Galloway Leads When it Comes to Helping Anaheim’s Poorest Neighborhoods

We’ve invited Jose Vargas, a director of ESCRI in Anaheim and a former OCYD chair, to share with our readers the work Anaheim’s Democratic candidate for Mayor Lorri Galloway has done to address the needs of Anaheim’s poorest citizens for years.  This work has been ongoing since before her last term in City Council was over through today.  After reading this piece, let me know how this work compares to anything done by Tom Tait, Lucille Kring or Denis Fitzgerald to make the same sort of changes in Anaheim

 

BY JOSE VARGAS, PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF ESCRI

What many people do not know is that  right here in Anaheim there is an organization ESCRI, East Street Community Renewal Organization which was created to address, the impoverished, disenfranchised and undeserved areas in the city. ESCRI is a program of The Eli Home located in the East Street corridor of central Anaheim.  Lorri Galloway is the founder of The Eli Home and the founder of ESCRI.  She is a hands-on mentor who is deeply entrenched in its work.  She is one who is a two-term councilmember of the city of Anaheim, but she never left her position as executive director of The Eli Home.

ESCRI’s focuses on those who suffer financially, those without representation, those who many consider undesirable due to citizenship status, racial barriers and the lack of cultural awareness. ESCRI has served thousands since its inception in 2009.  Uniquely, it engages the community from the inside out, not from the outside in, which is the traditional method.  Perhaps this is why we have been so effective.

When the riots of 2012 surged  during the summer of 2012, it was ESCRI who had already been leading Town Hall Forums with the Anaheim Police department not at a separate location but right in the epicenter at St Anthony Clarets where the neighborhood most effected worships. ESCRI embraced the heart of the problem at its root and the systemic causes that surround the area.

It was ESCRI that led the Flashlight walks on Anna Drive with APD so children could speak up and not be in fear – asking that their streets might be safe again. It was ESCRI  that led the Neighborhood clean up in partnership with Anna Drive residents and the police department who came in recognition of a broken trust desperately in need of repair. It was ESCRI that led a Walk for Peace with the Catholic Archdioces, Bishop Kevin Vann to bridge hope for the community joined by the 3 mothers of slain victims joined this peaceful event. It was ESCRI that created FLAME – Fire Leadership Mentoring experience for youth led by Anaheim Firefighter James MC Duffie so that young men would have a choice, a different direction other than what gangs offer. It was ESCRI that recently (August) awarded Anna Drive residents “ Champions of Change” awards alongside APD as we walked a neighborhood rising up from the ashes. It was ESCRI that took the first bold steps after the riots and invited the public to meet a new Chief of Police Raul Quezada, when tensions were still fresh.

It was ESCRI then and it “IS” ESCRI now who will not turn away from adversity or the diversity in our city.

ESCRI is recognized and sought after by parents, students, community organizations, and school s who invite and support what we stand for which is change. We do not operate by standing still and expecting a broken community to come to us…. We go to them, without hesitation, without judgement, without expectations. This is what is means “ To Serve”, and perhaps because of our attitude we can make a difference….. We are ESCRI!

 

The East Street Comunity Renewal Initiative (ESCRI)

An Eli Home Project

1175 N. East Street

Anaheim, CA 92805

Office: (714) 300-0600 ext.222