El Camino House Organization Closes Its Doors After 44 Years

SAN MATEO, CA, June 28, 2012

Gay Fama, president of ECHO (El Camino House Organization), and Mary DeMartini, treasurer, announced today that the 44-year old organization is ceasing operations. With the announcement comes the end of a long relationship as a generous benefactor to Caminar, a San Mateo based nonprofit which helps individuals with serious mental illness live independently.

ECHO was founded in 1968 by June Jackson, wife of prominent San Francisco psychiatrist Dr. Lionel Jackson. June brought 50 women residing in Burlingame, Hillsborough, and San Mateo together to form an auxiliary group to support El Camino House, Caminar's original residential treatment facility. An estate gift from Cecile Van Brundt was the basis of an endowment from which they continued to build over the next 44 years.

At a time when women frequently accompanied their husbands on weekend business conventions, ECHO hosted festive annual "No Convention Weekends." The three-day extravaganzas were held in resorts such as Del Monte in Monterey, Silverado, Boulder Creek, and Quail Lodge. These events featured an array of activities and tournaments. There were golf, tennis, ping pong, domino, canasta, and bridge tournaments, as well as horseback riding, shopping, and sightseeing options. Themed brunches, dinners, dancing, and awards ceremonies for the tournament winners enlivened many weekends, all the while raising needed funds to support El Camino House, later to become Redwood House.

Beside the weekend events, ECHO hosted luncheons, black tie dinners, auctions, teas, cocktail parties, and barbecues to garner additional support. Their gatherings were regularly featured in the society columns of local newspapers, as they sought to generate funds and raise awareness for the invaluable services that Caminar provided.

Thousands with mental illness who stayed at El Camino House and Redwood House have benefited from ECHO's efforts and generosity. At Redwood House, ECHO funded everything from a new driveway, a redwood fence, and three kitchens, to painting, furniture, landscaping, janitorial service, and even a new sewage line. The Open Pantry, a community food pantry utilized by mental health consumers throughout San Mateo County, is funded by ECHO. ECHO has also provided Christmas gifts for all Caminar clients. For many clients, these are the only holiday gifts they receive.

With the membership in decline, Gay, who has served as president for the last fifteen years, and Mary, who has managed the group's finances for over 20 years, finally decided to close its doors. Caminar clients, staff, and alumni are extremely grateful for all that ECHO has done to make a difference, not just with the clients but also within the community of San Mateo County.

About Caminar: Caminar is a nonprofit agency that has been providing services for adults with disabilities for more than 48 years. With an annual budget of over $15 million, the agency is located in three Counties -San Mateo, Butte and Solano in Northern California, and has over 400 employees. Caminar's community-based programs are designed to maximize wellness and recovery, and to create opportunities for adults with mental, physical, and developmental disabilities. Caminar's core services focus on community-based individual support services; intensive residential care, transitional and permanent supported housing, supported education, and supported employment. Caminar strives to assist each individual, helping to create and develop a personalized roadmap for achieving goals.