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Founded in 1984, the Los Angeles Youth Network (LAYN) is a California non-profit organization that strives to end youth homelessness one kid at a time. Each night, as many as 7,500 homeless youths will sleep on the streets of LA. Many of these youths have either voluntarily left an abusive situation or have been thrown out or abandoned. On the streets, they may fall victim to prostitution, drug abuse, and to various other dangerous situations. The LAYN’s mission is to empower these youths to become self-sufficient by providing street outreach, food, emergency shelter, transitional living apartments, and educational enrichment programs. |
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http://www.layn.org/ |
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January 2011
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A customer answered one of our calls for charities to consider for our monthly program and recommended the LAYN. I contacted Ron Cooper, Director of Volunteers and In-Kind Donations and visited a couple of the LAYN’s facilities, and was immediately moved by their efforts to address youth homelessness in LA. I was fortunate to have parents that provided a comfortable, loving, and supportive living environment for my two brothers and me. LA is the second most populous city in the United States, with almost 4 million people. It can be very easy for homeless youths to get lost. Without the efforts of organizations such as the LAYN, these homeless youths are destined to be welfare burdens to society or become criminals.
The shelter that I chose to help renovate was one of their temporary living facilities on Gower St in Hollywood. In the main recreation room, there was only an old beat-up leather sofa and some folding chairs. In speaking with Ron, he informed me of their wish to have more seating for the kids. That is where The Sofa Company came in. My solution was to build them a large 3-piece Joe Sectional in a neutral micro-chenille that was both comfy and durable!
Now the kids can gather around to watch movies or to simply kick back and relax.
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The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. The San Gabriel Pomona Chapter’s offices is currently in the Carver’s Estate located in Pasadena, a historic estate that has been recently refurbished. |
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www.redcrossla.org/sangabrielpomonavalley/ |
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September 2010
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The American Red Cross is on the oldest, most respected charitable organizations around today. Founded in 1881, The American Red Cross has always strived to improve the general welfare of the American people, as well as always being there in the time people need help the most through disaster and crisis. I chose The American Red Cross’ Pasadena location because it is often rented out for weddings in which all proceeds for the cost of renting goes to the charity. The bridal suite was in need of refurnishing and was very excited to be given the opportunity to do so. Now women and their closest family and friends can enjoy their day getting ready in not only comfort, but style.
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For more than 22 years, Venice Community Housing Corporation (VCHC) has been developing lasting, neighborhood-based solutions for low-income families and individuals. Our non-profit affordable housing programs are supported by a comprehensive range of life skills coaching, job training, youth development and employment, and family services. Formerly homeless and low-income participants are able to stabilize their lives and achieve economic self-reliance, making our communities stronger, safer and more inclusive for everyone.
VCHC's mission is to preserve the economic, racial and social diversity of Venice and the surrounding area by maximizing affordable housing and economic development opportunities and providing needed social services to the area’s low-income population. |
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www.vchcorp.org |
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August 2010
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I first heard of VCHC through na e-mail that was sent to me inquiring about a donation, I quickly looked into and learned more about what they do and what they are about.
I found it truly inspiring to learn about VCHC and there dedication to assisting Mothers and their children in the transition from homelessness to self sufficiency.
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The Blind Children’s Center, through a combination of both center and home-based programs, serves young children with visual impairments. They help these children acquire necessary skills in order to build their independence. In addition to their Los Angeles-based school, they also lend their expertise and experience to families and professionals around the world through research, education, and support services. Founded in 1938 by members of the Southern California Delta Gamma Fraternity, they optimize the visually impaired child’s development and resulting opportunities through a comprehensive program of specialized education. |
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http://www.blindchildrenscenter.org/ |
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April 2010
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I think it’s amazing that this type of service is available free of charge. I can only imagine the struggle of a parent with a visually impaired child; you would want so badly for them to live a normal life, but a parent only has so many tools at their disposal in order to make that possible, and often the only option is an expensive one. And I love that they extend themselves even further by supporting research and publishing educational materials to help those who are not fortunate enough to be able to take advantage of their center or home-based programs. It’s been an honor getting to know and donating to the folks at the Blind Children’s Center.
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Upward Bound House is a non profit that has existed since 1991. They provide temporary (up to one year) housing for homeless families (only people with kids). They focus on teaching parents life skills so that they can survive and thrive in the real world. While they stay at Upward Bound House apartments, the families must save 75% of their earnings. This is mandatory. Staff members then show them how to budget, save, etc... They also have parenting classes, nutrition classes and homework night and tutors for the kids. Their success rate is amazing. 95% of the graduates stay off the streets.
They are opening a new facility in Culver City that will house 18 homeless families. The Sofa Company donated a sofa to the community room, which will get a ton of use for parenting classes, homework night and fun night. |
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www.Upwardboundhouse.org |
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March 2010
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When I heard about this project, I really got a lot of “warm fuzzy” feelings. It’s such a great cause, run by genuine and dedicated people. I think it’s really great the way they not only take the families in, but also equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide better lives for themselves and their children upon leaving the house. That’s a really important step that I think is often missed by usual shelters. Thinking of all the fun tv nights these families will have on the sofa we donated, I am so thrilled that we got to be a part of this.
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In Los Angeles since 1904, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd continue a tradition of more than 350 years of caring for women and children in abusive and inhumane situations. In 1977, this international congregation serving in 70 countries founded Good Shepherd Shelter of Los Angeles as one of our nation’s first shelters for victims of domestic violence. |
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http://www.goodshepherdshelter.org/ |
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February 2010
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In the United States, a woman is battered every nine seconds and domestic violence kills ten women daily. When attempting to leave an abusive home, a woman increases her risk of being killed by 75%. Having personally known someone who was murdered by her abusive spouse, I understand the importance of having a safe place for battered women and their children to go. The Good Shepherd Shelter provides a loving and safe space for these families to heal. They offer individual and group therapy, have an on site preschool, and an elementary tutorial center for the older children. They also have an adult learning center that provides mothers with tools to develop as persons, parents, and providers. With 90% of the families going on to lead healthy and violence free lives, Los Angeles is blessed to have the kind sisters of the Good Shepherd Shelter and their passionate volunteers in our community!
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The Westside Center for Independent Living is a non-residential center dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people with all kinds of disabilities. The goal of the peer-led programs and services is the elimination of economic, social, attitudinal and environmental barriers.
Centers for independent living (CILs) are private, nonprofit corporations that provide services to maximize the independence of individuals with disabilities and the accessibility of the communities they live in. |
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www.wcil.org |
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January 2010
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Driving down Venice Blvd, I noticed a very interesting mural of whales painted on the side of a building. After driving past this building many times I wondered what was inside. I went home and did some research online and found out it was a non profit organization called Westside Center for Independent Living. They have helped so many people thrive and live on there own! It was such a great experience to get to visit them and meet the wonderful staff that is so passionate about helping people live independently.
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In 1973, a group of community volunteers opened Union Station as a simple hospitality center to serve poor and homeless men in downtown Pasadena. Today, Union Station is the San Gabriel Valley's largest and most comprehensive social service agency assisting homeless and very low-income people. Our mission is to help, men, women and children rebuild their lives and end homelessness.” |
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http://www.unionstationfoundation.org/ |
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Dec 2009
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Sometimes life takes a sudden turn which ends up leaving us in an unfortunate situation. In difficult times like these, many people have lost jobs, homes, and even the motivation to continue on. Union Station Homeless Services offers everything from meal programs, emergency shelter, health services, counseling, and even career development/job placements for men, women, and children. Sometimes all we need is a helping hand for motivation. Union Station Homeless Services and I are very thankful for the generous donation made by The Sofa Company!
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This is a caring non-profit Inner City after school program for girls and boys from ages 10 to 24 years old. They work off of grant funding and donations. |
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October 2009
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Inner city children are vulnerable to dangerous influences and an after-school program can be a positive influence as well as a safe place. I did after school tutoring years ago. I found that kids have so much going on in their personal lives that includes, divorced parents, single working parents and other situations that make it a bit tougher to just be a kid and focus on him/herself. This program sounds fabulous with a great team of people to support the potential of kids and their continuing education. I’m sure every one of those kids at My Club Youth Center will forever be affected by the times they spent there.
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“Kidspace science, arts and humanities programming is designed to inspire young minds, promote healthy choices and lifestyles, bolster environmental awareness and stewardship, celebrate cultural diversity and support school readiness. As Southern California’s premier children’s museum, Kidspace is uniquely positioned to foster a love of learning and facilitate meaningful family educational experiences in an atmosphere of open-ended exploration and fun.” |
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www.kidspacemuseum.org/ |
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September 2009
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One of my favorite childhood memories was going on a fieldtrip to Kidspace Science Museum. As a child, it was exciting to be able to pan out for fools gold and taking nature hikes with my classmates. Kidspace Science Museum offers a wide range of programs and activities both indoor and out, which allow children to learn through interactive experiences. Kidspace offers a fun educational experience in a safe environment for both children and parents. I have always found that learning can be more enjoyable when you are able to interact and learn with a hands on approach. Kidspace and I are very thankful for the generous donation made by The Sofa Company!
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Project New Hope promotes opportunity, self-sufficiency, and dignity for low-income or homeless people, focusing primarily on those living with HIV/AIDS and related disabilities.
We are dedicated to providing permanent affordable housing and computer training to individuals with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles. Our services assist people with HIV/AIDS who also face the challenges of homelessness, and mental illness. PNH remains the largest operator of housing for people living with AIDS in Los Angeles County and the only AIDS service organization that provides a full continuum of care and employment training in the State of California. |
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www.projectnewhope.org |
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August 2009
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Sometimes, in life, things just come together in ways that benefit all involved. I have always wanted to help people, and somehow combine that with interior design. So, when I was told that I would be able to design and coordinate a charity project, I was thrilled! But, who would I choose? The answer came to me almost immediately when Vanessa Bradshaw (the Facility Manager at “Our House”) decided to check out our Downtown Los Angeles Showroom. As she talked to me about the needs of the eight people living at “Our House”, I felt compelled, and certain that this was the Charity for me to help! At “Our House”, the area that needed the most help was the living room which needed to serve a million functions. Thanks to a new paint job, other donations including Joshua Logan Moore (Desperate Housewives), and (of course) our custom sofas and furniture the living room looks transformed. Now the residents and caretakers of “Our House” have a relaxing, beautiful, and functional room to enjoy for years to come, and Vanessa and I couldn’t be happier with how generous The Sofa Company has been!
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At the Jeff Griffith Youth Center we offer free breakfast and lunch, showers, clothing, laundry facilities, a cyber center, counseling and social activities as well as free testing for HIV and other STDs. We also offer a program to help you get the equivalency of a high school diploma (GED) and/or a job. If you are 18-24 years old, without a place to live but ready to make a commitment to getting off the streets, we have a 20-bed transitional living program in Hollywood where you may be able to stay for up to 18 months. With dorm style rooms, a cyber center, a recreation room, and three meals a day, it offers everything you need while staff help you land a job and/or get you into school. We’ll also work with you to develop the skills and resources you’ll need to successfully make it on your own. |
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www.lagaycenter.org |
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July 2009
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The Jeff Griffith Youth Center has always has always been close to my heart because they create an atmosphere where our homeless gay, lesbian, bi sexual and transgender youth feel like they have a family that cares about them and wants to see them succeed. The wonderful warm and caring staff at the JGYC provides these kids with the necessary tools (like case management, counseling, a GED preparation program, and a job skills program) to get their lives back on track and one day have a home of their own. When it came time for me to select my charity, they were hands down my choice. The work that they do is truly inspiring, and giving them a much needed new sectional for one of the meeting rooms is my way of saying thank you, and letting them know that I appreciate the commitment, love and dedication that they have shown to the often overlooked and vulnerable LGBT kids in our community.
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Step Up on Second (Los Angeles) involves individuals with severe and persistent mental illness in developing opportunities to reintegrate into the community. Step Up is dedicated to long-term support of people in recovery and their families, offering quality housing, educational, social and work experiences. Step Up is committed to increasing public understanding and acceptance of mental illness. |
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www.stepuponsecond.org |
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May-June 2009
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Step Up is a charity that requires more patience and compassion than any job I could imagine. The employees work endless hours, at times dealing with a crisis situation at 3 in the morning . They are helping people that have lost everything due to untreated mental illness and giving them the tools they need to get their life back on track. It’s a selfless organization that doesn’t get the attention it deserves, so it feels good to be able to do something for them.
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United Friends of the Children was founded in 1979 by Nancy Daly Riordan to address the unmet needs of Los Angeles County’s foster youth – a most vulnerable and underserved population. Today, UFC provides support services to more than 2,000 current and former foster youth each year, working to provide them with the opportunity to finish high school, find housing, attend college and build the skills to support themselves. The organization’s programs address the most tangible needs of foster youth while also encouraging them to explore issues of identity, trust, self-esteem, communication and emotional well-being. |
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www.unitedfriends.org |
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March - April 2009
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At the Sofa Company we are all about “making a house a home.” Given this, it only made sense to me that we team up with an organization founded on the concept of “home.” United Friends of the Children is a Los Angeles-based non-profit group that focuses on, “Preparing foster youth for a future that works.” UFC helps over 2,000 children and young adults every year by making it possible for them to finish high school, find a place to live, and develop the skills they will need to become completely independent.
I am pleased to be able to work with UFC’s Transitional Housing program, “Pathways,” to design this fun sectional for the young residents at their Inglewood location. Here, UFC supports emancipated 18-23 year olds in their efforts to transition into the next stage of their lives. The transitional housing program is service-based and centers around, as UFC explains it, providing “educational mentoring and assistance, health and mental health services, career and vocational counseling, life skills training courses, and ongoing personal support.” Sandra Williams, director of the transitional living programs, chose a purple sectional, “not beige,” to reflect the hope and inspiring energy of the young people with whom she works. This sectional will seat youths and speakers in the Inglewood Pathways meeting room.
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Founded 95 years ago, HILLSIDES mission is to create safe places for children, strengthen families, provide special education; and advocate for children’s rights. This Southern California non profit creates safe places for children in its residential treatment program where children living in the group homes are in foster care or have been referred by the Department of Mental Health. While on our campus, they reside in a secure, stable environment which enables them to heal and rebuild trusting relationships with adults. |
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www.hillsides.org |
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Jan - Feb 2009
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Growing up in boys homes across Los Angeles I never felt like I had a home. Since their opening in 1913, Hillsides Group home has created an environment that not only is a safe nurturing place for hundreds of children but also feels like a home; It is warm and so are the staff. I then saw the old drab sofa in the children’s resource center lobby, not warm nor cozy. I wanted to create a happy room for the children to meet with their parents and just have a place that felt like home. I will be smiling for weeks to come remembering the expressions on the faces of both staff and children when they saw their new furniture.
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Make-a-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Any child between the ages of 2 ½ and 18 in Los Angeles county with such a condition is eligible for wish fulfillment. The Los Angeles chapter is one of 67 nationwide. The organization as a whole has granted the wishes of over 161,000 children since its start in 1980, with the Los Angeles chapter brightening over 6,300 of those lives. |
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www.wishla.org |
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Nov - Dec 2008
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I have always had a special place in my heart for this organization. My favorite teacher from high school started a group to raise money for Make-a-Wish, of which I was an active member. It is truly refreshing and affirming to know that there are people out there working hard every day to spread happiness, hope and strength to other human beings, especially those in need. I imagine that the looks on these kids faces as their wildest wishes are fulfilled makes it all worthwhile for the amazing people at Make-a-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles.
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Venice Family Health Clinic was founded in 1970 with the mission to provide free, quality health care to people in need and has since grown to the nation’s largest free clinic. Today they operate with nearly 1,900 volunteers and $10.5 million in-kind contributions.
The Clinic provides comprehensive primary health care, mental health services, health education and child development services, as well as public insurance enrollment to more than 21,000 patients, including approximately 5,500 children, who make over 116,000 visits. Prescription medicines are provided at no charge. |
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www.venicefamilyclinic.org |
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Sept - Oct 2008
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I choose Venice Family Clinic because I admire the volunteers who donate their valuable time and medical skills to help the people and families who are in need. Having been in situations where I was not covered by insurance at a time when an unexpected medical expense has come up, I know how stressful and costly getting the needed treatment and prescriptions can be. I can only imagine how much harder it would be for a parent in that situation with a child that needed to see a doctor. I think it is a great service that the clinic provides to the community and was particularly impressed the extensive list of programs that they offer.
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Guide Dogs of America is dedicated to its mission to provide guide dogs and instruction for use, free of charge, to blind and visually impaired men and women from the United States and Canada, so that they may continue to pursue their goals with increased mobility and independence. They have dedicated trainers that go through a very intense training program to become licensed by the California State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Before they can get certified, the instructors must complete a three year apprenticeship under a licensed instructor at a certified guide dog school. |
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http://www.guidedogsofamerica.org/ |
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July - August 2008
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When I was younger, I went on a field trip to Guide Dogs of America. When I was given the opportunity to select a charity of the month, I remembered that field trip to their facility and through a online search engine found them!
It was a great experience revisiting them and seeing how much work really went into training guide dogs. Here at The Sofa Company, we have so many pet friendly fabrics that it was hard to decide! Guide Dogs of America chose a small sectional in a durable micro velvet to put in their newly remodeled facility. What a great joy it was to give back to the people who commit so much to enabling the blind.
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The Special Olympics organization has a great mission and purpose dedicated to offering year round athletic training and competition to those with intellectual disabilities. Participants in the program develop improved physical fitness and motor skills, greater self-confidence, and a more positive self-image. The Special Olympics of Southern California serves over 12,000 children and adults and is continuing to grow everyday. |
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www.sosc.org |
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May - June 2008
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I was an active volunteer for my high school’s annual Special Olympics events and truly enjoyed meeting and coaching children to meet their goals. I think it is a great and inspirational program which is why I recommended it as our charity of the month. Designing a custom sofa for the organization has been a fun and rewarding experience. The organization has been very gracious toward the company and is very appreciative of everything we have done for them.
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The Santa Monica Museum of Art supports the art of our time through exhibitions and related programs that embrace diverse aesthetic, cultural, and ideological perspectives. The Museum is ideally located in the heart of Santa Monica and is an integral part of the historic Bergamot train station that was transformed into a lively, arts complex. |
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www.smmoa.org |
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Jan - Feb 2008
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Before, the SMMOA's "everything room" was largely centered around a large conference table and an eclectic mix of art pieces, but it lacked warmth. The challenge was to make the room a more inviting, social gathering place, while preserving the museum's artistic appeal.
The solution was the custom-sized Dayo Sofa. Aesthetically, the Dayo is certainly a diversion from the typical department store sofa. Additionally, it functions both as a sofa as well as a lounger with its detachable back supports. A nice blend of art and function that perfectly suits this room's purpose!
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The Exceptional Children's Foundation (ECF) will continue to provide progressive, integrated community services of the highest quality for people with developmental and other disabilities. Within the social service system, ECF will be recognized for providing a progressive work environment that attracts and retains experienced, high-quality industry professionals. ECF will create, and be an integral part of, diverse communities that value all individuals while providing the opportunities for people with developmental and other disabilities to live, work, and recreate in settings of their informed choice. |
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www.ecf.net |
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Nov - Dec 2007
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Angela Stoner (Santa Monica Manager) designer a custom suede sectional to help make the entrance and lobby for ECF's facility more inviting for parents and children alike.
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