About Us

•  Ventura Homeless Prevention Board of Directors List
   Ventura Homeless Prevention is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that prevents homelessness in the City of Ventura by keeping people in their homes.
•  Every penny donated goes directly to pay rent for households who have been stably housed but are suddenly unable to meet the current month’s rent because of a one-time event like a car repair, medical bill, or loss of pay due to illness or temporary lay off.  
•  Small financial setbacks have left our clients facing eviction, usually because they are paying too much of their income in rent — 58% of their income, on average.
•  Before we help, case managers verify that the temporary situation has been resolved and that clients will be able to pay their own rent going forward; they work with clients on budgeting and other strategies that will support ongoing housing stability.  
•  Over 90% of those we help are still in their homes one year later.   
•  On average we have prevented homelessness for one household per week since we began our work in 2007 — over 1,300 people so far, 40% of them children.
•  The average cost in 2019 was $1,135 per household or $445 per person.
•  We are an all-volunteer organization operating in donated space, and the Board pays our few administrative costs, so every penny donated or granted goes directly to pay rent and keep people housed.
•  Ventura Homeless Prevention is supported by regular donations from 10 houses of worship and over 100 individuals annually, as well as occasional grants from businesses and foundations. 

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OUR BOARD

Denise Adams

  Denise Asams is a licensed social worker with the Salvation Army in Ventura.  She is responsible there for community outreach and rental assistance and serves as case manager for nearly all of the clients of Ventura Homeless Prevention. 

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Judy Alexandre PhD, LCSW

  Judy Alexandrs is Co-Chair of the Ventura Social Services Task Force.  She recently retired from Westmont College, where she taught classes in social work skills and policy related to intimate partner violence, child welfare, contemporary marriage, family, grief and loss.  She had a private clinical practice for 35 years, and supervised interns for many years as well.  Judy volunteers at One Stop.

Sue Brinkmeyer

Sue Brinkmeyer, Board President, is a former grant writer, grant director and community college professor of English.  She has served on the Oxnard Homeless Commission, chaired the Ventura Social Services Task Force,  and served on the Board of the County's Continuum of Care, all of which are organizations dedicated to ending homelessness in their respective areas. 

Jill Forman

Jill Forman, Board Secretary, is a retired RN and emergency room nurse.  She is a long-serving member of the committee that oversees the Ventura Homeless Prevention Fund and has been a community activist working to end homelessness for more than ten years. 

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John Sanders Jones

John Sanders Jones, Webmaster, served for many years as president of the Ventura Social Services Task Force.  He has been a community activist working to end homelessness for over fifteen years.

Debora Schreiber

Debora Schreiber is a retired nurse and long-time activist in Ventura County.  She was among the group that created the Ventura Homeless Prevention Fund back in 2007.

David Schmutte,

Dave Schmutte,  Board Treasurer, is a retired CPA.  He has served as Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Turning Point Foundation, past president of the Channel Counties Chapter California Certified Public Accountants Society, and president of the Ventura Kiwanis club.  

Our Advisors

Thomas Hutchinson

Thomas Hutchson is a partner with the law firm of Norman Dowler LLP, who has also had a successful career in business, encompassing sales, marketing, finance, management and manufacturing. He is past-president of the Rotary Club of Ventura.

Katherine Wertheim, CFRE

Katherine Wertheim is the president of Werth-It, a consulting firm providing fundraising and board training to nonprofit organizations. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive, an earned credential held by fewer than 3% of fund-raising professionals. Kathy is a Master Trainer with the Association of Fundraising Professionals, one of 11 in California and 232 in the world, and is a Distinguished Toastmaster. She has served on 12 boards of directors, and currently is a vice president on the board for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties chapter. She lives in Ventura.