Poverty summit to offer aid for Azusa families

from The Pasadena Star News

By Bethania Palma, Staff Writer

AZUSA - The city is having a meeting Saturday to discuss local poverty, officials said.

Rep. Hilda Solis, D-El Monte, and Assemblyman Ed Hernandez will be speakers at the free event, which will be held at the Azusa Senior Center. Mayor Joe Rocha said they expect at least 100 people to attend.

"Last year, 1,500 Azusa kids were classified as homeless," he said. "I taught for 38 years here and I know a lot of the kids were living in poverty."

Rocha added that hunger and other difficulties associated with poverty hurt school performance.

"Azusa has a very specific challenge with regards to this issue because of the number of people who have made encampments in the river area in Azusa Canyon their home," Hernandez said via e-mail. "I want to make sure everyone is aware of the scope of the problem, and the types of services that are available to assist these neediest of families in our communities."

Rocha said the goal of the summit is to take a holistic approach to each individual.

"We're looking at the whole person, not just the physical," he said.

Sonia Melendez, spokeswoman for Solis, said the congresswoman will be speaking on the impact of poverty in the community.

"The congresswoman will be introducing a bill within the next week called the `Homelessness Access to Recovery Through Treatment Act,"' she said, adding that if passed, the bill will expand psychological and substance abuse treatment to homeless people.

Along with resource guides to local services, counselors from Azusa Pacific University and health professionals from the Azusa Health Center will be on hand. Attendees will learn about food bank locations, health clinics and counseling services, officials said.

Azusa spokesman Martin Quiroz said residents have been notified with over 11,000 fliers distributed by schools and churches.

"It's going to give people a lot of opportunities and a list of resources," Rocha said. "It's going to be very powerful."

bethania.palma@sgvn.com