Mental Health Advocacy is a Big Part of My Life

By: Lynsey Saurenmann, coordinator, Population Management Support, Woodland Hills

Over the last 10 years, I have been fortunate to learn how to manage my own depression and recognize signs and symptoms in myself and others. As a licensed vocational nurse, I strive to help others as much as possible, especially regarding mental health topics.

In March 2017, I lost my best friend to complications that occurred due to a suicide attempt. I knew her for 19 years. She was a beautiful person and an even better friend. The hole left behind by her departure from this world will never be filled. In her honor, I continue to fight for mental health awareness, education, research, and treatment.

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Help Provide Leadership Skills to Young Cadets

“I support the Cadet Character and Leadership Foundation(CCLF), which provides low-income Civil Air Cadets with scholarships for leadership and training programs. The CCLF makes it possible for young people to gain experience and learn leadership skills from their instructors,” says Alexandra Wiggins, Director of Nursing Services at the Los Angeles Medical Center.

“I benefited from similar life experiences that gave me the leadership skills to be successful in life, now it is our opportunity to support our future leaders,” adds Alexandra.

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Turning Lives Around through CGC

“The organization I support is Covenant House California (CHC), a non-profit agency that reaches out to at-risk homeless youth living on the streets and gives them an opportunity to turn their lives around,” says Kelly Eom, M.H.A., Clinical Strategic Goals group leader and improvement advisor at Kaiser Permanente’s Orange County Medical Center.

“Today’s youth are our future leaders, and Covenant House is working to support and help our most vulnerable young adult population,” adds Eom. “Covenant House is giving our youth hope, helping them find their purpose, giving them a hand when there is no one to turn to and nowhere to go. CHC gives them a chance at a life worth living.”

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Giving Back to Support Free Summer Concerts in Downtown LA

Debbie Hernandez, regional community and government relations consultant, supports Grand Performances through Community Giving Campaign because it is one of L.A.’s rare gems. Read her first-person account below:

“I first learned about this group through a friend who encouraged me to attend one of the free concerts presented by Grand Performances at least ten years ago.  The concert was fabulous! But I was completely overwhelmed with emotion to see people of every age, ethnicity, socio-economic, and cultural background enjoying music, the universal language, together. more >

Frosted Faces Foundation is Giving Senior Dogs a Second Chance

By: Hazel T. DeSoto, account administration representative, CSC Medicare, KP San Diego

Meet Oreo, a blind, lovable dog that was taken to an animal shelter at the age of 13 to be euthanized due to old age. Fortunately, the shelter where Oreo was taken does not euthanize dogs for being old, and Oreo was given a second chance to have a loving family.

We rescued Oreo on March 30, 2015 after a family friend saw him in a kennel and told us he was a “must have.” Now that we have Oreo, we know what she meant. Oreo melts right into your lap, but also likes to explore when he’s left alone. Even blind senior dogs can be as curious as puppies.

While Oreo’s story has a happy ending, that is not always the case for senior dogs that are often deemed less adoptable and are the first to be put to sleep when the shelter needs more space to accommodate incoming dogs.

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