This is a time of year when many people have gifts on their minds. Gifts come in all shapes and sizes, and not all gifts come during the holidays. I’d like to take a brief look back at some of the gifts our community has received in the last year.
In January, we celebrated the grand opening of allcove Beach Cities, the integrated youth mental health center located on the 4th floor of our building at 514 N. Prospect in Redondo Beach. As of today, young people have made more than 4,200 visits to the center to utilize the variety of services provided at allcove.
allcove Beach Cities provides young people ages 12 to 25 a unique space for them to gather, socialize or access our services, including mental health resources and support for family, friends, and the larger community. This year, allcove has also been host to some special events including “covefest,” “elevate & empower” and last month’s 1-year celebration of the center, marked with a festival including live music, arts and craft activities, and many young people from this area.
In May, teachers throughout the Beach Cities received a gift in the form of a sweatshirt emblazoned with “Mental Health is Health,” our campaign to mark Mental Health Awareness Month in our community. That sweatshirt, worn by hundreds of educators on “Mental Health Mondays,” served as a reminder of the importance of being kind and caring for one another and oneself, a message we worked hard to impart on students and the greater community.
This month, gifts came in the form of our Holiday Gift bags, a program marking its 25th anniversary in the Beach Cities. Our Holiday Gift Bag program provides holiday cheer and supplies for older adults and adults with disabilities. This program unites members of our community – donors, sponsors, bag stuffers and volunteers delivering the bags – to assist people in need in the Beach Cities. To the many generous people who participated with our Holiday Gift Bags, we are extremely grateful for your support.
Also this month, we cut the ribbon on the Diamond Street Bike and Pedestrian Path, adjacent to our Prospect Avenue Campus in Redondo Beach. Using a grant from Metro, we have been able to implement this small but important portion of the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan. This bike path will be a connector for residents in North Redondo, Torrance, and the South Bay, enabling them to safely access Redondo Union High School, the Pier and the great beaches we have in Redondo Beach. I encourage you to put on your bike helmet and pedal on over to check it out.
We have a lot to be grateful for in the Beach Cities. Best wishes to you and yours during the holidays, and here’s to a happy and safe 2023!
In health,
TB
