Assistance League of Diablo Valley Welcomes Return of Wells Fargo Corporate Partners Employee Volunteers

(As seen in photo from l. to r.) Eden Lucena, Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s Community Programs Chairman Susan Petersdorf, Cathy Durfee, Carolina Alas-Hemphill, Glen Baxter, Julia Laudencia, Justin Santiago, Tracy De Piero, Roger Tran and Vice Chairman Receiving Center Backpacks Susan Geldin fill backpacks with emergency supplies for children and teens who are in need.

Assistance League^® of Diablo Valley is a nonprofit, member volunteer organization dedicated to improving lives in our community through hands-on programs. Its ten programs are primarily funded by the Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, located in Lafayette. Community Programs, established in 2012, includes seven programs that provide outreach on a onetime basis. Shopping for, bagging and filling backpacks with emergency supplies for distribution at a community receiving center to serve at-risk youth is one of these programs.

Since 2006, Assistance League of Diablo Valley has cultivated a Corporate Partners component, resulting in employee volunteers from local businesses and corporations becoming hands-on involved with its philanthropic programs. On April 7, employee volunteers from Wells Fargo, Business Banking Division, Concord, coordinated by team leader Carolina Alas-Hemphill, made a return visit to help with the backpacks effort. (Ms. Alas-Hemphill also serves on Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s Chapter Advisory Council.)

After introductory and procedural remarks from Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s Corporate Partners Committee Chairman Linda Mercer and Vice Chairman Receiving Center Backpacks Susan Gelder, the Wells Fargo corporate volunteers effortlessly filled 150 backpacks to capacity with such necessities as sweatshirts, grooming supplies, fun packs and snack packs (the last of which were provided by Assisteens^® Auxiliary) in a mere two hours. These contents not only meet the daily needs of children and teens who many times arrive at the receiving center empty-handed, they offer them “caring and compassion” that ultimately replace fear and uncertainty.

When two philanthropic-minded organizations pool their resources and talents to help those in need and at risk, the entire community thrives. To learn more about Assistance League of Diablo Valley, please visit this website: diablovalley.assistanceleague.org. You may also access information regarding Corporate Partners by clicking on the button located on the upper left corner of the screen.