Villa participants Bertha and LaTosha assembling hygiene kits with one of Volunteer Action for Aging’s GiveBacker Los Angeles volunteers.
Darryl Goodus, Villa Esperanza Services Director of Adult Day Program, Community Integration Program and Independent Living Programs, reached out to Volunteer Coordinator Sarah Kuljian with Volunteer Action for Aging (VAA) looking for projects that offers Villa’s Adult Day Program participants an opportunity to give back within the community. The two agreed that a good fit for both organizations would be Hygiene Kit Supply Drive. In July Villa clients began their supply drive with the idea that Villa clients would then participate in assembling the kits, and perhaps helping distribute the kits in the community.
The drive was a great success and the Villa Adult Day participants were able to collect body soap, shampoo, toothpaste and other personal care items for each kit. The assembly of the kits took place in October with Villa clients, along with the help of a few Give Backers – Los Angeles volunteers. These volunteers are all 55 and older themselves, and work on unique projects like this one that give back to the underserved communities. In total, 22 kits were assembled that day. The kits will be distributed to seniors within the community that are on fixed incomes and unable to afford such items.
“It was so wonderful working with the staff and clients at Villa Esperanza, and seeing the joy it brought the participants who helped assemble the hygiene kits that will serve area seniors in need,” said VAA Volunteer Coordinator Sarah Kuljian. “It was a great collaboration and I am so glad Darryl reached out to see how we could work together. I want to extend a big thank you to all of the staff and clients at Villa Esperanza who worked on this project, and to our wonderful volunteers.”
Villa serves infants to seniors with intellectual/developmental disabilities including more than twenty different diagnoses. Our wide variety of programs and services assists more than 600 individuals and their families each year in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Since 1961 we have been a leader in advocating and advancing services for individuals with special needs. Villa excels in offering progressive and innovative approaches and solutions. Our ability to forecast and meet the changing needs of our clients has established us as a unique service provider, offering individualized programs and a continuum of care over the course of a lifetime. To learn more about Villa’s collaborative approach, log on to www.VillaEsperanzaServices.org.
Volunteer Action for Aging (VAA) is a SCAN community program that connects volunteers of all ages with older adults in a variety of settings. All volunteer efforts provide area seniors with activities designed to keep them connected to caring individuals from their communities. Volunteer opportunities range from one-time group events to recurring one-on-one or small group commitments. To find out more, visit https://scan.samaritan.com/custom/501/.
