Greetings,

We want to express our gratitude for all of our funders, donors, volunteers, and partners. We could not do what we do to move people experiencing homelessness and suffering on the streets, to being permanent housed and safe, without your support. Our 98% housing retention rate is a testament to our faithful community.

On Saturday, April 22nd, we held our 15th annual Gala at City Club LA. It was a night for our supporters to come together for a night of fun and inspiration, all to benefit the mission of Ascencia. Our “We Rise Together” Gala was a huge success with over 275 caring people in attendance raising over $345,000 for our life-saving programs. Our presenter and benefactor, David L. Ho; our founding and past board presidents; Nicholas Lam, Claire Orr, Mia Lee, Debbie Hinckley, and Kim Guard; and our current board president, Bryan Longpre were all in attendance demonstrating what it means to remain committed to the organization in meaningful ways to serve the greater good for years to come.

As we near summertime, Ascencia needs your support more than ever to combat homelessness. With Angelenos facing nearly 9% inflation, low income households are disproportionately affected by the price of necessities like housing, food, energy and gas. Unfortunately, we will see a higher demand for our services. In addition to high cost of living, the weather is a dangerous factor, with over 150 people dying every day due in L.A. County alone due to extreme summer weather. Our unhoused neighbors are in desperate need of water, food, showers, and shelter. Ascencia is always ready to step in and prepared to help! See our Summer of Hope Campaign.

Thank you all for being a vital part of our community.

With sincere gratitude,

Dr. Laura Duncan

Executive Director

David Boettcher is Home! Watch his Client Testimonial Video on YouTube...

You may have heard about David Boettcher, the Ascencia client who's artwork was auctioned at our Gala with 50% of the proceeds benefitting our programs. David is a true example of the fact that anyone can become homeless in the blink of an eye.

David experienced homelessness for over a year after losing his eyesight, his job, and his home. He is a very talented artist, but could no longer work due to his health issues and surgeries he had to undergo. He called us and immediately started receiving case management and resources to help him get back on his feet. He now has his own apartment in Glendale, and a job at Amazon, and he is happy, healthy, and painting again.

"Everyone who gives what they can is changing the lives of people who lost everything" he shared. If you're interested in his work, you can reach David at Rockandjockart@gmail.com.

When Anthony Novoa reached out to Ascencia to ask if he could designate us for his Troop 303 Eagle Scout Project, we were thrilled. Though Anthony regularly volunteers for our Guest Chef program, we were both surprised and grateful given the many worthy causes to choose.

Anthony emailed Ascencia and asked a simple question, “If you could send me a list of things that Ascencia needs, I would appreciate it very much, and I will see what I can accomplish and get back to you.” The timing of this request couldn’t have been more perfect.

The Guest Chef Program immediately came to mind since the majority of our kitchen supplies had to be disposed of because of the condition they were in from constant use. We were planning on raising the funds to purchase all new items, however it was no longer an issue after we asked Anthony if he would consider spearheading a Guest Chef Kitchen Shower. Anthony immediately got to work and started to strategize and plan everything.

Anthony raised over $3,000, and was able to purchase an array of fry pans, stainless steel pots, a griddle, utensils and so much more! As a result, our Guest Chef teams no longer have to bring their own pots and pans and can freely prepare meals. In addition to this kitchen shower, Anthony purchased new clothing to replenish much needed Street Outreach supplies and shelter supplies like diapers, alcohol wipes, detergent and softener! Anthony, on behalf of all your friends here at Ascencia, and the people we serve—we want to thank you, and everyone from St. James Parish and St. Francis High School who donated generously towards this fundraiser!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

Every year, Ascencia provides hundreds of hours of mental health support to our clients. Last year, out of all the clients Ascencia served, 50% had mental illnesses. Over 25% of all homeless adults in Los Angeles County have severe mental illnesses. The connection between homelessness and mental health is clear, which is why mental health support is at the forefront of the services we offer. Ascencia provides...

Trauma Therapy

Trauma Therapy is an approach that recognizes and emphasizes how traumatic experiences impact an individual’s mental, behavioral, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. Ascencia works with licensed therapists to conduct trauma therapy sessions both virtually and on-site. Our therapists work with our clients to unpack their experiences and offer them skills, strategies, and other tools to assist them with coping with, understanding, and processing their emotions.

Telepsychiatry

Telepsychiatry, a subset of telehealth, involves providing a range of services including psychiatric evaluations, therapy, and medication management remotely via phone calls or video chats. Our Telepsychiatry services assist clients in reducing mental and physical barriers to help them to stabilize in the course of securing and maintaining permanent housing. We offer telepsychiatry for our clients as needed, holding therapy sessions at Ascencia in our conference room or via zoom.

Occupational Therapy

In partnership with West Coast University, Ascencia provides occupational engagement and

group-based interventions to foster health promotion, housing placement, and stability. Ascencia holds OT workshops at our Access Center at least once or twice a week, led by our OT interns. Some previous workshops included: “Healthy Eating”, “How to Save Money”, “Handling Conflict”, and much more. We also have an offsite Occupational Therapist available to our clients in our Glendale Housing Programs.

Children's Art Therapy

Ascencia offers Art therapy sessions as mental health support for our clients. Art therapy uses creative mediums like drawing, painting, coloring, and sculpture to help clients explore and express their emotions. This type of therapy assists our young clients in processing trauma in a way that is comfortable and fun. Clients are given a place for their creativity to prosper and just be a kid, despite their difficult circumstance, and our therapists have seen improvements in vocabulary, self-esteem, and behavior.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Month Spotlights

We are celebrating Ascencia's amazing and dedicated volunteers at the Elks Lodge #1289 in Glendale (120 E Colorado Street) on Saturday, June 17th from 2:00-4:00 PM.

The event will be Hawaiian-themed, and we will be serving appetizers, dessert, and beverages at the event. Plus, we will be honoring a few volunteer groups and individuals who have been ferocious supporters of Ascencia for years.

If you received an invitation via email, please respond according.

E hele kāua' (let's party)!