Voters Likely to Keep Homelessness as a Top Issue in 2020
Let’s Get to Work
Californians are most likely to name homelessness as the top issue facing our state. This is followed by jobs and the economy, according to a recent statewide poll conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California. Juxtapose this with the previous year, when the poll recorded the biggest concerns as immigration, followed by education.
The reason this has taken center stage is the majority of those polled reported that they have seen homelessness increase in the past year – neighbors are experiencing it on our shared sidewalks, and it is no longer limited to isolated areas. These observations by Los Angeles County respondents are backed up by data from LAHSA, which found a 12% increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness in 2019. Data in the County of Orange also confirmed an increase.
To further galvanize homelessness as a key issue, another poll stated 95% of respondents called homelessness a serious or very serious problem. The Los Angeles Times poll, developed with the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and the Los Angeles Business Council Institute, revealed a group of voters who displayed a gamut of personal feelings from compassion to frustration.
Is homelessness or jobs your top issue in 2020? Chrysalis is working toward solutions. Let’s connect and work together. Look inside this newsletter for upcoming events, highlights from 2019, and previews of exciting happenings in the year ahead.
In 2019, more than 2,500 individuals found employment while participating in Chrysalis’ program, and more than 1,500 individuals worked a transitional job with one of our social enterprises.
At Chrysalis, we strive to assist individuals in empowering themselves, setting employment goals, navigating barriers, connecting to additional services, and advancing their skills – all aimed at preparing for, obtaining, and retaining a job. Whether a client comes in with specific ambitions in mind or has never considered what their professional journey might look like, staff and volunteers provide them with individualized support during every phase of their job search. We provide numerous resources, including case management, a job-readiness curriculum, resume preparation, practice interviews, and access to computers, professional attire, transitional employment, and job-retention support.
In the last few years, we have continually worked at doing more and doing better for our community, because we know that we are a part of the greater solution to homelessness. A few of the initiatives that we have taken on included keeping our job-readiness curriculum up-to-date and opening new centers and locations (Chrysalis Orange County and Chrysalis at DOORS).
We thank all of the donors and advocates who are reading this newsletter! Our opportunity to keep moving the needle on ending homelessness is thanks to you. Please keep in touch with us during this election year – where the issue of homelessness is projected to be at the forefront. Chrysalis is working toward and hoping for another year full of success stories and #SuccessBells.
On the Job: Working Solutions
Caltrans and Garcetti Continue Support of the Roads Program
Transitional jobs deliver marketable experience and occupational skills while providing a closely supervised, supportive working environment that allows clients to demonstrate and practice their hard and soft skills. At Chrysalis, one of the divisions of our social enterprise is known as Roads – a nod to the City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Reentry name for the program: New Roads to Second Chances.
In January, a conference was hosted at Chrysalis to announce the extension of this program. When asked about the program, Chrysalis President & CEO, Mark Loranger stated, “The job outcomes for this program are impressive. But one of the most amazing things that I’ve seen happen over the first several years of this program is how crew members work and grow together. The experience of working on a team and with supervisors who are invested in their success is clearly a part of why this program has had such great outcomes.”
Since launching in late 2016, this partnership with the Mayor’s Office, Caltrans, and Chrysalis has served more than 1,200 individuals. Chrysalis has been able to grow this division of our social enterprise and offer more transitional jobs by also partnering with the Butte County Office of Education and Caltrans. In 2019, 10 Chrysalis Roads crews deployed from Caltrans yards in Long Beach, Malibu, Tarzana, Torrance, Silver Lake, San Fernando, and Westdale. Read the full press release here.
One Client’s Journey with Our Social Enterprise
Before the Bell: Gerardo
For nearly 30 years, our social enterprise has provided transitional employment opportunities to clients as a stepping stone in their journeys to self-sufficiency. This vital resource employed more than 1,500 clients last year, including Gerardo, who had been disconnected from the workforce for some time when he came to Chrysalis.
Initially hired to work a street maintenance position with Chrysalis Works, he has since been promoted twice and celebrates being right on track with his goals. “My transitional job is very open with my schedule and it helps me prepare for outside jobs. It’s perfect for me,” he shares. In fact, Gerardo recently shared that he is working as a Drug & Alcohol Technician on the weekends at the treatment facility that referred him to our program. “There are a lot of people who look up to me now. It feels good and it keeps me motivated to move forward.”
While Gerardo shares that access to Chrysalis’ resources and additional support he receives as an LA:RISE participant are enabling him to move forward, he does not make light of the role his actions play in his future success, “I took the steps to go to treatment, look for something like Chrysalis, and give myself another chance when it comes to work. I’m taking the necessary steps to live a better life. If it wasn’t for me putting the footwork in, none of this would be happening.”
Chrysalis Orange County
One Year and Hundreds of Bells
Last November, we celebrated our Orange County center’s one-year anniversary – and over 190 jobs secured at that point in time. During the festivities, we were joined by volunteers, clients, supporters, and community members and presented with a series of awards from local government officials in honor of our clients’ successes and our program’s impact.
We also heard from Graham, a Chrysalis client whose transformation is a testament to what individuals can achieve with access to the right resources and support. At 21 years old, Graham received a 15-year prison sentence. He knew that he needed to make a change, so during the last few years of his sentence, he participated in rehabilitative groups where he could find healing.
When he came to Chrysalis, Graham was excited to take advantage of resources that would help him get up to speed and navigate a job search in a world that, over the last decade and a half, had changed considerably. He was also referred to work a transitional job with our social enterprise.
He then started taking steps toward attaining his dream job – working in the California State prison system as a Transformational Coach. Because of his background, his application was immediately rejected. But after requesting an in-person meeting to explain exactly why his past made him the perfect candidate, they were sold.
Today – employed, housed, and reunited with his family – Graham is helping people who, like him, want to find healing and build a future that is not defined by their past. He also represents one of over 200 Orange County clients who secured employment in 2019 with the support of our program. That’s right, by year-end, the number of OC jobs secured was more than double our initial first-year goal!
Young Professionals are Changing Lives
The Kaleidoscope Giving Circle
Last year, the Kaleidoscope Giving Circle was launched – bringing with it the next generation of Chrysalis donors and advocates. Comprised of young professionals with diverse backgrounds in consulting, entertainment, finance, government, healthcare, law, and real estate – to name a few – this giving circle provides members with networking opportunities and exclusive access to behind-the-scenes events with Chrysalis leadership.
Founding members raised awareness, garnered in-kind donations, and fundraised toward a collective goal at a variety of Chrysalis and member-hosted events last year – including coffee with our President & CEO, happy hour with our VP of Chrysalis Enterprises, dinner hosted by two Chrysalis Board Members, a pants party, multiple trivia nights, pottery paint night, spin event, and holiday mixer.
Thank you to our 2019 Kaleidoscope Founding Members:
| Alex Jones | Jakson Alvarez |
| Alyssa Potter | Kayo Shonibare |
| Brett Thompson | Kelsey Schulz |
| Cameron Nagler | Monica Zhang |
| Daphne Barahona | Parisa Roshan |
| Grace Oathout | Tina Oh |
| Holly Hubsher |
Top Three Ways to Take Action in 2020
Donate
Your donation ensures that the more than 5,000 clients who will turn to Chrysalis for access to vital resources and support this year will be empowered in their journeys to find and retain employment.
Volunteer
Caring, motivated people are needed at all of our centers to facilitate classes and provide one-on-one services to Chrysalis clients. Read some of our volunteer spotlights and consider giving your time to someone today!
Hire
Chrysalis has focused on employment for more than three decades, and we can tell you that employers have the opportunity to be great catalysts of change in our communities.
Upcoming Events
March 12
The Future is Working
Mark your calendar for Orange County Community Foundation’s The Future Is Working Collaborative Giving Day! Thursday, March 12 will be an online giving day with the goal of raising $70,000 for seven workforce development organizations, including Chrysalis. On this day only, all donations made to Chrysalis via the Orange County Community Foundation’s fundraising platform will be matched by our generous hiring partner Thermal-Vac Technology up to $5k!
Mark your calendar, set an alert, just don’t miss your opportunity to change lives on March 12!
May 6
Rock & Brews Fundraiser
Join us at Rock & Brews’ Tustin location for a night of great bites and music. Proceeds to benefit Chrysalis.
May 21
8 to 9:30 a.m.
Downtown Center Tour & Skid Row Walk
Join us at this quarterly event for a look inside the work we do and the community we serve. RSVP here.
Fall 2020
19th Annual Butterfly Ball
Since 2002, the Chrysalis Butterfly Ball has raised over $18 million to support our programs, bringing together over 700 attendees from every sector of entertainment, business, and philanthropy.