Give Yourself the Gift of Self-Love for Valentine’s Day
Valentine's Day is quickly approaching; it will be here any minute! With Valentine's Day coming up, having a mix of feelings is understandable. This Day is typically associated with fairy tale movies, commercials about love, and an endless stream of social media posts from people in relationships. Add in a worldwide pandemic, and it can make for a stressful and lonely day for those who may be single or away from loved ones. With an unprecedented year behind us and hope on the horizon in 2022, here are a few ways to celebrate self-care and self-compassion and combat loneliness on Valentine's Day and beyond.
Focus on you
Show love for yourself and appreciation for the love surrounding you in whatever simple self-care activities bring you joy, rest, or relaxation. Connect with an old friend, take a nap, give that new hobby you've been thinking about finally a try, enjoy the outdoors, or treat yourself to your favorite food. You'll be surprised how quickly simple pleasures can elevate your mood.
Look for the good
It can be hard to focus on the positive things in your life at the moment when the world is so chaotic. Instead, look for the good: write down or say out loud three things you're grateful for.
Catch up with an old friend
When times are tough, you want your best friends close by. For Valentine's Day, that means safely social distancing or reaching out via Zoom. Use this time to reminisce about old times, and don't be afraid to open up about what you're feeling. Sharing what's bothering you is a great way to lift a weight off your shoulders. Chances are that your friends are experiencing similar stressors.
Make Plans
Having something to do on Valentine's Day ( for yourself or with others) can help take your mind off of things. Host a movie or game night with your "pandemic-safe" circle or friends or gather virtually. The most important thing is that you're surrounding yourself with people who love and support you and make you feel good.
Do a random act of kindness
When we do something kind or thoughtful for others, our feeling of well-being is boosted. For instance, write a sweet letter to a loved one or surprise them by sending them their favorite sweets.
Remember to seek support if you need it
It's OK to ask for help. If you're feeling overwhelmed and need someone to talk to, ECDA has an array of resources to help you through whatever you're feeling. Reach out for help; whether it's a friend or a professional, you can always talk to someone. If you would like to speak to a professional, give us a call at (818) 898-0223 to speak to our Intake team and to schedule your appointment.
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El Centro de Amistad Surprises Two Families in Need
With $2,000 Checks to Pay Their Bills
 On Tuesday, December 21, we surprised two local families in need with $2,000 checks to help pay for toys, food, and unpaid bills.
“We identified two families this holiday who were in urgent need of support from us,” said Flaviola Garcia, ECDA’s Community Relations Coordinator. “We knew we had to find a way to make their holiday a little bit brighter after the hardships they recently experienced. We decided to surprise them at a special event where we presented them with a $2,000 check each.”
Mr. Andres and Mrs. Jimenez are clients of ECDA who were identified in November to receive the surprise checks at a special event held on Dec. 21.
The first recipient, Mr. Andres, is a client of ECDA who referred himself for mental health services in July 2020 after receiving a diagnosis of Leukemia in October 2019. Mr. Andres is the sole provider for his household and had a difficult time accepting his diagnosis. His wife had to become the sole provider by working at McDonald's. As Mr. Andres began to receive chemotherapy, he experienced severe side effects, and eventually, his wife had to stop working to care for him. As a result, the family began to struggle financially and could barely cover their most needed expenses.
Mr. Andres was having a slow and steady recovery, but in November of this year, he received the unfortunate news that his cancer had returned. He will now have to receive chemotherapy four days a week. He has to drive to the hospital to receive his treatments four days a week. He is the only person who drives in the home and at times needs to pay for Uber to get him to and from the hospital. Additionally, the family will have more financial expenses because the client is uninsured. Mr. Andres has been consistently attending his therapy sessions and implementing the strategies discussed in sessions throughout treatment. He has proven to be strong and resilient but needs financial support so that he can heal and recover.
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This Holiday Season We Helped 85 Families in Need with
Gifts Through Our “Adopt-A-Family” Program
 El Centro de Amistad played Santa this holiday season by inviting 85 local families to a private charitable event that was held at ECDA’s two locations (566 South Brand Blvd. in San Fernando and 7038 Owensmouth Ave. in Canoga Park) on Friday, Dec. 17. The 85 families were greeted with cookies, popcorn, and candy canes, all donated by Chase Bank. Families also were greeted individually by Santa, and the children had a chance to talk to Santa alone and take a family holiday photo with him. The families were also given gifts from the community, including toys, food, and essential household items.
Every year during the holidays, ECDA identifies families in need to participate in its “Adopt-A-Family” program. The families are low-income, some homeless, single-parent households, undocumented, or facing extreme obstacles. Factors such as high unemployment rates, homelessness, financial stressors, and mental health concerns lead to uneasy feelings of frustration, sadness, and anxiety for a parent or family member who is unable to provide a holiday meal or gifts for their loved ones.
“Our basic needs have to be met in order to focus on our mental health, which is why it’s important for us to receive the holiday support of food and gifts for our clients from our community,” said ECDA Board Chair Danitza Pantoja. “Especially during these unprecedented times where most of all our own mental health is being taxed, our families could really use the extra support.”
As a result of the pandemic, the need from the community was even greater than in normal times. This year, El Centro de Amistad nominated 85 families to participate in its “Adopt-A-Family” program instead of the usual 20 families it identifies. Based on the urgent needs, families adopted were nominated and chosen by ECDA’s case managers and clinical supervisors. Each clinician nominated 3-4 families to be assessed and receive support this holiday season.
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Lending Her Expertise and Experience to Clients
 Having left her home country of El Salvador in 1986, Magali Gallegos understands the struggles and obstacles that immigrants face in a foreign place. She believes that had her family known about El Centro de Amistad; they could have benefited from the resources. Now, Magali will be able to lend her expertise and experience to our clients.
“There are so many obstacles you go through when you come to a whole new land,” said Magali, who understands the language barriers, the difference in food, and the dynamics of living in a new country. “Everything you know, you left behind. You come to a country with nothing on you.”
Magali recalls the turmoil going on and the civil war in El Salvador. Her mother came to America in 1980 and her father in 1981 “There was a huge exodus going on. I think about all of the friends I had, and when I came here, I had nobody. When I see the stories about the recipients, it takes me back in a certain way; and I know the struggles and hardships they are going through.”
This inspired Magali to join the ECDA board of directors. As the vice president branch manager of HomeStreet Bank at the Granada Hills location, Magali plans to use her knowledge in the banking industry to help individuals and families. From providing quarterly talks to clients to address their banking needs or answer questions they may have to inform them about financial literacy, Magali is eager to help individuals and families.
To finish reading the article, click this link. |
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With the support of new and existing sponsors, we were able to adopt 85 families under our Adopt-A-Family Christmas program. We thank our sponsors for their generous gifts and for providing these families with a memorable holiday season full of joy and hope.
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Ways to Donate
Please consider making a tax-deductible gift this year. It's easy to donate. Go to http://ecda.org/donation/.
Spread the love this month! When you shop via Amazon, Amazon Smile will donate a portion of your purchase total to our non-profit. It's really easy.
Go to smile.amazon.com and select El Centro de Amistad as your charity of choice and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases - at no cost to you.
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Follow us on Social Media
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube to support our wellness efforts. Invite your friends on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to help us reach a larger audience online.
Share our posts too! Share this email newsletter with a friend or loved one.
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Join our Team!
Our team is growing! We are looking to expand our dynamic team with more passionate individuals. Learn more and apply now at http://ecda.org/employment-opportunities/.
We encourage you to share our posting with your network.
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Join our Free Weekly Support Group!
Our new Mind, Motivation, & Attitude, Becoming a Better You support group combines the objectives of removing mental health barriers to employment with exercises that promote practical outcomes. Participants will learn coping strategies to deal with their emotional concerns and gain knowledge about the culture of the work environment. You can also expect to become empowered to pursue educational/ employment goals while improving general life skills.
This group meets every week on Mondays from 2-3 pm. It is free to join and all adults are welcomed. If you are interested in enrolling in this online English support group or have any questions, please contact Rosario M. or Sonia R. at (818) 593-4246 ext. 323 or 304.
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Call to Make an Appointment Today!
We are currently accepting children and adults with Medi-Cal and no insurance. To see if you qualify for services, please call our San Fernando Intake team at (818) 898-0223 or our Canoga Park Intake team at (818) 347-8565. Our Intake representatives can also assist in Spanish.
We are currently offering Telehealth services during COVID-19. To learn more about the services we provide, please visit www.ecda.org.
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Useful Links and Resources:
COVID-19 Testing: covid19.lacounty.gov/testing
COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/reporting/vaccinefinder/about.html
Mental Health Support: (800) 854-7771 or text “LA” to 741741 or visit
https://dmh.lacounty.gov/covid-19-information/
For additional resources please dial 2-1-1
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