During the summer of 2017, Ascencia was finalizing and formalizing agency values. The final of four values was developing into “Tenacity” when a Board Member politely double-checked with the staff to see if they would prefer “Perseverance” or “Determination” to “Tenacity.” After a brief pause, the staff tenaciously said, we want it to be ”Tenacity” because it stands out and resonates the best with our “Whatever It Takes” approach to what we do. So in September of 2017, the fourth and final agency value was decided on. Tenacity: We do not give up. We work together to identify the right solution, and follow through until we have achieved it.  Here is what Ascencia’s staff tenacity looks like:

In 2019, a family consisting of two parents, four children, and two large-breed dogs arrived at our Emergency Housing program. This family had a large number of challenges and barriers that included a lack of documentation; not having the children enrolled in school; urgent and on-going mental health, addiction recovery, and parenting skills needs; no source of sustainable income; DCFS involvement; and disabilities that prevented the parents from being able to work. Ascencia’s programs staff spent approximately one year assisting the family with obtaining documents, enrolling the children in school, providing transportation and an array of wellness services, making appointments, establishing a source of sustainable income, and once ready, locating viable housing options. Finding a property owner who allows for one large dog can be quite difficult, and finding one who will allow for two is even harder. Many said it cannot be done, but not the staff working at Ascencia. They got it done by providing this large family with three wonderful home options and in early 2020, this family was housed. Satisfied and stable, they are now coming up on their first year of housing retention all because of Tenacity. We do not give up. We work together to identify the right solution, and follow through until we have achieved it. Please be a tenacious superhero for the mission of Ascencia as we navigate through 2021.

Sincerely,
Laura Duncan
Ascencia's First Ever Drive-In Gala
Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. Ascencia hosted it's first ever Drive-In Gala and it was definitely a heroic night we won't forget! After enjoying a lovely sunset atop Forest Lawn Glendale Memorial Park over a delicious and rather fancy boxed meal, uplifting live music, and floating entertainment, The Lampshades starring Kate Flannery opened the evening with a bang performing their much-praised comedy lounge act. We ended the night with the action-packed blockbuster of 2017, Wonder Woman. Check out the fun-filled pictures here.

Supporters flew in with their powers ready to lift people out of homelessness. Thanks to them, we did just that! Together, we raised $161,000.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
Pacific BMW & David L. Ho
CBRE
Forest Lawn Memorial Park Glendale
  • Adventist Health Glendale
  • Pacific Western Bank
  • Paul N. & Paulette R. Wood Charitable Trust
  • The Walt Disney Company
  • Avery Dennison
  • Express Employment Professionals
  • Glendale Funeral Home
  • Hutchinson & Bloodgood, LLP
  • Los Angeles County Supervisor, 5th District Kathryn Barger
  • Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center
  • Warner Brothers
  • StoneTapert Insurance Services
  • The Jewel City Group at Morgan Stanley
  • The Wagner Foundation
  • Crystalmark Dental Systems
  • Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital
  • Senator Anthony Portantino
With your support, Ascencia ended 2020's Holiday Giving more than doubling its original goal of $40,000, raising $89,000!!

Because of you, 2021 is already looking brighter.

A special thank you to Pacific BMW & David L. Ho, Takeda, and Bruce & Debbie Hinckley for spearheading the Match Challenge Gift.
Bringing Holiday Cheer to our Families








This holiday season was undoubtedly like no other. But while the holidays may have looked different, our families did not feel it. Every shelter resident, every family was treated to an exceptionally special holiday at time they needed it most.

Grateful to the following supporters for making the holidays so special for ALL our families:
  • Alexandra Boyadjian
  • Amit and Pragati Sahai
  • Ana Broussard-Garcia
  • Angela Bruning
  • Art Markarian
  • Barbara and Tom Perrier
  • Brianna Beyrooty
  • Carolyn Mueller
  • Cathy Kichler
  • Cathy Moseley
  • Celia Eiben
  • Charles Schafer
  • Cindy Le
  • Cody Cameron
  • Corina Salmon
  • Cyrus Ashayeri
  • Daniel Valdez
  • Darby Cullison
  • Debbie and Bruce Hinckley
  • Denise Marin
  • Devon Byers
  • Diana Matsushima
  • Diana Reynolds
  • Diane Morrison
  • Donna Sole
  • Elizabeth Manasserian
  • Georgette Green
  • Gloria Chan
  • Jennifer and Ken Bunt
  • Jennifer Berry
  • Jeri Peterson
  • Jessica Henderson
  • Joanna Hovland
  • Joy Garcia
  • Wayne and Joy Smith
  • Kendra Frank
  • Kim Guard
  • Kim Ulrich
  • Las Caritas
  • Laura Kern
  • Lee and Roxana Young
  • Leesa Freed
  • Lola Knox
  • Maria Kanayan
  • Maricela Flores
  • Mariel Estipona
  • Martha Espat
  • Jake and Mia Lee
  • Monique Taylor
  • Randy and Suzonne Slaughter
  • Ruth Devine
  • Samantha Aguilar
  • Sean and Amanda Gibbons
  • Stephanie Lieberman
  • Su Song
  • Tammy Schnaible
  • Tiffany Spykerman
  • Wendy Johnson
  • Xavi P
National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day
Every year on December 21st, the first day of winter and longest night of the year, homeless organizations across the nation observe National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day to honor our homeless brothers and sisters who died on the streets. This year Ascencia remembered those lost on the streets of Los Angeles in 2020 in a virtual ceremony hosted by First United Methodist Church of Glendale, sponsored by Holy Family Catholic Church of Glendale.

This important event reminds us that every person lost to the streets is more than just a statistic. He/she is someone's child, parent, sibling, loved one and they matter.

EVERY SOUL COUNTS.

To hear their personal stories, click the link below.
Client Story: The Impact of One Kind Act
Ora (pictured left) and Musa (pictured right)
Chief of Police, Edward B. Skvarna (pictured left) and Police Officer, Timothy Combs (pictured right) graciously donating $1,500 to Ascencia.
Ready for a life anew in California from Texas, Ora and Musa was forced into homelessness at Burbank Airport when their roommate bailed from their housing agreement. For a week, Ora and Musa spent their days inside the airport and freezing nights sleeping outside

Their lives changed when the Burbank Airport Police Department offered them a 2-week stay at the Marriott Hotel and then connected them to Ascencia to be placed in our emergency shelter. Now, Ora and Musa are receiving case management, hot meals, employment support and therapy to help them get back on their feet. As they now look towards a more hopeful future, Ora is grateful to have been so lucky to receive the support of so many.

"Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much." - Helen Keller
Connect with us!
https://www.ascenciaca.org/ | (818) 246-7900