PASADENA, Calif.—The Armenian National Committee of America – Pasadena Chapter (ANCA – Pasadena) collected over 1000 items in donations for the Pasadena Unified School District’s (PUSD) Families in Transition program.
Families in Transition is a program through the Student Support Programs at PUSD whose purpose is to identify, provide outreach, and connect homeless and transitional students along with their families to appropriate services and assist in stabilizing the students’ environment so that they can grow personally and academically. Some of the students and their families live in resident shelters, motels, or are doubled-up with other family members or friends largely due to financial hardship. Families in Transition offer the students and their families a variety of supplies including food, clothing, school supplies, and hygiene products.
Socorro Naranjo Rocha, Senior Community Advocate with PUSD’s Families in Transition stated, “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I came here today not expecting all of these donations. This will go a long way and help many families. Thank you so much!” Rocha is one of the individuals with PUSD’s Families in Transition, who works with the students and families. “With your donations we will be able to provide Easter baskets this year,” Rocha continued.
“Donations like this would not have been possible without the combined efforts of our Armenian organizations, schools, and churches including Sahag Mesrob Armenian Christian School, Tavlian Preschool, St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church of Pasadena, and the Armenian Cultural Foundation which served as the main donation drop-off locations for our annual holiday drive,” stated Shoghig Yepremian, ANCA-Pasadena Chair. The ANCA further collaborated with PUSD’s Families in Transition to set-up additional donation collection sites within the local PUSD high schools. The ANCA through its annual holiday celebrations reached out to local, state, and federally elected officials. Many elected officials contributed to the drive, including Congresswoman Judy Chu where she and her staff donated a large number of items.
The ANCA would like to extend gratitude to the City of Pasadena, the Armenian Community, and Congresswoman Judy Chu’s office for a successful holiday drive to serve the transitional and homeless youth and their families within Pasadena and the surrounding areas.
Photo: ANCA – Pasadena and PUSD representatives at the Pasadena Armenian Center with a collection of donated items