CELEBRATING MICHAEL LINSK'S DECADES OF SERVICE ON THE ACOF BOARD

We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to Michael Linsk, who has stepped down from the ACOF Board of Directors after a long tenure of dedicated service. Michael first joined the board in 1998, took a short break in 1999, and returned in 2001, serving as a vital member ever since.

Michael has given his heart and soul to A Community of Friends, demonstrating an unparalleled dedication to ending homelessness. Known for his relevant and incisive questions, Michael always goes straight to the core of the matter. When he speaks, everyone listens carefully, valuing both his wisdom and experience. His contributions have left an indelible mark on our organization. While we will miss his presence on the board, we remain deeply grateful for his many years of service and commitment.

Thank you, Michael, for everything you have done for A Community of Friends and your unwavering dedication to our mission.

VENTURA SPRINGS UPDATES

We are thrilled to share the progress of our first project in Ventura County, Ventura Springs, a new apartment community for formerly homeless veterans as well as low-income veterans and their families. With an anticipated completion date of the end of 2024, we look forward to housing veterans and their families as we continue to broaden ACOF's geographic reach.

The ten-acre site will be comprised of a total of ten residential buildings which are primarily two-story walk-ups with two three-story elevator buildings. The goal of the project is to create a community that will enrich the lives of local veterans and their families who may have a disability, experienced homelessness, or have economic challenges that have made it difficult to afford quality housing. The site is designed to create a traditional, family-oriented neighborhood where sidewalks are activated by pedestrian pathways and residential front doors that face the street. 

Of the ten residential buildings, we anticipate leasing up the first seven buildings this fall, with the remaining 3 buildings scheduled for year-end. Our lease-up efforts began in early May with the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura, Veterans Affairs, our co-developer and service provider U.S.VETS, and the Ventura County Continuum of Care. Together, we have started identifying potential applicants, marking a significant milestone in our journey. We look forward to welcoming residents to their new homes soon!

Stay tuned for more updates as we move closer to completion and celebrate these exciting developments.

2024 AWARDS CELEBRATION RECAP

On Wednesday, June 5th, ACOF hosted its 2024 Awards Celebration at VALENTINE DTLA, hosted by Actress Devin Sidell with music by DJ Tyler Boudreaux. This year, we had three honorees: Veteran and Celebrity Chef Andre Rush, honored with our Advocacy Award, ACOF Tenant & Community Volunteer Robert Jones, recognized with the Achievement Award, and journalist Anna Scott, who received our inaugural Media Award. 

Chef Andre Rush, a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran, has served four Presidents as a White House chef and is a passionate advocate for mental health, focusing on veterans and children. Known for his impressive 24-inch biceps, Chef Rush uses his public profile to support veterans and their families living with PTSD. He was working at the Pentagon on 9/11, which led to his PTSD diagnosis, and he has since deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, trained over 10,000 troops in the culinary arts, and served as a combat trainer to over 1000 service members and civilians in hand-to-hand combat.

ACOF Tenant, Robert Jones moved to Los Angeles decades ago to start a new life away from the drugs, violence, and alcohol he grew up with. After years of living on and off the streets and in and out of prison, he achieved stability eleven years ago when he moved into 39West Apartments. Over the past 16 years, he has volunteered at his church and served as a recovery group leader for Celebrate Recovery. Through his resilience and perseverance, Robert reconnected with a daughter he had not seen for 31 years and found part-time work. 

Journalist Anna Scott, known for her extensive reporting on housing and homelessness in LA, spent 12 years at the Santa Monica public radio station KCRW. She created and hosted the podcasts City of Tents: Veterans Row and Samaritans, and reported and co-hosted the podcast There Goes the Neighborhood: Los Angeles. Scott has also reported extensively on LA’s homelessness crisis for NPR.

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For questions, please contact

Fund Development

funddevelopment@acof.org or 213.480.0809