My Thanksgiving

Mom and Dad 

               

My Thanksgiving was very special because I got to
spend it with loved ones in California.

My parents and siblings were in LA during Thanksgiving week.

Together we visited my workplace, my LA house, and shared a delicious home-cooked meal (courtesy of my mom) with my 6 housemates.

Oliver, Jeremi, Christina, and me

We roamed around the Venice Canals, the Venice Pier, and a couple Malibu beaches.  On Thanksgiving Day, we drove north to Pismo beach and met my cousin Danny and his son, Oliver.  We had a fun picnic by the beach and hung out until Thanksgiving dinner and pie at Marie Calendar's restaurant.


                                                        

Venice Canal

                             

We also visited the Griffith Observatory and gained a little more exposure to the workings of the universe: it's evolution, stars and galaxies, and incredible laws of nature.  Astronomy will always remain a special interest of mine!!



After my mom and siblings flew back to Illinois, my dad and I spent some time at Laguna Beach.  We enjoyed a great day together.  My dad and I also visited the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica (a sunny restaurant and shop-lined street by the beach).

Laguna during sunset

Laguna Beach by day

Thanks be to God for family.


                              

Mom, Dad, Chris, me, Jeremi, Danny, Oliver
Polaroid (courtesy of Danny)

Turkey Day at St. Joseph Center

Every year, St. Joseph Center distributes hundreds of turkeys and thanksgiving grocery bags to participating clients.  I had the opportunity this year to help "control crowds", so I was right in the middle of the action!  It was fun to see some of my clients.  The event as a whole was a huge success and I'm sure that we helped complete many thanksgiving meals.

The front of St. Joseph Center, location of Turkey Day and where I work, M-F: 

HomeWalk 2011

The United Way hosts an annual 5k to raise money for the homeless in LA.

This year, quite a few JVs participated.  I, along with a few of my housemates, joined the St. Joseph Center team, and walked with a few of my co-workers.  

HomeWalk 2011 was attended by about 10,000 people.  Over $400,000 has been raised so far, and that money is being used to create more accessible housing solutions for LA's homeless. 

Here are some JVs at the finish line! :

LA city

This past Saturday my housemates Emily and Jackie and I spent an afternoon downtown.  We rode the Angels Flight, the shortest railway in the world (at 298 feet).  We paid the 25 cent train fair at the top of the hill.  The history of this railway dates back to 1901, and the original purpose of the Angels Flight was actually to transport wealthy folks from the top of the hill to the bottom, and then back up again.  In 1969, this form of transportation was dismantled, but in 1990s, refurbished, and is now up and running like new.

It was also fun to explore the top of the hill, which is actually a park.  The park is home to a 'famous' landmark (depending on who you ask): the romantic and scenic bench that's seen in the movie "500 Days of Summer".  I will testify that it offered very nice viewing opportunities.

 Em and Jackie admiring the architecture:

Community

The fourth value of JVC, community, has been a wonderful experience so far.  A community that is intentional about what and why they do things really seems to make all the difference in a living space. We support each other and know how to have a good time!

LA JVs hiking to the Hollywood Sign

Exploring the Getty Villa:  

Housemates (from left to right) Jackie, Carolyn, Maria, Kevin, Sarah, and Emily

Santa Monica coast by night

Santa Monica and Venice beaches are the closest to our home--only 20 minutes away!

Spirituality

I have also been challenged to seek out opportunities to live and grow spiritually.  I am involved in a prayer/spiritual study group at Loyola Maramount University, which is a Jesuit university a few miles away.  I have been learning, though, that opportunities to grow in faith and love exist everywhere at anytime!  It is such a beautiful reality to embrace! 

Simple Living

As you may know I am also encouraged to live out the simple living aspect of JVC. This has probably been the most difficult value to embrace because, well, I love food so much!  It has been frustrating not having much variety or quantity, for that matter.  I have learned a lot about being resourceful (and about homemade snacks, bread, bean burgers. . . ) and I really am blessed to be constantly challenged to live more simply.

Work

In between the weekends I work as a case manager at a really great and large non-profit (St. Joseph Center) in Venice. I meet with clients who are enrolled in the Family Sufficiency Program, one of the many programs that St. Joseph Center offers.  The Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Program is a 5 year program, and I meet with participating clients (right now, about 20) regularly for 1 year.  I have been loving meeting and getting to know so many different clients and offering my time and work to them.  

The type of clients that I meet with are Santa Monica residents with Section 8 housing vouchers.  They are all enrolled in the FSS program by choice, and to work towards stability and financial self sufficiency.  My clients are diverse across the board--some have families, some have jobs, some are young, some are old, some are black and some are white, some are depressed and some are joyful.  

The FSS program also contains a great financial incentive.  If at any point throughout the program the client experiences an increase in earned income (relative to their claimed earnings from the beginning of the program), the Santa Monica Housing Authority will match that increase and place the money in a separate savings account.  If the client successfully completes the program in 5 years (that is, if the client is employed full time and no long receives any form of government cash aid), the client receives all the savings that accumulated in their account.  Some clients have graduated the program with literally $20,000!  The client can spend the money however they wish, but ideally they will use it for a down payment on a house.

The work that I do with the client, then, involves goal making and checking-in.  I also offer referrals, and try to connect clients with the best services. St. Joseph Center also has a clothing closet that I organize and manage, so I am also able to offer clients and their children clothes and shoes if needed.

Speaking of clothing, I am also working at the St. Joseph Center Thrift Store 2 afternoons a week.  I didn't expect to be working there but I have been trying to be positive about it.  Mostly I sort through donations (which can actually be exciting), price items, and help keep the store organized and clean.  It is rumored that I may be able to work the cash register soon!

San Francisco

The weekend of October 21-23, three other LA JVs and I drove up to San Francisco and stayed with the Jesuit Volunteers that live in the city.  We did a lot of great sight seeing, ate incredible sushi, and I got to visit my cousin Danny and his little son Oliver.

Sarah (my rockin' roommate!) and Me at Presidio Park, in front of the Golden Gate Bridge

 

"Painted Ladies" Houses, captured in the Full House intro

Jackie and I along our stroll down Haight 

San Diego

The past couple of weekends have been traveling adventures!  My community, along with 2 other LA Jesuit Volunteer (JV) communities took a trip to San Diego October 28-30.  The JV house in San Diego was having a Halloween party, so we stayed at their house and explored the city and beaches with them.  We went to Coronado island which was really beautiful.  I really liked San Diego—it was very warm and laid-back, and I enjoyed seeing all the cacti and exploring Balboa Park.

JVC First Blog Entry

Welcome to my Blog!


I hope this blog finds you well.