Ritter Center

Ritter Center is hiring talented, caring, community-minded professionals to join our team of experts and expand our services. Together, we can help people living in poverty overcome barriers and provide the tailored support they need to help them live happier and healthier lives. 💙

🔵 See our job opportunities: rittercenter.org/about-us/jobs

Last week, we paused to do what we don’t do often enough — celebrate the incredible people who make this organization what it is.

Our all-staff retreat was a day filled with intention and joy. We started the morning with a mindfulness moment, grounded ourselves, and dove into exploring our Myers-Briggs personality results — learning a little more about ourselves and each other along the way. Staff enjoyed teambuilding activities and a friendly game of volleyball, plus a delicious lunch from the amazing .

A heartfelt thank you to our HR team — Jen Numainville and Romny French, for pouring so much love and care into making this day happen.

Thank you to the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce for hosting today’s town hall, where community members gathered to learn more about Ritter Center’s upcoming move to our new home at 800 A Street in San Rafael.

Attendees heard important updates about the project timeline, anticipated impacts on surrounding businesses, and the goals behind this exciting next chapter. Following the presentation, CEO Mark Shotwell led guests on a comprehensive tour of the new building.

We look forward to welcoming clients and community members to our new location beginning June 3rd, with services transitioning in phases.

🔹Learn more about the move and timeline at: RitterCenter.org/moving

Voting is open until May 29th, 4:00 pm PST for Marin Magazine’s “Best of the County” 2026, their annual guide to all things that their readers care about in Marin County. Ritter Center is listed under Philanthropy for “Best Community Services” and we would be grateful for your vote. Please share this information with friends and family and encourage them to vote to recognize Ritter Center as “Best of the County.”

🗳️Vote here: https://boc.marinmagazine.com

Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at Ritter Center. Sending love and thanks to all the mothers and mother figures in our community. 💙

“Mobile outreach is not simply about convenience. It is about building trust, reducing barriers and engaging individuals with dignity and respect. When people feel seen and supported, they are far more likely to continue accessing care and move toward stability.

This is the kind of innovation our community needs. It reflects a broader shift toward integrated care models that address the full scope of a person’s needs rather than treating challenges in isolation.”

🔵 Read more from our CEO, Mark Shotwell in the Marin Independent Journal at https://bayareane.ws/4ubhmfd/

✨We are so grateful for every guest who joined us last night for Under the Stars 2026. Together, we raised over $200,000 to help Ritter Center continue providing healthcare, housing assistance, and nutritious groceries to those who need us most.

We were honored to celebrate four incredible individuals whose dedication to our community inspires everything we do:

✨Shining Star Honoree — Mary Sackett, Marin County Supervisor, District 1, for her tireless commitment to addressing homelessness and expanding supportive services across Marin.

✨Community Impact Honoree — Rachel Kertz, San Rafael City Council, District 4, for her community-first approach to housing, health, and safety.

✨Beacon of Hope Honoree — Mario Ernesto Lopez, Community Advocate, Marin Community Foundation, whose personal connection to Ritter Center and lifelong commitment to equity make him a true beacon for The Canal and West Marin communities.

✨Corporate Impact Honoree — Anthem Blue Cross Foundation, for their investment in integrated mental health, substance use, and harm reduction services for people facing barriers to care.

To our guests, donors, sponsors, volunteers, and staff — thank you for making this a moving and memorable evening. ❤️

Supervisor Mary Sackett Rachel Kertz for San Rafael Mario Ernesto Lopez Marin Community Foundation Anthem Blue Cross

✨We are looking forward to celebrating Anthem Blue Cross Foundation at Under the Stars.

Anthem Blue Cross Foundation supports Ritter Center’s efforts to expand access to integrated mental health, substance use, and harm reduction services in Marin County. Through its investment, the Foundation helps strengthen care coordination and community-based programs that improve health outcomes for people experiencing homelessness and others facing barriers to healthcare access.

🗓️April 30, 2026 | 📍Peacock Gap, San Rafael

Under the Stars is sold out, but you can still support with a donation in honor of Anthem Blue Cross Foundation.

✨Donate at https://buff.ly/QOX4yqd

✨We are looking forward to celebrating Mario Ernesto Lopez, Community Advocate, The Canal & West Marin, Marin Community Foundation at Under the Stars.

Mario Ernesto Lopez’s connection to Ritter Center is deeply personal. Growing up in San Rafael, his family were immigrants and received support from Ritter—affectionately known as Casa Azul by Spanish-speaking clients. This early experience helped shaped his lifelong commitment to community advocacy. He earned his Juris Doctor from UC Law San Francisco, where he later served as the school’s inaugural Chief Diversity Officer. Today, as a Community Advocate at Marin Community Foundation for The Canal and West Marin, Mario works to advance equity and address the needs of high-need populations across the community, bringing optimism, creativity, and deep local insight to his work.

🗓️April 30, 2026 | 📍Peacock Gap, San Rafael

Under the Stars is sold out, but you can still support with a donation in honor of Mario Ernesto Lopez.

✨Donate at https://buff.ly/QOX4yqd

✨We are looking forward to celebrating Rachel Kertz, San Rafael City Council, District 4 (North San Rafael) at Under the Stars.

Rachel Kertz has been a San Rafael resident since 1999 and brings a strong, community-focused approach to public service. As a member of the San Rafael City Council, she prioritizes health and safety, housing opportunities, and strengthening neighborhoods, with a focus on solutions that support residents experiencing housing instability and economic hardship.

🗓️April 30, 2026 | 📍Peacock Gap, San Rafael

Under the Stars is sold out, but you can still support with a donation in honor of Rachel Kertz.

✨Donate here: https://buff.ly/QOX4yqd

Rachel Kertz for San Rafael