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Blog archive

September 2024

August 2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

First Anniversary
08/19/2024

Alexandra Leaving by Leonard Cohen
08/16/2024

Muse des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden
08/16/2024

The God Abandons Antony by Constantinos P. Cavafy
08/16/2024

Ch – Ch – Ch –Changes
08/15/2024

Cultural Activities Team offers an ‘embarrassment of riches’
08/15/2024

Engaging in Pasadena Village
08/15/2024

Future Housing Options
08/15/2024

Message from the President
08/15/2024

There Are Authors Among Us
08/15/2024

Villagers Welcome New Members at the Tournament Park Picnic
08/15/2024

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas
08/14/2024

A narrow Fellow in the Grass by Emily Dickinson
08/13/2024

Haikus
08/13/2024

One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
08/13/2024

Poem 20 by Pablo Neruda
08/13/2024

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
08/13/2024

Trees by Joyce Kilmer
08/13/2024

July 2024

June 2024

May 2024

Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
05/28/2024

Farewell from the 2023/24 Social Work Interns
05/28/2024

Gina on the Horizon
05/28/2024

Mark Your Calendars for the Healthy Aging Research California Virtual Summit
05/28/2024

Meet Our New Development Associate
05/28/2024

Putting the Strategic Plan into Practice
05/28/2024

Washington Park: Pasadena’s Rediscovered Gem
05/28/2024

Introducing Civil Rights Discussions
05/22/2024

Rumor of Humor #2416
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2418
05/14/2024

Springtime Visitors
05/07/2024

Freezing for a Good Cause – Credit, That Is
05/02/2024

No Discussion Meeting on May 3rd
05/02/2024

An Apparently Normal Person Author Presentation and Book-signing
05/01/2024

Flintridge Center: Pasadena Village’s Neighbor That Changes Lives
05/01/2024

Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month 2024
05/01/2024

The 2024 Pasadena Village Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
05/01/2024

Woman of the Year: Katy Townsend
05/01/2024

April 2024

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

The Bridge Begins at Thanksgiving

By Karen Bagnard
Posted: 09/17/2024
Tags: karen bagnard, newsletter october 2024

A bridge is being built between Pasadena Village and Journey House. It will bring young people who have aged out of foster care and are moving on with their education with help from elders in our Village. Intergenerational programming is being developed by Katie Brandon and Jesse Aguiar, executive director of Journey House. This is an initiative I began through my involvement with both organizations. 

We all have much to offer. We all have much to learn. This programming will provide an opportunity for us to learn about the unique challenges in this community of young people. We will also have an opportunity to share the wisdom of our seasoned lives. The exchange has the potential to blossom in wonderful ways.

Several of our members are already involved in various ways with this organization and have found it to be deeply gratifying.  Toni Cavanagh is providing small group counseling to the women and I am involved with the Journey House Sisterhood.  Quite a few of us have attended their graduation dinners, Journey House’s 40th Anniversary Celebration and other events. Many of you contributed tea cups for the first-ever Sisterhood Tea Party that I introduced last spring. We are all impressed with the commitment these young people have in following their dreams. They are beating the odds. Statistics show that only about 4% of former foster youth graduate from college.  

Jesse and several of the young people made a panel presentation to our Village several months ago. If you missed it, please go to their website to learn more: www.journeyhouseyouth.org.  

Few of the young people at Journey House have families to celebrate the holidays with. Journey House is like a “family home” for them. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are well-attended and important for these young people, their partners and their children. 

You will be hearing more about the Thanksgiving dinner in the coming weeks. We will have an opportunity to volunteer to cook, serve and eat with the youth and their families for Thanksgiving. Their dinner is held on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. We have much to learn from them and much to offer them.

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