Code Tenderloin teaches basic coding skills, job readiness skills to disenfranchised in SF

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Code Tenderloin is a nonprofit leading the charge in Building a Better Bay Area. It teaches job readiness training and basic coding skills to people in San Francisco who've been incarcerated, are disenfranchised or experiencing homelessness. The goal is to help them find long term work.

Shelley Winner is living a life she didn't think was possible.

"If someone would have told me 4, 4 and a half years ago when I was sitting in prison that one day I would own a home and be working at a huge tech company I would have laughed in their face," Winner says.

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After overcoming addiction and spending two years in prison, she found Code Tenderloin.

"They not only taught me how to write a resume," Winner says. "But they taught me how to interview. And they also took me on a tech tour to many different companies and I was able to meet the employees there I was able to network."

ABC7 News Anchor Kumasi Aaron spoke with students in a class like the one Shelley took. They're free, and cover everything from job readiness to a coding boot camp. The goal, to help people who've been incarcerated, have overcome addiction, or are experiencing homelessness find long term employment. The roles range from placements with local businesses, to tech giants.

"We have people at Dolby," says Code Tenderloin founder Del Seymour. "We have people at Salesforce. We have been able to place many people in $150,000 and above jobs straight coming from our shelters and coming from our tents."

After Aaron spoke to the class, she and Seymour walked the streets outside the office where Seymour slept for ten years. Now, he and his care team help serve, working to meet people where they are.

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"We don't change nobody's lives," Seymour says. "We give people the tools to change their lives."

"I just bought a house in Vallejo in March," Winner says. "I'm engaged to married to a wonderful person. Anything is possible."

Code Tenderloin is working to reach its $15,000 goal for its #givecare campaign as it continues its work distributing health kits, warm clothing, food, and information to the community on a regular basis. Code Tenderloin is also keeping its classes running online for students in both the Job Readiness Program and Code Ramp.

Code Tenderloin has also launched the Code Care Resource Line at (415) 787 - 3069 so that any one in need can call for on demand hygiene information to keep themselves protected from contracting and spreading COVID-19.

To give to Code Tenderloin visit their website or Facebook page.