Rosa Gutierrez brought her four children to Saturday’s Youth and Family Festival hosted by Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, in partnership with Strength United, a California State University, Northridge, community agency.
The local resident thought it would be fun to take the kids out to a fun free event that had a petting zoo, drum circle, and butterfly encounter among other family-friendly activities.
But once she arrived at the festival, held in the outdoor space of the Canyon Country Community Center, not only did her children have the chance pet a few goats or see a butterfly up close, but she also learned about the local nonprofit organizations in the area and the services they had to offer.
It’s important to have spaces such as the Youth and Family Festival because “it’s great to be with community and to learn,” she said, adding that she had a chance to see how someone can administer Narcan in case of an emergency, or where children can spend a day outdoors, like at Gilchrist Farm.
The Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry, Child & Family Center, Family Promise, and numerous other organizations including government resources like the Department of Public & Social Services, were present to connect with families during the second annual event of its kind to offer safety resources and assistance.
“The real goal is making sure that as the state Legislature, we are bringing critical resources directly to the community,” said Schiavo’s District Director Andrea Rosenthal. Resources were focused on affordability, community safety, and youth programs that could really benefit families in a time of need, she added.
“This is really one of my favorite events we do every year, because you see all these families, all these kids, who are having just a great time smiling and laughing and giggling and getting to experience some cool stuff,” said Schiavo as she participated in the drum circle. “We have resources for the parents and the families to help them out and hopefully put a little money back in their pocket and get support to folks who can use it.”
CSUN’s Strength United offers a variety of advocacy and counseling services to survivors that have dealt with interpersonal violence such as domestic abuse, sexual assault, harassment and stalking, said Prevention Education Specialist Emily Arana.
“Our services are completely free and confidential to anyone that lives in Santa Clarita Valley or San Fernando Valley, and we have a 24/7 hotline number that is available. Anyone can call and we always have an advocate on standby that answers the phone and can offer help and resources,” she said.
“A lot of people don’t know about the resources and services that are available to them. Strength United offers counseling services, and I know that’s something that some people seek, and they might not know where to look or who to ask,” Arana said speaking on the importance of a community outreach event.
“We just want them to know that there’s always support available and that they’re never alone. There’s always someone that’s willing to help,” she added.
The California Highway Patrol was also providing a bicycle safety crash course for children to learn about traffic safety with a free helmet giveaway, and a car seat safety inspection to those interested.
Child seat technician and officer with the CHP Southern Division Marissa McIntire was conducting inspections with her colleague Officer Katherine Hendry throughout the morning before the event started due to high interest, she said. Each appointment was done in 30-minute time frames to ensure thoroughness.
“When purchasing a car seat, they should check the expiration date,” McIntire said, and she also advised parents to buy brand new car seats and not used ones because sometimes used seats could be involved in traffic collisions making them defective and less safe, she added.
Other tips she offered for child safety in the vehicle was: secure all loose objects that could possibly projectile during a crash, and avoid putting mirrors in front of a child’s car seat, something many parents do to keep a constant eye on their little one as they drive.
A mirror can cause injury to a child during a crash, which many parents may not think about when installing it, she said.
All CHP offices offer a free child seat inspection and installation on given days through an appointment. Individuals can book an appointment by phone and learn more information on the topic through their agency website, said Officer Carlos Burgos Lopez, with the Newhall office. Residents can contact the CHP Newhall office at 661-600-1600.
As more families enjoyed a day outdoors and learned about organizations and participated in arts and crafts, Schiavo wanted to encourage those who could not attend to stay connected with her office.
“We’ve been able to put over $2 million back into people’s pockets through our case work, helping people with state agencies like unemployment claims and things like that,” Schiavo said. “We put $2 million back into people’s pockets through that work in our office, and so we’re here as a resource to support our community any way we can.”
