CLEARLAKE – A local service group has made a substantial financial gift to help those in need.
On July 14 local members of Soroptimist International of Clear Lake met with Georgina Lehne, executive director of the Lake County Community Action Agency and Debbie Hart, operational manager for New Beginnings, to present a check for $10,000 for transportation needs to support New Beginnings and the Transitional Living Center.
The grant is funded by Soroptimist International of the Americas, and was prepared and submitted by members of Soroptimist International of Clear Lake to assist New Beginnings and the Transitional Living Center with transportation cost during the next year.
New Beginnings is a two-part drug recovery program, where women participate in educational and counseling services and at the same time are provided with a safe living environment, where they can begin their recovery journey free from destructive behavior and unsafe living conditions.
New Beginnings is the only perinatal day treatment program in Lake County and has been in existence for 15 years.
Day treatment services at New Beginnings include group and one-on-one counseling on drug education and relapse prevention, education on abuse cycles and aftercare counseling; parenting classes; health and hygiene training; domestic violence awareness; and therapeutic childcare.
New Beginnings has two vans used to transport these women to their session, appointments and other needs. This transportation component is a critical piece because public transportation in Lake County is not a viable option for the participants in this program.
Lake County encompasses 1,329 square miles, much of it being rural. Most bus routes only serve an area every two hours and only until 5 p.m.
Transportation may sound trivial to some, however, with the majority of the clients in New Beginnings it is an essential element of the program.
The goal of New Beginnings is to provide transportation to all clients while they are in the program. Clients who do not live in the Transitional Living Center are picked up, from wherever they may live in Lake County, and brought to New Beginnings in the morning and returned home in the afternoon.
Clients and their children who reside in the Transitional Living Center House receive transportation to the New Beginnings site in the morning, are returned to the house in the afternoon, and receive transportation to all medical, dental, mental health and legal appointments; to job interviews; and to appointments to search for housing when clients are ready to move from the Transitional Living Center House.
They also receive transportation to Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and to religious/spiritual services if requested by the client.
Transportation to all of these counseling appointments and other services is crucial in order to stimulate the clients’ successful completion of the
program.
Soroptimist International of Clear Lake has additionally volunteered over 200 hours in the past year, as well as supplies to refurbish and improve the Transitional Living Center.
Rooms have been painted, decorated with new lamps and pictures. New drapes, bedding and matching towels were provided to each project room.
In June, Soroptimist International of Clear Lake held their annual yard sale in Clearlake and in conjunction, ran a diaper drive encouraging members and the public to donate diapers for the infants and children of New Beginnings and Transitional Living Center House. More than 1,000 diapers were
collected.
Members of Soroptimist International of Clear Lake recognize that in these times of budget cuts, each one of us can be a small part of the solution.
If you would like to assist Soroptimist International of Clear Lake in their goal to help the women and children in these two programs by donating diapers, paint or other needed supplies, please contact Soroptimist Project Coordinator Pam Pitkin at 707-987-4986.
Additionally, Soroptimist International of Clear Lake will hold another diaper drive Sept. 25 at the Kelseyville Pear Festival and welcomes community members to make donations there.
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