Over the years, we’ve been sharing a newsletter every other month filled with updates, stories, photos, and news about Ascencia. We thank those who take the time to read our updates and appreciate your interest in our agency. We have decided that we will be sending our newsletter monthly from now on so that we can keep you even more in the loop about everything going on here at Ascencia. We hope you stick around and keep reading!

We are immensely thankful for the overwhelming support we received from our generous donors during our 16th Annual Gala event on April 13th. Your contributions are pivotal in enabling us to forge ahead with our mission—providing comprehensive services to those experiencing homelessness and opening doors to change.

In light of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, it's critical to underscore the indispensable role that mental health care plays in the rehabilitation and support of individuals facing homelessness. Here at Ascencia, we are acutely aware of the challenges our clients encounter daily. This helps us tailor our array of programs and services, aiming to meet every individual’s needs. Our approach is characterized by compassion, inclusivity, and dignity, as we strive to address the mental health needs of our clients in conjunction with providing shelter and support services.

May is also Older Americans Month, and with more people living longer and more of them living at or below the poverty line, we are seeing an increase in the number of older adults experiencing homelessness, many for the first time. It is expected that this number will triple by 2030 if we don’t do something to address this growing trend as well.

We take great pride in our track record of positively impacting our community and are steadfast in our commitment to continue this vital work. Thank you for standing with Ascencia as we work to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those in need.

Sincerely,

Dr. Laura Duncan

Executive Director

Welcome Home, Juliett!

After Juliett's son passed away, it became difficult for her to have a stable living situation. She was moving from place to place after the pandemic, but eventually could no longer afford a home, and found herself living in her vehicle.

Juliett called the Housing Authority for help, and they referred her to Ascencia! Our Street Outreach team connected with Juliett, and completed intake and enrollment on the spot. Juliett worked hard with her case manager to overcome barriers in her life. She received a housing voucher, and with housing navigation services, found a one bedroom apartment to live in and have a fresh start!

Juliett is grateful that Ascencia has Spanish-speaking case managers to help her through her transition, and she is so happy that her life has changed for the better.

Congratulations to Juliett! If you'd like to provide support for Juliett to help her in her transition from homeless to housed, you can donate items from our Stay Housed Client Wishlist on Amazon, or designate a donation to our Move-In Donation Fund.

To receive our monthly "Move-In Newsletter" featuring client success stories and requested donations for our newly housed clients, click the button below!

Move-In Newsletter Signup

S. Mark Taper Foundation

Ascencia would like to express immense gratitude to the S. Mark Taper Foundation for donating over $10,000 worth of much needed new clothing items and supplies, including undergarments, men’s and women’s athletic clothing, and emergency blankets. In total, two pallets filled with an array of items were retrieved by Ascencia staff.

At a time when demand for services to individuals experiencing homelessness is at an all-time high, we rely on our community to help us in replenishing our supply closet. Thank you S. Mark Taper Foundation for this generous donation!

National Charity League of Glendale

On Sunday, April 29, the National Charity League (NCL) held its 72nd Annual Mother and Daughter Tea and Fashion Show in Glendale. Ms. Jill Longo, Vice President of Philanthropy presented a check for $4,000 to Ascencia on behalf of NCL to help with our Guest Chef Program!

We at Ascencia are extremely grateful for the ongoing support received over the past years from members of NCL and are truly honored to partner with a service organization that teaches young women the importance of serving the most vulnerable in the communities they live in. Congratulations on such a fabulous event, and all the dancing queens who did a fantastic job during the fashion show.

Ascencia's 2024 Gala was a success!

Ascencia's 16th Annual Gala, "Opening Doors to Change" took place on Saturday, April 13th at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale.

Thank you so much to all of our supporters who bought sponsorship packages and tickets, and who generously donated at our event. You raised $402,000, and Ascencia netted $355,000 for our programs and services. We owe this incredible success to our board of directors, our gala committee, our staff, our volunteers, and of course, all of our generous guests.

We can't wait to see you next year! See and download photos from the event via the button below:

See All Gala Photos Here!

*Special Shoutout once more to our generous top sponsors!*

Presenting & Platinum Sponsors

Pacific BMW & David L. Ho Jr.

Gold Sponsors

Barbara & Tom Perrier
Paul N. & Paulette R. Wood Charitable Trust

Support Mental Health Services at Ascencia!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! As a homeless services agency, Ascencia knows how important mental health awareness is. 67% of homeless people currently have some form of mental illness. (Much higher than rates of mental illness seen in the general population, at 13% to 15%).

The Mental Health services Ascencia offers are essential for our clients, both healing their traumas from experiencing homelessness and preventing them from falling back into homelessness. When we enroll a client, we work with them to determine their needs, which often include treatments such as substance abuse rehabilitation, psychiatric care, or trauma therapy.

Help take care of your community by donating to Ascencia and designating your gift for Mental Health services: www.AscenciaCA.org/donate

Your continued support is invaluable to us, and we extend our deepest gratitude as we journey together towards achieving our goal of ending homelessness.

Get your Family, Friends, or Colleagues together for a Volunteer Project!

We have on-site and off-site volunteer opportunities for everyone! You can volunteer from home with your friends and family, at school with your classmates, or at the office with your colleagues.

Host a donation drive to collect supplies for our donation closet! We need hygiene Items (shampoo, body wash, deodorant, toothpaste) and summer items (sunscreen, chapstick, cooling towels, umbrellas).

We are also always in need of more Guest Chef participants! Every meal provided by a volunteer is a cost savings for our agency. Please consider getting a group together to make a meal for our residents! You can volunteer and make the meal on-site or schedule a delivery from a local restaurant. Breakfast is our least covered meal through our Guest Chef Program, and for your convenience, you can drop off breakfast items the day before! Just contact Donate@ascenciaca.org to schedule a drop-off.

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