Family Promise

I wish to offer both a clarification and an update to the article written by Gretchen Meier on Family Promise of East San Fernando Valley ("Family Promise making progress," Sept. 25). It is indeed a network of 23 congregations serving homeless families in this area. However, contrary to the otherwise fine report on Family Promise, the network comprises not only churches, but several synagogues as well. The synagogue of which I have the honor of serving as spiritual leader is one of the founding congregations of Family Promise of East San Fernando Valley.

After two years of grass-roots fundraising, a new nonprofit agency is now helping families that have fallen into homelessness get back on their feet by using a network of churches and connecting with myriad job-finding services. Since the official opening in June, 90 families have been referred to Family Promise of East San Fernando Valley. Two families have already graduated from the program and three are currently receiving help, officials said. "Family Promise is a niche agency for situationally based homeless families," said Jacqueline White, the network's director.

Her career as a CBS desk assistant and obituary writer, the estate sales of items belonging to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Princess Diana, and the 1992 presidential campaign have all served as inspirations for books written by bestselling mystery writer Mary Jane Clark. “I write about what I have experienced and what I have seen around me,” Clark told an assemblage at Burbank's Buena Vista Branch Library this past week. Appearing as a part of the library's continuing events programs that are coordinated, promoted and staged by Louise Paziak and Joan Cappocchi, Clark revealed her latest books - the Wedding Cake Mystery series - have been inspired by a book her mother had on cake decorating she loved looking through as a child.

La Providencia Guild of Children's Hospital Los Angeles conducted its annual meeting and breakfast at Burbank's Castaway banquet center on March 10. Chairwoman Sue Ann Gordon and her committee decorated the room with Audrey Hepburn's movie, “Breakfast at Tiffany's.” Guild members also dressed to the theme and were greeted by committee members Pat Maskell, Kris Veatch, and Chris Welker. Following officers' annual reports, Judy Gragg, outgoing president, passed the gavel to new president, Nancy Johnson.

Two years ago, a group of churches and synagogues in Burbank and surrounding towns formed a network to house families who through some catastrophic event lost their homes and needed a place to go. They created Family Promise of East San Fernando Valley, an organization representing a massive undertaking of coordination and care for families in Burbank, Glendale, Eagle Rock and North Hollywood. When the organization launched in July 2010, it had some staff, a site identified for the families to go during the day, and a few locations where those families could sleep at night - mostly extra classrooms or spare rooms at a few churches.

Two recent fundraisers, respectively staged by Family Promise of the East San Fernando Valley and the Burbank Arts for All Foundation, brought thousands of Burbankers out to show their compassion for families in need and to support art education in local schools. The Empty Bowl fundraiser, which took place at the St. Finbar Community Center on June 5, saw much-needed funds raised to help Family Promise carry out its mission of providing shelter, meals and support to homeless families.

While this past week saw millions of Americans wishing, hoping and praying for those magical numbers that would result in their collecting a $656-million lottery prize, one of the more realistic and sustained wishes, hopes and prayers is that every family could have a safe and comfortable home, a prosperous and honorable livelihood, and the chance to build a better future. That is certainly the daily wish, hope and prayer of Family Promise of the East San Fernando Valley, the staff, board and supporters of which gathered for their second annual Empty Bowl fundraiser at the St. Finbar Community Center on March 25. While the day was dreary and cold outside, inside the center the warmth of bellies filled with hot soup mirrored the warmth of the gathering's spirit of benevolence.

With the winds of love swirling throughout Burbank, Zita Lefebvre, the director of operations of Cartoon Network Studios, tapped into the air of affection to serve as hostess for the animation studio's eighth annual Valentine's Day luncheon. “We started doing this as our way of showing our appreciation and saying thank you to representatives from the city of Burbank, the community and nonprofit organizations that we work with all year. We owe them all a big debt of gratitude, and this is our small way of saying what a pleasure it is to work in Burbank,” Lefebvre said as she welcomed Mayor Jess Talamantes, City Manager Mike Flad, Police Chief Scott LaChasse and Fire Chief Ray Krakowski.

BURBANK — Burroughs High School students Desiree Martinez and Brittany Lewis spent their Saturday night sleeping in a cardboard box. Desiree and Brittany were two of about 100 volunteers who set up camp for the night in the parking lot of First Presbyterian Church on Olive Avenue for Cardboard Box City 2009, a fundraiser for Family Promise, a nonprofit organization that works to mobilize communities to help homeless families. “We both really like doing things for other people,” Desiree said Saturday afternoon while sitting in the fairy-themed treehouse she and Brittany had created out of a cardboard box. Family Promise works with various faith organizations across the country to provide food and nighttime shelter to homeless families.

CITY HALL — The City Council on Tuesday ramped up its homeless services, voting to spend $336,000 each on four affordable rental units that will be used to get transient families off the streets. The proposal pairs homeless clients with case-management services to get them back on their feet. It combines the four new units at 2615 Thornton Ave. with an existing group of three city-owned units on Naomi Street to create a “transitional housing environment.” The roughly $1.34 million will come from city redevelopment and federal housing money.

Ceramic artists are making a statement with their pottery pieces while raising funds to help homeless families. The third annual Empty Bowl fundraiser benefits Family Promise of the East San Fernando Valley. The event is from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. June 2 at the First United Methodist Church of Glendale, 134 N. Kenwood St., Glendale. Proceeds provide safe shelter, meals and support to homeless families. Area artists are creating one-of-a-kind bowls and donating them to the fundraiser.

Kimberly Rhodes has been named Network Director of Family Promise of East San Fernando Valley, which serves Burbank and surrounding communities. Family Promise is a national nonprofit organization committed to helping low-income families to achieve lasting independence. Rhodes has worked in the social service and nonprofit field for more than 20 years. She earned a bachelor's degree in art and minor in human services from the University of Montevallo in Alabama. While attending college, she spent four months as a missionary in Miami, working with Cuban refugees.

While this past week saw millions of Americans wishing, hoping and praying for those magical numbers that would result in their collecting a $656-million lottery prize, one of the more realistic and sustained wishes, hopes and prayers is that every family could have a safe and comfortable home, a prosperous and honorable livelihood, and the chance to build a better future. That is certainly the daily wish, hope and prayer of Family Promise of the East San Fernando Valley, the staff, board and supporters of which gathered for their second annual Empty Bowl fundraiser at the St. Finbar Community Center on March 25. While the day was dreary and cold outside, inside the center the warmth of bellies filled with hot soup mirrored the warmth of the gathering's spirit of benevolence.

Two years ago, a group of churches and synagogues in Burbank and surrounding towns formed a network to house families who through some catastrophic event lost their homes and needed a place to go. They created Family Promise of East San Fernando Valley, an organization representing a massive undertaking of coordination and care for families in Burbank, Glendale, Eagle Rock and North Hollywood. When the organization launched in July 2010, it had some staff, a site identified for the families to go during the day, and a few locations where those families could sleep at night - mostly extra classrooms or spare rooms at a few churches.

La Providencia Guild of Children's Hospital Los Angeles conducted its annual meeting and breakfast at Burbank's Castaway banquet center on March 10. Chairwoman Sue Ann Gordon and her committee decorated the room with Audrey Hepburn's movie, “Breakfast at Tiffany's.” Guild members also dressed to the theme and were greeted by committee members Pat Maskell, Kris Veatch, and Chris Welker. Following officers' annual reports, Judy Gragg, outgoing president, passed the gavel to new president, Nancy Johnson.

With the winds of love swirling throughout Burbank, Zita Lefebvre, the director of operations of Cartoon Network Studios, tapped into the air of affection to serve as hostess for the animation studio's eighth annual Valentine's Day luncheon. “We started doing this as our way of showing our appreciation and saying thank you to representatives from the city of Burbank, the community and nonprofit organizations that we work with all year. We owe them all a big debt of gratitude, and this is our small way of saying what a pleasure it is to work in Burbank,” Lefebvre said as she welcomed Mayor Jess Talamantes, City Manager Mike Flad, Police Chief Scott LaChasse and Fire Chief Ray Krakowski.

Her career as a CBS desk assistant and obituary writer, the estate sales of items belonging to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Princess Diana, and the 1992 presidential campaign have all served as inspirations for books written by bestselling mystery writer Mary Jane Clark. “I write about what I have experienced and what I have seen around me,” Clark told an assemblage at Burbank's Buena Vista Branch Library this past week. Appearing as a part of the library's continuing events programs that are coordinated, promoted and staged by Louise Paziak and Joan Cappocchi, Clark revealed her latest books - the Wedding Cake Mystery series - have been inspired by a book her mother had on cake decorating she loved looking through as a child.

The number of mental health-related emergency calls has increased significantly in the last two years, police said, prompting a fresh approach for tackling the problem. With the beating death of a mentally ill homeless man by two Fullerton police officers in July still fresh in the minds of the region's police agencies, the upward trend in Burbank of encounters with people with mental health issues is pushing officials to initiate a collective response among local nonprofit and healthcare providers to target familiar faces on the streets.

Two recent fundraisers, respectively staged by Family Promise of the East San Fernando Valley and the Burbank Arts for All Foundation, brought thousands of Burbankers out to show their compassion for families in need and to support art education in local schools. The Empty Bowl fundraiser, which took place at the St. Finbar Community Center on June 5, saw much-needed funds raised to help Family Promise carry out its mission of providing shelter, meals and support to homeless families.

With a mission to help homeless and low-income families achieve sustainable independence, the vision of Family Promise is to transform lives — ensuring that every family has a home, a livelihood and the chance to build a better future. That mission was made manifest this past Saturday evening and Sunday morning as hundreds of Burbankers gave up the comforts of their homes to think about what it would be like to spend the night in a box in the parking lot of the First Presbyterian Church of Burbank.