The Mission That Drives Us

Project Access creates opportunities for the empowerment of low-income individuals and families, living in affordable housing communities, to achieve greater self-sufficiency and independence through access to education, health and human services. 

The holidays at Project Access brought many smiles and as many tears (of joy) from grateful families who received gifts from Toys for Tots and the PATRONS Adopt-a-Family Program. See below for full story.

This testimonial from a resident who benefited from the Adopt-a-Family program says it all so simply, so yet eloquently: 

“I am sincerely grateful for your gifts. I have never even thought that receiving gifts from a person whom I haven’t seen or known could bring such joy. I thank you, donor, for your love. Your love, I will pay it forward to people I do not know, as you did to us.”

                                                                          -- James S.

Staff News

A MESSAGE FROM THE HUMAN RESOURCES/FIELD DIRECTOR, KRISTIN BYRNES

I'm proud to report that much hard work by our staff in the past year is producing excellent results. The focus was and continues to be on standardization of quality and relevant services for low-income residents of affordable housing. The Service Coordinators are charged with implementation of core services, based on needs identified through resident/client assessments, by June 2005. Project Access core services offered at each on-site Family Resource Center include: 

• Maternal Education
• Health and Nutrition Programs
• After-school tutoring for youth
• Enrichment Programs for youth
• English as a Second Language (ESL) for adults
• Computer Training for adults and youth
• Job Skills Training and Assistance
• Low-cost Health Insurance Application Assistance 
• Information and Referral
• Community-building Events

In anticipation of the Project Access Senior Resource Center opening soon at Golden West Towers in Torrance, we have been diligently working toward a smooth transition for the 182 aging adult residents that we will serve. The population is ethnically diverse, including primarily Korean, Chinese, Caucasian, Indian and Hispanic. A significant portion of the population is female. The specific needs of a seniors-only resident community is a new opportunity for us - one which we are greatly anticipating and prepared to take on. Our goal is to assist the resident seniors in maintaining independence and the highest possible quality of life, and to maximize their dignity, autonomy, privacy, health and safety. 

As a service-oriented organization striving for excellence, Project Access’ goal is to continuously evaluate our programs and our staff to ensure consistent delivery of relevant programming to our clients. The positive impact we have on our clients’ lives depends largely on the knowledge, skills, training and attitudes of our employees. In 2004 we implemented many new systems that allow us to evaluate our staff and provide useful and measurable feedback to maximize individual performance, which in turn, optimizes organizational performance. At Project Access, we take pride in employing quality staff who are knowledgeable, passionate and motivated to improve others’ lives as well as the organization’s capabilities. With that, I salute our incredible on-site Family Resource Center staff.

Kristin Byrnes came to Southern California and Project Access from Pennsylvania a year ago with more than 11 years experience in nonprofit management - she has been responsible for staff supervision as well as program development, implementation and evaluation. Ms. Byrnes received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Services, with a minor in Gerontology, in 1994 from La Roche College in Pittsburgh; and in 2001, she was awarded a Masters of Science degree in Professional Leadership, with an emphasis on Nonprofit Management, from Carlow College in Pittsburgh. In addition to her responsibilities overseeing the staff at each of the Project Access sites and supporting the successful operation of each center, Kristin was recently promoted to oversee all Human Resources management of the organization. She is a true team player and tremendous asset to Project Access.

NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Project Access is pleased to announce the appointment of four new members to its Board of Directors. They bring a wealth of knowledge, leadership and energy to our ever growing family. For more extensive bios, please visit http://www.project-access.org/.



Juan Carlos Araque, Ph.D. 

Juan Carlos Araque is a youth development specialist and program administrator with the Orange County Department of Education. He has worked for over ten years in the fields of education, inter-organizational relations, and statistical diagnostics. He is currently a member of the California Governor's Child Abuse Prevention Task Force and the California School/Law Enforcement Partnership Cadre. Among other honors he has received, Dr. Araque was recognized in 2004 by the County of Orange, the California State Senate, and the U.S. Congress for providing leadership and exceptional educational resources. 

Herbert Y. Rosenblum 

Herbert Rosenblum has more than twenty-five years of experience in the management of large apartment developments, including property management, subsidiary operations and staff management. With R & B Realty Group, he was President of Oakwood Apartment for 18 years and was responsible for the overall performance of 25,000 apartment units in 15 states with 1,500 full-time employees; and he served as a Partner and member of the Executive Committee participating in the strategic planning for the commercial and multi-family property management firm. 



Michael A. Schumacher, Ph.D. 

Michael A. Schumacher was employed by the County of Orange for over 32 years. He served as Chief Probation Officer for over 20 years, as Director of the Orange County Health Care Agency, and as County Executive Officer, where he had responsibility for the administration of a $4.4 billion budget and a workforce of approximately 17 thousand employees. Presently a member of the Orange County Juvenile Justice Commission, he has served on numerous advisory committees, including the California Council on Criminal Justice, the Commission for the Revision of California Juvenile Court Law, and the Governor’s Policy Committee on Drugs and Alcohol. He has written extensively about juvenile delinquency and justice, and he is co-author of “The 8% Solution; preventing repeat serious chronic juvenile crime”. 



Charles P. Vega, M.D.

Charles P. Vega is Assistant Clinical Professor and Acting Residency Director of Family Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, where he also serves as Associate Residency Program Director. He has been honored as Outstanding Teacher of the Year in the Department of Family Medicine, and in 2004, he received the UC Irvine College of Medicine Excellence in Teaching Award. He is a regular contributing author for Medscape CME News and The Core Content Review of Family Medicine, and has been a contributing author and editor with Family Medicine Journal Scan, published on Medscape.com, since its founding in 2001. His published articles include “Individualizing Preventive Approaches in the Elderly”; and among his many invited presentations at professional conferences, he has recently highlighted “The Crisis in Latino Health Care: Facts and Solutions” and “Bringing a Cross-Cultural Curriculum into the Community”. .

VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION 

Victoria Juarez, Project Access Service Coordinator at Malabar Apartments in Garden Grove, congratulates Ralph Lauderslayer at National Philanthropy Day 

Project Access was pleased to nominate RALPH LAUDERSLAYER as an “Outstanding Volunteer” for the 2004 National Philanthropy Day. He is a mentor to the at-risk children at our Malabar Learning Center; and his leadership and teaching activities are truly deserving of recognition.

In 2002, while already volunteering with Meals on Wheels, Ralph became concerned that the children of his Garden Grove neighborhood did not have a place to play after school and on weekends. He initiated a grass roots community that ultimately resulted in the after-hours opening of the play areas of a nearby school, and the establishment of an intergenerational summer enrichment program on the school grounds. Ralph organized a group of dedicated seniors to reach out to these children through daily presentations of multi-cultural education, music, art, and games. When the summer ended, Ralph continued this program as the centerpiece of the newly-established Project Access learning center at the Malabar apartments. 

At the Malabar on-site Family Resource Center center, Ralph helps children to improve their reading skills and serves as an effective youth leader and mentor. Dispelling the children’s pre-conceived notions about older adults, he works enthusiastically to share without limit the wealth of knowledge and skills he has acquired in a lifetime of learning. Through this exchange of ideas, he bridges the gap between seniors and youth; and he serves as well as a role model for the other senior volunteers. He knows that, by helping children to grow, he keeps himself ever young and active. This commitment, compassion, and enthusiasm have made him a vital part of our organization, and a valued treasure to his community. 

Warwick Square Service Coordinator Estrella Martinez presents a token of thanks to volunteer Tara Marvin.

Special recognition and thanks also go to Tara Marvin and Kelli Schott, who donated their time and knowledge to develop the new Project Access Job Skills book that is now in place at each of our sites as a key part of our Adult Capacity Building initiative. Thank you for an unbelievable job – we are so grateful to you!!

AVAILABLE STAFFING POSITIONS

We are currently recruiting for two new positions. If you are interested or know of someone who might be, we would love to hear from you! For more extensive job descriptions, please visit http://www.project-access.org/.

• Accounting & Administrative Assistant; Main Office, Newport Beach
• Senior Service Coordinator; Senior Resource Center at Golden West Towers, Torrance

PARTNERSHIP NEWS

Healthy Smiles for Kids of Orange County
Through our new partnership with Healthy Smiles for Kids of Orange County, outreach dental education and treatment are now available at all of our Orange County on-site Family Resource Centers. Healthy Smiles for Kids of Orange County is a non profit organization dedicated to improving the oral health of children through collaborations directed at prevention, education, treatment and advocacy. We are excited that Healthy Smiles will now regularly visit each Project Access Resource Center to provide dental education to the entire family. Thank you Healthy Smiles Orange County. Here’s to a long-lasting partnership! 

Second Harvest Food Bank
Kid’s Café, a program that provides healthy snacks of milk, cheese, fruit, and crackers free of charge to dozens of children each day, has been started at the Project Access on-site Family Resource Centers at Warwick Square in Santa Ana and Park Vista in Anaheim. Established through a partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank, the Kid’s Café programs serve children whose elementary schools have a high number of children receiving free or reduced-price lunches. We THANK YOU for your support of our kids!

Jumpstart Americorps
The Jumpstart AmeriCorps program of Cal State Fullerton will place AmeriCorps members, who have been trained to assist with programs for preschool-age children, at Project Access at North Hills Apartments in Fullerton in the coming months. Members will assist with developing and presenting school-readiness curriculum that will help to prepare three and four year-old children for kindergarten.

City of Anaheim Workforce Center
The City of Anaheim Workforce Center is joining with Project Access to bring job search workshops and job fairs to the residents of the Park Vista Apartments in Anaheim. The Workforce Center will also be helping to connect Park Vista teens with summer jobs.

WIC of Ventura County
Project Access is partnering with WIC (Women, Infants and Children) of Ventura County to bring maternal education and supplemental food to the parents of young children at the Pacific Point apartments in Oxnard. WIC provides vouchers for grocery store purchases, educational classes, one-on-one counseling, and health care referrals. 

Andes Financial, Inc.
Andes Financial, Inc. has found a receptive audience among the residents of Pacific Point in Oxnard for its presentations about buying a home. Participants learn what is involved in meeting the financial challenges of purchasing and owning their own home. 

Patrons Auxiliary Update
Thanks to the dynamic team spirit and hard work of volunteers Honeybee Hyatt, Kathryn Fleming and Kristine Barker, the first annual PATRONS Holiday Adopt-a- Family program was a huge success. There were 99 needy families from all ten Project Access communities that signed up, and 65 sponsor families who either sent donations to defer the cost of gifts or were assigned to a family for whom to purchase gifts. The Project Access office was filled from top to bottom with brightly colored packages, bicycles, tricycles and other goodies before all gifts were delivered to the on-site Family Resource Centers on December 16th. The thank you letters and photos of the families we received were so heartfelt and full of gratitude that the PATRONS team can’t wait to get started on next years program!! Great job and a loud THANK YOU to all our volunteers and sponsors!!

Resident testimonial: “Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart to all who contributed to buying Christmas gifts for my kids. You are appreciated more than you’ll ever know. This means so much to me….Have a blessed New Year.”
 --  The Gomez Family

PATRONS Volunteers Honeybee Hyatt and Kathryn Fleming shopped for 600 holiday gifts.

Project Access staff Jocelyn Flores, Victoria Juarez and Mindy Moschel wrap gifts for residents, young and old, who come to their Family Resource Centers

Albertsons
Project Access is part of a community initiative by Albertsons to put money back into the community. If you shop at Albertsons, you can sign up for this program. After registration, each time you present your Preferred Savings card at check out, Albertsons will donate a percentage of the sale of your groceries to Project Access. 

PROGRAMS AND LOCATION NEWS

A Trip to the Theater
In early December, seventy-five kids, twelve parents, and three AmeriCorps volunteers from six Project Access sites in Orange County participated in a fieldtrip to the Laguna Playhouse to see a matinee of The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. The outing complemented curriculum from the after-school enrichment program about "Theatre, the Arts & Beyond." Prior to the fieldtrip, students participated in a month-long workshop that included playwriting, acting, music, and some set building. For many of the children, the opportunity was the first time they had ever been exposed to performing arts. 

Up close and personal at the Laguna Playhouse

Youth Make MLK Day A Day On - Not A Day Off!
On January 17, thirty kids from Cypress Villa, North Hills,Tara Village and Warwick Square Apartments voluntarily participated in a day of service commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr. In collaboration with Community Action Partnership (CAP), the Cal State Fullerton Center for Internships & Service Learning, and the Orange County AmeriCorps Alliance, Project Access youth met in Garden Grove at the CAP warehouse and assembled a record-breaking 2,276 boxes of food for seniors living in Orange County. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez was one of three speakers who spoke of the importance of service in one’s community. The food was later distributed by CAP to needy families in the county. 

Project Access service-minded youth delight in meeting Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez.

Youth box food for needy in honor of Martin Luther King. 

Project Access raises funds to bring vital health, education and social services to low-income families and seniors in Southern California. A gift to Project Access helps us to create opportunities that change people’s lives for the better. If you believe in the goals of Project Access and would like to help by making a donation or volunteering, please contact Hillary Niblo, Development Director, at (949) 253-6200 x305 to discuss the current needs of the organization. 

Tax deductible financial and in-kind donations are gratefully appreciated throughout the year. Please make checks payable to: Project Access, Inc.
and mail to: to 4029 Westerly Place, Suite 113, Newport Beach, CA 92660

*Contact us if your company has a matching gift program, and we will be glad to provide the necessary documentation. 

Thank you for your generous support.

The Project Access E-Newsletter is an online publication of Project Access, a  nonprofit organization that brings together affordable housing providers and community service agencies to offer residents the resources needed to enhance the quality of their lives.

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