(February 22, 2008) Downtown, Los Angeles – Friends of the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA in Boyle Heights honor Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) with its Heart of the Family Award at a ceremony held at the Cicada Restaurant in Downtown.  The congresswoman helped to secure federal funds to enable the youth center to expand and renovate its facility.

"Congresswoman Roybal-Allard received the Heart of the Family Award in recognition of her long commitment to this YMCA, which offers multiple programs and Summer Camp to the East Los Angeles community, as well as a safe place for adults and kids to exercise and thrive," said Ruben Corona, Executive Director of Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA.  "We are grateful for the many years of the congresswoman's support to our facility and her personal interest in helping us better serve the community. She is very connected to our history."

The organization provides the following services: before and after school enrichment programs; parent-child programs; swim lessons; camping; seniors’ activities; teen programs; exercise programs for physical fitness and other classes for a variety of special interests. 

Pictured in the photo from left to right: Diana Ibarra, Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA board member; Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard; and Ruben Corona, Executive Director Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA.

The congresswoman made the following remarks at the award ceremony:

“Thank you Mr. Bill Torres (board chairman) and members of the Board of Directors for tonight’s honor and for the tremendous job you do in leading this great organization.

Thank you also to your executive director, Ruben Corona, and his dedicated staff and volunteers for the passion and commitment they bring to the East L.A. “Y.”

To the Y’s corporate friends, a great big thank you for providing the financial support so critical to the Y’s ability to fulfill its vital mission.

 And to each and every one of you thank you for supporting the “Y” and this evening’s event.

Receiving the “Heart of the Family Award” has special meaning for me because it comes from an organization that serves the Boyle Heights community where I am proud to say I was born and raised.

In fact the East L.A. Y is located just a block from the elementary school I attended until the 6th grade and just about five blocks from the house in which I grew up. Thinking about tonight’s honor my thoughts drifted back to the community of my childhood.

I truly wish there could have been an East LA “Y” during my childhood days.

For the Boyle Heights community of today is, in many ways, not much different from the Boyle Heights of my youth in the 40’s and the 50’s.

Today, just as in the olden days as my children and grandchildren would say, the residents of Boyle Heights face challenges such as crime, poverty, unaffordable health care and inadequately performing schools.

And just like when I was growing up, the Boyle Heights of today is comprised of proud, hard working parents and people who, above all, value family and community and who struggle each day to improve the quality of their life and to provide a better future for their children.

The Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA mirrors their values and provides the residents of Boyle Heights a safe haven in which to strengthen the foundation of family and community.
 
At a time when our country faces the challenges of crime, a weakened economy, inadequate educational opportunities and health care, the Y’s after school programs help keep our children out of trouble and away from the influence of gangs, its exercise and nutrition programs, for example, help parents, children and grandparents alike fight the diseases that plaque our Latino communities, such as diabetes and obesity, and the Y’s character development and tutoring  programs give our children a sense of self worth and the help they need to succeed in our highly technical and global economy .

The Y’s focus on educational support, healthy lifestyle training and character building enhances the quality of life of young and old in Boyle Heights. 

As many of you know, the YMCA is experiencing unprecedented growth at a time our country is facing economic uncertainty.

With budget cuts at the local, state and federal level, the programs the Y offers become increasingly threatened while at the same time becoming increasingly more important.

That is why your continued support is more critical now then ever.  I can assure you that your investment of time and money in the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA will be an investment that produces a winning scenario not just for the Boyle Heights community but for you and our Los Angeles community as a whole.

Again, I thank the Weingart East Los Angeles Y for tonight’s honor and for the pleasure of sharing this wonderful evening with you and my family.”