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Culture

Doug Heaton – Downtown Women’s Center

Related Information

To learn more about the Golden Sol Yoga and Wellness Center, visit:
www.goldensol.org

To learn more about the Downtown Women’s Center, see:
www.downtownwomenscenter.org

Story

KTGY’s Doug Heaton is making a difference in the lives of homeless women in Downtown Los Angeles

KTGY has selected Doug Heaton as one of the four individuals for the firm’s 2015 “Making a Difference” program for his self-less service in helping Golden Sol Yoga and Wellness Center in Los Feliz, Calif., assist Los Angeles’ Downtown Women’s Center. The program is called, “Double Scrub and Build a Meal for the Downtown Women’s Center.” Doug, who serves as a senior designer in KTGY’s Los Angeles office, has personally donated hundreds of dollars to help provide meals to the women of the Downtown Women’s Center. In addition, Doug has helped establish menus, cost-breakdown for meals, and created monthly fundraising goals for the cause. According to Doug, the most impactful part of his efforts though, has been to make a difference in the lives of these homeless women.

“Typically, in a team of ten, we arrive with fresh foods in hand,” said Doug. “We start by thoroughly cleaning the kitchen. I work hard and take on the dirty tasks of scrubbing the kitchen floors, under sink food traps and oven racks as well as sharpening knives and more. Following the kitchen cleanup, we wash and prep the food for lunch. We line up as a group and build a complete lunch for every person that comes to the counter. The women are so grateful. Somehow, more often than not, we have been able to feed them twice. They are so hungry. In those moments, I feel like I’m sharing not just a meal, but a smile, a kind word, and as much love as one can give in a few seconds as they pass by.”

Amy Patrice Golden, owner of Golden Sol Yoga and Wellness Center, says that, “No one on our team is more enthusiastic than or as organized as Douglas Heaton, who works tirelessly to create a system of donation-based giving for our program, ‘Double Scrub and Build a Meal for the Downtown Women’s Center.’ Douglas has donated, generously, to provide food and supplies for the Downtown Women’s Center program, which takes place the first Sunday of every month. This event involves an evolving team of volunteers, who clean the kitchen and prepare a healthful meal for 150-300 homeless women. We have committed to the first Sunday of every month of 2015 – we will prepare approximately 3,600 meals – more than tripling our efforts last year.”

The median age of these women is 50 years old and it’s an extraordinary thing for the ladies to see men volunteering to help, Amy says. “I believe that seeing men, like Doug, and the other terrific folks that help, builds up trust and hope. Each meal’s cost, by Doug’s careful calculations, is $2.50, but the value of a warm, lovingly made meal, kind words, and a sparkling kitchen is immeasurable.”