THE LOOP
Greetings from WestCare Nevada,
As we continue with the daily undertaking of Uplifting the Human Spirit throughout WestCare Nevada’s programming, it is evident that at every level, there are some truly dedicated individuals and groups of individuals who willingly carry this message forward. This month’s issue of the Loop newsletter proves that by covering some important and impactful events that have taken place.
WestCare Nevada had representatives in attendance at the 2022 Nevada Housing Conference where discussion took place regarding the $500 million dollars of American Rescue Plan Act funding that the state has received for affordable housing. It is our hope that WestCare Nevada will be a recipient of some of those funds which will go toward The Village at the Women and Children’s Campus (WCC).
Speaking of the WCC, the second annual Burning Ceremony was conducted at the campus to not only raise awareness for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but to also allow participants the lifechanging opportunity to release (burn away) the past and make space for new beginnings.
For Halloween, the Third Annual Trunk ‘R Treat event was held at WCC. The event has grown in activities for the children as well as employee participation each year and we believe that you will truly enjoy the photos that are in this issue.
This month, WestCare Foundation also sent a team of grant writers to the Grant Professionals Association’s 24th Annual Conference When we think about WestCare as a whole and the overall expansion of services over the past 49 years, much of it wouldn’t be possible without the absolute expertise of our grant writers and our entire grants department. WestCare Nevada expresses its utmost gratitude and respect to this department for their dedication in assisting us obtain the funding we need to remain successful and at for remaining at the forefront of making a difference.
Finally, WestCare Nevada was named for the 3rd consecutive year, as the honorary non-profit organization to benefit at the 2022 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Spectator entry to the event requires either a donation of non-perishable food items or a cash donation, benefiting WestCare Nevada’s transitional Living.
We hope that this newsletter inspires you and we pray that the stories within it will positively impact your spirit just as it does for those of us working diligently toward benefiting the lives of others.
Leo Magrdichian, LCSW, LCADC, Vice President
The 2022 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational
By Sashia Whitmire, Supervisor
WestCare Nevada was honored again at the 2022 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational for their annual charity to fight hunger on Nov. 5 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The day’s spectacular event started off with the National Anthem and presentation of colors by a color guard team overseen by Rancho High School’s Lt. Col. Michael Richmond. Their participation and flawless efforts were the beginning of a fantastic day.
This was the third year that WestCare was named the honorary non-profit organization to benefit from the OPTIMA event. Myself, along with two clients and the newly wrapped and painted WestCare Nevada Marketing Mobile driven by our Vice President of Operations, Leo Magrdichian, participated in collecting donated entry fee items at the gate. Drivers and their families along with spectators drove in an abundance of foods, canned goods, clothing, and nearly $1,000 in monetary donations! All items will support our clients. We are so grateful to have been blessed with generous contributions.
WestCare was not the only one who received a wonderful gift. All patrons at the track were entertained by Nellis Airforce Base’s Aviation Nation 2022 Air Show. USAF Thunderbirds screamed across the sky as they twisted and turned in complex maneuvers that showed the beauty and power of these aircraft and the skill of their well-trained pilots. Witnesses from the ground cheered and applauded as their eyes met delight in seeing the great performances from the pilots and courageous parachuters who leaped from planes, beautifully floating downward giving the audience a nervous thrill. It was a perfect ending to a very good day.
In closing, WestCare Nevada wishes to say thank you again to all of the key players that made this year’s fundraiser a success including OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Association (USCA) and Project Manager for FM3 Performance Marketing, Carrie Strange. Without your support, this would not have been possible. Last but not least, to our WestCare clients and Leo Magrdichian - your presence and dedication to this organization is uplifting. Keep up the excellent work!
This year, the WestCare Women and Children’s Campus (WCC) celebrated its third annual Trunk R’ Treat event on Saturday, Oct. 29. This year’s event was even grander than last year's. Clients from the men's and women's residential programs enjoyed interactive games, music, bounce houses, food, music, and candy with their loved ones. Our longtime friend, Bob Vickery, was present with special guests including a live DJ who blasted music from every decade.
WestCare Spiritual Services and Alumni provided fresh popcorn, cotton candy, hot coffee, and hot cocoa along with prizes for contestants who participated and enjoyed the spiritual games. WestCare is proud to bring a sense of family connectedness to our clients through annual events like our Trunk R' Treat.
By Dawn M. Cortes, CADC-Intern
On Oct. 22, I was able to put present our second annual burning ceremony at the Women and Children’s Campus (WCC) to raise awareness for Domestic Violence Awareness Month This ceremony represents a way of releasing the past, negativity, resentment, trauma, regret, and suffering. The clients are allowed to burn letters, pictures, and any burnable items that they do not want to take into their recovery. The ceremony is held at dusk with tea light candles marking a path to the burning barrels. Empowering music sung by women plays as the clients take a moment to reflect on what they are letting go and set their intentions before placing their past into the fire. One by one, clients are allowed to have a moment to walk to the barrels and place their item in the barrel. Then, they walk past the fire representing the cleansing of their past, bringing new life to the woman they want to become. After every client has been given the opportunity to burn their items, clients then move to an area of our facility known as “the olive garden” where they have set up tables and chairs and decorated them with purple lights. Here, they are provided an assortment of desserts and beverages. The ceremony has proven to be a powerful and intimate event that is well received by our clients and I look forward to continuing this tradition in the future.
2022 Nevada Housing Conference
By Andrew Moran, Development DirectorThe Nevada Housing Coalition’s (NHC) 2022 Nevada Housing Conference kicked off on Oct.18 with an annual member meeting at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino in Reno, Nevada.
Every year, the conference is held in Las Vegas or Reno with many different community leaders and housing advocates coming together to brainstorm and collaborate on innovative ideas regarding affordable housing in the state of Nevada.
The coalition was started three years ago with a grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco). Since then, they have received an unprecedented amount of $500 million in funds that were given to the state last year from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to go towards housing.
The conference kicked off with video greetings from senators and house representatives.Bill Brewer, Executive Director of the Nevada Rural Housing Authority and board chair of the NHC, gave the first speech and welcomed everybody.
Keynote speaker and Olympic and X Games freestyle skier, David Wise, gave a heartfelt speech about affordable housing and the challenges facing Northern and Southern
Nevada. He has won three medals in the Olympics and back-to-back gold in Russia and South Korea. He spends his leisure time raising a family, writing children’s books, and volunteering for nonprofits including The Empowerment Center and a housing project, Marvel Way Complex. The goal of this project is to create an affordable sober living apartment complex for individuals and families that supports individuals in their recovery who are also experiencing homelessness and financial hardships.
During lunch, we had a surprise visit from Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak who announced that the Interim Finance Committee (IFC) just approved more funding for housing projects. Throughout the three-day event, many breakout sessions were held with panelists, moderators, and guest speakers.The last day started out with special guest remarks from Teresa Bryce Bazemore, President and Chief Executive Officer of FHLBank San Francisco. The conference was wrapped up with a hilarious performance by The Utility Players – Improv Comedy troupe.
I want to thank Christine Hess, Amanda Lakin, and Juawana Grant from the NHC for putting together an amazing event and getting people excited about building an affordable community for everyone!
WestCare Represents at the 2022 GPA Annual Conference
By Andrew Moran, Development Director
From Nov. 2 - 5, WestCare’s amazing team of grant writers participated in the 2022 Grant Professionals Association (GPA) Annual Conference in Louisville, Kentucky and learned some new and helpful tools to assist them in their roles.Some of the standout breakout sessions were, “7 Methods for Grant Professionals to Prioritize Proposals for AGrant Team,” “Success Starts at Square One: Leading Successful Initial Grant Meetings,” and “Opening Pandora’s Box: 10 Phases of Grant Management.”
One session was called, “You Walk Away Without a Rose: Why You Get Turned Down for a Grant and What to Do.” This session gave us the top 10 reasons why grants get denied and what we can do to change that without frustration. The main idea thatI took away was that you have to be motivated to improve the grant writing process and craft language that enhances the applications that we submit.
Overall, it was an informative week and I look forward to next year’s conference. It was beneficial visiting with WestCare's grants team as we strategize for our upcoming grants!
Follow WestCare Nevada on social media to learn more about our team and the work we're doing in our local community! #WestCareNevada
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