At the recent All-Agency Meeting, staff from across Social Model Recovery Systems gathered for something truly special. It was not just a meeting. It was a reminder of why we do this work and how every role, whether in prevention, treatment, outreach, or operations, is connected.
CEO Bruce Boardman opened the day by noting how easy it is for each program to stay focused on its own work, whether that is River Community, the Omni Center, or Stepping Stones, without always seeing everything else happening across the organization. Treatment teams are busy caring for participants, while prevention and outreach teams are out in the community doing very different but equally important work. He explained that while SMRS often brings treatment programs together, this meeting was an opportunity to pause and recognize the agency’s prevention work as well. From the work at the Skid Row Care Campus and the Refresh Spot to prevention efforts in Boyle Heights and other neighborhoods focused on tobacco education and connecting people to treatment, there is a great deal happening that many staff do not always get to see. The goal of the day was to step out of individual bubbles, learn from one another, and better understand how all parts of SMRS are connected.
Bruce then introduced Charles Porter, a longtime SMRS leader whose work has helped communities find their voice, dignity, and power. Charles has spent much of his career working in the Skid Row community, focusing on prevention efforts that center on giving residents a voice. While he is beginning to expand his work into other communities, Skid Row has been central to his journey. Through community engagement and collaboration, residents came together to express their needs and advocate for services rooted in respect and dignity. These efforts played a significant role in shaping initiatives such as the Refresh Spot, which grew out of community-driven action and resident advocacy. Charles has been instrumental in helping community members come together, speak up, and be heard.
Charles did not just talk about his job. He discussed his life, roots, and personal journey of healing. He shared how learning about his heritage and becoming a traditional healer shaped how he views prevention work today.
For Charles, prevention is not about handing out flyers or running programs. It is about meeting people where they are, in parks, on sidewalks, and in neighborhoods, and helping them feel seen, respected, and connected. He spoke about the importance of engaging people with dignity and how this approach helped establish the Resident Councils and the Skid Row Care Campus.
He reminded everyone of something simple and powerful. “Connection is the opposite of addiction.”
Next, Ebony Dolphin brought warmth, honesty, and humor as she shared her story. Growing up in a family affected by substance use gave her a deep understanding of the struggles many people face. Today, she leverages her lived experience and education to connect with people in the Skid Row community through the United Coalition East Prevention Project (UCEPP).
Her team teaches life skills, provides substance use education, speaks at public hearings, and hosts community events that bring resources and hope directly to residents.
Armando Gonzales then shared how growing up in Boyle Heights shaped his life. Skateboarding helped keep him out of gangs, and later, personal loss and deep reflection guided him back to a life of service. His prevention work now focuses on overdose prevention, connecting people to resources, and building trust in communities that often feel overlooked. He reminded everyone that prevention work is not just a professional responsibility. It is personal.
Cassandra Tamayo spoke about her work to reduce youth access to tobacco and nicotine products in South Gate and Bell. Through surveys, community meetings, and partnerships with city leaders, she and her coalition are working to create healthier neighborhoods. Her story showed that prevention does not always involve dramatic measures. Sometimes it is steady, consistent work through policy, education, and community engagement that protects young people long before they ever walk through a treatment door.
Aaron Luckett spoke about the impact of the Refresh Spot, which was created to address critical gaps in access to basic hygiene on Skid Row. Before it opened, showers, restrooms, and laundry services were extremely limited or unavailable, directly affecting public health, safety, dignity, and housing stability. The Refresh Spot was designed as a low-barrier, trauma-informed facility that provides safe, sanitary showers, clean restrooms, and laundry services in a controlled, monitored environment that promotes dignity and order.
He described how Community Ambassadors keep the facility clean and ready for every guest by sanitizing showers and restrooms after each use, providing hygiene supplies, and managing laundry services so individuals can return later to pick up clean clothes.
Aaron emphasized that the mission is not only about hygiene but also about stabilization, helping create conditions that allow people to connect more effectively with housing, healthcare, and supportive services. The high number of daily users demonstrates the Refresh Spot’s essential role in the Skid Row community.
Nia Ramos shared her recovery journey and how it now fuels her outreach work. She connects people on the streets to detox, residential treatment, and recovery housing, often working closely with the CARE Center and treatment programs. Her story reminded everyone that prevention and treatment are not separate worlds. They are part of the same path toward healing.
Zoe McNeal said the Resident Councils were established under the Skid Row Action Plan to give people with lived experience a voice. She explained that residents in permanent supportive housing buildings completed surveys and collected feedback from other residents. That information was used to create recommendations, which were presented to city and county officials. She shared that residents discuss housing conditions and their experiences with services, and that they participate in meetings and training to share their perspectives.
Michael Rimson spoke about the work of Social Model Recovery Systems at the Skid Row Care Campus, describing it as a central hub where people can access multiple types of support. SMRS staff engage individuals daily, learn about their needs, and help move them toward shelter, interim housing, permanent housing, mental health care, and substance use treatment. He highlighted the role of the outreach team, who work outside in all conditions, building relationships and supporting people in crisis.
Michael shared data that showed the scale of this work. Since the campus opened, the team has engaged with thousands of individuals and made hundreds of referrals to housing and care services. He emphasized that timing matters when someone is ready for help and that teams work quickly to connect people to services during that critical moment. His message centered on persistence, teamwork, and meeting people where they are to help them take the next step forward.
The meeting also included a powerful Cultural Awareness presentation from Jason Cun, Reham Abdrado, and Lynetta Hale. Jason explained the meaning of Lunar New Year, including traditions such as family gatherings, deep cleaning to clear negative energy, red decorations symbolizing luck and protection, and the significance of red envelopes, oranges, and the Chinese zodiac. Reham spoke about Ramadan, explaining that it is more than fasting and is a time for spiritual growth, self-discipline, empathy, and mindfulness. She shared insight into Islamic practices, the lunar calendar, charity, and the importance of simple gestures of recognition, such as saying “Ramadan Kareem”. Lynetta grounded the room with a heartfelt reflection on Black History Month, noting that 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of national commemoration. She shared personal and historical context, including Loving v. Virginia, and emphasized the importance of protecting inclusive and accurate history, safeguarding diversity, equity, and inclusion, and being the keepers of our collective memory so it is not lost.
By the end of the day, one thing was clear. This work is not just a job. It is people sharing their stories. It is staff showing up in the rain, the heat, and the hardest moments. It is communities finding their voice. It is dignity, connection, and hope.
The All-Agency Meeting reminded everyone that whether we work in prevention, treatment, outreach, or support roles, we are all part of the same mission. Helping people heal, wherever they are, however they arrive.
