Sierra Roots is a community-based nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in Nevada County.
We believe that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. Our work begins by building relationships — listening to people, understanding their individual circumstances, and responding to the needs in front of us.
Through our Thursday Community Lunch, Emergency Weather Shelter, and distribution of clothing, sleeping bags, hygiene supplies, and other basic necessities, we help our neighbors meet immediate needs while staying connected to the community.
Sierra Roots is a small organization with deep local roots. Our work is made possible by volunteers, donors, community partners, and neighbors who believe that caring for one another makes our entire community stronger.
In Memoriam
Janice O’Brien, Our Founder
Sierra Roots grew from the compassion and determination of Janice O’Brien.
Janice had an enduring commitment to people who were homeless, forgotten, or simply in need of someone who would listen. Together with Utah Phillips, Joanne Robinson, Cindy Maple, Don Lee, her husband Jim, and others in the community, she shared a vision for providing shelter and services for Nevada City’s unhoused residents.
That vision helped lead to the founding of Hospitality House and, later, Sierra Roots — an organization created to respond to the everyday needs of people experiencing homelessness in our community.
Janice’s legacy continues in the relationships Sierra Roots builds, the meals we share, the shelter we provide, and the simple acts of kindness and practical help offered every day.
Board of Directors
Susan Rice
Acting Executive Director & Board President
Sarah Griffin-Boubacar
Secretary
Matthew Osypowski
Treasurer
Mike Cannatella
Board Member
Tara Norton
Board Member