South Bay Auxiliary of Harbor Interfaith Services

The South Bay Auxiliary of Harbor Interfaith Services will be holding its 8th Annual Fundraising Event in April. Due to lingering pandemic-related concerns, the organization will be holding a virtual auction for the second time. Dreams Do Come True: A Benefit to Support the Children’s Center of Harbor Interfaith Services will be held from April 25-29, 2022. Prior to the pandemic, the event had been held at The Comedy and Magic Club but when the venue closed, this small group of volunteers forged ahead and held a successful virtual event including a live and silent auction last year.

The group is excited to present a user-friendly virtual silent auction to ensure the vital work the Children’s Center provides is fully supported. In fact, the South Bay Auxiliary of Harbor Interfaith Services exclusively raises funds for the Harbor Interfaith Services Children’s Center, which receives no government funding. The Children’s Center is key to helping homeless families get back on their feet.

I had a chance to speak with Palos Verdes resident Nancy Roebuck, the president of the South Bay Auxiliary to find out why this fundraiser and the work of the Children’s Center is so important. She explained that The Children’s Center offers care and education for ages 6 weeks to 17 years old on the second floor of the Family Resource Center in San Pedro. With an outdoor playground, four childcare classes, a kitchen and office space, the center partners with parents to give each child support and encouragement to become his or her own unique self. The experience mirrors what other children experience so that the homeless child can have the same experiences, which helps when integrating back into a more stable lifestyle. The Children’s Center offers a structured program for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children through the Mary L. Gimenez Caulder Center. There is also an after-school program, HIS Kids Club that operates weekday afternoons and full-time during winter, spring, and summer breaks. The children benefit from activities, help with homework and access to tutoring. The preschool curriculum allows participants to graduate kindergarten ready. School-aged children are picked up from school and brought to the center. In addition to the above, the kids are given a healthy breakfast, lunch and snacks all prepared on site by a chef in the kitchen. Families that are clients of Harbor Interfaith Services are eligible for the Children’s Center programs.

Nancy shares that families that receive this assistance are part of the invisible homeless. They may be on the verge of homelessness. These are families that may have lost a job, had an unexpected medical issue or may be experiencing domestic violence. When problems first arise, a vulnerable family may start out moving in with a family member, but after a period, may start living out of their car. When they come to Harbor Interfaith Services, they are offered a hand up and not a handout. They are assigned a caseworker to help navigate them through their new situation including help with housing and childcare. Nancy points out that the children that have experienced homelessness suffer physical, emotional, and intellectual effects that can last for life. They have often experienced many disruptions to their lives due to domestic violence or abuse. It is an important part of the healing to have a place that offers a nurturing environment and provides structure in a comfortable, safe place.

As the topic of the pandemic came up, Nancy recalls how Harbor Interfaith Services continued to operate during the pandemic, only closing for about a month in the early days of 2020. Before long, they revved up and hired teachers, purchased computers, and implemented sanitation and social distancing so that school-aged children had a place to go, and parents could continue to work. One of the things that inspires Nancy is that when Harbor Interfaith Services is presented with a problem, they get creative and solve it. They find a way to serve these families. Nancy also reminded that many of the government programs to provide rent moratoriums and financial assistance will be ending soon and more families may find themselves on the verge of homelessness. She hopes to be ready for what the future holds by continuing to raise the funds needed to run the Children’s Center.

By visiting hisauxiliary.org, you can learn more about the Dreams Do Come True Virtual Silent Auction that opens for bidding on April 25, 2022. You can also learn more about the organization and the Children’s Center on the website. Nancy pointed out that Charity Navigator finds that 94% of every dollar raised by Harbor Interfaith Services goes to services! With no government funding, the work of the Children’s Center relies on private corporate donations, individual sponsors, and fundraisers such as this year’s virtual silent auction. With homelessness on everyone’s mind, it is a great opportunity to do something that could potentially change a life and be part of a dream come true for a child.