Testimonies and Participant Feedback...
NATIONAL
“On behalf of President Obama and the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, greetings to all who are participating in Love Placentia and all the Love Our Cities events in over 40 cities throughout the State of California. Volunteerism is a hallmark of American society. Since the days of our nation’s founding, ordinary citizens have achieved extraordinary things through voluntary efforts. Programs like “Love Our Cities” touch thousands of lives and inspire Americans to serve and give back to their communities. Thank you for your dedication to the cities you reach.”
Melissa Rogers; Executive Director, White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships
CITY
“Placentia is my home and I have had the privilege of growing up in the City and serving this community as a Police Officer for 34 years. I have personally witnessed the benefit and the power of change when community members, friends and neighbors come together to clean-up, rebuild or beautify the community. It is a powerful and rewarding thing to watch and participate in and my hope is that you too will want to participate in and experience that same feeling by joining in and being a part of the Love Placentia Project!”
Ward Smith; City Council Member and Retired Chief of Police, City of Placentia
“The City of Placentia experienced great support from the Community this year at the Love Placentia event. Over 1,000 residents came out to help in beautifying and helping the City through their service at this event. As we plan for the Love Placentia 2017 date, we look forward to partnering once again through identifying projects and providing support for another successful Love Placentia day.”
Damien Arrula; City Administrator, City of Placentia
SCHOOLS
“The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District celebrates the active partnership we have with everyone who participated in the Love Placentia event last year. We look forward to participating again this year as we continue to strengthen our community through the generous service of others. The impact of your efforts reaches far beyond our school campuses. On behalf of our School Board and the students of our school district, thank you Love Placentia!”
Greg Plutko; Superintendent, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District
“Thank you for leading this project through successfully. We are so grateful for your time and hard work. Melrose looks beautiful!”
Cynthia Alvarez; Principal, Melrose Elementary School
“WE LOVE PLACENTIA! On behalf of Brookhaven Elementary School I would like to thank “Love Placentia” for organizing this great event! Volunteers brought out the beauty in our gardens and took them to the next level. What a difference the efforts of these kind, generous people made. THANK YOU!”
Karen Dinicola; Secretary, Brookhaven Elementary School
CHURCHES
“Love Placentia is a beautiful, practical, strategic way to serve the people of our city. It embodies our desire to live for the sake of others, and I’m confident it will be a huge blessing to everyone involved. Working together, in a posture of humility, we will make a difference!”
Dave Asch; Lead Pastor, Rose Drive Friends Church
“There are many walls that separate between city government, churches, police, and the community. Love Placentia breaks down those walls and replaces them with unity. To experience the joy of working side by side with this diversity to transform this city will transform the soul.”
Sterling Bennett; Pastor, First Christian Church of Placentia
“People want to help others and many times they simply don’t know what needs are out there. Love Placentia is a wonderful vessel to not only bring our city together, but to provide boundless opportunities for everyone to get involved. Serving others feeds the soul and serving in our own city instills a deeper pride for our local community.”
Carmen Pease; Messiah Lutheran Church
“Love Placentia is an amazing movement to demonstrate the importance of caring for our neighbors and community. It will also be another avenue to demonstrate the love of God for our city in practical and meaningful ways!”
Alfredo Delgado; Associate Pastor for Community Outreach and Church Renewal, Placentia Presbyterian Church
“The Well is a church body who believes that Deep Church can really happen. LOVE PLACENTIA enables us to make deeper connections in this community and we love partnering with other church bodies and organizations to make a greater impact. We’re better together than we are by ourselves!”
Jeff Davis; Pastor, The Well
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
“Love Placentia this year, was a fantastic success. We had volunteers from Placentia and beyond that came to HIS House, Homeless Intervention Shelter and spent their time making the house look like a home for our residents. From painting, to planting, and even a little plumbing, the volunteers did so much to help us by reducing our maintenance costs so we can have more with our funds to help people experiencing homelessness in Orange County. Thank you Placentia. We love you!”
Carrie Buck; Director, H.I.S House
“LOVE Placentia was an AMAZING day!!! LOT318 has been in the community for over 10 years and has never seen so many community members from our city serve as one. Celebrating Placentia was a great way to bring our city together as well as bring awareness to all that is happening in Placentia. We are looking forward to next year’s “LOVE PLACENTIA” and building on what has already begun. Thank you to everyone who helped make our day a success. We are better together!!!!”
Letty Gali; Director, Lot 318
“The Friendly Center is grateful to all the volunteers and donors that gave their time and donations to help the local community at Love Placentia. We received four truckloads of food and fifty blankets to ensure that individuals and families don’t go to bed hungry and cold. Donations like these not only reduce hunger, but bring hope. Thank you for bringing life and hope to our community.”
Amy Reynolds; Family Resource Center Coordinator – Placentia, Friendly Center