Kitty Chen

Kitty Chen’s nominator described her as a “community treasure” for her great work and commitment to raising awareness and reducing stigma around mental illness within the Chinese American community. Her involvement over the last 6 years with the Culture to Culture Foundation has been valuable in helping coordinate culturally competent services for Chinese American seniors in the Bay Area.
In addition to being a member of the board at Culture to Culture, she has shared her skills as a retired teacher by volunteering as an event facilitator and program planner at the Chinese American Senior Center of Contra Costa County and the Chinese American Mental Health Network. She tells us she is delighted to be working with seniors, and we are certain they are delighted to be working with her.

Abby Lehrman

A homeless person in San Francisco described Abby Lehrman as “a life jacket,” for all she’s done to help and advocate for homeless people in the city.  Another said, “The undivided attention [Abby Lehrman] gives her clients is more important than food and water – because when you’re homeless, you’re invisible.” Moving to San Francisco from New York, Ms. Lehrman has spent the last 22 years volunteering with Martin de Porres House of Hospitality, preparing and serving food for homeless and low income San Franciscans, and eventually becoming an outreach coordinator for her clients, many of whom are seniors. Believing that food and healthcare are basic human rights, Ms. Lehrman herself embodies the philosophy of Martin’s – that of “gentle personalism.”
She acknowledges that her work has helped her in her own journey and recovery, as she has helped people work through the entanglements of poverty and addiction. She has tried to educate others about homeless people – that they have jobs, families, pets and lives. As she describes, “homeless people are not a “they” on the other side of some arbitrary fence from “us”; they are just people, who sometimes need a little help.” For her, the work is all about love, and it is clear that her love has touched the lives of many San Franciscans.

Francisca Parker

An immigrant from El Salvador, Francisca Parker has spent her time in this country helping hundreds of immigrant and non-immigrant elders find their way through health care systems, housing, and other challenging life situations in her San Francisco Mission District neighborhood. She is on the District Advisory Council, and serves on the board of Mission Housing, a non-profit that provides affordable housing for low and moderate income San Franciscans. Ms. Parker is also a volunteer with HICAP, using her background in the insurance business to help seniors make better decisions about their Medicare and Medicaid coverage options.
Ms. Parker is also active with Senior Action Network in San Francisco, and helped facilitate their Senior University program – a leadership training course for both Spanish- and English-speaking seniors and people with disabilities, that focuses on community organizing, lobbying, public speaking, and other leadership skills. Ms. Parker’s deep commitment to helping other seniors is also seen in her devoted volunteer work as a Senior Peer Counselor, where she provides emotional support to other older adults in an innovative San Francisco program providing mental health services free of charge. Francisca Parker has given more to other San Franciscans during her 14 years here than many people give in a lifetime.

Frank Rose

Some say “a rose is a rose is a rose,” but we dare say that this one is truly special. Over 10 years ago, Frank Rose retired as an independent contractor with the U.S. Postal Service and returned to Oakland to get involved in volunteer work that has touched the lives of Alameda County residents young and old. His involvements on commissions and boards are extensive, including the Alameda County Advisory Commission on Aging, the Mayor’s Commission on Aging, the board of Students Run Oakland, and the Community Police Advisory Board.
Most recently, Mr. Rose decided to do something about the high rates of hunger among Oakland seniors, and the lack of access to healthy foods. He helped open Gazzali’s Supermarket, the first supermarket open in east Oakland in over 10 years! And he negotiated a senior discount for older shoppers at the store. He then worked to extend the West Oakland Senior Shuttle service to routes between senior housing facilities and the grocery store.  He then led the effort to open a farmers market at the East Oakland Senior Center, in a neighborhood with very high rates of food insecurity. Mr. Rose’s leadership and vision has been instrumental in providing fresh fruits and vegetables, nutritional education and other nutrition services to underserved Oakland Seniors.