COLLECTING FOR A CAUSE

COLLECTING FOR ACause

UNION STATION’S GRANTS WRITER WANTS TO END HOMELESSNESS

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

In Dana Bean’s 15 years with Union Station Homeless Services, she has seen the homeless outreach program grow exponentially.

She, too, has grown.

Bean has been with the development and communications department during her entire tenure with the company. Now she’s the chief development and communications officer.

In this new role, she will continue to expand the work of her eightperson DevCom team in leading the organization’s diverse fundraising and communications efforts, including foundation and government grants, major gifts, corporate partnerships, direct mail, special events, public relations and brand management.

“I’m thrilled,” she says. “When I joined the agency, we were just 41 people and a budget of $3 million. We have grown exponentially year over year. As the agency has grown, my scope of responsibility has grown.”

The Pasadena-based nonprofit Union Station Homeless Services provides permanent solutions to end homelessness and rebuild lives.

Union Station is the San Gabriel Valley’s largest social service agency assisting homeless and very low-income adults and families. Founded 50 years ago, Union Station Homelessness Services is the lead county agency for SPA 3, coordinating homeless services in 32 communities, with a combined population of over 1.5 million across the San Gabriel Valley.

“Pasadena has a significant homeless problem,” Bean says. “Just over 500 people on any given night are unhoused. We’ve expanded our services beyond the borders (of Pasadena). We reach the whole San Gabriel Valley.”

Besides overseeing the department, she will have executive functions like guiding the agency and helping with its strategic plan.

“I absolutely love my job,” Bean says. “I didn’t expect to still be with the agency almost 15 years later. We keep launching new projects and programs that I’m proud of.”

One of those programs is “Changing the Narrative,” which was launched in mid-2020. It is a series of quarterly webinars with a pandel of experts.

“Just being able to meet people who have really shaped homeless sector policy is amazing,” she says.

Bean’s story began in Denver, where she was born. From South Africa, her mom moved to Denver when she was seven months pregnant with Bean. After giving birth to Bean and her brother, their mom and the rest of the family returned to South Africa. Bean has been in Southern California since she was 10.

“South Africa is wonderful,” she says. “I love it. I have a sister there and dozens of cousins.”

Bean earned a bachelor’s from UCLA and a Master of Public Administration with a certificate in nonprofit sector management from California State University Northridge. She is a credentialed grant professional with a certificate from Grant Professionals Certification Institute and is completing a certification in strategic public relations and brand management at UCLA.

Born in Colorado, Dana Bean spent her formative years in South Africa.

She applied to Union Station and landed a job as a full-time grant writer. She doubled the grant dollars in her first year.

“Dana Bean has been with Union Station for over 14 years, and during that time she has been instrumental in helping sustain our organization by building our resources and advancing our mission-driven strategy and communications,” says CEO Anne Miskey.

“She is an integral part of our senior executive team and brings not only her skills but great passion and heart to the job.”

With that, Bean hopes to help Union Station continue to grow.

“I think my hard work has definitely contributed to the growth of the agency,” she says. “It has a budget of $24 million. I have definitely seen a lot of growth in the 15 years I’ve been there.

“I want to continue to help people in who are in the homeless sector. We’ve expanded our focus in the community to help people understand their role in helping people stop homelessness and the inflow of people losing their housing.”

Union Station Homeless Services unionstationhs.org

SOPHISTICATED (ALMOST) Blueberry Pie

BY EMILY CHAVEZ

Update your tried-and-true blueberry pie this winter with few simple changes for a galette that looks as good as it tastes. The vibrant and earthy flavors of creamy goat cheese pair beautifully with tart and light blueberries. Luscious honey, as the primary sweetener, provides a familiar warm note that is kept fresh with the addition of mint leaves. Whether you enjoy this right out of the oven for an after-dinner dessert or warm up a slice to enjoy with coffee or tea on a crisp morning, this galette will satisfy your craving for an indulgent pastry with complex flavors.

HONEY BLUEBERRY GALETTE YIELD: 6 SERVINGS | ACTIVE TIME: 25 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR, 10 MINUTES INGREDIENTS

2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR 1 TEASPOON SALT 3/4 CUP COLD UNSALTED BUTTER, CUBED 10 OUNCES COLD GOAT CHEESE 1 TABLESPOON APPLE CIDER VINEGAR 2 TABLESPOON ICE WATER 3 TABLESPOONS HONEY 1 1/2 TABLESPOON PACKED DARK BROWN SUGAR 1/4 TEASPOON NUTMEG 2 CUPS BLUEBERRIES 1 EGG 1 TABLESPOON WATER 1 TABLESPOON SUGAR GARNISH: HONEY AND FRESH MINT

INSTRUCTIONS

1. USING A FOOD PROCESSOR, PULSE TOGETHER FLOUR AND SALT UNTIL COMBINED. ADD BUTTER AND 4 OUNCES OF GOAT CHEESE, PULSING UNTIL MIXTURE IS CRUMBLY. ADD VINEGAR AND PULSE TO INCORPORATE. ADD ICE WATER, 1 TABLESPOON AT A TIME, JUST UNTIL DOUGH COMES TOGETHER. TURN OUT AND SHAPE DOUGH INTO A DISK. WRAP IN PLASTIC WRAP. REFRIGERATE DOUGH FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES. 2. PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 425 DEGREES F AND LINE A BAKING SHEET WITH PARCHMENT PAPER. 3. IN A BOWL, WHISK TOGETHER THE REMAINING 6 OUNCES OF GOAT CHEESE AND HONEY UNTIL SMOOTH. ADD BROWN SUGAR AND NUTMEG AND WHISK TO INCORPORATE THROUGHOUT. STORE IN THE REFRIGERATOR. 4. ON A LIGHTLY FLOURED SURFACE, ROLL DOUGH INTO A 12INCH CIRCLE, ABOUT 1/4-INCH THICK. TRANSFER THE BAKING SHEET TO ASSEMBLE. 5. SPREAD HONEY GOAT CHEESE FILLING MIXTURE ONTO THE DOUGH, LEAVING A 2-INCH GAP FROM THE BORDER ALL THE WAY AROUND. 6. PLACE BLUEBERRIES ON TOP FILLING. FOLD EDGES OF DOUGH OVER. 7. IN A SMALL BOWL, WHISK TOGETHER EGG AND 1 TABLESPOON OF WATER. BRUSH EGG WASH ONTO DOUGH, AND SPRINKLE WITH GRANULATED SUGAR. 8. BAKE UNTIL THE CRUST IS GOLDEN, AND BOTTOM IS BROWNED, 30 TO 35 MINUTES. LET COOL ON THE PAN FOR 10 MINUTES. 9. SERVE WARM OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE AND GARNISHED WITH HONEY AND FRESH MINT.

5 REASONS TO NEVER TOP YOUR TREES

Do you ever wonder why a tree didn’t grow well, looked deformed, fell over, or entirely died? There are certainly combinations of reasons for this happening, but according to many horticulturalists, one of the top reasons is improper pruning. Specifically, a damaging practice called “Topping”. Topping involves cutting away a large section of the top of a tree’s crown, or all the leafing branches across the top half of the tree. This is often justified by the need to reduce the overall size of a tree. The leader (or the vertical stem) and the upper primary limbs (known as scaffold branches) on a mature tree are often cut back to a level height- This can prove damaging or fatal to many trees, or severely decrease their longevity.

Why not to Top a tree:

1. Weak, unhealthy shoots and mini limbs without a central leader will sprout as a response to the trauma. The tree becomes weak, top heavy and inevitably the wrong shoots or stems will dominate the tree. The limbs will be weakened both aesthetically and structurally. Eventually, a tree trimmer will need to come back and remove most of the shoots costing more time and expense than doing it right the first time. 2. Shock, Trauma and starvation can occur as the leaves that provide food and shade to the rest of the tree are removed the recovery process is slowed. Without protective leaves, the tree lacks nutrition and often the new growth and bark are scalded by the sun. The tree’s energy goes into recovery, self-protection, and producing unnatural new growth while branching. 3. Large wounds create a magnet for insects and disease. The shock and starvation that occurs reduces the trees natural ability to fend off insects, disease and decay. Once decay hits a tree, there is no way of stopping it. 4. Weak Limbs and a weak tree can be dangerous. The meeting point of the limbs and trunk is called a “crotch”. Crotches growing at wrong angles and with competing branches create weak forks and brittle wood that breaks easily. Unhealthy trees and limbs are much more likely to fall down in times of stress or inclement weather 5. Increased cost, increased liability and lost aesthetic value. Though it may be tempting to take that low cost of the simple large cut, certainly more money will be invested in repair of the tree, removal of dead or broken limbs ,and damages caused by the inopportune falling of limbs and trees on items of value. The value a beautiful tree can add to a property cannot be taken for granted, and the cost of replacing a tree of size may be impossible if not very expensive.

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, as some trees that are often used as hedges respond well to topping if we want to keep them as hedges. If a tree is to be kept like a large shrub at a limited size, topping is actually necessary, but if the tree is to grow into its natural state as a tree, then the above rules apply.

So, what is the alternative when the tree is too large? Crown reduction is the preferred pruning method, because it conserves natural appearance, decreases need for extensive pruning, and limits stress.

Read next month’s article on crown reduction.