Spring - California Veterans Assistance Foundation, Inc.

CALIFORNIA VETERANS ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION
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729 Decatur Street, #1, Bakersfield, CA 93308
Spring 2009 – Issue 3
661-399-2490
www.cavaf.org
WE ARE KERN COUNTY’S ONLY VETERANS SPECIFIC HOMELESS PROGRAM
NEW FACES JOIN CVAF STAFF
Case Manager Tunisha Crite
I am Tunisha Crite,
one of two new Case
Managers for California Veterans Assistance
Foundation. I was born
and raised in San Francisco, CA and have been
a resident of Bakersfield
for the past 23 years and counting. I am married with three beautiful children and one
gorgeous grandson. I graduated from the
University of Phoenix and pursued a career in
Public Relations/Case Management. My professional background is primarily medical,
but I found it time to expand my horizons.
Case Manager Joe Sanchez
My name is Joe
Sanchez. I am a new
Case Manager, and I am
excited about working
for the California Veterans Assistance Foundation. Besides case
managing, I have also
been conducting computer classes and helping residents with resumé writing and job
searches. I have an Associate of Arts in Sociology/Psychology and retired with the Kern
County Department of Human Services,
where I interviewed applicants for benefits.
CVAF is an excellent program for our veterans to receive the skills they are in need of
to become successful citizens of our commu-
Thank you, California Veterans Assistance
Foundation, for giving me that opportunity.
I like to watch James Bond 007 and The
Godfather movies. My hobbies include
reading, listening to music, spending time
with my family and collecting Betty Boop
items. Yes, America – I’m a Boopster!
Since her employment, Tunisha is fast
becoming a shining star here at CVAF,
showing her excellent skills at case management and quickly gaining the trust of all
the residents in her case load. She has
proven she can handle most anything that
comes her way with ease and professionalism. We are honored to have her here at
CVAF. Welcome, “T”!!
nity. We offer services and referrals to medical agencies, Veterans benefits counseling,
Vocational Assessment and Training and Job
Service and Placement.
In my time away from the job, I enjoy
spending time with my three children: David,
Steven and Jackie. I enjoy taking them to
their soccer practices and watching their
games. My wife, Yolanda, and I are dedicated to our family life and spend most of
our time making sure that everyone is
involved in the Sanchez family circle of life.
Since Joe has been with us, he has already
fit right into our high standards of operations here at CVAF. He is a very “handson” type of guy and is also bilingual, which
is an added asset to the veterans in our program. Welcome, Joe!
KEEP KERN ROADS CLEAN UPDATE
With spring upon us, the veterans at
CVAF spent two Saturdays in the past several weeks, picking up trash and litter along
a two-mile stretch of highway located on
Manor Road between North Chester and the
Roberts Lane interchange as part of the
“KEEP KERN ROADS CLEAN” program.
Captains of the highway clean-up patrol
are residents Lewis L. and James S.; they
have been very instrumental in organiz-
ing the project from start to finish,
working alongside other residents from
the program. The residents are very
proud of CVAF’s assigned stretch of
highway and vow to keep it clean in
honor of CVAF’s name.
A BIG thanks to Lewis L. and James S.
and all the residents for their time, hard
work and dedication to keep Bakersfield’s highways clean.
Operations Assistant
Heather Kimmel
My name is Heather
Kimmel, and I am
the new Operations
Assistant here at the
California Veterans
Assistance Foundation. I’ve lived in
Bakersfield my entire
life; attended North High School, and
then attended Bakersf ield College. I
have three years of office experience that
I look forward to putting to use here at
the CVAF.
I am a newlywed. I was married on
March 21, 2009 to Steven Kimmel. I
also have a beautiful two-year-old son
named Gabriel.
It is an honor to be working for an
organization that is doing such powerful
things to help veterans improve their lives.
I believe that you should always treat others with the same respect and common
courtesy as you would like to be treated
with. I look forward to meeting and getting to know everyone.
CVAF is proud to have Heather Kimmel
as a new team member. In the short time
she has been with us, she has exceeded
our expectations with her excellent
office and people skills, along with a
real talent for getting things done
quickly and for also going that extra
mile. Welcome, Heather!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING 2009
VAF/CVAF semiannual board of directors meeting was held in Bakersfield on
February 6 and 7th, 2009. The meetings
were held in the Learning Center at the
Decatur Street CVAF program site. The
finance committee met on Friday, while the
entire board met on Saturday. All board
members were present.
One subject brought up at the meeting
was the idea of expanding CVAF’s programs to also serve veteran women and
their children and/or veterans with families. To entertain this idea, the board has
decided to hold a BOD meeting on the east
coast and while there, visit some of these
types of facilities to see if this would be
Residents enjoyed making their own artistic creations at the sundae (ice cream) bar.
something the California Veterans Assistance Foundation could do in Bakersfield
in the future.
After the meeting, the S.P.A.C. (Special
Projects Action Committee) put on a barbeque dinner for the board members,
CVAF staff and residents from all the program sites in Bakersfield. Chicken and
ribs, along with all the trimmings, were
served along with a sundae bar, which
everyone really enjoyed. The afternoon was
gloomy and a little rainy, but despite the
weather, a good time was had by all.
After dinner, the board really enjoyed
visiting with the residents of the program,
getting a real feel of what they have gone
Pictured above are some of the BOD and
staff members – all of whom are veterans.
through in the past, to how far they have
come since entering into the CVAF program and their plans for the future.
It’s very humbling to hear from the
vets, how CVAF has changed their lives
and how thankful they are to the program
and staff for all the help and assistance
they have received. That’s what the California Veterans Assistance Foundation is
all about!
In the kitchen, preparing the barbecue
dinner. S.P.A.C. members Judy Piaro and
Donna Krueger, along with helpers
Suzette Limbeck and Barb Margowski.
“You gals ROCK!”
News from Inside the Trenches
Decatur Street Site
Spring is in the air and our residents
want to get out of their apartments and
start enjoying the nice weather and maybe
have a little friendly game of horseshoes.
But over the past few years, our horseshoe pits have been deteriorating and
were in need of a little repair. Several of
the residents decided that they would take
up the task of demolishing the old pits
and construct new ones. CVAF purchased
all the needed materials out of donated
monies that we receive, and residents
drew out plans and then built the brand
new pits. The backstops for the new pits
are much sturdier and taller, providing to
be safer for those residents new to the
game with a bad aim, and also for the
spectators. Thanks to residents, Anthony
V., Aaron A., Lewis L. and James S. for
all their hard work – you did a fantastic
job!!!! A new Ladder Golf game was also
purchased for more outdoor fun and
friendly competition for our residents.
Cooking classes have been successful;
many residents are now trying their hand
at cooking and baking – even those resiPage 2
dents that previously had no clue! After
our super buy on corned beef after St.
Patrick’s Day, there’s lots of corned beef
and cabbage smells coming from many
apartments. They were amazed at how
simple it was to make such a tasty dish.
Samples of desserts and other dishes are
also being shared between residents, in
hopes of maybe claiming the title of
CVAF’s best chef.
Residents have been asking for screen
doors for their apartments for quite some
time and the decision was finally made to
grant their wishes. New frames and
screen doors are in the process of being
installed and there are lots of happy residents waiting to let some air and sunshine
in their apartments. Also, the back parking lot has been asphalted along with
painted lines and a handicapped space.
All is well at Decatur Street!
Buena Vista Street Site
Lately there’s been a change in the air;
there’s just been too much fun and camaraderie going on at our Buena Vista Street
site! Residents have been heard and seen
joking, laughing and storytelling, while
great aromas fill the air from several barbeque grills. Plates piled high with turkey,
corned beef or pork steaks, along with collard greens and other fixings are being
seen regularly. Some of the residents are
even following recipes and using their
newly learned knowledge from cooking
classes. While waiting for the food to get
done, and after finishing their meal, several of them have been spending hours
playing dominoes, even by the glow of the
porch light after the sun goes down.
Other happenings??? A new look for
all the apartments! The drab off-white
walls are now being painted a calming
sage green, along with cheery yellow for
the bathrooms. CVAF made a contract
with one of our residents, Reggie A., a
painter by trade, to do the painting in all
the apartments. James S., one of our other
residents, has been contracted to do all
the clean up and install the new vertical
blinds. Many requests have also been
made for screen doors on the apartments.
GOOD NEWS! They will be installed
TRENCHES, continued on page 4
Spring 2009 – Isssue 3
HIGHLIGHT A
VETERAN
By Michael Hikel
I drank and partied my way through
high school, but somehow I managed
to graduate anyway; this was a good
thing because both of my parents were
schoolteachers.
From there I was military bound, so
off to the Army I went. I got to see
Europe and was able to fine tune my
drinking skills while I was there. I met
a pretty German girl there and I married her. The marriage lasted a few
years. When our son was eight months
old, she told me that she no longer
wanted to be married. After that, I
quickly slipped into a state depression
and worthlessness; the “world” was
sucking me in fast, I was wallowing in
selfishness and self-pity. It wasn’t long
after I started doing the drugs that
became the primary focus in my life. I
was losing interest in the things that
mattered most: family, career, goals
and health. Whatever standards I had
for my life, were definitely on the
decline. I was also losing contact with
my dad for three to five year periods at
a time and during this time of selfabsorption, I’d lost all contact and
involvement in my son’s life.
I thought happiness was not being
alone. Whenever I had drugs, I was
liked and not alone. I was flying well
under the radar now, staying wherever,
usually out-staying my welcome. When
I lost my job, I convinced myself I
could make as much money helping out
my so-called friends. I’d supply them
with the good stuff and I’d buy it in
bulk. The majority of the people in my
social circle had been to jail or prison
as a direct result of their drug use. This
surprised me at the time; the idea that
Spring 2009 – Isssue 3
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
CARS 4 CAUSES
“The Charity that Gives to Charities,” is a
nonprofit, IRS Code 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
charity. They help people turn used vehicles into tax deductions. Cars 4 Causes
has been a trusted avenue since 1997 for
its donors. To date, they have contributed
$20 million from
vehicle donations
to charities. It is
the #1 choice for
donating your car.
Donate cars, trucks,
boats, RVs, motorcycles, running or
non-running, to
the charity of
your choice.
The California
Veterans Assistance Foundation is on the
Cars 4 Causes charity list; we have had
numerous donations through their program
they were still doing drugs after getting
caught and having to be locked up
because of it. “Not me,” I said. That
would be my sign; if I got caught, I’d
quit. I knew my life was a little messed
up, but I kept telling myself that I’d work
it out on my own…tomorrow…next
month…whenever.
Then it happened – I got caught and I
went to prison. I kept my eyes open and
my mouth shut, never reaching out for
help. I’d just tell myself “I’ll work it out
on my own.” I worked things out so well,
that I went back to prison three more
times for violating conditions of my
parole. I was in trouble and I knew it,
and still, I didn’t reach out for help. This
is where my downward slope had
become a vertical drop. I am now 14
years into my addiction.
Then one day, I called the California
Veterans Assistance Foundation. I
asked if I was eligible for any kind of
assistance and that I also needed a safe
place to live. That was on a Friday, and
by Monday night I was in a secure,
sober facility. I had three roommates in
a two-bedroom apartment with plenty
of food, cable TV, A/C and new sheets.
After I’d been free of drugs and alcohol
for a little over three months, it felt as
though finally, I could sit down and
take a breath.
I took a complete physical at the V.A.
clinic; the results showed negative for
HIV and Hepatitis C. Other than some
dental issues that needed attention, I was
for the last several years. If there are any of
you readers who have vehicles to donate,
please keep us your charity of choice.
CVAF depends on donations from the public to keep our program going strong. 100%
of ALL donations are strictly used for our
resident veterans, for
extras that aren’t covered by our grant
monies like eyeglasses, dental work
and work clothing.
So please, keep us
in mind if you have a
vehicle that you
would like to donate.
Remember: its taxdeductible.
HOW TO DONATE: You can phone
them at 800-766-2273, or go to their Web
site: www.cars4causes.net
given a clean bill of health. I began
attending 12-Step meetings regularly; I
believe those programs to be tools that
God has provided us with, to help fight
the bondage of our addictions.
At C.V.A.F., there was a lot of opportunity for fellowship. There was one old
guy in particular, that I had showed my
Bible to. He wasn’t one of many words,
but one Thursday night he simply told me
he knew where a bunch of people were,
that used those Bibles. I got into his car
and he brought me to TRUTH ministries,
and he has since become a mentor of
mine through his continuous service to
others in recovery.
In the past year-and-a-half, I have been
overwhelmed by the growth and restoration God has worked in my life. He has
restored relationships with both my dad
and my son. I’ve been given a new smile
that allows me to look as happy as I feel.
I now carry a valid driver’s license, and I
have a job where I am trusted as a leader.
Recently, I was appointed to the Board of
Directors of the California Veterans
Assistance Foundation – the very foundation that gave me shelter and security
as God worked in my life.
There are still tough things in my life
and I know there are some real tough days
ahead, but I also know I don’t have to drink
or use because of them. I no longer have to
bear the burden of shame and guilt – I have
been forgiven.
Thank you for allowing me to share my
testimony.
Page 3
CVAF 2009 WISH LIST
Personal Care Items:
Laundry Items:
Household Supplies:
Toothbrushes/Holders
Toothpaste
Dental Floss
Foot Powder
Shampoo
Conditioner
Disposable Shavers
Shaving Cream
Bar Soap
Lotion
Liquid Hand Soap
Kleenex
Fingernail/Toenail Clippers
Deodorant
Bar Soap Holders/Containers
Baby Oil
Vaseline
Denture Bath, Cleaner & Adhesive
Toilet Paper
Fabric Softener Sheets
Laundry bags (mesh type)
Sewing Kits
Laundry Detergent
Hangers, plastic
Coffee mugs
Coffee Pots
Bakeware
Silverware
Pots and Pans
Pillows (standard)
Blankets, twin
Comforters, twin
Bath Towels/Washcloths
Recreational Items:
Movies, DVD/VHS
Bicycle Tire Repair Kits
26” Tire Tubes
Bicycles
Puzzle books
Greeting Cards
Pens, pencils
Envelopes
Stamps
Stationery
Books
Clothing:
Good used clothing is fine.
House Slippers, new (Sizes 8-13)
Shirts & T-shirts (S, M, L, XL, 2XL)
Underwear, new (S, M, L, XL, 2XL)
Socks – Athletic, new (Sizes 8-13)
Men’s jeans (Waist sizes 32 to 42)
Shower shoes/flip flops, new (M, L, XL)
Tennis Shoes
Winter – Hats, Gloves & Coats/Jackets
Food Items
(cases only, please):
Coffee
Canned Meat/Fish/Poultry
Kool-Aid/Iced Tea Mix
Canned Chili/Stew/Pasta
Canned Veggies/Fruits
Canned Fruit Juices
Fresh Produce
While donations of any kind are always welcome,
please call the Center at 661-399-2490 before
making any donations of the above listed items.
Cash donations are always needed and welcomed.
As always, the residents and staff thank you for
your kind thoughts and generous support.
NEW CVAF PROGRAM SITE
727 DECATUR STREET
727 Decatur Street house.
New food storage garage.
A new program site addition has been added
to the California Veterans Assistance Foundation Step-Up Program. When a property came
up for sale next to our 729 Decatur Street location, we couldn’t help but think “how ideal
would this be” for another CVAF program site.
With the intentions of rehabbing the existing
structure, and with the looming task of a huge
clean up of the yard, the 727 Decatur Street
property was purchased. After further consideration of all the needed repairs to the house, the
decision was made to demolish and start anew,
with a prefab three bedroom, two bath home.
Needless to say, the Step-Up Program residents
who call 727 Decatur Street their new home, are
ecstatic to be able to live in such nice digs.
An added bonus to the property purchase,
due to the large size lot, is that we were able
to also add a two-car garage, which serves as
our food storage and delivery area. Set up
with several commercial freezers and refrigerators and heavy-duty shelving units, the
garage holds all the frozen meats, canned
goods and donated food for the residents of
our program. Residents fill out food request
forms early in the week and then on Fridays,
the orders are bagged up and delivered or
picked up by the residents in our program.
We try to provide good-quality meats and
poultry, along with fresh fruits and vegetables
and other canned items and staples. Each
apartment has a kitchen for residents to prepare and cook their meals. We also provide
cooking classes, given by CVAF staff members, to help the residents with recipes, cooking terms, food preparation and storage.
Several different fruit trees were also planted
in the large yard, to help supply the veterans
with fresh fruits and saving the program
funds by not having to purchase them.
Page 4
WHAT CAN YOU DO
TO HELP?
Providing services takes money;
foundations and corporations fight hard
for a share of big federal and state
grants. The California Veterans Assistance Foundation relies on the generosity of people like you to help end the
national disgrace of homeless veterans
who are (MIA) missing in America.
Please send your tax-deductible
donations to:
California Veterans Assistance
Foundation, Inc.
729 Decatur Street, # 1
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Please help us to continue our efforts
to help those veterans who need a
“Hand-up and not a hand-out.”
CVAF MISSION
STATEMENT
Our mission is to help veterans or at
risk of becoming homeless veterans,
regain, maintain, and improve their
status in society by providing an alcohol and drug-free, secure environment
through which a wide array of human
services can be accessed in an atmosphere of dignity and mutual concern.
TRENCHES, continued from page 2
shortly, just in time for the nice
spring weather. A security gate is
also scheduled to be installed in the
front of the complex, to help monitor incoming visitors and unwanted
salespeople.
After much consideration, apartment #9 has been converted into an
office and shortly, a computer
room will be set up. One of our
new case managers, Tunisha, will
be there at the office for case managing and other business, several
hours every day during the work
week. It will be much handier for
the residents, than having to travel
over to the Decatur Street site for
case management and to use the
computer lab there.
Also, a little flowerbed spot here
has been transformed into a garden. Residents helped to work up
the soil and plant several tomato
plants and three different kinds of
pepper plants. If all goes well with
weeding and watering this year,
and we get a bounty, we will
expand our plot for even more veggies next year. Life at Buena Vista
Street is good!
Spring 2009 – Isssue 3