SAN FERNANDO : Counseling Agency Gets a New Home

The San Fernando facility of El Centro de Amistad, which provides counseling and education services for low-income families, will be moving to a new home this weekend, thanks to a businessman who donated use of a commercial building.

Program Director Angel Perez Jr. said agency workers and volunteers will conduct a painting and moving party Saturday and Sunday to prepare the new office at 218 Brand Blvd. to begin serving clients next week.

“It’s going to make it more conducive to what we do here,” said Perez, who said the new office has separate rooms that will be used for private counseling sessions.

It will be the fourth move for El Centro de Amistad (Center of Friendship) since 1989 when the satellite site was set up by the Canoga Park-based agency. Among the services it offers are tutoring for elementary school students, gang-intervention counseling and referrals for emergency food and shelter.

Perez said the cash-strapped agency, now operating out of a former church sanctuary on Chatsworth Street, will pay a nominal amount to rent the 2,500-square-foot office on the second floor of a commercial building owned by Alex Liberman, who operates Leaders Centro del Hogar furniture store in San Fernando.

“I think they’re doing a very good job,” said Liberman, explaining his offer to forgo higher rent payments for two years. “One of the main things I like is they’re taking the kids before they get in trouble.”