Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, November 26, 2016

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2016

SECTION B

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

THANKFUL FOR THOSE WHO CARE: KAISER 
PERMANENTE, CONGRESSWOMEN CHU AND 
NAPITANO, VERIZON WIRELESS AND LOCAL 
WOMEN’S SHELTERS


By Joan Schmidt

October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 
Thirteen years ago, Congresswoman Judy Chu saw 
firsthand a victim of Domestic Violence- a dear 
educated friend abused by her husband. (Domestic 
Violence has NO boundaries: Men, women; all races, 
nationalities, ages, financial means.) Thus Chu began 
the first clothing drive which netted twenty 33-gallon 
bags of gently-used clothing. Congresswoman Grace 
Napolitano has joined the drive which includes 
clothing, toiletries, household cleaning products 
and school supplies. This year netted 246 bags: many 
wonderful people and organizations need to be 
acknowledged.

 Chu has partnered with Baldwin Park Kaiser 
Permanente since the drive’s inception. Kaiser‘s year-
round cell phone collection campaign in partnership 
with Verizon Wireless HopeLine continues to provide 
assistance to women in need: Each of the shelters 
receives 20 phones that are programmed with 3000 
airline minutes each. This helps victims rebuild their 
lives as they seek housing and employment, as well 
as being able to communicate with their families, 
attorneys and the courts. Congresswoman Grace 
Napolitano joined a few years ago

 Maggie Pierce, Senior Vice President and Area 
Manager of Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park said, 
“This is the 13th year that we are hosting the clothing 
and necessities drive. We truly believe in increasing 
awareness around violence within our communities, 
especially since family violence is a cycle that affects 
thousands of victims and their families each year. As 
a healthcare provider, we see first-hand the physical 
and emotional impacts that violence and abuse 
brings upon its victims.”

 The donations were brought to the Women’s & 
Children’s Crisis Shelter, House of Ruth, San Gabriel 
Valley Center and YWCA-WINGS San Gabriel 
Valley to benefit the residents of their shelters. In 
addition, Kaiser Permanente donated $1000 to each 
of the above-mentioned shelters to supplement what 
was not collected in the drive such as new bed linens 
or towels needed to make each shelter as much of a 
home as possible.

 Ana Interiano, Director WINGS Domestic 
Violence & Prevention Services mentioned 
partnership with Kaiser since the program began; 
however it’s expanded to include more partners, 
awareness, and referrals for counseling.

 Lastly, there was a Day of Pampering, hosted at 
the Baldwin Park Adult and Community Education 
Center. Cosmetology students from the Adult School 
provide complimentary haircuts, styles, facials, 
and manicures for 24 women from the partnership 
shelter. Thank you to all involved in this wonderful 
program.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com