

La Mesa First UMC has been a vital and vibrant presence in the center of the La Mesa community for more than 130 years. It continues to serve as a beacon of community gathering, service to the neighborhood, and voice of social justice and inclusivity in La Mesa. It has been the gathering place for life’s celebrations and times of healing, civic discussions, and neighborhood learning for all ages.  Not just a place to gather on Sundays, La Mesa First is a place of hope, healing, service, and inspiration seven days a week. And Fresh Start is a prime example of the church’s commitment to serving all of our neighbors, housed and unhoused, without any preconditions or expectations for return.

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History

When Fresh Start began more than 10 years ago, a few volunteers were serving breakfast to fewer than 40 people each month. Over the years, we have served more than 1100 individuals. Currently, more than 70 volunteers—two-thirds of whom are community members but not church members–are serving more than 250 guests each month. The needs and numbers are still increasing. For more information, check out our history page.

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Staff

All members of the Fresh Start staff serve as unpaid volunteers giving countless hours of their time and talents in preparation and operation of Fresh Start every month. The staff members below provide leadership in each of the primary areas of services and goods we provide.

Lynn Parsons, Coordinator

Lynn has a long history of service in public education, anti-poverty projects, and other organizations providing support for low-income, unhoused, or marginalized people. She is generally responsible for the overall organization of Fresh Start, its volunteers, and its budget. Contact Lynn at lynnpar70@gmail.com.

Jim Parsons, Co-Coordinator

Jim has a background in data analysis and program evaluation with educational and other non-profit organizations. He is a constant welcoming figure at the front gate, getting to know our neighbors and hear their stories. Contact Jim at jimpar@gmail.com

Bonnie meets with the growing number of our neighbors who are either seniors (over 65) or disabled and receive a monthly transportation pass from the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS). She submits data to MTS and manages lost cards and related issues. She also serves as coordinator whenever Lynn and Jim are out.

Karyn Whitten manages and distributes the new underwear that we distribute to our guests each month and makes sure that we have an array of sizes and shapes to fit our diverse population.

Susie Knoell sorts and organizes all of the donated clothing and soft goods and manages the team that helps individuals find the items and sizes they need each month.

Carol Klipp ensures that our neighbors can choose from a broad array of personal hygiene products that help keep our neighbors healthy and experiencing the dignity of being clean looking good.

Linda Niwinski supervises the team that keeps our shower clean and ready for a quick turnover so we can serve as many people as possible on Fresh Start Saturdays.

Theresa Castel de Oro is a mainstay at the front gate, welcoming our neighbors and providing them with a name badge that helps all of us recognize and greet each other by name.

Anne Pacheco leads a dedicated group of volunteers that make sandwiches and prepare the snacks and fruit and other lunch items so our guests can choose what they want to take in their lunch to-go.

JoDee Rich is our main cook, working with a team of other volunteers to produce a hearty and delicious breakfast that is plated and served to each guest by our volunteers.

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Our Partners

The City of La Mesa launched the Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement (HOME) program to better connect those experiencing homelessness with existing County services. The program is structured so that trained specialists, including a full-time outreach worker and mental health clinician, are dispatched to respond to non-emergency calls for service related to homelessness that come into the La Mesa Police Department. As appropriate and safe, the HOME team will work directly with those experiencing homelessness and offer them an array of services and housing opportunities. 

HOME staff members are present at every Fresh Start event and a number of our guests have found jobs and housing as a result of their efforts.  For more information   www.cityoflamesa.gov/1646/HOME-Program

ProduceGood organizes volunteers to go to the source of surplus produce (orchards, backyards, farms, farmers markets and grocers) to sort and collect the excess and then transport it to pantries, shelters and other organizations who feed our nutrition insecure neighbors in San Diego County. ProduceGood supplies the fresh fruit we distribute to our guests as part of their lunches-to-go every month.  For more information  www.producegood.org

Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Church has been walking alongside Fresh Start since 2024, providing significant numbers of loyal volunteers each month and sponsoring collection drives of food and blankets and other products distributed at Fresh Start. The Missions Committee of Fletcher Hills is also a generous donor of funds that help Fresh Start continue its work.  For more information fhpc.org

The Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP)  invites those recovering from homelessness & addiction to experience God’s unconditional love.  In a small group, they encourage  participants to find self-acceptance, hope and healing needed to reclaim their lives.  Although rooted in Ignatian spirituality, ISP is non-denominational.  For more information   ispretreats.org

The La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club, part of Rotary International, has supported local and global projects for 40 years. Through monetary grants and service projects the club contributes to maternal and child health, with a special focus on schools and students, basic needs such as clean water and nutritious food, a healthy environment, and promoting peace and better human relations. The La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club is happy to support Fresh Start with volunteers, funding, and sponsorship of the Fresh Start Book Cart. Please learn more about us and our work at lamesasunriserotary.com.

We dream of a coalition of congregations and faith-based organizations united in purpose, sharing resources and building power to END homelessness in the United States.  For more information: www.nfceh.org.

Travelers Aid San Diego connects people in need with transportation and travel support, helping them navigate San Diego safely and with dignity.  For more information: travelersaidsandiego.org.

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Annual report

For the latest information about our progress and impact, you can download our annual report:

• 2026 Annual Report. [coming soon]