“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service to others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
In Part two of our series celebrating The Guidance Center’s 75th anniversary, we highlight our volunteer-led board of directors. Over the decades, The Guidance Center has remained strong thanks to the foundational support and commitment of its board members. This amazing, dedicated group of individuals play an integral role in the leadership and strategic vision of the organization. In the last two years, during the worst of the pandemic, the board provided valuable support and guidance, standing side-by-side with staff as we navigated many challenges and difficulties along the way.
We reached out to current and former members and asked them to share their thoughts on what inspired them to join the board, as well as any memorable moments or experiences. Here are their responses:
“The ‘system’ is failing our children, despite the investment of billions of taxpayer dollars. Agencies such as The Guidance Center do Herculean work in the trenches, helping children and families, one by one. But, the need is overwhelming. The Guidance Center and other mental health providers are consistently faced with a high demand for services from children and families needing help. Best efforts have not been enough to overcome generation after generation of children raised in poverty and trauma.
The Guidance Center is one of the few agencies I know of that works to address the systemwide issues that hold all the providers back, limit flexibility in treatment, and constrain the spending of resources. The Guidance Center acts as a leader in community mental health, working to implement meaningful change in the way mental health is assessed and delivered.
There are so many ‘good causes’ in which to invest time, energy, and money. I support The Guidance Center because my contribution here makes the most difference. “
– Luis Maimoni
“It was the last few days of April 1992 when violence erupted following the acquittal of police officers who had beaten Rodney King. A few dozen people were killed in Los Angeles, but Matthew Haines was the only person killed in the uprising in Long Beach. Matt’s family asked me to perform the funeral, which put me immediately in touch with numerous non-profits hoping to address the root causes of such injustice and community rage. I chose to put my time and energy to work at The Guidance Center, which was poised to expand both its social work and psychological components into Long Beach schools and homes. That was 30 years ago this month. I was privileged to serve on the Board of Directors until 2013.”
— Rev. Dr. Paul A. Lance
Our board members share so much of their time, expertise and compassion to move The Guidance Center’s mission forward. As our biggest advocates, their impact is monumental. We are immensely grateful and honored to have them serve.
Please join us at our annual Sunset Sip gala on April 23rd as we celebrate The Guidance Center’s 75 years of service to the community and lift our voices in support of vital mental health services for children and families.