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Little
Tokyo Service Center News - January 2012 |
| An Office With a Great View by Bill Watanabe |
New Years and Things New
Last year, around the Spring of 2011, I read about a man in Ft. Worth Texas who received a new face - the first total face-transplant in the country. The man had lost his face due to a terrible accident involving a power line some years before. After the transplant, he was able to have a face that had eyes, a nose and mouth, and had facial muscle control. Even though the new face was a tremendous improvement over his previously marred and melted face, it was still somewhat grotesque and mis-shapen and barely resembling a human being.
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When his 3-year old daughter saw her father and his new face for the first time, she ran up to him, jumped into his arms, and exclaimed, "Daddy - you look so handsome!"
May we each see the coming year with the eyes of those who can appreciate beauty wherever it can be found, and may we count each day as a blessing.
Best wishes everyone for a good and prosperous 2012! |
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| Did You Know |
You can park in Little Tokyo for $1?
The City of Los Angeles just opened a new parking lot in Little Tokyo at 101 N. Judge John Aiso St. (at the corner of First St.) The first two hours are $1 per each hour, three hours is $5 and there is a $3 flat rate after 5 pm. Come to Little Tokyo to shop, eat and enjoy the sights without worrying about your meter! |
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| How Your Support Makes a Difference |
Be Prepared. Make a plan.
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The Japanese Speaking Parents Association of Children with Challenges holds workshops for its members to discuss parenting issues. During a recent workshop a father with two sons, one of whom was born without legs, was the guest speaker. He also happens to be a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department. With LTSC staff interpreting, he discussed his experiences parenting two children when one is disabled. During the question and answer session one parent brought up the fact that in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami, families with disabled children were turned away from emergency shelters because the shelters did not feel they could adequately care for them. |
This started the parents thinking about what would happen in Los Angeles if we had a natural disaster the size of the one in Japan. The guest speaker agreed that parents of disabled children need to make special plans in the event of a natural disaster because the resources available to the general public may not be sufficient for their needs. The parents and the guest speaker each agreed to conduct research on this topic and get together again to discuss the available resources they found. Because of the workshop all the parents became aware of the issue and are now more prepared in the event of a disaster. |
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| Toy Drive |
Over 14 APA community organizations came together to celebrate the holidays and serve the community through the gift of toys at the 12th Annual APA Community Holiday Toy Drive and Reception on Dec 1, 2011 at JANM.
LTSC was one of 13 organizations that benefited and received enough toys to make Santa jealous. Thank you to all the organizations for making Christmas very merry for our children and youth.
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LTSC’s children and family services staff sort through all the toys received in preparation for the holiday party.
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| Grand Opening: New Supportive Housing Project |
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On December 8th 2011, LTSC and the Coalition for Responsible Community Development held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the 36th Street and Broadway Apartments Project. This project will provide permanent supportive housing for 10 youth transitioning out of foster care and homeless youth between the ages of 18 and 25. Residents of the new community will be provided a comprehensive array of on-site services to encourage their long-term life success. The 36th Street and Broadway Apartments Project’s highly service-enriched model will provide critical housing to a constituency that is severely underserved.
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| The Bandai Foundation |
LTSC has received a grant from The Bandai Foundation to support our Children and Family Services program. This program meets the literacy and academic needs of children and their parents and youth from pre-school to high school. Specifically, our Early Childhood Literacy program prepares low-income children for kindergarten and helps their parents overcome language and educational barriers that prevent them from obtaining better paying jobs and/or being an active participant in their child’s education. Our After-school/Saturday program assists youth excel academically while providing them a nurturing environment. Our Digital Institute for Youth Media (DIY Media) provide at-risk high school aged youth from low-income families with digital media skills while also engaging them around critical community issues.
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The Bandai Foundation was established in 1995 by Bandai America as a way to give back to the community that has made its products so successful in the United States. The Bandai Foundation supports numerous programs, primarily benefiting children and families. The Foundation strives to transform the lives of families and children and to inspire other civic leaders, businesses and individuals to do the same. The Foundation’s 2011 Cause of Choice was Homeless and Underprivileged Children.
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LTSC thanks The Bandai Foundation for its support of our children and families. |
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| December Donors – Thank You for Your Support! |
Lynne Abe
Yun Ja An
Marlene Berry
Henry & Suzanne Borenstein
Scott and Naoko Brittin
Shirley Chami
Ngan Cheng
Kwan Mui Cheung
Maggie Choi
Patricia Clark
Samuel Demonteverde
Beverly Ekimoto
Everett & Gladys Endow
Akira & Atsuko Fujimoto
June Fukuhara
Alex Fukui
Faye Griffith
Jeff Hamamoto
Satoshi & Masako Hane
Icy & Janey Hasama
John & Betty Hatakeyama
George Hayakawa
Sumiko Hayamizu
Frank & Betty Hiji
John & Therese Hokoyama
Harry & Misako Honda
Honjiyo Family
Bryan and Kathryn Hori
Peter Huang
Allan Ikawa
Douglas Ikemi
John and Colette Isawa
Chie Iseri
Theodore Ishida
Patricia Ishida-Witscher
Tomio Ito
Philip & Barbara Ito
Raymond Junior
Lloyd Kajikawa
Dick Kaku
Alice Kaku
Gary Kanemoto
Mary Karatsu
Harry & Jane Kawahara
Masaru Kent Kawai
Paul & Virginia Kawakami
Lillian Kawasaki
Tayoko Kawato
Steve & Akemi Kayleng Knight
Nancy Kikuchi
Duk Kim
Ikuko Kiriyama
Keith Kishiyama
Harold & Reiko Kobata
Reiko & June Kondo
Samuel & Jane Kurohara
Masao & Peggy Kushigemachi
Scott Kushigemachi
Akiko & Michael Lazare
Vien Le
Fumy Machida
Takashi Makinodan
Kathleen Malaske-Samu
Tim & Akiko Manaka Jr.
Kathy & Mark Masaoka
Shiro Masuda
Morley & Sue Matsuda
Louise Mayemura
Gary Mikuni
Janet & Henry Minami
Edwin & Eiko Mitoma
Harry Mitsuuchi
Joyce Miyabe
Amy Miyakawa
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Anita Morales
Walter and Carrie Morita
Mariko & Ray Motoyama
Trisha Murakawa
Tetsuo Murata
Mas & Setsuko Nagami
Noriko & Ken Nagashima
Harry Nakada
Roy and Setsuko Nakahara
David & Lily Nakatani
Debra Nakatomi
Eileen Nawa
Cyril Nishimoto
Richard & Jean Nishimoto
Alan & Yvonne Nishio
Mitsue Nishio
Greg & Mia Nishio Lockwood
Mary Oda
Harry Oda
Daniel & Jeri Okamoto Floyd Family
John Okita
Eric & Scarlet Sy Olson
Erick Orellana
Masako Ota
Jean Otani
Roy Otsuji
Miyako Phillips
Merilynne Hamano Quon
Dahlia Reano
Paul Saito
Bradley & Allyson Sakai
Kazuo Sakomizu
Glenn & Donna Sanada
Kitty Sankey
Carol Sato
Par Seeker
Joh Sekiguchi
Raymond & Sharon Shibata
Minako Shirai Ferrante
Paul & Kay Shishima
Johng Ho Song
Frank Soyejima
Lisa Sugino
Walter & Aiko Sumi
Stephen Suzuki
Martin & Karen Tachiki
Patricia Takakawa
Ryoko Takata
Chiyoko Takemoto
Frank & Mable Takenaka
Taeko Talmage
Barbara Tanezaki
Sonia Ting
Ken & Yoshie Tokiyama
Ernie and Jeanne Tsujimoto
Jill Tsutsui
Keith Umemoto
Alden & Teruko Uyemura
Robert Volk
Mariko Wada
Susie Wang
Bill Watanabe
Ruth Watanabe
Gary & Marsha Watanabe
Frank Watase and Lincoln Watase
Bernice White
Ken & Sandra Yamashiro
Jane Yamashita
Gary & Akemi Yano
Linda Yokoyama
David K. Yoo
Gideon Young
Betty Yumori
IBM Employee Services Center |
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| Donate Your Old Car |
Thinking about donating your car to LTSC? Do it now and maximize your donation. Used car prices are up 30% from December 2008. (Click here to see the ABC news story about it) Higher prices mean a bigger donation to LTSC and a bigger tax deduction for you. Don’t delay donate today!
We will pick up cars in almost any condition in LA and Orange Counties. Proceeds are tax deductible for the donor and can be significant even if the car is old or not running! The call takes less than 5 minutes and contributes to helping our many clients. Call (213) 473-1613 to donate. |
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| Ways to Help LTSC |
In making a donation to LTSC, you can:
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• Make a donation in memory of a loved one
• Make a donation in honor of someone’s birthday or graduation
• Make a stock donation
• Host a fundraiser to benefit LTSC |
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Donate Online, over the phone or via traditional mail.
Call (213) 473-1613 |
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