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.

PATH Achieve Glendale becomes Ascencia.

Many thanks to ABC7 Broadcast Studios for production of this video.

Special thanks to Diane Medina, Ruth House, Phillip Palmer, Arnie Kleiner, Webb Webber & Peter Weiner.

Ascencia (ˈä sens ē´ ä) n. A homeless services agency dedicated to ending homelessness one person, one family at a time in the greater Glendale (California) area.   Predecessors include Project ACHIEVE, PATH Achieve Glendale.

We are thrilled to have concluded the process of selecting a new name!  Many thanks to the staff, clients and volunteers who helped us clarify our identify and huge kudos to the Board of Directors for getting agreement so quickly!  This process reaffirmed what a thoughtful group of people we have, considerate of diverse ideas and ready to find consensus.  It is a privilege to be part of this team.

-Natalie  

Dear Friends of PATH Achieve:
You have been there for us so often in the past that I hesitate to ask, but we find ourselves in an unusual situation and really need your help. We presently have 4 single women, a single man with a Service Dog and a family of five that will be moving into apartments this month!

One of the women is going through chemotherapy as we speak and is scheduled for cancer surgery on the 18 of this month. We have found an apartment for her but she has nothing to put in it and is so hopeful to be settled in before her upcoming surgery.

A young woman who just found out she is having twins is also moving out of our shelter and into an apartment! She too has nothing and her goal, and ours for her, is to be settled into her apartment before the babies arrive.

Another is a 78 year old woman who has been in the shelter several months while looking for low income senior housing. Moving into her new home today, she too is starting all over again with nothing.

The fourth woman has been living on the streets for the past 10 years or so and Pretty soon she will have her very own little one bedroom apartment.

Lastly, the family of 5 that I mentioned. A mother and her four children, who were living in their car at a park, have been from shelter to shelter, and are scheduled to move into our Transitional Housing program as soon as there is an opening (approximately 10 days).

Each and every one of the people mentioned has been through so much, and I would be so grateful if, with your help, we could have at least a few furniture items, etc. to help them as they start their new life.

Taking into consideration the furniture items that I have now in storage, we are in immediate need of the following:
• 4 couches and/or love seats (standard sizes, not large)
• 4 coffee tables
• mattresses, twin or full
• 5 dressers
• End tables (for living room and/or bedrooms)
• Lamps, lamps, lamps – any shape or size. ( I find that so many folks live in the dark )
• Kitchen supplies including dishes, silverware, pots and pans, kitchen towels, cleaning supplies, etc.
• TVs
• Bath towels
• Sheets and blankets and pillows

Lastly, we are also looking for a furniture moving service that would be willing to help us at a reduced rate. If you know of anyone at all, let us know because we would love to contact them!!! Until we find that moving service, anything that you could deliver to us yourself would be greatly appreciated!

I make every effort to have furniture donations in storage to help individuals and families as they start their new lives but I cannot possibly accommodate all five of these

If you can help, please contact Alayna Hyde at AHyde@achieveglendale.org or (818) 568-6219.

Thank you again and again for helping us help so many!!! I have no words to tell you how much your big hearts and generosity mean to us!!
- Nancy Freidson, Transitional Housing Program Manager and “Donation Lady”