Following our successful "Everyday Miracles" benefit luncheon last month, Angel Interfaith Network is embarking upon a strategic planning process and firming up more short-range plans for the holiday season. At an October baby shower in Claremont, an interfaith group of women helped AIN recognize and celebrate five years of service by Raquel Salinas. We enter the Thanksgiving season with many reasons for gratitude.
Above all, AIN gives thanks for a growing number of friends and faithful supporters who have come through for us in encouraging ways. Look for more information about holiday volunteer opportunities in the article below. We are one fifth of the way toward our monthly goal in the "Sustaining Angel" campaign and invite you to consider joining the "heavenly host" by clicking here. Many from the faith community are responding to Chaplain Estuardo Bazini-Barakat's appeal for donations for holiday food deliveries as well. Your generosity helps AIN give substance to a message of God's goodness and the power of neighbors helping neighbors. Thanks be to God!
Rev. Donald L. Smith, Executive Director
EVERYDAY MIRACLES: Sunflowers & a CEO
 On Saturday, October 20th Gray Hall at Oneonta Congregational Church was decked out with sunflowers and balloons. A capacity crowd of friends and supporters of Angel Interfaith Network were delighted to celebrate "Everyday Miracles" made possible for patients of L.A. County + USC Medical Center.
LAC + USC Network CEO Pete Delgado was proud to give guests a glimpse of a near-miracle. Gleaming new buildings with state-of-the-art care and service next year look pretty miraculous after 74 years in the landmark structure serving needy patients. Informed observers have characterized the move as nothing less than the biggest change in health care for L.A. County in 100 years. Without question, it is the biggest construction project ever undertaken by Los Angeles County.
 Many hands behind the scenes contributed to making “Everyday Miracles” a rousing success for AIN and the patients. Chairing the event this year was Irene Recendez, LAC + USC Chief of Nursing Services. Calvary Presbyterian choir director Mike Wilson emceed the program with infectious zest and enthusiasm. Veterans of previous AIN luncheons pitched in to produce exceptional results. They included AIN Board Chair Karen Bading and husband Jim, EJ Lugo, Arlene Creitz, Bohnie Avanzino, Andrew Kopperud, Ruth Melissa, Belinda Vidaurri, Ann and John Mills, Rev. Rex McDaniel and Andrew Feldman of Glendale College Institute of Culinary Arts. Other crucial support came from the West San Gabriel Valley YMCA, Sharon Bergh and members of Girl Scout Troop #151 and Debbie Sloat and Jill McNulty of Faith Presbyterian Church, Valley Village.
Like a sunflower greeting the warm morning sun, Angel Interfaith Network looks to a more promising future for the patients and families we serve as we grow in our capacity to produce “everyday miracles.” Our thanks to all for the many and varied ways you contribute to making it happen.
Assembly Required
 Rev. Ann Mills, AIN Care Coordinator, has learned that assembling a bed or a crib in a patient's home offers a great pastoral care opportunity. “Assembly required” situations can also create space for relationship-building exercises in patience, attention and good guidance. Recently when she arrived at the home of a young family with 5 year and 4 month-old boys, the picture of “Diego” on the box of the toddler bed brought a squeal of delight from the older boy. He was small for his age due to a chronic disease. Little did she imagine that choosing that particular bed at Toys-R-Us would be so on target for this family. “Diego” was the boy's favorite TV character.
Working side by side with the father, bolts and lock nuts were sorted out. Ann observed how patient and gentle he was with his young son. No yelling to keep the bolts out of his mouth, but a glance and a single word were enough to get his son's obedience. An affectionate pounce on his father's back to bestow a kiss did frustrate efforts to align two parts, but the father delighted in pleasing his son and in teaching him a bit about how to handle tools.
Mom held the 4-month old during the project and talked with Ann about her English class. She proudly displayed her notebook with beautifully printed words. Ann encouraged her with some practice in pronunciation and commiserated on the difficulty of learning a second language as an adult. She learned that Dad works evenings part-time cleaning a church. Financial resources are scarce, and Ann noticed that there was no lamp to illuminate the room or a crib for the 4 month-old. Ann spoke to them about sharing and being all one family, united in God's love. They made a list of needed furnishings and agreed to see what God might provide.
Before Ann left, the mother coached her older son in a valiant effort at saying the “Padre Nuestro” (Lord's Prayer) for her. She left full of thanksgiving for abundant love readily shared, grateful to have nurtured seeds of hope, faith and sharing.
HOLIDAYS = AIN Volunteer Opportunities
 Red letter days are approaching on the Angel Interfaith Network calendar. We're not talking about Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hannukah here. More significant in our routine are the days leading up to them when we will be delivering meals and gifts to LAC + USC patient families identified for us by the Department of Social Work and the Department of Pastoral Care. Things can become a bit crazy around here as precious cargo is sent out from South Pasadena to points far and wide in Los Angeles County . That's when our friends and supporters prove especially valuable and in return, they receive more insight into those whom AIN serves throughout the year.
Critical dates this year are November 19th – 21st and December 17th – 21st for holiday food and gift deliveries. Did the “Assembly Required” story inspire you, perhaps? Do you have Spanish language ability you'd like to put to use? It's not required for doing a holiday delivery, but you just might find yourself able to offer additional encouragement and hope as Ann
and Raquel do regularly on behalf of AIN. Helping AIN deliver to patient homes in the holiday season is a rewarding, short-term way to be directly involved in the mission of Angel Interfaith Network.
Is furniture moving your thing? Do you have a truck or large-capacity van? All year long AIN desperately needs “on call” people who can help us to move furnishings to homes and apartments like those described in the “Assembly Required” story. Other off-site opportunities at this season include a number of alternative Christmas Markets at churches that invite AIN to host a display offering financial sponsorship of services provided by AIN.
Perhaps you would prefer something creative here in our welcoming South Pasadena office. With holidays coming, gift wrappers will be needed. Throughout the year, volunteers are necessary to manage our inventory and keep it neat, to do data entry and help with correspondence. Special events like our recent “Everyday Miracles” luncheon require assistance with mailing invitations and decorating the space so that it is festive for our guests.
We'll welcome you with open arms!
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