Congratuations, Jorge! childhood memory!” Jorge exclaimed. After graduating from high school, Jorge attended California State College in Long Beach where he earned his Bachelor’s degree and decided that he wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement. Jorge graduated in one year from the Los Angeles Police Academy and was hired as a Los Angeles Patrol Officer immediately thereafter. Jorge loves his job at the LAPD and intends to increase ranks in the future, starting with joining the SWAT team. Adela, Jorge’s mother, shared that although she worries about Jorge working in such a dangerous profession, she is “very proud of him and glad that he completed his education.” Jorge is the first member of his family to enter into a law enforcement
career, but he is not the only one who attended college. Jorge’s brothers also seized opportunities to obtain college degrees. Jorge’s father, Antonio, said he, too, is very proud of the achievements of all of his sons. He took a moment to thank San Gabriel Habitat for Humanity, “Our family is very grateful to Habitat for the opportunity to grow and develop as a family in the home we built.” We celebrate the entire Trejo family for making the most of their homeownership achievement. Please keep Jorge in your thoughts and prayers for his safety while on patrol and for continuing success and growth in his career at the LAPD.
A Publication of San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity | Issue 6.7
October 2013
Great News
INSIDE
Another Build in Glendale!
PAGE 2 Volunteer Recognition Legacy Society Youth Programs & Faith Relations PAGE 3 New ReStore Site Announcement!
SGVHabitat.org instagram.com/sgvhabitat twitter.com/sgvhabitat facebook.com/sgvhabitat
CONNECTWith Us! Your donation today will help a Habitat family tomorrow!
2013 October Newsletter
The Chestnut homes will be built at 806 E. Chestnut in 2014-2015
Ralphs Community Contribution Program
Introducing the
Cars for Homes
Chestnut Homes Build
PAGE 4 Congratulations, Jorge!
City of Glendale has once again shown leadership to provide affordable housing in our area. On July 16th, approvals were given for the eighth Glendale site where homes will be built by San Gabriel Valley Habitat.
Important Update: Our newsletter is going green! In order to save funds for future builds, San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity will be offering the next newsletter through email! If you haven’t alreadyplease provide us with an up-to-date email address through either of the following steps: Go to our website sgvhabitat.org and fill out the “Request an E-newsletter” section on the left side of the page or
San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity, Inc. 400 South Irwindale Avenue Azusa, CA 91702
GV Habitat congratulates Jorge Trejo who graduated from the Los Angeles Police Academy in September 2012. Jorge’s family was one of the sixteen families who built homes with SGV Habitat for Jorge Trejo Humanity during 1996Los Angeles Police Academy 1998. Jorge recalls that Graduation Ceremony September 7, 2012 before his family built their home in partnership with SGV Habitat for Humanity, they lived in a converted garage. Jorge was ten years old at that time. “Moving into our new home in Duarte is a great
Habitat Builder is published bi-monthly by San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity Inc. 400 S Irwindale Ave., Azusa, CA 91702. Periodicals Postage Paid at Pasadena, CA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SGV Habitat for Humanity, 400 S Irwindale Ave., Azusa, CA 91702. Tel: 626-387-6899 Fax: 626-387-6890
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Call Brenton Kelly at 626-387-6899 x18
The City Housing Authority has committed $400,000 toward the acquisition of a 50-foot frontage, 7,000 square-foot lot on Chestnut Street where SGV Habitat will build three affordable homes for low-income, first-time homebuyers. The homes will be three stories and will be about 1300 square feet with three bedrooms and two and a half baths. Building three stories with two-car garages on the ground floor will be a new challenge for our affiliate, but the resulting livability for three qualified low-income buyers inspires our commitment to this new build. It will be a sprint to achieve the target groundbreaking date in
March 2014, so we can be almost finished with the Chestnut Homes before construction starts on the Desiderio Homes in Pasadena. We need your help to make this happen.
How can you help? • Send a donation for “Glendale Chestnut Homes” • Donate building materials that can be used for Chestnut (or in the Restores) • Volunteer your time for the Chestnut Build (or upcoming Critical Repairs of existing homes and preparing the new ReStore for its Grand Opening) • Tell this great story to your friends and join them on a Habitour to get them involved, too Call Liz Ramirez at 626-387-6899 x16 to be scheduled for a tour of Habitat homes.
Volunteer Recognition Board of Directors Nicolas Alparaz, Gregory Barsamian, Thomas S. Bunn III, Glen Dawes, Ann Dougherty, Donald W. Goodman, George Hernandez, John Mac Lean, Paul McAnnally-Linz, Kelly Nardoni, Andrew Pittroff, Herb Rim, Elaine Wilkerson Staff Sonja L. Yates, Executive Director Damien Allen, Director of Construction Sayaka Ota, Accountant Catalina Velez, Office Manager Brenton Kelly, Marketing Manager Marty McBride, Volunteer & Family Services Manager Linda Bermudez, Faith Relations and Youth Coordinator Elizabeth Ramirez, Fund Development Coordinator ReStores
(from L-R): Bill Boyd, Golden Heart Recipient; John Byer, Loyal Order of Helping Hands Recipient; and Bill Wofford, Golden Heart Recipient.
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an Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity celebrated the accomplishments of volunteers and supporters at the La Canada Thursday Club, Sunday, August 25, 2013. The Ace Cain Humanitarian Award is the highest honor given by the affiliate to individuals for their long-term transformational service. This year’s honorees were Don Goodman for his leadership since 2005, and John MacLean for major creative financial solutions including Chase Bank’s Elmira donation. The Golden Heart Award is presented to those who have given an immense amount of service in areas other than constuction over a number of years. This year’s recipients were Mike Schutz, Bill Wofford, Bill Boyd and Mark Valsi. Honors were also bestowed on the newest members of the Loyal Order of Helping Hands: John Byer (with help from Maria Barrios), Kelly Nardoni, Maria Quevedo, Denise Villalovos, Kal Antoun and Peter Quesada. This year the Helping Hands awards were extended to recognize
exceptional service in the area of construction by Randy Schenk, Greg Gussman, Jim Lamdagan, Wayne Kruse, Tom Lynn and Robert Dyer. Michael Bravin became a member of the Loyal Order of the Bent Nail for giving nearly 200 hours of construction service this past year on home repair and renovation sites alone. Special recognition was given to Diana Rafeedie-Nofal for her extraordinary commitment to the affiliate’s fundraising events. This year a new category of award was presented. “We Saw You Do It” recognized volunteers who demonstrated extraordinary volunteerism, commitment, and creativity. Honorees were Sarah LaMothe, Sophie Wellen, Fran Maleszewski, Michele Lomeli, Carlos Morales, Aoife Megaw and Kei Shao. San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity extends sincere appreciation to these extraordinary volunteers as well as to all volunteers who helped during the past year.
Legacy Society
Your opportunity to make a lasting impact . . .
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embers of San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity’s Legacy Society have made provisions for veterans who need affordable housing for themselves and for their families, for low-income seniors who need to make overdue repairs on homes they have owned for many years, and for funding unique projects and needs that challenge a nonprofit organization.
As you make your estate plans, please consider joining these Legacy Society members with a gift to SGV Habitat that reflects your priorities for the future of this incredible organization that changes lives and communities. Thank you for considering this opportunity to create your lasting legacy. More information is available at sgvhabitat.plannedgiving.org, or you can call Executive Director Sonja Yates at 626-387-6899 x13 to discuss details of your planned giving goals.
Eric Bridges, Azusa ReStore Manager Micah Hillis, Pasadena ReStore Manager Matt Vincent, Azusa Restore Assistant Manager Christopher Kahl, Restore Admin Assistant Walter Rea Jr., Driver Craig Chew, Sales Associate Manny Flores, Sales Associate Erik Kristiansen, Sales Associate Don Meeker, Sales Associate Phillip Pasos, Sales Associate Josh Rosa, Sales Associate Michael Springs, Sales Associate Jon Henning, Sales Associate Brian Ewing, Sales Associate Carlos Hernandez, Sales Associate
Youth Programs & Faith Relations
Please Register for Ralphs Community Contribution Program. Participants are required to register or re-register for the new term at Ralphs.com or via the scan bar (below) at Ralphs. To use the easy bar code registration, just ask the clerk to scan this barcode along with your Rewards Card or alternate ID. A purchase is required to link your card with the bar code. The clerk will know that the procedure is successful when there is an audible beep and the words “LOYALTY DIV” appear on your receipt. SGV Habitat receives a donation check quarterly from Ralphs for up to 4% of all registered supporters’ purchases. Thank you for contributing to SGV Habitat’s affordable housing mission!
Nice Car.
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ll Saints Church in Pasadena made SGV Habitat part of their Labor of Love curriculum at this year’s summer camp. All Saint’s youth used our easy to follow plans to build beautiful benches, bird houses, and a wheelchair-accessible planter for our families and for sale in the Restores. They also made heartfelt cards to distribute to all of our families. We were excited to see the amazing items donated. The benches will be placed at our upcoming Chestnut build. They are the first items we have for our Chestnut homes and have helped increase the excitement for the next build. These gifts are one of many ways youth can get involved with SGV Habitat. For more information regarding Youth Programs please contact Linda Bermudez at (626) 387-6899 x20.
Cars for Homes Cars for Homes™ Habitat’s car donation program. Through Cars for Homes™, thousands of donors help fund local affiliates. By donating a car, truck, boat, RV, motorcycle or other vehicle, supporters help build homes in their community, and around the world. All net revenue from the sale of donated vehicles—over $2 million each year—is distributed to local Habitat for Humanity affiliates where donors live.
Call 877-277-4344 to donate a vehicle