Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc. - Newsletter, November 2003

A Quarterly Newsletter from Catholic Charities - November 2003

The El Monte Community Services Center, supported by friends, the United Way and the City of El Monte, offers case management, emergency food, clothing, shelter, winter utilities assistance, immigration services, parenting classes and a Saturday tutoring program.

Maria “Gives Back” to Catholic Charities

“Maria” spends approximately 20 hours per week working as a volunteer at the El Monte Community Services Center, located in the San Gabriel Region of Catholic Charities. She comes to sort food items and prepare grocery bags for distribution, and is willing to help with chores and special events.
“Maria” volunteers her time because she is grateful for the help she received at the center when she had nowhere else to turn.
Over three years ago, “Maria” came to El Monte Community Services Center seeking emergency assistance. After her husband left her and their three children, the family became homeless. Even with government assistance, Maria could not afford the security deposit necessary to move into her own home.
With the help of Elena Guzman, a case manager at El Monte Community Services Center, and funds for the security deposit from the El Monte-based Emergency Resource Agency, “Maria” and her family moved into safe housing in a local mobile home park.

Catholic Charities Thanks Golf Tournament
Sponsors and Donors

Tournament Sponsors ($10,000)

California Commerce Bank
Ferry Family Charitable Foundation
The Stanley D. Hayden Family
Mr. and Mrs. Vincent F. Martin, Jr.
Cynthia L. and William E. Simon, Jr. Foundation

Gold Sponsors ($5,000)

Bingham McCutchen LLP
Catholic Mortuaries
Deloitte & Touche
Mary and Jay Flaherty Family Fund
Fremont General Corporation
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and
John Swenson, Esq.
Hancock Park Associates and
Michael J. Fourticq
Thomas E. and Margaret G. Larkin Foundation
Latham & Watkins and Paul D. Tosetti, Esq.
Stephen McDonald
John and Colleen Morrissey
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church and Monsignor Paul Montoya
Parking Company of America
John and Dorothy Shea Foundation
Western Sequoia Corporation

Silver Sponsors ($2,500)

East West Bank
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
RR Donnelley Financial
St. Victor’s Catholic Church and
Monsignor Jeremiah Murphy
William M. Wardlaw
Wells Capital Management

Bronze Sponsors ($1,250)

Charles G. Cale
Ned Greene
Jennifer McLaughlin
Richard W. Nichols
Océ Printing Systems
William Randall

Hole-In-One Sponsors

Auth Family & Kaiser Brothers
Oldsmobile-Honda
Bentley Beverly Hills

Lunch Sponsor

Paul and Gloria Griffin

Donors

Mr. & Mrs. William L. Clark ($100)
Mrs. Margaret M. Cox ($200)
Mr. Rich Cronin ($100)
Robert M. Ebiner, Esq. ($125)
Mr. David C. Hasbrouck ($500)
Mr. S.D. Herman ($200)
Mr. & Mrs. Ivan J. Houston ($250)
Mr. James E. Kenney ($100)
Mr. Moeed Khan ($100)
Mr. & Mrs. David Knighton ($100)
The Linda and Fred Port
Family Foundation ($1,000)
The Riordan Foundation ($500)
William B. Stetson, M.D. ($100)
Westcap Investors, LLC ($1,000)
Mr. Mark E. Woodruff ($100)

Auction Donors

John Ahn
The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Denny Fitzpatrick
Bradford Renaissance Portraits,
Bradford Rowley
Robert Byrne
Elio’s Fitness for Success, Elio Samamé
John Jacobs Golf Schools, Shelby Futch
Magellan’s Catalog, John and Gloria McManus
Vincent F. Martin, Jr.
Tim McAnany and Bill Randall
Moorpark Country Club, Mike Nix
Omni Los Angeles Hotel, Jim Snow
PGA of Southern California Golf Club at
Oak Valley, Roger Billings
The Patina Group, Joachim Spichal
Roger Dunn Golf Shop, Steve Carfano


	A Message from the Executive Director, Monsignor Gregory A. Cox *Sleepless in Los Angeles*
	If people were asked to define a homeless person, I suspect that there would be a number of different descriptions. A homeless person is defined by the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 as “an individual who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate night-time residence, or a person who resides in a shelter, welfare hotel, transitional program or place not ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodations, such as streets, cars, movie theaters, abandoned buildings etc.” In Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, there are an estimated 105,000 homeless people every night. Catholic Charities provides emergency, transitional and long-term housing for the homeless. Our Angel’s Flight program for runaway children gives youth, 17 years of age and under, shelter and assistance in working toward family reunification or foster care. Our Elizabeth Anne Seton Residence provides a safe haven for homeless families. While the parents are searching for employment, their children are attending school, conducted by the Long Beach School Unified School District. Finally, Catholic Charities’ Good Shepherd Center is expanding services for homeless women and children by adding a new facility that will include 20 more beds and a job development center. How a civilization takes care of those most vulnerable in its midst says something about that society. We can ignore the issue of homelessness or address it head on. Catholic Charities chooses, thanks to the generous support of our benefactors, to provide homeless people with the necessities of housing, food, job training and education, as well as help with their emotional needs by showing acceptance, support, encouragement and love. A valuable lesson anyone learns in serving the poor and homeless is that it is in providing for their needs, that our own needs are met.