Esperanza Project hosts 4th Annual Holiday Party

The Esperanza Project sponsored their 4th annual Holiday Party for Valley Star Behavioral Health and serviced over 140 children and their families in San Bernardino while providing toys, a meal courtesy of Smok’n Blues BBQ, Cream’wich Ice Cream Sandwiches, and cases of water bottles donated by Pedro & Yolanda Vidaña Accounting & Financial Services. 

Resources for the families were also available from CHIRLA, Inland Regional Center, African American Health Coalition, Music Changing Lives, MHS One Stop TAY, Covered California, and Borrego Health who were able to provide free health screening services to the families. 

The Esperanza Project has received generous toy donations from the staff and members of California Teachers Association, San Bernardino Teachers Association, San Gorgonio Service Center Retired Teachers and our United States Air Force from Units 412 Communications Squadron and 701 Combat Operations Squadron Personnel.  All left over toys and items were donated to Social Action Community Health System (SACHS) Loma Linda University, San Bernardino Campus. 

We were also honored by the presence of our Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes who presented Esperanza Project with certificate of appreciation for serving and organizing for our community.

“None of this would have been possible without the volunteers and the collaboration of our resource partners.  We have learned that we must mobilize ourselves to cater to the needs of our community and understand their culture and language especially when it involves them asking for help whether it’s on mental health or housing, we know who to refer them to,” said Esperanza Project Founder Connie Rosales. “The simple fact that they are starting to ask for help is already a win and learning of other organizations of what they do, and offer is important to us to support them and share it to the community.  We are stronger as a community when we support and collaborate with other organizations.”

The Esperanza Project is a non-profit organization and its mission is to do wellness art sessions with children and youth to heal hearts, and present charity events such as this one.  For more information please visit their website: EsperanzaProjectIE.org or on Facebook and Instagram.