CARING Housing Ministries to Continue Community Benefit Project in Partnership with San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity

CHM raises $30,000 for non-profit during first year of volunteering and fundraising
CARING Housing Ministries President Nancy Spring recently announced that CHM staff will continue its volunteer work for one more year at the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity Chestnut Street building site as part of CHM’s community benefit project for 2015-16.


Soraya Diaz, CARING Housing Ministries director of operations, far left, presents a check for more than $30,000 to San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Sonja L. Yates, middle left, and Chelsea McHenry, volunteer and youth programs manager. The donation was a result of a fundraising effort and volunteer activities by CARING Housing Ministries staff in support of San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity’s Chestnut Street building project in Glendale. CHM used a $5,000 grant from CLH as seed money for this community benefit project.

“Our volunteer work was such a success in partnership with San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity that we decided to continue so we can participate in the completion of the project,” Nancy said.

San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity is in the process of building three affordable homes at East Chestnut Street in Glendale for low-income, first-time homebuyers. The homes will be three stories and will each be about 1,300 square feet with three bedrooms and two and a half baths.

In March 2014, CARING Housing Ministries staff members plus others from CHM’s parent organization Front Porch, began volunteering either at the building site or at a Habitat for Humanity not-for-profit home improvement store and donation center, logging in more than 1400 corporate–sponsored and personal volunteer hours. Thanks to a grant from California Lutheran Homes and Community Services, CARING Housing Ministries made an initial cash contribution of $5,000 to the project and participated in fundraising efforts throughout the year on behalf of the project raising $30,000.

As part of the total donation, Front Porch contributed more than $10,800 in matching funds through its Social Accountability in Action program, which funds projects, programs and services designed to meet community needs.

In years past, CARING leaders have organized internal staff development programs with funding provided by philanthropic partner California Lutheran Homes and Community Services. Five years ago, the programs evolved externally into community outreach projects, while maintaining their team-building elements.

 CALIFORNIALUTHERAN HOMES AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

California Lutheran Homes and Community Services (CLH) is a not-for-profit social ministry organization founded in 1947. CLH’s mission is meeting needs through ‘faith in action’ including support for residents of affordable housing communities managed by partner CARING Housing Ministries, and residents of Front Porch retirement communities, care centers and active-adult communities. CLH-sponsored retirement and active-adult living communities include Carlsbad By The Sea in Carlsbad, CA; Walnut Village in Anaheim, CA, England Oaks in Alexandria, VA and Cecil Pines in Jacksonville, FL. Among the programs and services supported by CLH are the CLH Center for Spirituality and Aging, whose mission is to meet the needs of older adults based on the understanding that aging is a spiritual journey; the Front Porch Gallery, which creates community by promoting an understanding of aging through art; the Front Porch Center for Innovation and Wellbeing, which enhances wellbeing and quality of life through the adaptive use of technology; the CLH Auxiliary; and the Charitable Care Fund, which supports residents in need who have outlived their finances.

A Family of Givers

Their generosity goes back decades. During the early 1980s Lois and Lyle Schroder first donated to California Lutheran Homes and Community Services, not knowing that in 1991 Lois’ mom, Eda Cole, would be a resident at CLH–supported Walnut Manor Retirement Community and become a donor herself.

“We grew up in and raised our children in the Lutheran church,” Lyle said. “It was a natural thing for us to support CLH, particularly after Lois’ mother was living at Walnut Manor through the 1990s.”

Also in the 1990s Lois and Lyle’s son Terry remembers volunteering at Walnut Manor and visiting for youth activities.

“My churches were Lamb of God and Grace Lutheran in Anaheim,” Terry said. “I remember becoming a donor to CLH when I was a teenager. It was something my parents and the church instilled in me as important and our support continues.”

Some 30 years later, the old Walnut Manor is gone and the new Walnut Village stands in its place, and Terry, his wife Kathi and Terry’s parents Lyle and Lois remain faithful givers to California Lutheran Homes. Add to the mix of this family of givers, recent Walnut Village residents and donors Connie and Del Crane, Kathi’s parents.

“When my parents told me they wanted to move to a retirement community, I immediately thought of Walnut Village,” Kathi said. “As CLH donors we asked (CLH Foundation Executive) Ross (Merritt) to help us encourage my mom and dad to make the move to Walnut Village. They couldn’t be happier.”

“We immediately loved what we saw,” Del said. “We were particularly looking for a continuing care retirement community in case our health needs changed. What made Walnut Village even better was that it was supported by CLH.”

The Cranes are currently reviewing the sale of their home and are considering a charitable remainder trust with CLH. Terry, Kathi, Lois and Lyle continue to give to the CLH general fund so that their donations can be used for the greatest need.


CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN HOMES AND COMMUNITY SERVICESCalifornia Lutheran Homes and Community Services (CLH) is a not-for-profit social ministry organization founded in 1947. CLH’s mission is meeting needs through ‘faith in action’ including support for residents of affordable housing communities managed by partner CARING Housing Ministries, and residents of Front Porch retirement communities, care centers and active-adult communities. CLH-sponsored retirement and active-adult living communities include Carlsbad By The Sea in Carlsbad, CA; Walnut Village in Anaheim, CA, England Oaks in Alexandria, VA and Cecil Pines in Jacksonville, FL. Among the programs and services supported by CLH are the CLH Center for Spirituality and Aging, whose mission is to meet the needs of older adults based on the understanding that aging is a spiritual journey; the Front Porch Gallery, which creates community by promoting an understanding of aging through art; the Front Porch Center for Innovation and Wellbeing, which enhances wellbeing and quality of life through the adaptive use of technology; the CLH Auxiliary; and the Charitable Care Fund, which supports residents in need who have outlived their finances.