Fall 2011 Volume 2 / Issue 2

MONICA ALCANTARMuch-Beloved Director

T.J. MITCHELLSmall Wonder

BROADWAYBOUNDMusical Theatre Program

I I

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1

In this issue

Our missionAbilityFirst provides programs and services to help children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities realize their full potential throughout their lives.

www.abilityfirst.org

Editor Pauline Avendaño

Writing Lynne Heffley, Danielle Weiss

Design FreeAssociates

Photography Christine Haws, Ed Krieger

8PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Union BankA 30 Year Partnership

9SUCCESS STORY

Do-A-Dot Art A Colorful Way to Success

11FUNDRAISING

Festival of FallFun, Food, and Friends

12FUNDRAISING

Long Beach Fashion ShowGiving With Style

Dear Readers,

As AbilityFirst celebrates its 85th anniversary, we reflect on the many milestones that we have reached, the many challenges that we have faced, and the many victories that we have celebrated. Since our beginnings in 1926 as the Crippled Children’s Society of Southern California, we have had numerous successful and enjoyable moments that have allowed us to become the vibrant and contemporary organization that we are today. Each year, because of your generosity through events and campaigns, we have been able to serve over 2,000 children and adults with disabilities.

Recently, we celebrated a victory with the signing of Senate Bill 309 (SB-309) averting a crisis for 18-22 year-old high school students and their families statewide. Because of a conflict between the state’s Education Code and Health and Safety Code, these participants were at risk of having to prematurely exit our after school programs. Thanks to the hard work of Senator Carol Liu, and your support, SB-309 was signed into law by Governor Brown, allowing high school students to remain in our after school programs.

I am proud to report that our employment programs are growing. Thanks to a generous grant from the Pasadena Community Foundation for a new truck, we are now contracting with more companies in the Pasadena area. Additional business contracts result in more adults with developmental disabilities being employed and receiving job training while increasing AbilityFirst non-government revenue to help sustain and grow all of our quality programs.

On behalf of AbilityFirst, I thank you for your support of our mission to provide quality programs to children and adults with disabilities.

Please enjoy the magazine which gives you a glimpse into the life around AbilityFirst. Here’s to another successful year ahead.

Kind regards,

Lori GangemiPresident and CEO

13PROFILE

LA5-Rotary Club of Los AngelesSpotlighting the Work of

Volunteers

14GALLERY

Around AbilityFirst

17CONNECTION

Directory and Leadership

2PROFILE

Monica AlcantarShining a Light on

Disabilities, as the East Los

Angeles Center Director

4FEATURE

Crisis Averted Governor Brown signs

SB-309 into Law

5 FEATURE

Broadway Bound Anaheim Program’s Musical

Theater Production

6FEATURE

Small WonderThe Sky is the Limit

for T.J. Mitchell

shininglightA

2

shininglightA ON DISABILITIES

3PROFILEMONICA ALCANTAR/EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

to make them aware of the services that

AbilityFirst provides.

“I invite them to visit and ask them to be

a part of one of our special events at the

Center so that they can interact with our

participants, experience first-hand what

our program is all about, and see how a

little support can go a long way in our

programs,” she said.

Among the Center’s biggest supporters,

she noted proudly, are volunteers from

Fire Station #3 of the Los Angeles

County Fire Department and the East Los

Angeles station of the Los Angeles County

Sheriff’s Department.

“The fire and sheriff’s departments play

a very important role in the community,”

Monica said, “so I felt that they needed to

be connected with our Center and with

the families that we serve,” she continued.

“By making them aware of AbilityFirst,

I felt that in turn they would reach out and

help inform more of the community about

special needs people. And that’s what

has happened.”

Volunteers at both organizations take part

in the Center’s holiday parties—Santa

Claus has arrived on a fire engine and on

a sheriff’s helicopter. Firefighters, led by

now-retired Los Angeles County Deputy

Fire Chief Jesus Burciaga, “put together toy

drives for the kids, hosted a barbecue for

Employee Spotlight: Monica Alcantar

Monica Alcantar, AbilityFirst’s

much-beloved East Los Angeles

Center Director since 2006,

has a two-part mission: To help children

with disabilities realize their potential

while raising awareness in the community

about their challenges, achievements and

individuality.

Raised in East Los Angeles, Monica

returned to her roots after earning a

degree in Early Childhood Development,

joining the AbilityFirst staff in 1996.

Her desire to work with children with

special needs, she said, was inspired by

the fact that as she was growing up, she

realized that individuals with disabilities

in her community were traditionally a

hidden population.

“In the past, you didn’t see them at the

mall, at the movies or the parks. So it is

very satisfying to me to be able to help the

children at our Center grow and achieve

greater independence—and it is equally

important to encourage families and the

community to recognize just how much is

possible for individuals with special needs,”

Monica said.

Monica’s dedication to her work with

AbilityFirst is infused, too, with her own

experiences as the mother of three sons,

ages 2 ½ to 18. “As a mom you want the

best for your children and you don’t expect

any less,” she said. “When families come

and request services from us, I understand

how important we are to them and how

important it is that we give 100 percent

and more to their children.”

AbilityFirst’s recognition of the challenges

faced by the families of special needs

children is key, Monica emphasized.

“While doing their best to care for their

special needs child, parents are juggling

work or school, or are struggling with

other difficult situations at home. They

need support, too,” she continued.

“Sometimes helping is as simple as just

hearing a frazzled parent out,” she said.

“Sometimes they just need more concrete

support and I will do everything that I

can to help connect them with legal or

financial services.”

The Center staff shares her vision, Monica

added, “and gives all they can to the

families and the kids that we serve,” she

continued. “My children and husband are

very involved in what I do, too. My two

oldest boys have volunteered at the Center

since they were five years old and they

enjoy it. My sons even have their friends

come and volunteer.”

Monica, who is also President of the East

Los Angeles Rotary Club and a member of

the Latin Business Association, uses her

position in the community to reach out to

businesses and organizations in the area Continued on page 16

4

CrisisavertedOn October 4, 2011,

Governor Brown

signed a bill which

ended a crisis for parents

with disabled high school

students. The bill, SB-309,

was authored by California

Senator Carol Liu and

sponsored by AbilityFirst. The

signing of SB-309 ultimately

ended a conflict between

the state’s Education Code

and Health and Safety Code

that forced developmentally

disabled high school students

18 years and older into

programs for developmentally

disabled adults.

The need to create SB-309

arose during a routine

licensing check at the

AbilityFirst Lawrence L.

Frank Center in Pasadena.

“Every one to five years, a

Licensing Analyst comes to

the center to administer a

routine licensing check,” said

Kelly Privitt, AbilityFirst

Sr. Director of Programs.

“This time was a little bit

different, however, because

we received news from

the analyst that we had to

remove all students 18 years

and older from the program

immediately,” she continued.

Not only were the high school

aged participants affected by

this abrupt news, but so were

Governor Brown Signs SB-309 into Law

the parents. The issue was

that by removing the high

school students from the after

school program, it would put

a huge burden on the parents

because there were no other

programs that an 18 to 22

year old disabled high school

student can attend. Licensed

adult programs typically end

at 3:00pm, and these high

school students have working

parents and need supervision.

This being said, the situation

became critical for parents

because their children had

nowhere to go.

Senator Liu was contacted

by AbilityFirst parents who

expressed concern for what

would happen to their child,

and she immediately called

AbilityFirst to see how she

could help.

AbilityFirst worked with

Senator Liu and her team

tirelessly as they collaborated

to reach a conclusion. All

AbilityFirst centers also

became involved, campaigning

to inform parents and

community members

about the importance of

this bill, and encouraging

people throughout Southern

California to write and call

Governor Brown in order to

have SB-309 enacted. Whether

it was raising awareness for

the bill, or working with the

Senator and her team to get

SB-309 passed, AbilityFirst

would not stop until their

mission was complete.

“Beginning in August, we

met with Senator Liu, our

licensing analysts, Regional

Centers, and families on

many occasions,” Privitt said.

“Senator Liu then authored

the bill and presented it to the

Senate with hopes that SB-309

would become law.”

Finally, after months of

collaboration, SB-309

was signed into law by

Governor Brown.

“A crisis has been averted

for our families,” said Lori

Gangemi, CEO of AbilityFirst.

“We are grateful to Senator

Liu for her leadership and

commend Governor Brown

for signing this bill that will

have a meaningful impact

on the lives of young people

with special needs and their

families,” Gangemi said.

One AbilityFirst participant

greatly affected by the passage

of SB-309 was Taylor Fedde.

Taylor, a 19-year old Pasadena

high school student, has

severe cerebral palsy. Taylor

engages his world from

the seat of his wheelchair.

Because of his disability,

Taylor depends on specialized

assistance every day which

AbilityFirst provides.

“Thanks to Governor Jerry

Brown and the leadership of

Senator Carol Liu, our teenage

son Taylor will not be forced to

return to a world of isolation

and seclusion. Governor Brown

has helped thousands of young

people with special needs

continue to be a part of their

community and grow,” said

Taylor’s Father, Mark Fedde.

Continued on page 12

AbilityFirst celebrates the signing of SB-309 with Senator Liu.

bound5FEATUREANAHEIM PROGRAM’S THEATER PRODUCTION 5

The Musical Theatre program’s most

important benefit for the participants—

whose disabilities range from cerebral

palsy and autism to Down syndrome

and epilepsy—is what it does for

their confidence, Cindy said. “As they

experience learning lines, choreography,

and rehearsals, they realize that they have

a voice.”

Setting high standards, with expectations

of professional behavior and preparation

for roles, contributes to that confidence

building, Tami said. “As a parent it’s so

awesome to see them on stage performing.

As a director it’s awesome to see how they

change with a boost of self-esteem.” At

the beginning of each session, “there are

always kids who say they can’t do it, but

pretty soon they’re up on stage having a

great time and doing a wonderful job to

the best of their abilities,” she continued.

“And oh, my gosh,” Tami added, “just to

see them blossom and perform, to see the

Anaheim Program’s Musical Theater Production

Like most actors, Matthew Kissinger

is delighted to be asked about his

roles on stage. “I did one of the

Seven Dwarves and I was Captain Von

Trapp in ‘The Sound of Music’ and I was

the Lollipop Guild Leader in ‘The Wizard

of Oz.’ I’ll take on any character they can

think of,” he said.

Matthew is an engaging 27-year-old

whose disabilities include autism,

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,

and mild cerebral palsy. He is part of the

AbilityFirst Anaheim Program’s Musical

Theatre Production, designed to help teens

and adults with developmental challenges

develop social skills, build confidence, and

explore their potential for growth and

independence.

Being part of the theater group is among

Matthew’s “all-time favorite things,” he

said. “I like it when the audience cheers

and claps and everything. It makes me

feel like a star. I’m a big stage ham when it

comes to performing,” he added happily.

The well-structured, creative Musical

Theatre Program is presented in

partnership with the City of Anaheim. It

encompasses weekly “Musical Theatre

Production” sessions during the school

year that culminate each spring in

a song-and-dance show for general

audiences—complete with choreography,

costumes, props, and a wrap party. The

program also involves “Musical Theatre

Exploration,” a summertime series that

allows participants to sample theater arts

through plays put on by other community

groups, related activities, and field trips.

Under the leadership of Musical Theatre

Director Tami DeGroat, the shows that the

group has performed for the public are as

varied as a Disney revue, a spoof of the 60s

sitcom “Gilligan’s Island” and a Michael

Jackson-themed, “Jeopardy”-style game

show musical extravaganza.

To come up with productions that will give

everyone a chance to shine in the spotlight,

“we meet around the middle of summer,”

said Anaheim Program Director Cindy

Valencia. “Tami comes in with ideas and

talks them over with the other staff and

the volunteers, and then they pitch the

ideas to me.” Before a script is finalized,

though, the program participants

themselves are asked to weigh in.

“We present them with a couple of different

ideas and they vote on them,” Tami said.

“They thought that a Michael Jackson revue

and a take-off on Gilligan’s Island were

the coolest things ever.”

Musical participants sing and dance to the score “Thriller” during the show “And the Winner is…”

Continued on page 12

6small“Even when we left T.J with AbilityFirst for

the first time,” Veronica added, laughing,

“he was like, ‘wow!’ We thought he’d be

anxious, wanting to know where mommy

and daddy were, but instead, it was ‘bye,

see you later.’ So, we’re still protective,

but not as overbearing about it as we

used to be, where before we were saying

no, you can’t do this, you can’t do that,”

Veronica continued.

The staff also has expectations of the

Center participants, Tony pointed out with

appreciation. “They’re not babysitters.

They encourage them to learn, they make

learning fun to do, and you can see that

they love what they’re doing and that they

love the kids. The kids respond to that.”

The Mitchells are included in T.J.’s day-to-

day progress, too, Veronica noted. The staff

asks them how they handle things with T.J.

at home and it then becomes part of his

learning process.

“Children need their parents to be

involved,” Tony said. “It makes them

happy when they see that their parents

are behind them 100 percent. You have

to support your children, whether they’re

handicapped or not.”

Indeed, T.J.’s concerned parents involve

themselves in every area of their son’s life.

Besides volunteering at his school, they

are a frequent presence at the Lawrence

L. Frank Center, regularly attending

AbilityFirst events and parent meetings.

The Sky is the Limit

TJ. Mitchell may be small for his age,

but this wide-eyed, sports-loving

10-year-old doesn’t know it. T.J., who

has Down syndrome and survived open

heart surgery as an infant, is game for

anything, especially swimming, dancing,

and basketball.

These days, at the AbilityFirst Lawrence

L. Frank Center in Pasadena, T.J. can be

found splashing in the swimming pool,

showing off his Michael Jackson moves, or

bouncing a basketball. “Sometimes you

have to pry him off the court,” said his

mother, Veronica Mitchell. The Center has

an inclusive basketball team that competes

against non-disabled peers, complete with

uniforms and cheerleaders and T. J. hopes

to be part of it one day.

The active little boy has come a long way

since he first began attending the After

School Program at the Center nearly

five years ago. AbilityFirst has helped

T.J. dramatically in many ways, Veronica

said, noting that she and T.J.’s father, Tony,

are amazed at the progress that their son

has made at the Center in his ability to

communicate.

“His speech has become awesome,”

Veronica said. “For a while you could

barely understand what he was saying.

Now he’s speaking words that we didn’t

think he would ever know.”

T.J.’s social skills are another area of

improvement. At the Center his love

for basketball is proving to be a useful

teaching tool in helping her son learn

to share with others. As the youngest of

three girls and three boys, T.J. has been

like an only child at home, his mother said.

(T.J.’s five siblings, “are all grown and out

of the house,” explained Tony.)

The kindness and patience that the

Center staff shows T.J. is key in helping

him overcome the difficulty that he has

had in interacting with other children,

the Mitchells feel. By showing them just

how much T.J. can learn to do, AbilityFirst

has also helped them become better

informed parents.

For instance, “Since my mother-in-law

has a swimming pool, and we wanted

T.J. to be safe, he had taken swimming

lessons before going to the Lawrence L.

Frank Center,” Veronica said. “Despite this,

however, he was still afraid of the water

when he came to AbilityFirst,”

she continued.

“He didn’t want to get into the pool any

farther than the stairs. But one day when I

came to pick him up, and they told me that

T.J. was in the pool, I didn’t spot him right

away because I expected to see him sitting

on the side. Instead he was swimming

across the pool,” she added excitedly.

wonder

7FEATURET. J . MITCHELL/PROGRAM PARTICIPANTsmall

Continued on page 7

“It helps us see that we’re not the only ones

going through this,” Veronica said. “We’re

not alone.”

Whenever AbilityFirst has a fundraiser,

Tony added, “I go to my job and everybody

donates.” (With the help of his colleagues

at the limousine service where he works,

Tony raised more than $700 for this year’s

AbilityFirst annual Derby Day 5K Walk.)

The Mitchells do as much as they can

in support of AbilityFirst, because it’s

important “to help keep the Center going,”

he said. “AbilityFirst is T.J.’s safe haven. He

asks every day, ‘when can I go?’ It’s one

of the joys of his day. I wish we could do

more,” Tony stated.

The Mitchells encourage fellow AbilityFirst

parents to offer what support they can and

in addition, they make it their mission to

try to educate the public about the services

that AbilityFirst provides. “When we go

places and see other parents with children

with disabilities,” Veronica said, “we ask

them if they’ve heard about AbilityFirst.

We like to share our experience and talk

about how T.J. has come out of his shell

and how AbilityFirst is helping him. He

may be short to us, but to them he’s big in

stature,” said Veronica.

Next year, the Mitchells will decide if

T.J. is ready to experience summer camp

at Camp Paivika, AbilityFirst’s fully

wonder

8

adults with disabilities would

not have any resources. An

organization like AbilityFirst

is not only important, it’s vital,

and that’s why I serve on the

Board,” he continued.

Senior Vice President

& Deputy Group

Head, Corporate Social

Responsibility and President

& COO of the Union Bank

Foundation, Carl Ballton,

firmly agrees with his

colleague. “We encourage

all of our employees to get

“I am passionate about

volunteering,” Dominguez

said. “Union Bank encourages

us to commit to outreach in

our communities. There are no

words to describe the smiles

and the feedback we get,”

he continued.

“Our vision is to help create

and sustain healthy

communities,” said Ballton,

who serves on AbilityFirst’s

Capital Campaign Honorary

Committee—and like Cherry

is a personal donor as well.

Corporate partnerships

are a vital factor in

enabling AbilityFirst

to continue serving special

needs children and adults

throughout Southern

California.

For more than 30 years, Union

Bank has been a valued

corporate partner, making

a significant difference

through its long-term

generosity and commitment.

CORPORATE PARTNER: UNION BANK

“The bank chose AbilityFirst

Business Services first and

foremost because of the

quality of their work,”

said Ray C. Cherry, Union

Bank’s Vice President, Senior

Wealth Advisor.

“Shredding sensitive

information involving client

confidentiality is very serious.

Whoever provides that service

must meet all of the criteria

that we have in place. We’re

YEARpartnershipA recent $100,000 Union Bank

Foundation grant, payable

over three years in support

of AbilityFirst programs,

services, and annual Festival

of Fall fundraising event, is

the third such grant from the

bank since 2006. The bank

has also helped support the

annual Afternoon of Music &

Art benefit for the AbilityFirst

Harry A. Mier Center.

Additionally, Union Bank has

been a long-time AbilityFirst

Business Services client,

entrusting the organization’s

L.L. Frank Work Center with

the secure bag inspection,

sorting and confidential

shredding needs of its large

Monterey Park facility.

very pleased with AbilityFirst’s

level of quality and cost-

effectiveness,” Cherry said.

Union Bank senior executives

are also encouraged to serve

on AbilityFirst’s Board of

Directors. Cherry is a current

Board member, a personal

donor and Chair of the

AbilityFirst Capital Campaign

for the Joan and Harry A.

Mier Center.

“Volunteerism, in addition

to financial support, is an

integral part of Union Bank’s

philosophy of giving back,”

Cherry said “Were it not for

AbilityFirst and organizations

like it, many children and

involved,” said Ballton. “We

increasingly try to target our

volunteers with organizations

where we’ve had a long

history of support. It’s been

particularly important in this

time of economic challenges.

You don’t always have the

dollars you’d like to give, but

you can still help and be

involved,” he continued.

Oscar Dominguez, Union

Bank Vice President and

Branch Manager, Newhall and

Stevenson Ranch, has been

engaged in volunteer work for

20 years, counseling seniors,

youth, and special needs

adults about managing their

personal finances.

“With limited dollars we

can’t move the needle on

every issue, so we’re open

to partnering with other

organizations that are trying

to make a difference,”

he continued

“With the work that AbilityFirst

does and the population that

they serve, through their

facilities, affordable housing,

and services, AbilityFirst has

been a tremendous partner

for us.”

Board Member and Union Bank Vice President, Senior Wealth Advisor Ray Cherry. Union Bank has been partnering with AbilityFirst for the past 30 years.

SUCCESS STORY

all employees should be,” Pourtahmassebi

said. “At the Paul Weston Work Center,

the employees are given that respect. They

are seen as individuals.”

A major portion of the Do-A-Dot Art

job at the Center requires participants to

assemble bright, colorful paint markers

in sets and then in master cartons for

shipping to retailers.

Pourtahmassebi was initially concerned to

learn that visually impaired participants

were working on the project, “because

every set must contain a combination of

between four to six different colors,” she

said. But the Center’s system “works

beautifully,” she continued. “Each

participant puts a specific color in the

box and passes the box down to the next

person. The final participant in the line,

who is not visually impaired, is the quality

checker,” said Pourtahmassebi.

“It’s fast and efficient, it allows the whole

workshop to be involved, and the end

result is the same—it’s just excellent work.”

The Paul Weston Work Center has always

done packaging, assembling, “shrink wrap

and so on,” Briseno noted, “but with this

product, our participants have learned

what it means to send out retail items—

the process and the quality checking that

goes into it,” he said.

“It also engenders a high level of

enthusiasm at the Center,” he said. “When

our participants see Do-A-Dot Art’s

product in the store, they love it. They

How Assembling Art Kits Generates Purpose as Well as Profits

Do-A-Dot Art, the respected

creator of educational toys, art

kits, and child-friendly markers,

is celebrating its 20th anniversary this

year. The Westlake Village-based company,

founded by former preschool teacher

Tina Pourtahmassebi, is now a fixture in

the specialty toy and educational market.

Supplying over 3,000 retailers and 5,000

retail storefronts, it ships its popular

products all over the world.

Do-A-Dot Art’s choice for the assembly

and packaging of its signature paint

markers: AbilityFirst’s Paul Weston Work

Center in Woodland Hills. Since 2007,

Do-A-Dot Art’s year-round, high-volume

project has kept the Center busy, sparking

increased hiring and a significant rise in

productivity and contract revenue.

“The Center employs 75 disabled

participants and is growing significantly,”

said Director Richard Briseno. Do-A-Dot

Art “is one of our most consistent contracts

providing steady work and a reliable

income for our program participants,”

he continued.

AbilityFirst’s cost-efficient Business

Services and the Paul Weston Work Center

are a good fit for her company for many

reasons, Pourtahmassebi said.

“We have a family member with special

needs who has been at the Center for

two years now, and we love being able

to support that community, because

we know how much he loves the work,”

Pourtahmassebi said.

“But even more importantly, we value

their work ethic, dedication, and

professionalism. They just do a superior

job for us,” she continued.

Observing how Center staff treats the

AbilityFirst participant employees was also

a key factor.

“We wanted to know that the program

participants are treated with respect—as

9DO-A-DOT ART/PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

WAY TO SUCCESSA

Continued on page 11

caption

Work Center participant Deanna Cooper assembling a Do-A-Dot Art paint set.

10

April 13 – 15, 2012 • April 20 – 22, 2012

Treat yourself as we celebrate Moms! Come stay at our cozy cabins, relax, and escape from your daily responsibilities.

This exclusive weekend is designed to meet the needs of women dedicated to providing care and support to individuals with disabilities. Choose from a variety of activities and workshops including: Massage, Yoga, T’ai Chi, Crafts, informal group sessions, workshops, and much more, all while mingling with moms just like you!

Cost for the weekend is $200.00 which includes accommodations, meals, 30 minute massage and all activities. $50.00 deposit is required.

Register Today! RSVP: Kelly Kunsek at (909)-338-1102 x 5001

Camp Paivika 600 Playground Drive Crestline, CA 92325

MomsgetawayFOR C A R EGI V ER S

Rejuvenate • Relax • Revitalize

CAMP PAIVIKA

’

fun, food, friends11FUNDRAIS INGFESTIVAL OF FALL

Over $140,000 Raised at 37th Annual Gourmet Festival of Fall

The 37th Annual AbilityFirst Gourmet

Festival of Fall on October 2, 2011

was a great success! The event,

presented by Union Bank, raised over

$140,000 to benefit the Lawrence L. Frank

Center and the AbilityFirst Pasadena

Work Center. Over 400 AbilityFirst friends,

supporters, and civic and community

leaders were in attendance.

The Lawrence L. Frank Center, which

serves the San Gabriel Valley region

of Southern California, including the

communities of Pasadena, Glendale,

Arcadia, and Rosemead, offers

programs for children and adults with

developmental disabilities, such as autism,

cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome. The

Pasadena Work Center provides many

business services including document

shredding, sorting, packaging, assembly,

fulfillment, and mailing—while

providing employment to adults with

developmental disabilities.

The luxurious event, which took place

at the beautiful historic Laurabelle A.

Robinson house in Pasadena, was hosted

by Mark and Phaedra Ledbetter, who

generously donated the use of their home

as a spectacular backdrop.

As a special treat, long time television

star and award-winning journalist, Jann

Carl, served as the mistress of ceremonies.

Lee Meriwether, honorary chair, was also

in attendance. Hundreds of guests were

spotted enjoying a lively and friendly

atmosphere as they roamed the grounds of

the beautiful estate savoring the delightful

and distinct cuisines presented by fine

restaurants and wineries. The Festival

of Fall event has become a destination

event for food and wine connoisseurs, and

featured wineries and breweries from all

over California along with a spectacular

culinary experience with dishes prepared

by more than 30 Pasadena restaurants.

Attendees also enjoyed the opportunity to

bid on extraordinary live auction packages

such as a one and a half hour police

helicopter ride-along, a Paso Robles wine

vacation, a San Diego extravaganza, a

celebrity dinner for ten catered by Lawry’s

Restaurants, and much more!

AbilityFirst would like to thank our

sponsors, vendors, staff, volunteers, and

the Festival of Fall Steering Committee for

their support and commitment to children

and adults with special needs.

See you at the 38th Annual Gourmet

Festival of Fall in 2012!

Continued from page 9

A COLORFUL WAY TO SUCCESS

come back and say ‘the box that we

worked on is on the shelf right now.’ They

take pride in their work and feel part of

the community,” Briseno stated.

“It’s great when we go into the Center, and

a participant comes up and says, ‘I got my

check today and I’m taking my girlfriend

to the movies,’ or ‘we’re going to dinner

tonight because we got our paycheck,’”

Pourtahmassebi added.

“Tina cares about what we do here,”

Briseno said. “She asks about our projects

and activities and brings in treats on

special days. When she walks in the

door, people greet her by name and say

‘thank you for the work—where’s the next

shipment of paint?’”

Pourtahmassebi was a preschool teacher

and a mom with young children when she

conceived Do-A-Dot Art. “That’s when

the inspiration for painting without the

mess hit me—our concept was no cups, no

brush, no mess, but all the creativity,” she

said. The company is still a family affair.

Her husband Rob is CEO of the company,

while the couple’s two daughters, Tiffany

and Tessa, are involved in marketing and

product design.

Do-A-Dot Art competes “head-to-head”

with such corporate giants such as Crayola

for retail shelf space, Pourtahmassebi

observed. “We’re a small company and it

can be an uphill battle, but somehow we

still shine through. Sometimes I think,

without getting way out there,” she added,

laughing, “that we’re blessed because

we have these wonderful workers that

care about our product. It’s as if their

energy just shines through each box,

Pourtahmassebi added.

“They are truly a huge asset for

our business.”

Richard R. Frank – Board Chair, Lori Gangemi – President and CEO of AbilityFirst, Lee Meriwether – Honorary Chair – Jann Carl, Mistress of Ceremonies, and Mark Fedde – Event Chair enjoy the 37th Annual Festival of Fall event.

12

show come together and to see how

proud and happy the parents are with

what their child has accomplished—it’s

tremendously rewarding.”

Tami’s involvement with the Musical

Theatre Program began more than 10

years ago, long before the Anaheim

Program, serving the North Orange

County region of Southern California,

took over the theatre production from

the City of Anaheim in 2008 in a

partnership that allows the Center to

use the city’s facilities.

“I started helping out when I saw how

much my kids loved being there,” said

Tami, whose daughter Sarah, who has a

developmental disability, still participates.

(Tami’s son Thomas, whose seizure

disorder is no longer acute, now serves

as an assistant director.) “They loved

learning dance steps and being actors. It

gave them an opportunity to do what they

couldn’t have done at most schools.”

“It’s amazing what the kids are able to take

on,” observed James Kissinger, Matthew’s

father. “But the staff is very good at what

they do. They get the best out of the kids

and everyone has a good time, too.”

Continued from page 5

BROADWAY BOUND

WITH

Patsy Sampson enjoys fashionable furs at the “Rainbows for Children” Fashion Show and Boutique in Long Beach.

styleAbilityFirst would like to thank all of our

sponsors and vendors for their support and

commitment to children and adults with

special needs. Additionally, AbilityFirst

would like to give a special thank you to

The Long Beach Center Guild, The Guild

Fashion Show Committee, and The Guild

Ways and Means Committee and Board

for their generosity, leadership, and hard

work. Members of The Guild have donated

years of generous financial support, as

well as made some heartfelt contributions

to the Long Beach Center, including: a

new children’s room, three new vans for

program transportation, funding for

the warm water aquatics program, and

much more.

Thank you to all those who made this

event possible, we hope to see you at the

2012 Rainbows for Children Fashion Show,

Luncheon, and Boutique!

The Long Beach Fashion Show Raises Over $70,000

More than 250 elegantly dressed

guests attended the Long

Beach Center Guild’s annual

Fashion Show, Luncheon and Boutique

on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at The

Grand Event Center in Long Beach. The

stylish event, which raised over $70,000

for the renovation of the AbilityFirst Long

Beach Center’s computer lab, will provide

program participants with much needed

technology skills.

Attendees bid feverishly on generously

donated silent and live auction items,

including: a Wine Country Vacation,

Bunco Party Package, Lawry’s Celebrity

Dinner, Champagne Luncheon, a

Cocktail party for twenty and much more.

Guests also enjoyed shopping for trendy

accessories, stylish clothing, and other

fashionable items offered for sale at the

boutique. Highlighting the afternoon was

an extraordinary fashion show hosted by

Couture Productions, featuring collections

from Couture Evening Collections,

Draper’s and Damon’s, and many more.

Special guests and models included: Ms.

Long Beach Latina, Perla Del Rio; Ms.

Long Beach, Briana Ricovv; Ms. Lakewood,

Meagan Garcia; Ms. Southern California,

Shana Smith; and Ms. California,

Jennifer Glava.

GivingContinued from page 4

CRISIS AVERTED

To honor this great victory, Taylor, and all

of his friends at AbilityFirst, celebrated

with California State Senator Liu on

October 20, 2011, as she joined dozens of

ecstatic AbilityFirst participants, parents,

board members and staff to celebrate

the passage of SB-309 at the Lawrence L.

Frank Center in Pasadena, California.

As gleaming participants presented

Senator Liu with gifts, big hugs and smiles,

cake and refreshments were served to

celebrate this exciting day.

1320Camp Paivika Cleanup Day is one of many

different events organized by LA5 that

directly benefit AbilityFirst.

AbilityFirst thanks the Los Angeles Rotary

Club for their invaluable volunteer services,

and their positive impact on the Camp

Paivika community.

serviceLA5:

Spotlighting the Work of Volunteers Throughout AbilityFirst

Unwilling to break a longstanding

20-year tradition, the Rotary Club

of Los Angeles, also known as

LA5, once again gathered to help prepare

AbilityFirst’s Camp Paivika for its summer

camping sessions. Through its Community

Service Committee, LA5 has a longstanding

tradition of charitable services.

In May 2011, over 50 LA5 members

arrived at Camp Paivika for the annual

Camp Paivika Cleanup Day. Each spring

these eager and enthusiastic volunteers

participate in a variety of tasks designed

to polish and revive the camp after a

long winter. During the day, volunteers

were asked to paint walls, prepare cabins,

garden, chop wood, and participate in a

general facility clean up.

“What was really great this year was that

LA5 also donated $2,500 for the supplies

needed for Cleanup Day,” said Camp

Paivika Director Kelly Kunsek.

YEARS OF

Members of the Rotary Club of Los Angeles hard at work during Camp Paivika Cleanup Day.

PROFILEROTARY CLUB OF LOS ANGELES/VOLUNTEERS IN ACTION

aroundAbilityFirst

14

1 The 2011-2012 AbilityFirst Board

of Directors pose for their first group

snapshot of the year.

2 Weston Work Center Director

Richard Briseno joins his AbilityFirst co-

workers Arturo Nunez and Juan Romero

as they enjoy a team building exercise

during the 2011 Staff Summit.

3 Lisa Duenas and Jonathan Nhean

collect paper money hoping to win

numerous raffle prizes at the 2011

Staff Summit.

4 Daphne Elizalde, AbilityFirst CFO

Steve Schultz, Linda Schultz, Housing

Board Member John Elizalde, and

AbilityFirst Board Member Randy Repp

enjoy the 37th Annual Festival of Fall.

5 Program participants Jimmy Trinh,

Andy Lam, Briana Diaz, Kaala Johnson,

and Raven Watlington gather outside the

Lawrence L. Frank Center at the SB-309

Celebration to raise awareness for the

Center’s Halloween Haunted House.

6 Program Supervisor Arshalous

Garlanian, guests Mel Assagai and

Natalie Champion of Strategic Counsel

Inc., and Associate Director Nafiseh

Arman, mix and mingle at the SB-309

Celebration.

1

6

3

2

54

around 15GALLERYFACES & PLACES

7 Camp Paivika campers and staff

celebrate crossing the finish line at the

2011 Derby Day Walk/Run.

8 AbilityFirst Camp Paivika camper,

Laura Cook, races through the finish line

as she completes her personal race during

the 2011 Derby Day 5K Walk/Run.

9 Dennis Hayes of CarMax presents

Lori Gangemi President and CEO

of AbilityFirst, and Cindy Valencia,

Director of the Anaheim Program, with

a generous $10,000 donation to support

AbilityFirst’s programs and services.

10 Mark Ledbetter and Pasadena

Chief of Police Phillip L. Sanchez take

a break for a snapshot during the 37th

Annual Festival of Fall event. The

event was hosted by Mark and Phaedra

Ledbetter at their home, the Laurabelle

A. Robinson House.

11 Award-winning journalist Jann Carl,

and AbilityFirst Board Member Mark

Fedde, enjoy a playful banter as they co-

host the Festival of Fall program.

12 Board Member Patricia Vick and

guest Allyse Brown take a moment to pose

for a picture as they enjoy their wine and

elegant appetizers during the luxurious

Festival of Fall event.

11

10

14

7

9

8

1312

13 Guild Member Jean Dayak, and

guests Arlene Fillius, and her sister

Dolores Homen, laugh as they mix and

mingle during the Long Beach Fashion

Show and Boutique.

14 Silent Auction Chair Liz Minor,

Vendor Chair Melina Morgan, Guild

President Annemarie Forster, and Guild

Vice President Patricia Randolph look

stylish as they enjoy the silent and live

auction packages at the Long Beach

Fashion Show and Boutique.

16

Continued from page 3

SHINING A LIGHT ON DISABILITIES

LEARNING TO SWIM IS EMPOWERING AbilityFirst has four Aquatic programs open to the community.

•ClaremontCenter

•HarryA.MierCenter(Inglewood)

•LawrenceL.Frank Center (Pasadena)

•LongBeachCenterWarm Water Exercise • Open Swim • Private & Group Swim Lessons.

For more information & schedules visit: www.abilityfirst.org/aquatics

them at the fire station, and even let them

try on their gear and explore a fire truck,”

said Monica.

Sheriff’s department personnel always

make sure that the kids have holiday treats

and gifts, “and they’ve raised money for

us and they volunteer at our events as well,

visiting with our kids and their families,”

Monica continued.

“I’ve been in East Los Angeles for 11 years

and I was surprised to learn that we had

a center that dealt with disabled kids,”

commented Captain Henry Romero of

the East L.A. Sheriff’s department, which

became involved with AbilityFirst four

years ago. “When we realized the amount

of work that they do, and what they do for

those kids, we wanted to become part of it,”

Romero continued.

Romero said that what impressed him

most about AbilityFirst is that “they are

working to give the kids the skills they

need to function and they don’t treat them

like they are disabled kids. Every time I go

to the Center,” he added, “I don’t think I

ever see anybody who is not smiling, and

that is due to the leadership. It has been

a blessing for us to be able to share with

them whatever of our resources that

we can.”

“It’s all about awareness,” Monica said.

“I’m very passionate about my job and I

want others to feel the same way.”

Continued from page 7

SMALL WONDER

accessible outdoor recreation facility in

the San Bernardino Mountains. “We

go camping every year with T.J., but

we’ll consider anything that involves

AbilityFirst,” Tony said firmly.

“I don’t know what we’d do without them.

Being at AbilityFirst has given T.J. a place

to go where he can enjoy himself and

not be looked at like he’s different. It’s a

level playing field. The children don’t feel

isolated. I know that has made a difference

in my child’s life. A major difference,”

Tony continued.

As they watch T.J. thrive and grow

with the development of his social and

communication skills, the Mitchells feel

hopeful for his future. “The sky’s the

limit,” Tony said. “We treat T.J. like any

normal child. He doesn’t know anything’s

wrong with him. I want him to achieve

everything he can in life,” said his

proud father.

“T.J. had open heart surgery when he

was only 7 months old and it was horrible,

but through the grace of God, he’s here.

He’s daddy’s little hero. I tell him that

every day.”

17CONNECTIONLOCATIONS AND LEADERSHIP

Headquarters1300 East Green StreetPasadena CA 91106-2606626.396.1010626.396.1021 faxinfo@abilityfirst.orgwww.abilityfirst.org

Department ManagersPauline Avendaño, Sr. Director of Marketing

Laura Beck, Director of Human Resources

Joel Bronson, Director of Information Technology

Dan Detwiler, Facilities Manager

Syed Kazmi, Controller

Isis McDonald, Sr. Director of Business Services

Neomia Phillips, Director of Housing

Kelly Privitt, Sr. Director of Programs

Camp CAMP PAIVIKAKelly Kunsek, Directormail:PO Box 3367Crestline CA 92325location:600 Playground DriveCrestline CA 92322909.338.1102

Community CentersANAHEIM PROGRAMCindy Valencia, Director2660 West BroadwayAnaheim CA 92804714.821.7448

DirectoryCLAREMONT CENTERJulie Martin, Director480 South Indian Hill BoulevardClaremont CA 91711909.621.4727

EAST LOS ANGELES CENTERMonica Alcantar, Director154 North Gage AvenueLos Angeles CA 90063323.268.8178

HARRY A. MIER CENTERMonique Watts, Director8090 Crenshaw BoulevardInglewood CA 90305323.753.3101

LAWRENCE L. FRANK CENTERMichael Barkyoumb, Director201 South Kinneloa AvenuePasadena CA 91107626.449.5661

LONG BEACH CENTERBarbara Schlosser, Director3770 East Willow StreetLong Beach CA 90815562.426.6161

NEWPORT-MESA CENTERJoy Thomas, Directormail:PO Box 3985Costa Mesa, CA 92628location:1060 Paularino Avenue Room ACosta Mesa CA 92626714.546.6727

Employment ServicesEddie Zhang, Supported Employment Manager3447 Atlantic Avenue, 3rd floorLong Beach, CA 90807562.570.3667

HousingABILITYFIRST APARTMENTS HEMET1360 East Acacia StreetHemet CA 92544951.766.7089

ABILITYFIRST APARTMENTS IRVINE14501 Harvard AvenueIrvine, CA 92606949.559.5902

CROWN HOUSE3055 East Del Mar BoulevardPasadena, CA 91107626.440.9090

IVY GLEN APARTMENTS133 North Cedar StreetGlendale, CA 91206818.241.3888

LAKELAND MANOR APARTMENTS13331 Lakeland RoadSanta Fe Springs, CA 90605562.944.9650

MAPLE PARK APARTMENTS711 East Maple StreetGlendale, CA 91205818.507.1969

MORENO VALLEY APARTMENTS24545 Bay AvenueMoreno Valley, CA 92553951.247.0230

PACIFIC RIM APARTMENTS230 South Grevillea AvenueInglewood, CA 90301310.672.7221

RANCHO DEL VALLE APARTMENTS6560 Winnetka AvenueWoodland Hills, CA 91367818.347.1440

SEA BREEZE MANOR APARTMENTS2067 Alamitos AvenueSignal Hill, CA 90755562.494.9086

SIERRA ROSE3053 ½ East Del Mar BoulevardPasadena, CA 91107626.578.0118

VILLA MALAGA APARTMENTS4704 East Dozier StreetLos Angeles, CA 90022323.980.8402

Work CentersL.L. FRANK WORK CENTERFennie Washington, Director3812 South Grand AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90037213.748.7309

PASADENA WORK CENTERPeter Yoou, Director2570 East Foothill BoulevardPasadena, CA 91107626.449.5662

PAUL WESTON WORK CENTERRichard Briseño, Director 6530 Winnetka AvenueWoodland Hills, CA 91367818.884.5112

Board of DirectorsEXECUTIVE COMMITTEERichard R. Frank, ChairSteve Brockmeyer, Vice ChairBerlinda Fontenot-Jamerson, SecretaryJay Henneberry, TreasurerSanford “Sandy” L. Smith, At Large Member

MEMBERS

Rick M. ArcaroCharles F. Axelson, HonoraryRussell Burkett, HonoraryRay C. CherryMarshal Chuang, Honorary

LeadershipJim Douglass, HonoraryMark FeddeMaria FrenchRichard N. Frank, HonoraryWilliam HawkinsJohn KellyJon Kmett, HonoraryRalph Laster, HonoraryCarol LlewellynMordena MooreAndrew Peterson, HonoraryAngela J. ReddockRandy ReppDavid M. SeastromKenneth Simon, Honorary

Jonathan ThomasPatricia Vick

Honorary ChairpersonsJane KaczmarekLee MeriwetherJaclyn Smith

Housing Governance BoardJose Marquez, ChairAlbert Y.M. Huang, Vice ChairJohn Elizalde, TreasurerDavid Oesterreich, Secretary

MEMBERS

Barbara FeigaEstabrook “Skip” GlosserCarol LlewellynDarrin LyonsMichael PrabhuHerbert H. SimmonsMark TrabingBetty R. Wilson

CORPORATE OFFICERS

Lori E. Gangemi, President and CEOSteven Schultz, CFO

17

1300 East Green StreetPasadena, California 91106-2606

Non-Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDPasadena, CA

Permit No. 1138

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Join us and walk for inspiration! Become an AbilityFirst 5K Team Member or sponsor a team as we cross the finish line together to enrich the lives of those with disabilities.

AND INSPIRED.GET INVOLVED

SANTA ANITA DERBY DAY 5K WALK/RUN SUPPORTING ABILITYFIRST

SANTA ANITA DERBY DAY 5K WALK/RUNSATURDAY-APRIL 7, 20126:00 AM PRE-EVENT ACTIVITIES 8 :15 AM WALK STARTS

Go to www.abilityfirst.org/5K for more information and to register today!

We graciously thank the Forest Lawn Foundation for their challenge grant.