Founded in 1980, LITA of Contra Costa has provided volunteers & social life

for those living in care facilities. Our Mission is to improve quality of life for

senior & disabled persons in skilled nursing homes in Contra Costa County.

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LITA involves community members of all ages, educating youth, families

and aspiring artists, supporting them as Friendly Visitor Volunteers who

fulfill this Mission in a variety of LITA programs: Pet Visits, LITA Music

Awakenings iPod/iPhone volunteers, Holiday project Groups & more.

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                                         Send your email to:   lita ofcc@gmail.com

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                                        Webaddress:    www.litaofcontracosta.org

 

                   Start a fundraiser anytime for LITA of Contra Costa on Facebook using: 

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                                       LITA OF CONTRA COSTA  LOVE IS THE ANSWER

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                                 US Mail: PO Box 121 Port Costa Ca, 94569

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Director’s Message

Summer 2022

Dear Volunteers, Donors and Friends of Love Is The Answer,  

LITA’s Music Compassion Project continues in strong demand.  LITA has donated tablets, plus required accessories like chargers, cases, ear buds and headphones for patient use to Legacy Nursing Rehab, in Martinez, Greenridge Senior Care, in El Sobrante, Lone Tree and HIllcrest  Convalescent in Antioch, Pittsburg Skilled Nursing, Bayberry Health Care in Concord, Windsor Rosewood Manor Care in Pleasant Hill  & Vale Care in San Pablo. These tablets, phones & iPads are used for vital, safe and prized family facetime and at times  for safe physician visits.

 

Since April 2020, LITA has produced a free  one hour musical variety zooom show for any SNF that cares to join  onour talented music volunteers on Fridays from  2 to 3 pm. LITA also provide a  free link to  all shows on Youtube so residents can watch anytime.​

Share The Spirit granted LITA a generous amount to set up hands on interior patio gardens for patients to participate in growing flowers and herbs. To date that program has launched in Pittsburg, Martinez, El Sobrante and Walnut Creek. Returning Covid quarantines have closed a number of facilities, but Acivity Directors can continue with free supplies and advice from LITA.

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Your donation to LITA goes directly to improve quality of life for the especially lonely, isolated individuals living in skilled nursing facilities.  Budgets for things like personal electronics to stream activities are still being cut back, at all for-profit SNF.  Delivery of LITA’s tablets, headphones and activity support  services at those facilities is more valuable than ever. Your gift will make a substantial difference for disabled, and unfortunately often quarantined senior’s quality of life.  

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LOVE is the Answer

Victoria Ryan, Director

LITA of Contra Costa

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                            2021 LITA Appreciation Awards

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Mae Wygant Award  for Best Activity Director went to Margarita Ronquillo, who  started at Bayberry in 2009. In spite of an overwhelming ratio of patients to staff, she faithfully sets up many residents to enjoy LITA donated iPads and tablets, for family visits, enjoyment of YouTube and entertainment like LITA’s live Friday musical variety shows on zoom. LITA Loves Margarita! Activity Director Isaac Silva and Margarita make things happen around Bayberry Health Care

 

 Kathleen Berner Award for Best Individual Volunteer went to Michael Domagalski.  As of yet, nursing facilities are not open to volunteer events like LITA produced prior to COVID, but without Michael, we couldn’t have kept LITA open and moving this past year. No fees asked, he gave LITA hours of tech support, set up a new HP and printer we had to buy, applied current data updates on mailing lists and even pitched in with the newsletter folding sealing, stamping and mailing. What a Brother! 

 

Patsy Berndt Award for Best Holiday Events Volunteer went to Mona Silveira, the great Activity Director at Pittsburg Skilled Nursing. COVID was allowed to do only virtual celebrations. For Christmas Day she invited families to be guest stars on the Friday afternoon LITA Music Zoom. Cameras on, “unmuted”, loved ones sang carols to their resident patients, many crying joyful tears.

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Iris Suhl Founder’s Award  Generous Donor and Volunteer Jenny Linn first volunteered with daughter Katie, then age 7, caroling & making cards for LITA served nursing facilities. Jenny & Katie (now nearly 15) organized card making in December 2020. Photo is Jenny (right) delivering cards made by Katie’s class mates to Sharon, Activity Director for Legacy Rehab residents. Jenny has been a valued top donor to LITA of Contra Costa for several years running.   

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