On Friday, the city announced that Downtown Streets Team Modesto will shut down at the end of October. On Saturday, the entire organization announced it would shutter at the same time due to “significant challenges” politically and financially.
Downtown Streets Team was founded 20 years ago and serves 16 communities in the San Francisco Bay area and Northern California — including Modesto. The nonprofit has a longstanding relationship with the City of Modesto, which has allocated millions of dollars to it since 2019.
The nonprofit primarily helps those who are unhoused transition into housing and to secure jobs. One of its flagship programs offers members the opportunity to clean parts of the city in exchange for a stipend to pay for basic needs. Since 2019 it’s served nearly 400 individuals, supported 182 with housing opportunities and helped 127 secure employment, according to the city…