As volunteers painted the benches and planted plants around the Casa Blanca Home of Neighborly Services (CBHFS), they gave members of the nonprofit community center a renewed sense of community on Sept. 18.
Kaiser Permanente’s National Facility Design and Construction Services selects one organization each year to help support their needs. According to Kaiser Permanente Riverside, Casa Blanca stood out for its decades-long history of serving the community of Riverside.
Kaiser Permanente Riverside collaborated with Keep Riverside Clean and Beautiful to select Casa Blanca as this year's project, bringing on 60 volunteers to help with the revitalization, according to Kaiser Permanente Riverside.
Kaiser also collaborated with Hansel Phelps Construction Company to identify the community center's needs. The one-day project included restoring benches and outside areas and organizing the clothing closet and food pantry.
CBHFS provides a variety of support to local community members, according to Lisa Ayala, the community center's administrative assistant. The center opens a food pantry and clothing closet for the public while hosting a variety of programs and events. Casa Blanca also collaborates with external organizations to host giveaway events.
“We are deeply grateful to Kaiser Permanente, Hensel Phelps and every volunteer who gave their time to Casa Blanca and the families that we serve,” said Jerry Pulido, executive director of Casa Blanca Home of Neighborly Service. “Their work made our spaces brighter, and it was so much more than a fresh coat of paint. It’s a reminder that our community sees our work and wants us to continue.”
Casa Blanca started in the 1950s with a group of people who wanted to support their community, says Pulido. As interest and family engagement grew, the center was later established as Casa Blanca Home of Neighborly Services.
Pulido originally visited the center as a volunteer, but realized he had a deeper connection with the true meaning of Casa Blanca.
“I started getting involved, and learning from it and evolving to the positions that were coming forward,” Pulido said. “That's how I ended up with that (the position) because of my consistency.”
Previously to his involvement at the community center, Pulido grew up in the Casa Blanca neighborhood located in Ward 5.
To this day, Administrative Assistant Miriam De La Guerra shares that the neighborhood of Casa Blanca is still tight-knit. She witnesses the intimate relationship that the center has with the community each day.
Casa Blanca is actively hosting events and fundraisers to increase community engagement while supporting families in need. External organizations partner with the center and donate supplies to meet community needs.
Popular fundraisers include food distribution and backpack giveaways. Casa Blanca keeps their community updated by posting their upcoming events on social media.
More information: The center is located at 7680 Casa Blanca Street, Riverside, CA 92504, and its hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
