On February 28th, we had the pleasure of hosting the annual Founders Circle Gathering at the Ella Restaurant in Beverly Hills! This fantastic event is a celebration of the Founders Circle, a group of individuals dedicated to supporting PRESENT NOW’s growth.
In addition to supporting us, the Founders Circle also grants a $10,000 Holiday Gift to a local domestic violence shelter to help them improve their services. Last year’s recipient was the Center for the Pacific Asian Family (CPAF), a shelter located in Los Angeles. With the help of the Founders Circle Holiday Gift, CPAF was able to renovate the community room in their transitional shelter!
The Community Room, before (top) and after (bottom) the renovation
This project, led by Jenny Truong of Jenny Truong interiors, was a labor of love for the CPAF team. The community room is where residents have their group classes and meetings, and where children can come together to create art as they stay in the transitional shelter. This renovation allowed for this room to become a trauma-informed and comforting space for the residents, especially for the children.
Patima Komolamit, Shelter Program Director of CPAF, came to the Founders Circle Gathering to speak to the members. In her speech, she reiterated the importance of creating empathetic and comforting spaces as children navigate through the shelter system. According to Patima, children experience a lot of uncertainty and confusion during this time. Because of the Founders Circle support, CPAF is able to provide the space that children and families deserve.
