Letter from the Director
by Paige Pelonis, CityHeART Executive Director
I am thrilled to announce that after 6 years, I am transitioning into the full-time position of Executive Director at CityHeART.
In the last 2 years, this all-volunteer, grass-roots organization has transformed into a unique collaborative model that provides supplemental case management, peer support, and care coordination for Veterans, seniors, and families with kids experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity in Long Beach.
Our Resource Hub is located in West Long Beach at the Villages at Cabrillo, where we offer recreational, educational, and wellness programming as well. Our two core programs Connect! and the Veterans Council are busier than ever, and the storytelling piece of our mission is coming to life via the brand new Art from Ashes and The Hub publications.
It is an exciting step to be able to take this on full-time and give it the attention it needs to continue to grow. There is so much more we want and plan to do, and I can’t wait!
But if there’s any one thing that this journey has taught me, it’s that nobody can do this kind of work alone. Leading this organization means leaning on the volunteers, the interns, and the partners who bring everything they can to the table in order to bring our mission and vision to life in all new ways every single day.
It’s truly an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to serve the community in this way, and even though we will for the very first time be bringing on paid staff, it is still absolutely the truth that every single dollar donated makes it possible for us to not only keep the lights on, but to also make a meaningful impact on the lives of the Veterans, seniors, and families with children who walk through our doors for support.
Your support by means of donations of your time and/or money are greatly needed and extremely appreciated. I hope you will consider joining us at our upcoming HeART of the City Awards night to celebrate how far we have come and hear where we plan to go next while at the same time supporting our mission.