The Westside Shelter & Hunger Coalition (WSHC) will hold its 12th annual Success Breakfast on Friday, October 12, at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel, where it will honor 23 formerly homeless people who have changed their lives with assistance from one or more of the 30 nonprofits, church groups, and government agencies that make up the Coalition.
The breakfast, which is expected to draw over 450 supporters, also pays tribute to several organizations and businesses that have supported the Coalition members’ programs and the people they serve in an exceptional manner. One of these Community Support Award honorees is Snyder Diamond, the plumbing fixtures company that has been a Santa Monica institution for 58 years, which was named for the honor by Coalition member Chrysalis.
Chrysalis provides employment services to nearly 2,300 people annually at its centers in Santa Monica, downtown Los Angeles, and Pacoima. Its focus is not so much making job referrals as improving the employability of the people it serves – developing an effective job search strategy, resume writing, interview preparation, business wardrobe, basic computer training, job retention skills, and the like.
Nevertheless, Snyder Diamond and Chrysalis have forged a special relationship over the years as the plumbing fixtures company has hired a number of Chrysalis beneficiaries. “Snyder Diamond does not just offer a temporary job, but a growth opportunity,” said Rick Stoff, Director of Business Partnerships at Chrysalis in Santa Monica.
Describing “the nice, solid relationship” between the nonprofit and the business, Stoff expained that Snyder Diamond contacts Chrysalis to help fill temporary and “temp-to-hire” positions for warehouse and customer service workers. “Our people have done well and opened the door for others,” he added.
Val Masouris, Snyder Diamond Store Manager in Santa Monica, said that the company “has had the privilege of employing a number of individuals from Chrysalis” and that “these workers consistently provide a willingness to work that we do not often encounter.” Masouris added, “One of these employees was promoted from our warehouse to the sales floor, and several others have been added to our permanent workforce.”
“This is not charity; it’s good for business,” said Chrysalis’s Stoff. Masouris at Snyder Diamond agrees: “It’s good and good.”
WSHC works to end homelessness through public education, advocacy, and service coordination among the over 30 social service providers, faith congregations, and supporting organizations that make up its membership. The Coalition members work together to provide a continuum of care for homeless and low-income individuals and families, serving their needs in a cost-effective and cooperative manner. They have built an infrastructure that serves the needs of the many sub-groups of the homeless population including veterans, battered women, youth, families, and individuals with mental illness, drug or alcohol addiction, and/or HIV/AIDS.
