Hamilton Families
Maritza Penagos is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in public health, nonprofit management, and community empowerment. Currently serving as the Chief Program Officer at Hamilton Families since October 2021, Maritza has held various significant positions, including Interim Executive Director at Openhouse and the Women’s Therapy Center - East Bay/Berkeley. Maritza's work at the Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative focused on COVID-19 recovery efforts, emphasizing health equity for marginalized communities. Previous roles included National Program Director at Health Career Connection, where Maritza enhanced workforce development initiatives, and Director of Operations & Client Services at the AIDS Emergency Fund. Maritza holds a Master of Social Work and a Master of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, alongside a Bachelor's degree in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.
Hamilton Families
Founded in 1985, Hamilton Families established San Francisco’s first shelter for families experiencing homelessness. Today we are one of San Francisco's leading nonprofit service providers to unhoused families, with an array of programs designed to end family homelessness. HF Shelter in the Tenderloin provides safe shelter, three meals a day and critical social services for up to 60 families per night for up to six months. HF Transitional Housing houses and supports up to 20 families per night at high risk for chronic homelessness for 6 to 18 months. Families receive intensive social services to identify and address factors contributing to their homelessness. HF Housing Services prevents homelessness whenever possible and assists families currently experiencing homelessness with housing search assistance, temporary rent assistance, case management, job search and other services for up to 18 months to help them find and retain a permanent home.