Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, Union Station Homeless Services served 2,200 meals a week at its facilities with the help of hundreds of volunteers.
A homeless services organization serving the San Gabriel Valley will scale up its meal preparation and deliveries to serve about 5,000 meals a week, beginning Friday.
“Our vulnerable and at-risk clients, living in our bridge housing and supportive housing sites as well as hundreds of our clients staying in motels and apartments, now depend on us for food,” said Anne Miskey, CEO of Union Station Homeless Services.
“With the help of our partners and amazing staff, we have swiftly responded and are delivering meals to their residences across the San Gabriel Valley,” Miskey said. “In this time of crisis, we are showing how we live our core philosophy of meeting our clients ‘where they are at’ — physically and emotionally.”
On Mondays and Thursdays, staff and volunteers receive, sort and label
prepackaged meals into individual grocery bags for each resident, and on Tuesdays and Fridays, two refrigerator delivery trucks, provided by the Patina
Restaurant Group, are loaded for deliveries.
Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the organization served 2,200 meals a week at its facilities with the help of hundreds of volunteers, many who had served dinners or made sack lunches at the facilities for years.
Anyone wishing to donate services or money can find more information here.
Anise Stevens was a self-taught painter, produced playwright, published essayist and contributing art critic to several publications including Artillery and AEQAI.
Anise was a true lover of the arts, but didn’t pursue painting with regularity until diagnosed with breast cancer just before her 43rd birthday. Anise found painting a therapeutic outlet and motivator to persevere with inspired resilience. For seven
years, she fought but ultimately lost a brave battle against cancer.
Her memory will be forever honored by the tremendous legacy that she left to Union Station Homeless Services. Her gift will allow Union Station’s life-saving work to continue for many years to come. We are inspired by her fearlessness, creativity, and commitment to those we serve.
Pasadena, CA November 4, 2019 – Building on a 20 year tradition of fun, entertainment and giving, Evening for the Station: A Night of Wonder, will be held this Thursday, November 7, 2019 at 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm at the Imperial Palace in Pasadena. The Little Brazil Trio will be providing the music for the evening to set the stage for an incredible Variety Show. Featured talent will include performances by ventriloquist and Tony Award Winning actor Jay Johnson, world class magician Christopher Hart, juggler extraordinaire Michael Rayner, the classic comedy duo of the Rumoli Brothers, and more.
The Silent auction is now live with bidding starting on more than 40 items, including a five-day Hawaiian getaway, a suite for 12 at an LA Clipper game and tickets to Death Cab for Cutie concert.
Admission includes hors d’oeuvres and the show. More information and tickets can be found at https://unionstationhs.org/events/. A 100% of the proceeds benefit Union Station Homeless Services. This is a night you will not want to miss.
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Union Station Homeless Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to providing permanent solutions to end homelessness and rebuild lives. Headquartered in Pasadena, Ca, Union Station is the San Gabriel Valley’s largest social service agency assisting homeless and very low-income adults and families. believes every person deserves a life of dignity and a safe place to call home. With more than 45 years of experience, Union Station proudly offers a holistic continuum of programs throughout the San Gabriel Valley including street outreach, intake assessments, bridge and permanent housing, care coordination, employment,
and community integration services. For more information, visit www.unionstationhs.org.
Housing and homeless activists praise The Ratkovich Company’s affordable housing component for Civic Center projects
In the latest chapter of Pasadena’s Civic Center YWCA Building saga, the City Council has approved further study on five proposed projects for the historic Julia Morgan-designed building in Centennial Plaza.
One project is already receiving kudos and raising the hopes of local affordable housing activists.
The five new projects were culled from a list of ten projects received following a Request for Proposals issued by the City in June for the YWCA property and a nearby plot of land.
The Council approved a staff recommendation to study projects by Carpenter & Company, Inc; Continental Assets Management; Edgewood Realty Partners, LLC; HRI Properties, LLC; and The Ratkovich Company/National Community Renaissance.
According to the City staff report, a specific use was not identified as part of the outreach; instead City staff sought proposals from groups experienced in historic renovation.
While each of the projects featured a hotel as some element of their plans, the The Ratkovich Company / National Community Renaissance project would prominently feature 94 units for low income families earning up to 60% of the area median income, with 46 units for permanent supportive housing for households who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.
The Ratkovich/Community Renaissance project proposes two alternatives for the YWCA site—a historic rehabilitation of the YWCA Building for creative office with surface parking; or a historic rehabilitation of the YWCA Building and the construction of a new 59,000 sq. ft. office building.
The other option is the rehabilitation of the YWCA Building and construction of a new 142-room hotel on-site with an 80 space subterranean garage.
The option for the Water and Power site proposes the same residential unit and income mix, but introduces up to 15,000 sq. ft. of leasable office space for use by a single governmental department tenant on a semi-subterranean level of the building with an 87-space, two-level subterranean garage.
Each of the developments would have a 45-foot setback from Garfield Avenue and a height limit of 60 feet.
Councilmember Victor Gordo set the stage for the discussion asking the Council, “Which project is true to the Civic Center’s vision? Which will activate the Civic Center? And where is the deference to City Hall?”
“All of these issues are extremely important,” responded City Manager Steve Mermell, who noted that the City may “mix and match” various elements of the proposals.
The Ratkovich/Community Renaissance project was the only project commented on by members of the community in attendance.
United Way West San Gabriel Valley field representative Teresa Eilers told the Council during public comment to select the Ratkovitch project and said, “Create more affordable housing in Civic Center. Send a brave message to other cities.”
A number of housing and homeless activists also spoke on behalf of the Ratkovich/Renaissance project, including representatives from Union Station Homeless Services, and All Saints Church.
“Please take advantage of this historic opportunity,” said All Saints Church’s Julianna Serrano, while longtime housing activist Anthony Manousos said, “This is a historic moment for our city. This is a win-win.”
Manousos also noted the planned 94 low-income apartments, saying, “These are families,” he said. “These are children who will go to Pasadena schools.”
Longtime preservationist Ann Scheid pointed out to the Council that both the YWCA and YMCA buildings were both originally built as “affordable housing.”
The Council’s approval of the City staff recommendation means that each of the five projects will now be examined more closely, though Councilmember John Kennedy emphasized the need for more public meetings and more “transparency” in any decision-making.
But Councilmember Steve Madison, who noted that the Civic Center project has gone on for more than seven years, said, “We don’t need a more bloated process. We need to pick a great project, move it forward, and get our $5 to $10 million back [that we paid for it].”
The site has been the subject of numerous development ideas since the City purchased it in 2012 for $8.3 million to preserve and restore it.
Mayor Terry Tornek responded that he agreed with Madison, but said the City needs to take a “reasonable approach” to the final selection
Tornek also added, “Let’s get on with it.”
Following the unanimous vote, City staff will report back to the Council, on a date to be determined, with a closer look at the five selections, in terms of feasibility and further recommendations.
India, dressed as “Elsa” prepares to walk the runway as designer Kara Saun directs her during a costume show at the Union Station Family Center in Pasadena, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019. Saun, who helped put together the runway show, provided the costumes for the children for them to keep for Halloween. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
With a wave of a wand, heroes and princesses hailing from all over the Disneyverse and the Marvel Cinematic Universe crossed paths and took center stage Monday at Union Station Homeless Services Family Center.
The Hulk, a Black Panther-Iron Man hybrid and Queen Maleficent Bertha were all there Monday evening in costumes befitting a movie set. One could almost hear J. Jonah Jameson demanding photos of Spiderman.
Although the mishmash of characters may seem random, all had one thing in common: They were played by kids. And they are all currently homeless.
Union Station Homeless Services, the lead agency of homeless services in the San Gabriel Valley, presented its first Halloween fashion runway show for kids, hosted by “Fashion Fairy Godmother,” Kara Saun, costume designer Disney channel’s “Descendants” 1, 2 and 3.
Although the mishmash of characters may seem random, all had one thing in common: They were played by kids. And they are all currently homeless.
Union Station Homeless Services, the lead agency of homeless services in the San Gabriel Valley, presented its first Halloween fashion runway show for kids, hosted by “Fashion Fairy Godmother,” Kara Saun, costume designer Disney channel’s “Descendants” 1, 2 and 3.
She spent two months preparing the children’s costumes, with some brought in and others hand-crafted. Her team, alongside Union Station’s volunteers, helped change the center into a full-on fashion show, with a dressing room and selfie station.
Graphic designer Jesse Pineda put together an immersive room filled with a Halloween mask wall and winter wonderland backdrop. Halloween is his favorite holiday not because of the scary environment, but for the opportunity for kids to get creative and mysterious.
“Sometimes you don’t have resources to be able to partake in something as simple as Halloween. It’s not even about the candy, but some kids never dress up,” Pineda said. This experience alone might change their whole outlook on life … [to] just being able to have the opportunity to pretend to be something else [and] escape your reality for one day.”
Kids and families of all ages walked down a black runway lined with LED lights and purple and black star balloons.
Pirate pair Jeniffer Fuentes and Rosenberg Velasquez carried their almost 3-month-old infant, Rosie, clad in a unicorn costume. The catwalk, Fuentes said, felt real.
“Even though, [Rosie] doesn’t know what’s going on, we’re loving it. We’re kids at heart,” Fuentes said.
As a pediatric pulmonary specialist, she also was familiar with children living in unhealthful conditions — in garages, for example — when their parents couldn’t afford more.
So Margetis faithfully donated to Union Station Homeless Services on a regular basis, believing in its mission to help adults and families facing hunger, homelessness and poverty in the community. But when she read that the nonprofit organization was looking for volunteers to help mentor recently housed homeless individuals, she felt something call out to her.
OUTLOOK photo Union Station Homeless Services’ Community Allies program matches neighbors with companions who were formerly homeless, many of whom become dear friends, like Dr. Monique Margetis (left) and Verlinda Bee. Like a lot of concerned Pasadenans, longtime resident Dr. Monique Margetis was alarmed by what seemed to be the growing number of homeless men and women she saw on the streets, under overpasses, crowding the parks.
“For me, it was kind of putting my money and time where my mouth was,” said Margetis, who’d just retired from full-time work at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and felt she might have time to volunteer. “I’ve long been worried about people who are homeless; I talk about the situation all the time. Living in this city, you can’t walk around here and not see all these faces — it’s just heartbreaking. And, well, here was something I could actually do, something where I could really make a difference.”
Margetis joined a small contingent of Pasadena neighbors who are partnering with the Union Station Homeless Services Community Allies program, a new way for volunteers to engage with the homeless and provide support and kinship through one-on-one relationships. The mission is to help empower those who’ve been homeless to combat feelings of isolation while they achieve self-sufficiency, housing stability and overall wellness.
In short, Margetis offered her time to get to know someone, and that someone turned out to be Verlinda Bee, whom Margetis describes as sweet-tempered and generous. The two hit it off right away and are now celebrating more than a year of friendship.
Union Station CEO Anne Miskey said that the Community Allies program is working to keep formerly homeless individuals permanently housed, and fits into the bigger picture of fighting homelessness on multiple levels. As complex as the reasons are for becoming homeless — whether it’s the loss of a job, lack of affordable housing, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic abuse, cyclical poverty or a combination of all of the above — the methods of helping must be equally matched, she noted.
And Union Station, combined with the city and other area nonprofits, has shown that the groups’ efforts and methods are working: Pasadena homelessness was down 20%, to about 300 individuals, in 2019 from the previous year, and down about 56% from 10 years ago. That compares to the Greater Los Angles Homeless Count results in 2019, which found that more than 58,900 people were living without permanent shelter on any given night throughout L.A. County, up 12% compared with the previous year, according to the L.A. Homeless Services Authority.
Miskey said that although Union Station has made headway by treating individuals on a one-by-one basis, its leaders have found that they need to better engage the community in their mission.
Photo by Staci Moraza / OUTLOOK Masters of Taste co-chairs Rob Levy and Maxine Harris were joined by Union Station Homeless Services CEO Anne Miskey and board chair Jim Moore at the organization’s fundraiser at the Rose Bowl last spring.
“We have found that we need to better engage with the people in our community, help them understand what are the myths and realities regarding homelessness and how we can recruit community members to help resolve this and the systemic processes that are failing our communities,” she said. “If we are going to resolve homelessness — and we believe we can — we need to bring the community along with us to achieve it.”
The Community Allies program represents a method that is tried and true, she noted. It helps those who’ve experienced homelessness develop healthy relationships, a healthy social network and sense of belonging in the community. But it also helps those who volunteer to expand their experiences, meet new people and grow as human beings.
“Homelessness is a very isolating condition; people coming out of it have been disconnected from society for a long time, and the experience and trauma that comes with it is very difficult to overcome. The goal of our ‘friends and allies’ program is to break down that isolation and make a connection with another human being,” Miskey said. “This really further extends what we can do and how we can walk with our clients on this journey to fulfill hopes and dreams and connect with those in the community.”
Margetis and Bee have become one of 60 successfully paired couples in the program. The two have grown their friendship, with Margetis helping to remind Bee of her appointments, offering her rides and companionship to get there when she can. The two like to take walks in the mall and window shop or, when the weather is nice, stroll in the parks. They enjoy lunching together at a favorite, old-fashioned diner, where they’re called “Sweetie” and “Baby.”
Meeting up to discuss their journey together, Margetis recalled how apprehensive she was initially, saying, “I was very nervous she might not like me … this was very outside of my comfort zone.”
Bee laughed in agreement, adding, “I was afraid I wouldn’t get along with her.”
Before getting into permanent supportive housing through Union Station, Bee was homeless and lived out of her car for more than a year, sleeping in parking lots or anywhere authorities wouldn’t ticket her. It’s hard for Bee to retrace the steps that led to that point, exactly, but she recounted that several years earlier, her mother — whom she’d cared for and lived with — had passed away, and her remaining family sold the house, leaving her nowhere to go. Reeling with grief and struggling for sobriety, Bee did the best she could, living out of her car and bathing at a shelter. But she’d gotten used to people not looking at her, or merely looking to judge her. Estranged from her family, she felt alone for a long time.
So when, finally, Bee completed the steps to achieving sobriety and finally received the keys to an apartment through Union Station, she was nervous. Her one-bedroom apartment often still feels too quiet. Its location in Pomona is new to her, too. Getting to know Margetis has been a bright spot in her world, she said.
“When I first saw Monique, I didn’t think we would match, but we did. I really enjoy her — she’s been good to me. She helps me make sure I get my appointments done; she looks out for me, and I appreciate that,” said Bee, adding that Margetis helped her to study to regain her driver’s license after it was suspended because of unpaid parking tickets, many incurred while she tried to live out of her car. (“That’s one of the ways they criminalize homelessness,” added Emily Fredrickson, Union Station program manager.)
Fredrickson acknowledged, laughingly, she’s become the Community Allies matchmaker, and has now overseen the dozens of other successfully paired couples in the program. The nonprofit organizes monthly get-togethers at the Union Station Family Center, including bingo, barbecues, movie or game nights and field trips to Sparks games.
“Having supportive relationships is so important in everyone’s lives … as adults it can be really difficult to meet people in your community, especially in a giant, sprawling place like L.A.,” Fredrickson said. “For people who have been through difficult situations and are trying to change and move forward, especially for those who never really had healthy relationships before, this is doubly difficult. So we are helping them make a human connection and create companionship and friendship.”
As for Margetis and Bee, she said, “All we did was kind of put them together, and it’s been really beautiful to watch that relationship bloom and grow.”
Margetis, who glanced at her friend and said she gets more out of the friendship than Bee (who laughed at that), teared up a bit when describing what she’s learned from the relationship. The two women patted each other’s hands affectionately.
“What I’ve learned from Verlinda … even after everything she has been through, she has retained such a gentle, kind spirit. Verlinda doesn’t have a bitter, mean bone in her body, and it’s so apparent, she just shines,” Margetis said. “Working with her has put such a face on homelessness for me … her persistence and her positive attitude in the face of major setbacks in life and hardships and medical problems. … I mean, she is such a wonderful example of ‘You can do it.’ It’s been a real privilege to be with her and try to be a positive spot in her life.”
Miskey added that anyone interested in helping to make a difference in Pasadena should check out the Community Allies program.
“This is a great opportunity to have a profound effect on the life of a neighbor who was formerly homeless and is now a member of our community. As an agency we walk alongside the volunteer and their companion, making sure it’s a positive experience for everyone involved. At the end of the day, you come away knowing you’ve made a tremendous difference, and as a volunteer, you will gain more than you ever could have imagined from this new friendship.”
To learn more about volunteer opportunities at Union Station Homeless Services or its Community Allies program, visit unionstationhs.org and click on the “Volunteer” link.
SACRAMENTO – A broad coalition of support from statewide and local organizations are asking the Governor to sign AB 1197, following the legislature’s near-unanimous support of the bill last week. The measure, authored by California State Assemblymember Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) and principal coauthored by Senate Majority Leader Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), would speed the construction of housing for homeless families and individuals in Los Angeles.
The urgent need to build both temporary and permanent housing to move those suffering from homelessness off the streets only grows with each passing day. Due to the extreme homelessness crisis facing the City of LA, a growing number of groups are leaning in to fight for solutions that will cut through existing hurdles to building more temporary and permanent housing. Nonprofits, business groups, as well as housing and homelessness advocates are leading the call for Governor Newsom to sign this measure.
“As long as Californians are struggling to survive in our streets, we have a moral responsibility to do everything in our power to provide the shelter and assistance they need to get back on their feet,” Santiago said. “I am proud of the strong support we have received throughout this process. Ittakes a villageto alleviate this nightmarish crisis as quickly as possible.”
Senate Majority Leader Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) added, “We made this bill an urgency matter because the homeless crisis is urgent. Both houses of the Legislature overwhelmingly adopted these changes to break down barriers and get people into shelter, and the coalition of support has only grown.”
“We thank Assemblymember Santiago for his leadership working to expedite supportive housing. To make true progress, Los Angeles’ homeless crisis should be treated with the same urgency and dedication of resources we’ve harnessed to address other regional crisis. We urge the Governor to sign this critical measure, knocking down key barriers and allowing local governments to immediately build the necessary housing to alleviate our homelessness crisis.” – Mary Leslie, President, Los Angeles Business Council
“AB 1197 will go far to help the City of Los Angeles expeditiously develop emergency housing and move those suffering from homelessness off the streets and into safe and decent housing and we urge the Governor to sign this important measure.” – Debra Carlton, Senior Vice President Public Affairs, California Apartment Association
“We are proud to lend our support to AB 1197, a bill that will help facilitate the development of what we urgently need to solve Los Angeles’ homelessness crisis: more units of permanent supportive housing. Ultimately AB 1197 will help us achieve our shared goals of getting people, families and communities off the streets and into homes.” – Joel John Roberts, CEO, PATH
“With Governor Newsom’s signature, AB 1197 will untie Los Angeles’ hands to better address our crisis. This law is a key missing ingredient to help prioritize the shelter and supportive housing that will strengthen our communities and give hope to thousands of Angelenos.” – Doug Smith, Supervising Staff Attorney, Public Counsel
“Los Angeles voters committed to solving our homeless crisis when they overwhelmingly stepped up three years ago to fund the construction of permanent supportive housing. We owe it to everyone to make the best use of those funds to treat this as the emergency it is and house those experiencing homelessness as soon as possible.” – Maria S. Salinas, President & CEO, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
“Homes end homelessness. Short-term and supportive housing is critical if we’re going to bring more people indoors, and AB 1197 will expedite our ability to create much-needed homes. We need to eliminate the barriers, streamline the process, and keep building.” – Daniel Huynh, Vice President of Real Estate, LA Family Housing
“It is urgent that Governor Newsom sign AB 1197 to help speed up the construction of emergency shelters and supportive housing in the City of Los Angeles while ensuring high quality labor and environmental protections remain in place. Union Station Homeless Services stands in strong support of the goals of the CEQA and believe this bill strikes the right balance to help us address our homeless crisis.” – Anne Miskey, CEO, Union Station Homeless Services
“Assemblymember Santiago’s bill will expedite the delivery of supportive housing and emergency shelters, and quickly help our homeless neighbors find stable housing. We are facing a homeless humanitarian crisis, and we need policies that will significantly speed up the entitlement process and construction which will ultimately get people housed faster.” – Jessica Lall, President & CEO, Central City Association
“Like so many cities in California, Los Angeles is in the midst of a crushing housing affordability crisis. The City has responded by approving significant new funding for affordable housing, but this bill is needed to ensure critical housing can be built quickly to help Los Angeles address its homelessness challenges.” – Ray Pearl, Executive Director, California Housing Consortium
“The California Community Foundation has supported Measure HHH to build homes for our neighbors on the street, and we share the frustration of voters, residents and community leaders about production delays. AB 1197 will help the 120 developments in the Measure HHH pipeline build over 8,600 units more quickly so we can move people from street to home. We urge the Governor to support Los Angeles’ work to remove barriers to housing the most vulnerable in our community.” – Ann Sewill, Vice President, Health and Housing, California Community Foundation
Governor Newsom is expected to take action on the bill – with either his signature or his veto – by October 13, 2019.
Assemblymember Miguel Santiago is the Chair of the Assembly’s Communications and Conveyance Committee, and a member of both the Assembly Public Safety Committee and the California Latino Legislative Caucus. He represents the 53rd District composed of the cities of Los Angeles, Huntington Park, and Vernon.
With over 15 years of financial non-profit experience, David Cusack joins Union Station Homeless Service as CFO to help guide the organization
Pasadena, CA – Union Station Homeless Services announced today that David Cusack has been named Chief Financial Officer at Union Station Homeless Services. Cusack will be joining the organization’s Executive Leadership Team and will report directly to the CEO Anne Miskey.
Prior to joining Union Station Homeless Services, Cusack served as the CFO of Family Service Association in Riverside, a nonprofit community-based social service organization whose services included childcare, senior nutrition, residential, child abuse and neglect prevention and behavioral health for lower income communities in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
For over 15 years, Cusack has served in a financial leadership role with multiple non-profit social services organizations and brings with him extensive experience in strategic planning, infrastructure building, budgeting, and government contracting.
“David Cusack has deep non-profit financial expertise to help guide us as we expand our mission into the greater San Gabriel Valley,” states Anne Miskey, CEO. “With David’s joining, we have now rounded out our Executive Leadership Team and are making major strides to end homelessness and rebuild lives.”
Cusack has volunteered in a variety of activities including refugee resettlement, coaching in Special Olympics and serving on the Board of Directors for a nonprofit organization providing residential care and rehabilitation for intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals.
Cusack earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Missouri Southern State University and later attended the University of Missouri in Kansas City to strengthen his accounting knowledge through a Master of Science program.
Richard Dong (L) and Eric Dong present Victoria Purnell with one of the 21 scholarships granted by The Richard and Eric Dong Endowment Fund as part of an ongoing endowment to Union Station Homeless Services Family Center
The Richard and Eric Dong Endowment Fund Awards First Ever Scholarships to Young Residents at Union Station Homeless Services
21 scholarships granted by The Richard and Eric Dong Endowment Fund as part of an ongoing endowment to Union Station Homeless Services Family Center, a shelter for families offering a nurturing home-like environment
The scholarships were established by two teens who funded the endowment from money that they have earned from their own successful business investments to help kids who are experiencing homelessness to promote hope and dreaming big
Pasadena, CA August 19, 2019 –At its first ever scholarship ceremony, The Richard and Eric Dong Endowment Fund awarded 21 scholarships to young residents at the Family Center at Union Station Homeless Services. On hand to celebrate the 11 awards for $250 and 10 awards for $150 were Congresswoman Judy Chu and Anne Miskey, CEO of Union Station Homeless Services.
“Victoria has been ice skating since she was 3 years old. She is going to use her scholarship funds to take figure skating lessons and achieve her dream of learning how to do jumps,” says Jessica Purnell, mother of one of the scholarship winners for sports.
Based on essay submissions, The Richard and Eric Dong Endowment Fund awarded ten Sports scholarships to help in purchasing equipment and lessons, five Academic scholarships to fund books and supplies, five Arts and Music scholarships to further lessons in dance and music and one Humans Rights Scholarship to help advance a just and peaceful world.
“Richard and Eric Dong are two young men who are an inspiration for all,” says Anne Miskey, CEO of Union Station Homeless Services. “With their generous support of these scholarships, they are helping our young residents achieve their dreams and showing how community support makes such a difference in the lives of the families at Union Station Homeless Services.”
Although still teenagers, Richard and Eric have funded the endowment from money that they have earned from their own successful business investments. In addition to creating the endowment and scholarship fund, Richard and Eric are volunteers at the Family Center at Union Station Homeless Services, providing piano lessons and math tutoring to the residents throughout the year.
“Since my brother and I have been volunteering at Union Station Homeless Services, we have been inspired by how hard the children are working to achieve their dreams. But for many there are financial barriers,” said Eric Dong. “Richard and I were extremely touched by what the children wrote on their applications and we wanted to support as many as possible.”
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Richard Dong, Anne Miskey CEO of Union Station Homeless Services, Congresswoman Judy Chu, Eric Dong (left to right) at the first ever scholarship ceremony of The Richard and Eric Dong Endowment Fund as part of an ongoing endowment to Union Station Homeless Services Family Center.
Pasadena, CA – Union Station Homeless Services announced today that it has been awarded a generous $15,000 economic mobility grant from Bank of America. Funds from the grant will support Union Station Homeless Services’ mission of ending homelessness and rebuilding lives in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley.
The grant was part of $2.4 million in grants made by Bank of America to 84 Los Angeles nonprofits that will advance economic mobility for individuals and families and put them on a path toward financial stability. The local nonprofits receiving funding will help address two key factors improving financial stability: basic needs such as access to food, shelter and health services and access to educational and workforce development services that either give young adults pathways to employment or provide additional opportunities for people to rebuild their careers for better-paying work.
“So many of us are just one life event away from needing to depend on basic needs services such as food banks or shelters, while others – especially from economically disadvantaged areas – remain under-employed lacking the evolving job skills necessary to be part of today’s booming workforce economy,” said Raul A. Anaya, market president for Greater Los Angeles, Bank of America. “But through strategic philanthropic investments into Union Station Homeless Services and the Southland’s incredible nonprofit network, Bank of America is deploying its capital to advance more economic opportunities in the region.”
In the latest chapter of Pasadena’s Civic Center YWCA Building saga, the City Council has approved further study on five proposed projects for the historic Julia Morgan-designed building in Centennial Plaza.
OUTLOOK photo
“It is urgent that Governor Newsom sign AB 1197 to help speed up the construction of emergency shelters and supportive housing in the City of Los Angeles while ensuring high quality labor and environmental protections remain in place. Union Station Homeless Services stands in strong support of the goals of the CEQA and believe this bill strikes the right balance to help us address our homeless crisis.” – Anne Miskey, CEO, Union Station Homeless Services
Pasadena, CA – Union Station Homeless Services announced today that David Cusack has been named Chief Financial Officer at Union Station Homeless Services. Cusack will be joining the organization’s Executive Leadership Team and will report directly to the CEO Anne Miskey.
