In August, three Rio Hondo students represented the Rio Hondo community when they volunteered at Pico Rivera’s El Ranch Vista Health Care Center as a part of the CARE program.
Nicole Reyes, Michelle Reyes, and Arlene Lopez wouldn’t have been anywhere else other than at the nursing home that day, their philanthropy wasn’t forced or mandatory, it was from their heart because they each cared.
As members of RHC’s Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE) program, which helps students that are single parents with at least one child under the age of 13 and are also receiving welfare, the three women are changing the stigma placed on those receiving public assistance first hand.
The women are welcomed at the Pico Rivera nursing home and are familiar with the patients there, knowing most of them by name. During the luau event, Castro posed for a photo with one of the residents and talked in great length with him. Besides volunteering for the event, the ladies attend bingo night regularly at the center where they’ve seen their relationships with the patients grow.
When one patient was leaving the health center to return home it not only affected her fellow residents but also the CARE volunteer, as they each took the time to say their goodbyes to her. “This is what we do, we come to help them,” said Reyes who admitted to breaking down and crying while talking with her.
The philanthropy of the CARE program goes beyond the time it’s members spend giving back. on Oct. 5 at 8 a.m. they are holding an Applebee’s Flapjack fundraiser and clothing drive. Tickets cost $10 and get you a breakfast which includes pancakes, bacon, eggs, potatoes, orange juice and coffee. The proceeds go towards events that CARE organizes for it’s members.
Earlier this year they held the same fundraiser and were able to hold a spring party for the CARE members and their children. This included lunch, face painting, gift baskets, an adventure hunt, crafts, and appearance from Disney characters.
The money from the fundraiser on Oct. 5 will be going towards another event for the children of the CARE college students.
The clothing drive portion of the fundraiser is strictly voluntarily, and not only for clothes.
The CARE program encourages everyone who has any house hold items they aren’t in need to donate them to CARE and their donations will go directly to those in need of the items.
Clothes are always greatly appreciated by CARE, any size and type will be accepted. The program is currently in need of children Halloween costumes which would go to the children of the CARE students.
