News
Friends of the Society Celebrate SVDP's Special Works
On April 21, 2005, community supporters gathered for SVdP's inaugural '2005 Friends of the Society Breakfast.' Held at the St. Columba Parish Hall, this event raised awareness and more than $20,000 to support the work of the Champion Guidance Center for Men and the Visitation Center for Women and Children.
As guests arrived, they were greeted by the friendly faces of Sister Marion and guests from the Visitation Center. The event began with a welcome from Emcee Father Jayson Landeza and a foreword from Gary Flinders, First President of the Board of Directors. Following breakfast, which was served by Mediterraneo Catering and volunteers from the Champion Workforce, Executive Director Philip Arca spoke about the future direction of the Champion Guidance Center and the Visitation Center, which include adding extra counseling, workforce development and educational components. Guests also watched an eight-minute film presentation called "A Place to Make a Difference", which was produced by the Kaiser Healthcare Foundation, and heard moving testimonials from Joe Rodriguez and Carol Foster, guests of the Champion Guidance Center and the Visitation Center.
Following the event, tours were offered of SVdP's Downtown Oakland Campus of Services, which includes the Champion Guidance Center and the Visitation Center, as well as the Free Dining Room.
SVdP offers our sincere gratitude to all who attended the event, as well as the numerous Board and Committee members who generously volunteered hours of their time to plan and make this event a success. Special thanks are also in order to St. Columba Parish Hall, Father Jayson Landeza, the Champion Workforce and those who volunteered as Table Captains.
For more information, contact Christine Comella at (510) 636-4255 or ccomella@svdp-alameda.org