Neighbor News
Assistance League of Diablo Valley Donates 150 Filled Backpacks To Aspiranet Harmony House Receiving Center
The more organizations that are involved with protecting our community's vulnerable, the safer our community becomes.
In photo above, Assistance League of Diablo Valley Community Programs Chairman Susan Petersdorf (l.) and Vice Chairman Backpacks Susan Geldin (far r.) greet Supervisor of Harmony House Receiving Center Lotte Bouter and Aspiranet Greater Bay Area Program Director Peter Maspaitella.
In 2012, Assistance League® of Diablo Valley established Community Programs, a collection of seven hands-on programs designed to support the vulnerable and at-risk members in our community on a one-time basis. One of the seven programs, Receiving Center Backpacks, reaches out to children and teens who are removed from their homes due to neglect, abuse or substandard housing. On April 7, Assistance League of Diablo Valley filled 150 backpacks to full capacity with such necessities as sweatshirts, grooming supplies, a fleece blanket, fun packs and snack packs (the last of which were provided by the organization’s Assisteens® Auxiliary) designated for Aspiranet Harmony House Receiving Center. The Receiving Center works in partnership with the Contra Costa County Child and Family Services, Behavioral Health, and County Public Health.
The Harmony House Receiving Center provides a safe haven for children and teens (up to 24 hours) who were removed from their homes with little or no notice, which sometimes occurs in the middle of the night. Harmony House offers a bright, cozy home-like surrounding with such amenities as bedrooms, kitchen area, washer and dryer, bathing facilities, storage area for those fortunate to arrive with possessions, and a large living room with play area. Cubbies filled with toys, arts & crafts, movies, games, and books help children and teens regain a sense of trust and safety. Like the childcare staff and professional nursing staff that are on site, the filled backpacks help the young clients to transition to a healthier environment.
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On April 12, at Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s monthly meeting, Supervisor of Harmony House Receiving Center Lotte Bouter and Aspiranet Greater Bay Area Program Director Peter Maspaitella thanked the organization for the much appreciated filled backpacks. Ms. Bouter shared some of the children’s reactions when they received the backpacks, “Look what I got...I don’t like to leave…I like it here!” Ms. Bouter added that with the help of Assistance League of Diablo Valley, 3,200 children and teens have been served.
To learn about all of Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s philanthropic programs that are primarily funded by its thrift shop in Lafayette, please visit this website: : diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.
