GLENDALE : Cardinal Mahony to Dedicate Service Site

Cardinal Roger Mahony will preside over dedication and reopening ceremonies for the Glendale Community Center, formerly known as the Catholic Youth Organization building, at 10 a.m. Aug. 29.

The CYO has been closed for more than two years. The organization’s dilapidated structure at 4322 San Fernando Road was torn down and its 6,200-square-foot replacement was built with $622,000 in federal Housing and Urban Development funds allocated by the city.

A food pantry is already open at the new center. Over the next few months, the center will begin offering many other services, including earthquake assistance, family counseling, senior issues advocacy, Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon meetings, and immigration processing. The center will also offer youth activities as well as English as a second language classes.

“I live in this community, and I see that there is a real need for our programs,” said Carlos Reyes, former director of the CYO and a staff member at the new center. “There was a real void left when the center closed.”

The food pantry, operated on the site by Loaves and Fishes Catholic Charities, provides needy families with groceries on a periodic basis and homeless singles with free sack lunches. Loaves and Fishes also provides counseling for the homeless or those at risk of becoming homeless.