The Mission That Drives Us Project Access assists low-income families and seniors in affordable housing to achieve self-sufficiency through access to onsite services in education, health and social services. Project Access Residents Enjoy the Halloween Holiday Carving Pumpkins     Young residents from six Project Access Family Resource Centers recently enjoy a field trip to Pasadena’s Norton Simon Museum, thanks to the generosity of the Draper Family Fund. Special Thanks to Volunteers Lana Johnson and Lisa Cosenza from the Daily Pilot for leading one of the groups!

THE HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US… Presents the 2nd Annual HOLIDAY ADOPT-A-FAMILY PROGRAM As the season of giving approaches, it is with great excitement that we kick off the second annual PATRONS for Project Access Holiday Adopt-a-Family Program. We have designed our program with flexibility to match your desired participation level. This is a great way to involve your whole family or a group from your company in giving to those less fortunate during the holidays. These are working families who struggle daily to pay rent, keep their loved ones safe and healthy.  We believe in this program, and hope that you will, too.  Through your generosity and support, a family in need will  receive the greatest gift of all - hope. For a fun and rewarding way to give back to the community, making an immediate, positive impact on one family in need this holiday season, Click here for an application.  Deadline is December 1. We hope you will join PATRONS in this effort.

   
Volunteer News

The Ueberroth Family Foundation Plus AmeriCorps Partnership Equals Success

Thanks in part to the generous support of the Ueberroth Family Foundation, Project Access benefited from the services of 18 AmeriCorps members for the 2004-2005 season, which came to a close in September. AmeriCorps, which is often referred to as the domestic Peace Corps, is a network of national service programs supported and championed by the U.S. government that recruits, screens, and trains people for placement with nonprofit organizations working to alleviate the hardships faced by the residents of low-income and poor communities. When serving with Project Access, members provide 450 hours each of intensive one-on-one tutoring over the course of a school year to students identified by their teachers as being most in need of help. This individualized attention has been shown to make a significant difference in the lives of these children – both by the academic assistance it provides to them, and by the positive role models that are presented by the AmeriCorps members. The collaboration has brought lasting benefits to many low-income children who might otherwise have been left behind. It also had lasting effects on the AmeriCorps members themselves:

"Spending time with the kids has been a life changing experience for me. It makes me feel good that I am doing something positive for them. I wish I could follow these kids throughout their lives to watch them mature into intelligent individuals. I hope that they will remember what I have done for them and how much they mean to
me."

Elliot Griffin, Academic Tutoring Specialist
North Hills Apartments, Fullerton

  
PATRONS for Project Access

“HIGH ROLLERS” Raise $27,000 Vegas Style!

Viva Las Vegas! was a resounding event success thanks to all the sponsors, underwriters and guests! The festivities on September 17th were held at the beautiful hilltop home of Mark and Honeybee Hyatt in Newport Coast. Honeybee, the founder of the support group PATRONS for Project Access, and her event committee welcomed more than 100 guests who enjoyed an elegant and festive menu from 24 Carrots Catering and California Chocolate Fountains, an evening of lively casino-style gambling and silent and live auctions made possible by donations from dozens of generous local businesses. This fundraiser netted more than $27,000 in support of the education and health programs Project Access delivers to low-income residents across the southland. Please click here to see more photos.

Special thanks to sponsors and underwriters for making this event a reality:

Was the Place to Be October 10th!

Thanks to all those who came out to join us for Monday night football and a momentous Angels win at our quarterly mixer held October 10th! A good time was had by all at the beautiful 3Thirty3 restaurant in Newport Beach. The festive atmosphere, the view at sunset, the amazingly generous company, and the delicious food courtesy of Mike Williams and Merrill Lynch made for a great evening.

Sponsored by

Jim Wakefield,  Rene Brookbank,  Ann Marie del Rio Lisa Cosenza and Lana Johnson

Charlene Lee and Wendy Logan    Mike Williams and Jim Bechtold

Board News

Project Access is Thrilled to Welcome New Board Member, Sheryl Nelson!

Union Bank of California Vice President and Signature Banking Program Manager, Sheryl Nelson, joins the team, bringing a wealth of professional and philanthropic experience. Her background prior to joining Union Bank includes more than fifteen years of extensive sales experience, both as a small business owner and as a Sales Manager for Clairol and RJR Planters. Over the years, Ms. Nelson has often worked to help those less fortunate to become more self-sufficient. She taught at a business school for lower income adult students and, while in Big Bear, was a member of Rotary for five years – serving as Treasurer for three years and also as Membership Director. Among the many projects that Rotary sponsored, several helped low income and underprivileged families in Big Bear, specifically, as well as around the world. Because of her high level of participation in those projects and other club activities, Sheryl was named Rotarian of the Year in 2002. With Union Bank, she has assisted with March of Dimes and Juvenile Diabetes fund raisers, and coordinated the regional KOCE drive night. Ms. Nelson graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in English.

Sheryl has jumped right in with both hands and feet, adding value from day one – WELCOME, SHERYL !

Staff News

Project Access Welcomes New Talent!

The newest member of the Project Access management team is Business Development Director, Lisa Mastropietro. Lisa comes to us with 19 years of extensive experience in the nonprofit sector. She was a co-founding staff member of Mercy House, an organization that provides housing and support services for the homeless, and spent 15 years there honing her skills in a variety of capacities. She currently serves as a Board member of the Orange County Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She previously was a member for 11 years with Soroptimist International of Santa Ana/Tustin which, which included a year as President and one as Treasurer. Ms. Mastropietro received a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Psychology from the University of Arizona and a Masters in Public Administration from California State University, Long Beach. 

Lisa will play a key role in the growth and expansion of Project Access, working closely with the Service Coordinators to assist in maximizing our local service provider relationships, standardizing programs, developing a volunteer program and assisting with site expansion. WELCOME ABOARD, LISA! 

Partner News

Project Access greatly values all of our donors and supporters each and every day - many thanks to you all for your belief in our mission and your investment in our cause! We take this opportunity to highlight a few recent milestones:
  

Project Access Celebrates First Inter-Generational Property

Windsor Court residents  enjoying the festivities		Stratford Place residents modeling the newest fall fashion in headgear!
Eric Lam, Bill Witte of Related, Supervisor Lou Correa, Mayor Margie Rice, Jon Webb and Lane Macy of Project Access

Project Access and The Related Companies of California, a developer of multi-family housing, are pleased to announce the Grand Opening of a unique collaboration in the civic center area of Westminster, California.  Windsor Court, 58 affordable one and two-bedroom senior citizen apartments, and Stratford Place, 28 affordable three-bedroom large family apartments make up an intergenerational affordable housing property, the first of its kind in Orange County. County Supervisor Lou Correa and Westminster Mayor Margie Rice participated in the grand opening festivities of this distinctive addition to the city, held on October 11th.  The celebration also included a lunch buffet for the residents and invited guests, live music, face painting, and balloon art for the children. 

United Way Keeping Kids On Track has invested in Project Access with 

Thanks to an $8,000 grant from State Farm, the Project Access Adult Capacity Building initiative has received a boost!  By providing comprehensive employment/job training and financial literacy support to the adult residents it serves, Project Access and State Farm together hope to strengthen families and ultimately communities.  Thank you STATE FARM!
  

Health is always top of mind at Project Access.  As part of our Family Health and Nutrition initiative, each family and senior resource center sponsors an annual health fair, pulling together a selection of local health partners to provide education and screenings to residents where they live.  Blood pressure and cholesterol screenings as well as dental treatment are some of the most popular services. Thanks to local restaurants which provide food and to Pepsi which provides snacks, games, and prizes, these events bring the residents out as a community, provides them the opportunity to enjoy time together as a families and neighbors, and they walk away with some very important information.  THANK YOU to all the health providers, local restaurants and other supporters who make these events possible!

The Project Access Family Resource Center at Park Vista Apartments in Anaheim was very fortunate to have the Newport Harbor chapter of ZONTA International as their Health Fair partner this year.  Zonta International is a worldwide service organization of executives in business and the professions working together to improve the status of women.  Lead by the dynamic duo of Barbara Sisson and Wendy Weeks, ZONTA worked closely with Service Coordinator Rocio Flores and assistant Zoraida Murillo at Park Vista to organize a spectacular event on Saturday October 15, which was attended by hundreds of residents as well as many local dignitaries such as Anaheim Mayor Pro-Tem Richard Chavez, City Council woman Lori Galloway , and Channel 3.   In recognizing Project Access’ work in the community, Mr. Chavez reported, “I used to be a fire fighter for this community and Park Vista used to be the worst place to live in Anaheim . There were days that our team had to come to this Apartment complex three times a day to assist. Project Access has done a great job improving the community”. 

Tremendous THANKS to our friends in ZONTA’s Newport Harbor Chapter!

St. Jude’s Medical Center booth		Lori Galloway,  Richard Chavez and Wendy Weeks
Orange County Health Care Agency

Job Openings

We could use your help in filling the following key positions currently open.  If you are interested please click on the below links for detailed information. 

Service Assistant, Warwick Square Apartments, Santa Ana, Calif.

Senior Service Assistant, West Tower Senior Resource Center, Torrance  

   
Project Access raises funds to bring vital education, health and social services to low-income families and seniors in Southern California .  

A gift to Project Access helps break the cycle of poverty through education and empowerment. 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.
Mail to: to 4029 Westerly Place, Suite 113 , Newport Beach , CA 92660

Visa, MasterCard, American Express and stock transfers are also gladly accepted.

*Notify 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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