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Greetings Everyone and Happy New Year!
With a new year and a new Mayor comes new goals and aspirations for tackling and solving problems. At Ascencia, we continue to focus on the mission of getting people off of the streets and into housing. This has been particularly important this month as California has been experiencing extreme winter weather causing catastrophes and discomfort for many and peril and loss for others, including our unhoused community members.
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As I listened to and watched one recent deluge, I thought about the tens of thousands of people who are currently unsheltered in our County and as I experienced it, I felt sad, helpless in the moment, and a bit discouraged. Knowing that is a rabbit hole of eventual numbness and tomorrows of inaction, I quickly pivoted those feelings to those of inspiration, passion, and energy which then strongly motivated me to recommit to the ongoing endeavor of being part of the solution to end homelessness one person, one family at a time. I whole heartedly believe it is doable when we band together and do this work as a collective.
One of the lesser known ways we do this at Ascencia is through our advocacy work where we champion and support legislation that will result in equitable solutions for both the immediate needs of those who are suffering now and for the long haul via stabilization and prevention measures.
If any of you have been thinking that you would like become involved but aren’t quite sure how to take the first step, please reach out and allow us help you take it.
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Dr. Laura Duncan
Executive Director
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Thank you for your generosity this Holiday season!! | |
Our Holiday 2022 Giving campaign was a huge success! We reached our goal and then some, raising over $80,000 for our programs and services! The funds raised during will help Ascencia to continue running our invaluable programs into 2023. This means even more life-saving support for the individuals and families we serve!
Thank you to everyone that participated in our Adopt-A-Family program in 2022! We are so excited to share that with your help, all 109 of our families were adopted and received holidays gifts. From gift cards and new clothing, to camping supplies and a laptop, we are beyond grateful that our community of supporters showed our clients so much love and kindness during the holiday season! We appreciate that you chose to help make the holidays brighter for an Ascencia Family and we are looking forward to your support again this year.
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Alison became homeless in 2008 after fleeing domestic violence. She resided on the streets of Burbank and eventually moved to New York to be closer to family. However, while in New York, COVID struck, and Alison found herself alone in a city where she did not feel safe.
In 2021, Alison relocated back to Burbank and discovered the Glendale Central Library. There, she was introduced to Ascencia through a friend who had been helped by the nonprofit organization. Alison had heard that Ascencia assisted this friend in getting permanent housing, and decided to reach out. She completed an intake in April of 2022 and through the assistance of her case manager, Caitlin, Alison was added to the Burbank emergency housing voucher wait list.
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Throughout her time on the streets, Alison received lots of care and resources from Ascencia. She stated that the organization saved her life and gave her a newfound sense of hope that she’d been missing since she first became homeless in 2008. While awaiting her voucher, Alison used art as her therapy, often spending hours in the library perfecting her designs and imagining a new future for herself. That future began in August of 2022 when Alison was awarded her voucher. Soon after receiving her voucher, Alison found her dream apartment in Burbank. After meeting Alison, the landlord was so moved by her story that he chose her application over all of the others that he received.
In October of 2022, Alison was finally able to move into her new home. Since then, she feels that she has been given a new lease on life. She states that she is extremely grateful for all of the donors and volunteers as they “helped me out of depression and gave me hope that there is a future for me.” Alison’s life has been transformed through the assistance of Ascencia, and she is happy to report that she is finally home!
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Join us in congratulating our 2023 Gala Awardees: | |
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Paul N. and Paulette R. Wood Charitable Trust - Hope and Compassion Award:
Ascencia’s Hope and Compassion Award is being presented to a selfless community leader and inspirational visionary who through exceptional dedication of personal time and resources has made a long-lasting impact on Ascencia and has thereby demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to Ascencia’s mission. Congrats Paul and Paulette Wood!
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Tammy & Steve Mora, MCS Burbank - Ambassador of Hope Award:
This award is recognizing a volunteer/business that has gone above and beyond the call of public service duty in providing support for Ascencia’s mission. Congrats to MCS Burbank and the Mora Family!
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We are also extremely grateful to this year’s Gala Presenter: Pacific BMW & David L. Ho, Jr. for the generous support of our 2023 Gala: We Rise Together.
Mr. Ho's dedication and fervent support of the mission of Ascencia has translated to thousands of lives saved year over year, as well as the expansion of our work in the communities we serve.
Thank you to all our supporters who are committed to seeing many more rise up and out of homelessness permanently!
See below for more information on our 15th Annual Gala: We Rise Together.
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Seen in photo from left to right: Mr. David L. Ho, Jr. (President, Pacific BMW), Dr. Laura Duncan (Executive Director, Ascencia), and Mr. Nicholas Lam (Emeritus MB and Vice President, Pacific BMW). | |
Homeless Persons' Memorial | |
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On December 21st, 2022, Ascencia held our annual Homeless Persons’ Memorial Service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. We honored the lives of 17 Ascencia clients that we lost last year. It was a beautiful evening honoring filled with sorrow, memories, love, peace, and hope.
Past and Present Ascencia Case Managers shared stories about those we lost, and we heard messages of hope from Ascencia's Executive Director Laura Duncan, and Board President Bryan Longpre. A few civic leaders were in attendance and shared as well, including Senator Portantino, Mayor Kassakhian, Chief Battalion Ambrose (who also a board member!), and representatives from Laura Friedman's office and Nithya Raman's office.
Thank you to everyone who attended, spoke, and volunteered.
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Upcoming Events
Ascencia's 15th Annual Gala: We Rise Together will take place on April 22nd at LA City Club.
Please join us for an evening of inspiration that will showcase the spirit of community, the success of our mission to stop the plight of homelessness, and to honor those who have stood shoulder to shoulder with us to break the bonds of homelessness.
SPONSOR OUR EVENT! Email cguerrero@ascenciaca.org
Buy Tickets and learn more NOW at https://one.bidpal.net/ascenciagala2023
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