Every year TJA supports the USC community raising funds for scholarships, but this year we've taken our service efforts one step farther.
In keeping with our focus on women,
The Downtown Women's Center has received special support. The DWC's mission is "to provide permanent supportive housing and a safe and healthy community fostering dignity, respect, and personal stability, and to advocate ending homelessness for women.
In December TJA members donated needed items such as shirts, socks, gloves, shoes, new undergarments, tote bags, toothbrushes, deodorant, and hair brushes, which went directly to DWC for those in need. Here's a
wish list if you'd like to support DWC with a donation today.
Last month as part of the first-ever
USC Day of SCervice, members donated their time, helping out on a number of projects at DWC.
According to the
USC Alumni Association, "The USC Alumni Day of SCervice is an opportunity for all alumni and friends to participate in local service volunteer projects organized by our USC alumni clubs, representatives and other affiliated groups worldwide." More than 1,500 alumni, parents, students and friends of USC participated, in 18 states and 9 nations.
The TJA at DWC effort was organized by Social Chair Dawn S. Here's what she had to say about her experience.
"Our group of 15 was originally scheduled to sort donations at the Downtown Women's Center. Upon our arrival we learned DWC was short staffed in the kitchen so half of our group went to work there and half of us sorted donations. The kitchen group prepared lunch from scratch including salad, fruit salad, garlic bread, and lasagna. The sorting group sorted through donations from both clothing stores and individuals, sorting items by size to facilitate distribution to the women of DWC.
"Our shift was for two hours from 10:00am-12:00pm, although kitchen volunteers put in another half hour to help serve the lunch they prepared.
"I worked with the group sorting donations. After we finished our on site contact Kristen (a current USC grad student) gave us a tour of the facility. Learning more about the work done at the DWC and the growing need to serve the homeless women of Los Angeles was eye opening. When DWC started in the late '70s, only 5 percent of the homeless population was women. Today it is up to 30 percent and growing. Yet DWC has managed to create hope in a place where it is often lost. Their beautifully renovated building provides a safe and welcoming environment. They have a beautiful outdoor space on the roof and even two lovely feline residents that I got to meet.
"Everyone is treated with great dignity and respect at DWC. It really struck me as I was leaving and one of the women said thank you as I was walking out of the parking lot. The genuine appreciation she had for the simple work I did that morning made me glad I selected this project. It made any efforts on my part to organize things entirely worth it."
In addition to efforts at DWC, TJA members also participated in a beach clean up and food drive in Seal Beach, Calif.
Save the date, SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2013 for next year's Day of SCervice.
If you'd like to get involved as a volunteer in Los Angeles NOW, here are some resources worth checking out.
