At the heart of every nonprofit organization is its dedicated Board of Commissioners. This group of movers and shakers advocates on behalf of the agency; sets policy; approves the agency's budget, grants, and contracts; makes major decisions on the direction of the agency and its programs; and provides guidance and support to the agency's executive staff. Twelve appointed and elected individuals were seated as EOC's newest Board of Commissioners serving a two year term beginning January 2011 through December 2013.

EOC's 24-member tripartite Board of Commissioners is comprised of eight public elected officials or their designee, and eight appointees from the business sector, public agencies, and community groups. The remaining eight members are elected by voters within their target area. Elections are held annually in the fall.

"Our Board is comprised of dynamic individuals," says EOC Board Chair Vongsavanh Mouanoutoua. "I look forward to working with my colleagues and developing new and innovative ways we can help individuals and families aspiring to get back on their feet and become self-sufficient."

New members include:
Charles Bailey, Jr. - Target Area E
Sandy Cha - Wells Fargo
Pastor Rufus Fruge - Central Valley Ministries Alliance
Daren A. Miller - Target Area F
Victor M. Villar - Fresno Unified School District
Woua Vang - 30th Assembly District

Re-elected / re-appointed members include:
Amy Arambula - 31st Assembly District
George Finley, Sr. - Fresno County Board of Supervisors
Tito A. Lucero - Head Start County Wide Policy Council
Lori Mayfield, Attorney at Law - Juvenile Court
Jess Saldana - Target Area D
Juanita Veliz - Target Area B

"Our Commissioners take their role very seriously and are extremely hands-on," adds Brian Angus, EOC's Executive Director. "They not only participate in monthly board meetings, but are actively involved in various committees such as Human Resources, Strategy, Finance, and Audit. Moreover, many of these same members serve on a program's advisory board. I commend them for their dedication to the agency and the area we serve."

It is under the guidance of our Board of Commissioners and the hard work of our staff that EOC, in 2010, was able to provide services to 150,000 low-income Fresno County residents including:
- preschool education and supportive services to 4,200 children;
- shelter and crisis support to 1,150 youth;
- supplemental food vouchers to 415,610 clients in our Women, Infants, and Children program; and,
- medical services to over 4,000 patients at our Health Services Clinic.

If you would like to inform us of issues facing your community, propose partnerships, or ways EOC may be able to help your community, please share your thoughts with us on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fresnoeoc.

For many Fresno County residents, having the power shut off only happens during a blackout or planned outage. Unfortunately, for some the threat of having their home's power shut off is all too real.

For Joyce Patterson, that threat almost became a reality last year. After her husband of 43 years died, Joyce found herself living on a fixed income and had a difficult time paying her energy bill. PG&E referred her to our Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP).

"I always say that you never know what circumstances will change your life and I never thought I would be requesting assistance," says Joyce. "I'd like to thank HEAP staff for their wonderful help. Words could not express my gratitude."

"Mrs. Patterson's case isn't unusual," adds Gilda Arreguin, HEAP Manager. "We have seen an increase in clients due to financial burdens such as being laid off, death of a family member, or becoming the sole financial caregiver in a household. It doesn't matter what's happening in their life; if they are eligible for our service, we are happy to help!"

HEAP helps low-income Fresno County residents pay up to $390 of their energy bill, or provides them with wood, propane or oil. The program's counterpart - Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) - provides financial assistance to individuals facing a 24- or 48-hour shut off notice or service of termination by their utility company. This assistance is only available to each family / individual once a year.

"In the Valley, we experience freezing winters, like we did in 2007, and summers with triple-digit heat. As a result, energy bills can get sky high. The use of a heater or air conditioning unit during these extreme temperatures is a matter of life and death for populations like the ill and the elderly," says Arreguin. "They may already be living on a fixed income and may have to make the choice to either put food on the table or pay their energy bill. We want them to be able to do both!"

To be eligible, families and individuals must:
- be a Fresno County resident
- be low-income
- have a valid social security card
- provide current income verification (pay stubs of previous 6 weeks)
- present personal ID such as a driver's license
- provide pages 1 - 3 of their current energy bill or 48-hour notice or current gas, propane, wood, and oil bill

"We encourage people to visit our office and meet with one of our staff members to see if they meet income eligibility," says Arreguin. The new, larger office located on the corner of E Street and Stanislaus Avenue in downtown Fresno accommodates more clients and is easily accessible from Highway 99 and FAX Bus Route 30. The 12,000-plus square foot structure offers clients free parking and an ample waiting area.

For more information, or to apply for energy assistance, please visit HEAP at 1371 Stanislaus Avenue in downtown Fresno, call them at 263.1135, or check them out online at www.fresnoeoc.org under Energy; applications in English and Spanish are available online.

This is a story of a love affair turned sour and becoming a blessing in disguise; a story of finding one's inner strength and courage to overcome adversities. The story of 23-year-old Yasmin's* trials, tribulations, and triumph, is enough to make any parent cringe, yet it makes her a hero and inspiration to other adolescents and young adults facing a similar fate.

Like many teens in love, Yasmin thought she found "the one" - the man of her dreams, her knight in shining armor. She began dating Chris* when she was 16 years-old and, a year later, they became parents to their first child; two years later, they welcomed their second child. "To the world we looked like a young couple in love. But, deep down inside, I knew that I wasn't in a healthy relationship. It wasn't good and I needed to get out," she says. Yasmin survived a seven-year relationship plagued with domestic violence. When she finally gained the courage to leave her boyfriend, she quickly discovered that she didn't have anywhere to go or anyone to turn to. She set herself and her children free from an abusive relationship, but now faced homelessness.

"We moved from place to place every three days for almost 10 months and just when I was about to give up I heard about TLC," recalled Yasmin. "TLC has saved me from a life of abuse and gave me the strength and courage to overcome my obstacles."

Transitional Living Centers (TLC), a program under our Sanctuary and Youth Services, provides homeless young adults, ages 18 - 24, and their families residential and supportive services that promote independent living for up to 24 months. "Our goal is to make sure each program participant has the tools and knowledge necessary to transition successfully into independent living," says Jody Ketcheside, TLC Manager.

Participants are placed in a secure TLC apartment complex and are offered case management, and job training / seeking assistance, as well as classes on financial literacy, cooking, and parenting.

"Since I've been in TLC, they have helped me enroll in counseling and parenting classes, complete life skills workshops, learn about resources available in Fresno, and they have helped my children transition through developmental stages," adds Yasmin. "They have been the light in our lives in a very traumatic time for me and my children. They don't just help you with a safe living place they help change and restore lives."

To learn more about eligibility requirements and dates of upcoming orientations, please visit us online at www.fresnoeoc.org/services/youth/transitional-living-center.html

*Client's name has been changed to protect their identities