From the desk of Executive Director Yolanda Randles

November 2023 Edition

This year has been a year of blessings for me as I welcomed three new grandchildren into my family. They were born in January, May and October, and they are all beautiful little gifts. With their arrival, I now have a total of 11 grandchildren, each with their own unique personalities that bring me so much joy.

As Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself reflecting on all the wonderful things in my life that I am grateful for - my husband, my children, their wives, my siblings, my job, and my coworkers.

But there's something about those grandkids that just makes my heart overflow with gratitude. I am thankful for God's mercy and grace every day, and I wake up ready to serve. But I am especially grateful for my family and those precious grandchildren.

Their innocent love and endless energy bring so much light into my life. Every time they reach out their arms to me, I feel overwhelmed with joy and a sense of purpose. They may not realize it, but their hugs and affection mean the world to me.

As I reflect on the goodness of God's mercy and grace, I am reminded of how blessed I am to have them in my life. This Thanksgiving, I am filled with gratitude for the unconditional love and care they show me.

Family Resource staff share what they are thankful for...

I am thankful for another day to open my eyes, take a breathe and serve the Lord in whichever way he needs me to help "his children." I am also grateful for 22 years of being cancer free, life after my car accident (2010) and to my godson, Squinky, who performed the Heimlich maneuver on me 6 months ago when my air passage closed down. Thank You Lord!

~ Pat Mendoza, Case Manager, Senior Wellness

I'm thankful for having wonderful people in my life that always push me to strive for more.

~ Luisa Sanchez, Community Health Worker, Office of Community Partnerships & Strategic Communications (OCPSC)

I am thankful for my parents, my ability to do community service, the taste of sweet potatoes, and for the Halloween haunted house at WFFRC!!

~ Tigran Khachatryan, Intern from Fresno State, Sweet Potato Project

I am so very grateful that I have such a great family both at WFFRC and at home, with both families supporting me whenever I'm at my lowest and encouraging me as I try to reach

for the stars.

~ Victor R. Diaz, Administrative Assistant

I am very blessed and thankful for the family and life that I have.

~ Essienia Porter, Project Assistant, Sweet Potato Project

I am thankful for my family and support system.

~ Garbralle Conroe, Facilitator, GLOW!

I'm thankful for my family and the love and support we share.

~ Kamry Parker, Community Health Worker, Health Disparities

I’m thankful for God’s mercy and grace. I feel grateful each day I wake up ready to serve and especially thankful for my family and my beautiful grandchildren.

~ Yolanda Randles, Executive Director

I am incredibly grateful to be a part of a dedicated team of individuals who share a common passion for making a positive impact on the lives of those in need. Having once been in a position where I relied on the kindness of others, I was inspired to pay that kindness forward, and it has since become my life's mission. Being able to align myself with an organization that is genuinely committed to enhancing the well-being of our community and sharing crucial knowledge about financial literacy, mental health wellness, and overall health literacy is an incredible blessing. Together, we are not only improving the lives of individuals but also fostering a stronger and healthier community as a whole.

~ Veronica Pina, Project Administrator, Office of Community Partnerships & Strategic Communications (OCPSC)

I’m thankful for life, because tomorrow isn’t promised.

~ Ben Britton, Project Assistant, Sweet Potato Project

I am thankful for my family support and the love we share.

– Patrick Hamilton, Project Manager, Sweet Potato Project

We invite you to connect with West Fresno Family Resource Center on Facebook and drop us a note, telling us what you are thankful for.

Visit our Facebook

How good is your Sweet Potato Pie?

Youth in the Sweet Potato program will display the products they’ve created from sweet potatoes during the Sweet Potato Festival on November 18, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at the Maxie Parks Community Center.

The public is invited to witness these remarkable products that youth derived from sweet potatoes, which they planted earlier this year. Products youth created in the past include Sweet Potato Muffins, and Sweet Potato Hair Conditioner.

The festival also will include a sweet potato pie contest, raffle prizes, food and games. For more information, please click on Sweet Potato Festival Flyer below.

Sweet Potato Festival Flyer

Residents shown the importance of

hand washing during flu season

The West Fresno Family Resource Center recently hosted a successful Family Reading Night, where participants not only had fun reading books but also learned about the importance of hand hygiene during the cold and flu season.

The event featured a "Germ Glow Machine," provided by the Fresno Fair, which allowed kids to test the effectiveness of their handwashing practices. Students from the Doctor's Academy at Sunnyside High School demonstrated the machine, and guest readers from Valley Children’s Hospital - Dr. Camela Sosa, and Brian Baker, read the book, "Sick Simon," by Dan Krall. Dr. Sosa also presented a PowerPoint on "How Germs Are Spread."

The event was a great success, and we are grateful to all those who helped make it happen.

More than 3,500 experience a Safe Night Out!

More than 3,500 individuals and families joined the West Fresno Family Resource Center for its annual Safe Night Out on October 31. Many thanks to our many sponsors and vendors who provided the community with fun, candy, music, games and a popular haunted house that people stood in line just to enter. California Avenue was lined with vehicles with trunks up as youngsters went from vehicle to vehicle getting candy and treats from our sponsors. THANKS to all those who attended, who volunteered, who donated and who helped in any way to make this a safe and successful event.

Advancing Health Literacy

In celebration of Health Literacy Awareness Month in October, several health care gathered to talk about the roles of Community Health Workers and the effect they play in helping communities.

Pictured left to right: Gurpreet Singh, Community Health Worker, Jakara Movement, Fresno; Sok (Tyna) Heang Teng, Community Health Worker - Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries; Nora Gragoza, Program Lead, Centro La Familia Advocacy Services; Hope Flint, Community Health Worker, West Fresno Family Resource Center; Dr. Helda Pinzon-Perez, Department of Public Health Professor California State University, Fresno; Dr. Sukhjit Dhillon, Emergency Medicine physician at CRMC Fresno; Assistant Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at UCSF Fresno; Assistant Medical Director of UCSF Fresno Mobile HeaL; Dr. Tania Pacheco-Werner (Moderator), Executive Director – Central Valley Health Policy Institute @ CSUF.