We also had our extraordinary volunteer physician Dr. Sophia Momand and her HOPE (Homeless Outreach Promoting Empathy) volunteers from Cal State University, Dominguez Hills. Well over 20 guests waited patiently for his/her private consultation with Dr. Sophia. I learned yesterday that Dr. Sophia has also been a long-time volunteer at the Long Beach jail and had spent the previous day seeing patients there.
Over a dozen guests came into the office to discuss their needs. A former LB rescue mission resident who recently started a full-time job at a “junk mail” sorting center is looking forward to taking the next steps to move himself into an apartment. We have paid for his shared room in a transitional sober house (even though he has no substance abuse issues).
Two women came in to explain their overdue rent balances. One just started working a new job, but is still waiting receipt of her first check. Another woman who is a single-parent of five young children also recently started a job while she continues her part-time delivery job. She has been unable to pay her portion of August rent for their apartment at Cabrillo. Utilizing our funds from the Long Beach Community Foundation, we provided funds to these women, as well as partial payment for a motel stay for a woman and her two young children.
We provided transportation passes and funds to several clients who had various medical and other appointments. Staff and I helped two guests who required legal documents – a birth certificate from Texas and a lost passport.
Thank you to all our volunteers and supporters!
Please consider visiting our drop-in center on Sundays between 1:30 pm and 4:30 pm and/or donating to UCO through our website – www.ucodic.org.