Connecting Through Creativity: TODCO’s Wonderful Westside in Action

A season of creativity, community, and connection for TODCO residents.

Posted: October 10th, 2025

Over the past five months, 8–15 regular participants from TODCO’s West Side residences—the Knox SRO, Hotel Isabel, and Bayanihan House—have come together for a series of creative and nature-based experiences that nurture connection, curiosity, and joy.

One video captures our Photo Collage Workshop, co-facilitated with Renee Jones, Manager of TODCO’s 6th on 7th Photography Workshop, where residents explored personal storytelling through images and design. Another highlights our Six-Week Shorebird Program, which included bird identification, watercolor painting, Bird Bingo, and a culminating field trip to Abbott’s Lagoon with the support of the Golden Gate Bird Alliance, who loaned binoculars and a spotting scope.

We also took part in art workshops featuring watercolor, collage, and metal embossing, and celebrated residents’ creativity through a community art display at TODCO’s 6M Community Arts, made possible through the generosity and support of Kerim Harmanci, Manager at 6M Community Arts. Additional videos show our visit to the San Francisco Department of Public Works Street Tree Nursery, where we learned about urban greening and volunteer opportunities, and a day at Jewel Lake and the Berkeley Small Animal Farm, enjoying fresh air, green trees, and each other’s company.

Our group also ventured to Golden Gate Park for the Flower Piano festival and other Bay Area outings, connecting with art, music, and nature in meaningful ways.

These shared experiences remind us how vital it is to spend time in community and in nature. For our residents, these programs bring creativity, laughter, and calm—offering a sense of belonging, pride, and connection to place, people, and purpose. Beyond enjoyment, these activities provide measurable wellness benefits: they reduce stress and anxiety, promote socialization and trust, and lessen feelings of isolation. They strengthen emotional regulation, build confidence and self-efficacy, and encourage ongoing engagement with community life. By addressing multiple aspects of the wellness wheel—emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual, physical, and environmental—these programs support holistic healing and overall well-being for our residents. 

Anita Gomez - RSAP Operations Manager

Meredith Snow - MS, ATR-BC, LCAT | Activity Program Coordinator