From the CEO - communitycatalysts.orgcommunitycatalysts.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/April-2019-Newsletter.pdf · To boost your resilience, get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet

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From the CEO I am so very excited and honored to be back here at Community Catalysts of California. It feels like HOME as this is where I started my career over 25 years ago, when Jim Jenkins hired me to start the R.E.S.T. Program in Stockton. I had the opportunity to work in every region with every program over the 15 years I was with Community Catalyst, except for the newest division, Veterans Community Services. As CEO, my priority over the next 60 days is to meet the PEOPLE. This is my favorite part of any job! I will be visiting all the areas in May and June to meet as many staff and consumers as possible. So, please don’t be shy if you see me on my visits—come introduce yourself! I am committed to having a positive IMPACT on the lives of the people served and employed by Community Catalysts of California and am looking forward to getting reacquainted with everyone. Feel free to reach out to me anytime (E: [email protected] / C: (858) 208-9333) and I hope to see you soon!

Wendy

Board of Directors Jim Jenkins Executive Chair James Wheeler Vice Chair David Kuhlman Secretary Roberta Raasveld Treasurer Greg Murphy Director Carey Storm Director Melissah Walker Director Jarrod Hammes Director Zeyad Moussa Director

Newsletter Staff Contributors Alice O., Ana N., Farley O., Amanda B., Jennifer B., Jessica R. Editors Patricia A.

CEO Corner Corporate San Marcos Imperial Valley Fresno Visalia Stockton Ukiah Salinas VCS Pursuing Wellness Policy of the Month

April 2019

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Client Anniversaries

26 Years Peter B. | San Marcos

23 Years Diane M. | San Marcos

21 Years Dante H. | Santa Clara

20 Years Robin E. | Santa Clara

Sharon P. | Santa Clara

18 Years Ruby T. | Imperial Valley

17 Years Andrew W. | Salinas

16 Years Christopher B.

15 Years Baudelio L. | Salinas

Ruby M. | Salinas

13 Years Marcel B. | Imperial Valley

Tom T. | Manteca

Janet H. | Salinas

Peter R. | San Marcos

Alicia T. | Salinas

Linda A. | Visalia

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April 2019

Corporate By Patricia Addun What’s Going On?

This month, we honored Jim Jenkins for his wise and

courageous leadership through the years. The corporate

office had a simple but meaningful gathering to celebrate

him. From CCC’s humble beginnings, through the

hurdles and the tremendous growth, Jim has been there.

We are grateful to have Jim continue with CCC as

Executive Chair of the board and are equally excited as

he officially passed the baton to our new CEO, Wendy

Forkas. Many thanks to you Jim for your years of service

at the helm of the organization!

Staff enjoying some afternoon treats

Wendy getting ready to serve (in more ways than one!)

“Kudo Board” where clients and staff shared words of

thanks and encouragement for Jim

Client Anniversaries Continued from pg. 2 12 Years Rodrigo J. | Salinas

11 Years Patricia B. | Imperial Valley

Mireille H. | Santa Clara

Larissa F. | Salinas

10 Years Ellen K. | Santa Clara 9 Years Domingo G. | Visalia

8 Years Sharon M. | Visalia

6 Years Katherine B. | Merced

Jessie A. | Imperial Valley

Keith C. | Visalia

Jose F. | Salinas

5 Years Jose M. | Imperial Valley

Kimberly O. | Imperial

Valley

Anthony B. | San Marcos

Southern California

San Marcos By Teri Geston What’s Going On? Remember last month’s newsletter showing the SM

office making posters for an upcoming

rally? Remember we said keep an eye out for us?

It happened!

The San Marcos Case Managers (Durry and

Vanessa), Imperial Valley Regional Manager

(Angie) along with Corporate HR team members

Chris and Jose were among the hundreds who

showed support for an increase in our program

rates. It was a huge success with our new CEO

Wendy speaking and representatives from several

agencies being able to meet with local legislators to

talk about the need for changes in our rate

system. There truly is power in numbers and we

look forward to seeing the fruit of this gathering.

The office would also like to welcome Martha

Jordan to our program and to congratulate Larry

Steckling for 10 years of service!

Advisory: Month: May 8, 2019 Knott’s Berry Farm

April 2019

Photos by Alice Olsen

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Imper ia l Va l ley By Ana Norris What’s Going On? April was yet another fun filled month for our Imperial Valley Office. We welcome Gloria Valdez &

Lydia Rodrigues as our new ILS Direct Service Supervisors! Both have been with CCC as DSAs

with ILS and we know that with their knowledge they will do great things for the IL Team. Welcome!

We could not let April end without such a great Day Program Event. This year an Egg Hunt, lunch,

and other games were held for all to enjoy.

We would also like to acknowledge and congratulate Ceci Vargas and her Supported Living team.

This department has been growing—so many new clients have come aboard. We are grateful to

have new staff to help accommodate such a tremendous growth! We welcome all of our new hires:

Y. Chacon, A Escarcega, K Hall & R. Lopez.

Client Anniversaries Continued from pg. 3 4 Years Maria G. | Salinas

Rhonda R. | Visalia

3 Years Becky B. | Merced

Dave B. | Merced

Holly Z. | Merced

Cynthia L. | Merced

Daran Z. | Merced

2 Years Kristen R. | Santa Clara

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April 2019

April 2019

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Employee Anniversaries 19 Years Vanessa Orr | Corporate

9 Years Rosa Vargas | Imperial Valley

6 Years Anita Miller | Imperial Valley

Rebecca Anthenill | San Marcos

5 Years Jameesa Andrews | Fresno

Charity Kyle | Salinas

Victor Villalobos | San Marcos

4 Years Marti Diegan | San Marcos

3 Years Mardine Walker | Fresno

Bridgett Varela | Fresno

Rico Rios | Fresno

Valerie Rendon | Visalia

Ricardo Puga | Visalia

Hilary Daniels | Fresno

2 Years Anthony Anderson | Merced

Ashley Fritsch | Imperial Valley

Maria Gomez | Salinas

Trudy Levenson | San Marcos

Karla Patino | Imperial Valley

Brenden Turgeon | Fresno

1 Year Dominique Salcedo | Visalia

Matalyn Hernandez | Visalia

Adriana Gastelum | Fresno

Rosemary Castorena | Fresno

Central Valley Fresno By Amanda Brewer

What’s Going On? Fresno hired a lot of new staff to add to our growing

family. Welcome Savanna, Meaghan, Isaiah,

Danielle, and Cha!

The April CAC outing at the Oh Wow Nickle Arcade

had a great turnout of 24 people, with a lot of first

timers. The consumers and staff had an absolute

blast. Shout out to our big prize-winning clients,

Cicely, Marci, and Rosemary. This event helped

consumers gain valuable teamwork skills in addition

to the fun time they had.

Fresno also announced Justin Souza as Employee

of the month at our April Staff and Safety Meeting.

He was awarded EOM for his flexibility with

scheduling, superior attendance, patience with his

consumer, and attention to detail regarding

paperwork! Congratulations Justin and thank you for

all that you do!

Visa l ia By Gladys Monje

What’s Going On?

This month Visalia welcomed our newest

consumer Sal T.! Sal is a great guy—he is

compassionate and has lots of stories to

share. He is very outgoing, and we are so

excited to work with him.

The clients and team also took a trip to the

Fresno Zoo and got to learn about the various

wildlife. Everyone was engaged and enjoyed

the trip!

North Valley Stock ton By Jessica Ramos What’s Going On? On April 17th the office had a picnic at the park for Easter. The weather was perfect for a picnic and

we were able to play some games for the clients to enjoy. We had an Easter egg hunt and client

Bobby J. found the lucky golden egg. It was a joy to see the clients enjoying time outside in the

wonderful weather and working together.

Dwight Mahabir, DSA, had his opening night for the play “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” at the

Sierra Repertory Theatre in Sonora, CA on April 26, 2019. We wish him the best! Break a leg Dwight!

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April 2019

April 2019

Redwood Coast Ukiah By Jennifer Bilstein What’s Going On? We hope everyone’s month went well! We’d like to wish a Happy Birthday to our clients

Harlan, Robert D., Harry, and to our DSA Lorena! We hope you all had lot of fun with your

birthday celebrations.

Our RM, JoAnn, enjoyed her trip to San Diego to meet our new staff at the corporate office.

On that note, we want to warmly welcome (back) our new CEO Wendy Forkas! We wish you

much luck in your new position as CEO. We’re looking forward to working with you and

seeing what you’ll bring to the organization!

JoAnn also participated in a PacOut Green Team cleanup in her home town this month.

Thanks to the volunteer’s efforts, the area now looks clean and green again.

While there was not a lot going on locally in April, some of our clients still enjoyed the annual

Spring Fling this month. The event was a great way for clients to connect and enjoy a

beautiful evening outside-- getting a little dressed up, visiting and dancing with friends.

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South Bay Sa l inas By Farley Odad What’s Going On?

Charity Kyle marked her 5-year anniversary

with CCC. Congratulations to you and thank

you for your dedication to the clients! The

Salinas office would also like to welcome

aboard our new clients Tristan D. and

Jeanine M., and newest DSA Jessica.

Birthday celebrant Renee and Wendy

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Charity receiving her award at the staff meeting

VCS By Alex Rockabrand What’s Going On? This month, VCS SSVF completed our

annual program audit. The audit went well

and there were no negative findings. Angie

was very proud of the VCS team and all of

their hard work in preparation and

organization of the files, with special thanks

to Laurie (Program Manager) and Camille

Fisher (Veteran Specialist) for all of their

extra effort. To celebrate this win, we had

our monthly pre-All Staff Meeting potluck

and celebrated both the successful audit as

well as our April Birthdays for Wendy

Montenegro, Renee Holmes and Robert

Lundberg! Wendy had additional info to

share with the rest of us in the form of a

gender reveal—it’s a girl! Her little bundle of

love will be named Cali Angelina Campos

and we are all very excited to meet her!

April 2019

April 2019

RESOURCES FOR CATALYSTS – WORK/LIFE BALANCE Balance is key to a healthy life Achieving work-life balance can sometimes seem like an impossible feat. Life is constantly changing, and the stress of long workday hours and commutes, plus responsibilities at home, can feel overwhelming. Taking a fresh look at the issue might give you ideas for making healthy changes.

Tips for attaining balance Work-life balance is a daily pursuit. Some days, you may feel in control, while others are chaotic. Keep your expectations realistic.

Take brief breaks throughout the day. Stand up, stretch, breathe deeply and shake off tension.

If you feel out of balance, reevaluate your time. Ask for help at work and home. Preserve your hobbies and other stress-busting activities.

To boost your resilience, get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet and get regular exercise. Mind Your Mental Health It’s important to be aware of your own mental health and that of your household members. Good mental health supports your resilience, self-confidence, interpersonal relationships and professional successes.

• Maintaining mental health is vital to your overall quality of life, including your physical health. In this fact sheet, learn the differences between mental health and mental illness.

• There are many misconceptions about those with mental health conditions. Review these seven mental health myths and facts for a better perspective on the prevalence, causes and treatments of mental illness.

• Just like adults, children can be impacted by—and successfully treated for—mental health disorders. Check out these FAQs on how to identify and cope with mental health challenges in children.

Working on wellness Nutritious eating keeps you on track! Habits such as rushing though meals and leaning on junk food don’t support well-being and weight control.

• Choose foods low in saturated and trans fat, and low in cholesterol. Limit your intake of sugar, salt and alcohol.

• Get essential fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grain products and nuts. Eat at least one fruit or vegetable with every meal, then increase that amount.

Daily diligence Making small, gradual changes to your daily habits can add up to better health for you.

• Have a mindful, phone-free meal at least four days per week.

• Be more active throughout your day. Use the stairs, not the elevator. Park further away from your office or building and the store. Schedule walking breaks.

• Gradually increase the good. Drink more water; add another set to your workouts. Additional source: American Nurses Association.

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April 2019

Policy of the Month: Fleet Vehicle Policy By Administration Vehicles driven on Community Catalysts of California (CCC) business shall be operated in a safe manner, in compliance with applicable rules and regulations. Only properly qualified and authorized persons may drive on company business. Company vehicles may only be used for official, authorized purposes; personal use is prohibited. Drivers who fail to adhere to Fleet vehicle policies and procedures may have their Fleet vehicle driving privileges suspended and are subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. Responsibilities NCM/Regional Manager and Fleet Coordinators, in conjunction with the Corporate Fleet Coordinator (CFC), are responsible for ensuring that only properly qualified and authorized individuals can drive vehicles in support of company programs and activities under their direction and control. Driver Responsibilities Drivers must:

Complete and sign the Department of Motor Vehicles Pull Notice Waiver; Have a valid California driver's license in their possession at all times; Use company vehicles for authorized official business only; Operate vehicles in a safe, controlled and courteous manner, in compliance with

applicable traffic laws and company regulations; Not place a vehicle in motion unless all occupants are wearing seat belts, and ensure their

continued use throughout the trip; Not transport unauthorized passengers, cargo, or permit any unauthorized person to drive

a company vehicle; Not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including medications if they cause

impairment; Complete a Fleet Vehicle Trip Sheet for each trip and submit upon return. Inspect the vehicle prior to use for obvious concerns, report defects to the appropriate

authority, and not operate a vehicle with deficiencies that make it unsafe to operate; Immediately report all collisions to the appropriate law enforcement agency and to their

supervisor; Immediately advise their supervisor of any change in driving status such as license

suspension or revocation, or medical condition that interferes with driving; and Participate in required driver training.

Accident Reporting All accidents involving a company vehicle or associated with a business activity (regardless of vehicle ownership) must be reported to NCM/Regional Manager and to the driver's supervisor. The CFC must also be notified for all fleet vehicle accidents. For all accidents a Vehicle Accident Report form is to be completed. Vehicle Insurance Authorized drivers operating company vehicles within the course and scope of employment are insured for liability that may arise from their actions. There is no insurance coverage for unauthorized or personal use of company vehicles. For more information regarding the Fleet Vehicle Policy, please refer to Section 9.4 of the Administrative Policies & Procedures.

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