December blew in this year with hopes and tension, stress and elation. We have the unscripted moments that lift the heart…volunteers singing, gifts that magically appear and a beautiful tree and lights to brighten the shelter. And we have worry, because so many people need our help.

And so, on December 21st, the longest night of the year, we remember with sadness both our friends and strangers who died on the streets. Later we celebrate hope and joy with the children and families we shelter.

To all our supporters, thank you for your warmth and encouragement and may you have a beautiful holiday.

If you would like to attend Glendale’s National Memorial Day for Homeless Persons, please join us on December 21st in the Chapel of the First Baptist Church of Glendale, 209 N. Louise Street at 5:30 p.m.

This Friday, 11.11.11, is Veteran’s Day.
In honor of our veterans, Ascencia staff – as we do throughout the year – will be working hard to offer support, assistance and housing to homeless veterans.

Last May, the City of Glendale and Ascencia committed to ending veteran homelessness in the greater Glendale area. Since then, at least 7 homeless veterans identified through Ascencia’s Outreach team have moved into housing; another 2 will be moving into a home of their own within the next two weeks. In July, Ascencia was awarded $100,000 from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs in support of our efforts and with this award, we continue our work housing homeless veterans and have now included services to prevent ‘at-risk’ veterans from becoming homeless.

A few weeks ago, we were delighted to move Ken into his place after 13 years of living in his car and with friends.

Ken is 83 years old and a US Veteran; though no one would know it, he has been homeless for the last 13 years. In 1998 when Ken lost his Glendale home, he was left with only his car for shelter.

Prior to becoming homeless, Ken had served in the US Navy, earned his Bachelor’s Degree at Syracuse University and succeed as a self employed Interior Designer. No one, not even Ken, could have guessed that he would struggle with homelessness for over a decade.

Just a couple of weeks ago, with the help of Ascencia and the City of Glendale, Ken signed his first lease in years.
While Ken has been attending Glendale’s Senior Nutritional Meals Program since 2006, and had previously consulted with Senior Case Managers regarding his homelessness, it was not until June of 2011 that Ken sought help through Ascencia. With the winter months approaching and Ken no longer able to live in his car, he consulted with Ascencia Outreach Case Managers before entering the program and working with Ascencia’s Veteran

We are indebted to Larry Zarian for his support over the years and we, as the rest of the Glendale community, will miss him.

At just 31 years old, Adam had been homeless in Glendale for the last 9 years.

Just this week Adam moved into a wonderful one bedroom apartment with his companion, Zeus! Yesterday, Adam, Zeus and few of our case managers loaded up the truck and furnished Adam’s new home.

Though Adam has been continually receiving services at PATH Achieve for some time, I first met him during Winter Shelter when the Glendale Armory was open to homeless people as means of refuge from the cold. He and Zeus would visit almost every night, just long enough to grab a plate of food. We’d often catch the two of them sharing the meal outside the Armory doors before heading off for the night.

Adam had stayed in the cold weather shelter during previous years, but this time with Zeus, thought it better to stay with his friend and companion despite the cold.

Before Zeus, Adam was distant and uninterested in many of the services we have to offer; now with Zeus by his side, he has been open to services since last May when Registry teams found the duo sleeping behind a restaurant off of Brand Blvd.

Today, Adam and Zeus could not be happier in their apartment and we could not be more excited! Many thanks to the City of Glendale and Registry Week volunteers who helped us help Adam.

See pictures of Adam and Zeus moving in on our Facebook page!

Last winter I wrote about our sparsely attended Homeless Memorial Day.

This week, one of the event participants, CC, died.
… As we went around the circle, the woman began her prayer of hope and grace.

Did she know then that she would lose her battle with alcohol so soon?
This December, we will again gather to remember the people we lost and will be thinking of CC.

Rest in Peace, CC.