At the Heart of Helping - July 2021 Report
In This Issue:
CEOLetterLetter from the President/CEO
...At the Heart of Building Our Team

I am so grateful to each and every one of you who continued to support us through this pandemic. After an incredibly tough 15 months in which we suffered major budget cuts, were forced to lay off 50% of our staff and saw significant pay cuts, we are finally stabilizing and feeling resilient. 

The pandemic caused havoc and increased needs for families and youth in our community. To continue to keep up with these increased demands, we need enough board members and staff to continue to adapt, grow and develop our programs. We reorganized our team to focus on serving youth, and below you will find an announcement for three new positions. I hope you will forward the notices on to your contacts. 

I'm also proud to announce that we added 5 new board members. They all have exceptional backgrounds and have already opened their hearts to our mission. It was wonderful to hear them jump in and speak up with new ideas and energy at the board meeting this month. 

We also welcomed many new volunteers and donors this past month. It's very humbling and heart-warming to hear how each person finds their way to us and hear why they are inspired to give both donations and time! 

As always, thank you for being "at the heart of helping!"
SM Signature




Sara Myers
President/CEO
AREAALocal Professionals Give Back in a Big Way!
...At the Heart of Putting Empathy in Action!

We are so grateful to the incredible volunteers of Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) LA Coastal who joined us this month for an Empathy In Action service day. AREAA is a nonprofit professional trade organization dedicated to promoting sustainable homeownership opportunities in Asian American communities by creating a powerful national voice for housing and real estate professionals. 

Their members brought nearly
700 pounds of food and held their monthly service project at our Center where their enthusiastic group packed 6,000 meals. They got to hear about our mission, learn more about all of our programs and had a chance to put themselves in the mindset of the families we serve and the struggles they face. 

One member was visibly touched and expressed,  

"Throughout my life, I don't think I've ever experienced hunger- I always knew I had food available, and I always had access to my next meal." 

Another member shared, 

"It would be so hard to have hungry children, and know I didn't have any money in the bank to feed them." 

Still another member shared the humble realization that many of us are just two paychecks away from experiencing homelessness or needing food assistance and would need the services of the Food For Kids program. 


We were so impressed with their commitment to service, and the way they all worked together to demonstrate "Empathy in Action!" 
HiringWe're Hiring!
...At the Heart of Recruiting New Talent

We're looking for three talented and passionate individuals to join our team. Working for the Volunteer Center means that you can wake up each day knowing you will inspire kindness and empathy in others, and go to sleep knowing that you helped serve local families and address community needs. The following links show each position and the qualifications we are looking for in more detail. We hope you will spread the word! 

Director of Programs (Full Time) 

Office Assistant (Part Time)

Program Developer (Contract)
NewBoardWelcoming New Board Members
...At the Heart of Growing Our Board of Directors

On July 26, we welcomed five new board members to their first board meeting. These wonderful new additions received training in our Carver Model of Governance and will now serve a three year term. We are so proud of their diverse experience and backgrounds and excited by the new perspectives they will each bring to our Board!

Daniel Armendariz, Jr.
California Water Service
Naher Elramly
Malaga Bank
Bob Gold
PR- Bob Gold & Associates
Connie Robinson
Information Technology Professional
Maureen Rubin
Lawyer
FFKGrateful For Our Food For Kids Donors!
...At the Heart of Getting Ready for Fall

Thank you to all those who brought Food For Kids donations over this past month! Our shelves are very bare, and we are hoping that more of you can join us in August to get ready for our next school year. 
Please contact Jon Phelps (310) 212-5009 [email protected] to schedule food drives, Empathy in Action events, or make a donation so we can purchase food. 

AREAA LA Coastal - 693 pounds donated and 6,000 meals packed! 

Carson Lions Club- 57 pounds 

Michele Fukumoto - 16.5 pounds

JoAnn Frisch - 97.5 pounds

Bob Habel & Mary Hoffman - 15.5 pounds

Mason Kramer, Lion's Heart - 92 pounds

Margie Lunt - L'Dor V'dor Hadassah
- 7 pounds

Moog Employees - 220 pounds and $369!

Liz Reinhardt - 22 pounds

Stevi Sterns, Brynn Moynihan, Liz, & Denise St. Ivany with Sandpipers - 273.5 pounds

City of Torrance - 198 bottles of hand sanitizer and 4,000 Masks

You can also find a link to our Amazon Wish List to have donations shipped directly to us!

Please also consider a Financial Gift to help us manage the program.
 ButterflyKINDNESS OPPORTUNITY
Volunteering in the Garden
...At the Heart of Teaching Students About Growth and Health

Group of Volunteers Help in the Garden
On Wednesday, August 4, 2021, from 9 a.m. - 12 noon, the Beach Cities Health District is hosting an event to help prepare eight Redondo Beach school gardens for Fall. They need assistance with assembling composters, clearing garden beds, cultivating and adding soil, planting seeds, watering the beds, and building new garden boxes. 

There are still spaces available. If you are interested in signing up, please register by filling out this form.

Questions can be directed to: 
Alejandra Sierra
Purpose & Engagement Coordinator, Beach Cities Health District
(310) 374-3426, x160
GrantorsTHANK YOU TO OUR MAJOR
CORPORATE & FOUNDATION GRANTORS:
 
(Gifts Made in Support of July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022 Programs)
The Volunteer Center South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach
(310) 212-5009 | www.volcenter.org



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Recognizing the value of empathy and service to others, the Volunteer Center has been "at the heart of helping" for more than 55 years. Our mission is to increase social and emotional wellness in youth and families in our community and we measure this impact through a rise in empathy and resilience for those we serve. To learn more about our programs and history, visit www.volcenter.org.