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Front row, from left to right: Board Member Danitza Pantoja, El Centro de Amistad Executive Director Tamika Farr, Board Treasurer Doug Barnett, and Board Member Jerry Fox. Back row, from left to right: Board Vice President Ismael Aguila, Board President Luis Cervantes, Mark Ozzello, donor and volunteer, and Board Member Rich Golisch.
SAN FERNANDO, CA, August 8, 2018—At its annual board of directors annual installation, El Centro de Amistad (ECDA), a San Fernando mental health nonprofit, welcomed its new slate of officers: Luis Cervantes, president; Ismael Aguila, vice president; David Moreno, secretary; Doug Barnett, treasurer; and Irene Smerigan, sargent at arms.
“As we venture into the new year for El Centro de Amistad, our board has grown in membership to full capacity and the diversity in skill sets has increased as well. As board president for this coming term I will look to facilitate our leadership capacity to it's fullest by ensuring we are mission driven and strategic in our decision-making responsibilities,” said Cervantes, who is continuing on his fourth term. “The agency continues to grow in its impact and funding and we'll strive to continue to do so as we serve the communities we've been entrusted too. I am filled with excitement working alongside each and every board member and ECDA staff.”
ECDA also welcomed three new members to their board this year, including Aguila, Charlene Grambling, and Danitza Pantoja. Born and raised in San Fernando, Aguila, director of Community Health and Partnerships for Providence Health and Services, said that mental health is a major need in the valley. According to Aguila, in the Joint Community Health Needs Assessment 2016 conducted by the three Providence hospitals, facilitators interviewed administrators of 45 schools, who identified mental health services as hard to access.
Using this information, Aguila’s goals on the board are to bring resources in funding and mental health partnerships to the Northeast San Fernando Valley, as well as work with city council in ways that would benefit ECDA.
Grambling, a realtor in San Fernando Valley, understands the importance of a village, having people to help you and guide you along the way.
“My mother was a positive voice in my home and she helped the less fortunate,” said Charlene, whose mother used nursing as a way to show that even on a bed of affliction you still have someone that cares for you. “Mental health became very important to me and it starts from the home. For young people who don’t receive it, they get lost.”
The agency offers comprehensive mental health services to empower individuals for a better tomorrow. Grambling’s aim is to apply her skills in real estate by offering her expertise in buildings and facilities. She wants to be part of the mission that empowers “young people to be able to feel they are a part of society, are cared, and give them a broader spectrum of what they can achieve.”
A program specialist for the Antelope Valley High School District, Pantoja joins the board to offer her knowledge in special education.
“With my expertise I hope to introduce new programs, be an advocate for the continuation of the phenomenal programs that El Centro de Amistad has, speak on behalf of those programs, and be a good promoter of the agency,” said Pantoja, adding that mental health is a very important aspect of ECDA’s services.
“I am extremely proud of our board members and their leadership. They are committed to creating impact in the San Fernando Valley and helping us empower the lives of many more individuals through various comprehensive mental health services,” said Tamika Farr, executive director of El Centro de Amistad, adding that their support is invaluable in making connections and providing additional resources for the agency.
Other board members include Rich Golisch and Jerry Fox.
Throughout its 40 years in this community, El Centro de Amistad has served more than 100,000 individuals, empowering the lives of children, families and individuals for a better tomorrow. With support from its multilingual and cross-cultural staff, they serve 1,100 children, adults and families annually. The agency’s goals are to reduce risk factors that lead to violence, school failure, gang affiliation, and child abuse. When treating adults, the goals are to curb debilitating behaviors, assist in enhancing self-sufficiency, and resolve issues that are barriers to employment.
If you are interested in learning more about El Centro de Amistad and its two clinics in Canoga Park and San Fernando, call 818-347-8565 and 818-898-0223, respectively. Visit www.elcentrodeamistad.org to learn how you can help.
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