ACCO Engineered Systems, a manufacturer of heating, ventilation and cooling equipment, helped warm up the United Way of Greater Los Angeles HomeWalk at Exposition Park, which raised $700,000 for the chapter’s Home for Good program that fights chronic homelessness. The Glendale company donated $25,000 to the Nov. 17 walk and fielded a team of 50 – including employees and their friends and family – who raised another $1,500. Phillip Uebele, a credit administrator at ACCO, has participated in the 5K walk for five years, and his 7-year-old son Axel walks with him and helps raise money. “He goes around and asks Grandma and a couple other people to donate,” said Uebele. Betsy Monahan, human resources director at ACCO, said Axel’s efforts don’t go unnoticed. “He’s a pretty good fundraiser for the United Way,” she said. Elise Buik, chief executive of the Los Angeles United Way, said the chapter began hosting the walk when a board member mentioned that Washington, D.C. had one. Buik said that the walk not only raises money for services but teaches participants that homelessness is prevalent not just on Skid Row, but throughout the county, including in the Valley. “People come from all over, and I think that’s one of our opportunities with the walk, to educate people that homelessness is all over the city,” she said. “It really is a county-wide issue.” The sixth-annual walk drew about 10,000 participants, including more than 350 private and corporate teams. L.A. Lakers star Kobe Bryant attended as honorary chairman. Green Donation Green Convergence, an installer of solar panels in Valencia, is sponsoring San Fernando Valley/Santa Clarita Valley Habitat for Humanity and its Habitat for Heroes program. The sponsorship will provide Valley-area veterans with energy-saving systems in their homes for free. Green Convergence will donate $2,000 for each unit that’s installed. Donna Deutchman, chief executive of the regional Habitat group, said that many veterans who return home, particularly if they are wounded, are unlikely to return to previous jobs. This makes saving money on home costs important. Deutchman said Green Convergence’s donation of sponsorship money is indefinite at this point. “We have not been told of a limit,” she said. The family who received the first set of sponsored panels had been turning off their refrigerator every other day in order to save costs. The inaugural installation was done on a day that was especially fitting to honor the family – Veterans Day. Community Investment ETF Portfolio Management, a Thousand Oaks financial advisory firm, donated $19,000 to area charitable organizations and schools during the year. The organizations that received the money were the choice of individual and corporate investors who are clients of ETF. Investor identities are kept confidential, but some of the entities which received funds include Agoura High School, Banyan Elementary School of Newbury Park and Triunfo YMCA of Westlake Village. ETF started the donation program in 2008, a year after its founding and has given $43,000 to date. David Kreinces, founder of ETF, said that he’s happy “we’re able to do it, just at all, given the economic climate.” Feeding the Valley Residents and businesses in the greater San Fernando Valley can help out struggling families by participating in a food drive being held by Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc. The El Segundo-based company is holding its third annual drive and will collect non-perishable food items at stores throughout the month of December. The company’s nine area locations are participating in the drive, including in Burbank, Encino and Granada Hills. “We hope customers will join us in helping fight hunger this holiday season by adding to our regular food bank donations through our food drive,” Fresh & Easy Chief Customer Officer John Burry said in a statement. “Together we hope to help our neighbors in need enjoy their holidays.” Staff reporter Bailey Brewer can be reached at [email protected] or (818) 316-3123.
Glendale Company Walks Streets for Homeless
