Leadership Stockton Class of 2024 Graduation and Aspen Cottage Project Completion

Leadership Stockton, a program of the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce, is proud to announce the graduation of the class of 2024 and the completion of their yearlong Aspen Cottage Project at the Children’s Home of Stockton. We are proud of their hard work and dedication to making Stockton a better place to live. This project is a great example for the community to show what a group of people can get accomplished when they work together. The Class of 2024 was recognized for their great work Thursday, June 13th at the Leadership Stockton Class of 2024 Graduation Dinner.

Project Summary

The Class of 2024 choose to renovate the Children's Home of Stockton's Catalyst Program's Aspen Cottage. The Catalyst program is a homeless youth prevention program that serves transition aged youth, or TAY. Catalyst was launched in 2021 with an emphasis on life skills, career exploration, education, and mental health counseling, the program serves youth between the ages of 18 to 24, many of whom have emancipated from the foster care system and are at risk of homelessness, are vulnerable to gangs, trafficking, and poverty. This life-saving program has had a wait list since inception. The program provides transitional housing and support services for TAY in an effort to mitigate Stockton’s youth homelessness crisis while supporting the recommendations of a recent Grand Jury Report. Once renovated, the Aspen Cottage will enable CHS to serve 33% more young adults who might otherwise be vulnerable to trafficking, gang involvement, or poverty.

With the partnership and support of the Children’s Home of Stockton, Leadership Alumni and donors, the class raised over $120,000 and received many donated in-kind products and services.

The scope of the project included:

• Phase 1 – Fundraising
• Phase 2 - Demolition and trash day
• Phase 3 - Patching and painting
• Phase 4 - Flooring (restoration and brand new carpets)
• Phase 5 - Appliances (brand new kitchen appliances, washer and dryer)
• Phase 6 - Home Necessities (brand new house lighting, newly upgraded bathroom vanities & shower
• doors, newly upgraded bedroom furniture, living room/house furniture)
• Phase 7 - Deep cleaning contractors
• Phase 8 - Making it feel like a home

After 9 months of hard work the renovations are now complete and Aspen Cottage is move-in ready!

Leadership Stockton Class of 2024 Graduates

• Pharadja Andrews, Nursing Resources
• Clayton Barrows, Pan American Insurance Services (Relation)
• Nicholas Belasco, ASM Global Stockton
• Kristy Brown
• Desiree Clifton, Golden Sunshyne Corporation
• Hilary Crowley, San Joaquin County Administrator's Office
• Erika Cuevas, Faith in Action Community Education Services (FACES)
• April Farage, Chick-fil-A Stockton
• Rebecca Fisher, Mary Graham Children's Foundation
• Tony Gladney, San Joaquin A+ / Stockton Ports
• Melanie Gonzales
• Vanessa Harris, San Joaquin Community Foundation
• Joel Juarez
• Erin Martin, Valley Mountain Regional Center
• Carmen Matty-Cervantes, SJC Human Services Agency
• Veronica Naranjo, Family Resource Center
• Carina Nava, Community West Bank
• Vi Nguyen, San Joaquin County Office of Education
• Sergio Ortiz, BAC Community Bank
• Nic Padilla, Second Harvest of the Greater Valley
• Norman Perez
• Sammie Reed, Dog Town Junk Removal
• Sarah Reyes, San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office
• Mike Royer, Valimet Inc.
• Danelle Shelton, BMMAC
• Ed Snow, Snow Properties
• Linh Vo, Valley Strong Credit Union

For more information about the Leadership Stockton Program please visit Leadership Stockton