[PARTNER] United for Healthier Homes

Rev. Alex Cambe (center), pastor of Grace United Methodist Church, welcomes ALLICE Kumares & Kumpares, from left: Bettina Santos Yap, Joanne del Rosario, Allen Capalla, Jennifer Jimenez Wong, Elsa Agasid and Rev. Leonard Oakes.

Rev. Alex Cambe (center), pastor of Grace United Methodist Church, welcomes ALLICE Kumares & Kumpares, from left: Bettina Santos Yap, Joanne del Rosario, Allen Capalla, Jennifer Jimenez Wong, Elsa Agasid and Rev. Leonard Oakes.

Healthier families and safer communities drive ALLICE Alliance for Community Empowerment to stage twice yearly events free and open to the public and purely on donation.

Every spring, the nonprofit all-volunteer team focuses on families in partnership with faith-based organizations. This year, the Kumares & Kumpares, as they call themselves, are collaborating with Grace United Methodist Church in San Francisco to educate the congregation on ways of enhancing family dynamics.
 

“We look at this event as a service that should not be missed,” Rev. Alex Cambe, Grace United Methodist Church pastor shared his elation at hosting the 11th Our Family, Our Future 1-3:30 p.m., Saturday, May 13, at the church on 2540 Taraval Street in San Francisco.

“Being a faith community we set examples not just by saying out loud in the pulpit but more importantly by practicing it as followers of Christ,” Cambe explained. “As the Holy Scripture teaches, it is requiring us to seek justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). This is who we are as a United Methodist Church particularly here at Grace. We have not perfected yet but we are trying to be better. And practice makes it so. For such cause, our church will be more than happy to host this especially for future ‘ministry’ together.”

The event marks ALLICE’s widening outreach. Twice, the organization has partnered with Holy Child & St. Martin Episcopalian Church on Southgate Avenue in Daly City. Touched by the volunteer educators’ passion, HCSM pastor Rev. Leonard Oakes embraced the group and its mission, opting to be a full-fledged, duly-sworn Kumpare. He joins Rev. V. Mark Reburiano, pastor of St. Isabella Catholic Church in Novato, as the team’s faith leaders.

Rev. Oakes, in fact, introduced ALLICE to Rev. Cambe, whose desire to broaden his church’s alliance with humanitarian groups is well known.

“We’re thrilled to present our dramatization of healthy interaction with community-based resource providers present to consult about their free programs and services at the beautiful and welcoming church led by Reverend Cambe,” said Jennifer Jimenez Wong, 2017 ALLICE president and a licensed marriage and family therapist.

The team is dedicating this coming event to their departed pioneer Kumares Alice Bulos and Erlinda Galeon, who passed away last year. They were committed to bring enlightenment and healing to couples and families, to their last days.

For many the Philippine Consulate General is an important lifeline.  To troubled families unfamiliar with area support systems, the consulate has been a bridge to service agencies. 

This is why the Consulate has been a founding sponsor of ALLICE, joined today by Seton Medical Center – Part of Verity Health System, Union Bank and Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center.

General Henry S. Bensurto Jr. will deliver the keynote address. Founding partners retired KTVU Channel 2 News South Bay bureau chief Lloyd LaCuesta and KGO TV news reporter Frances Dinglasan will once again co-host the program.

Consul Gen. Henry Bensurto Jr.

Consul Gen. Henry Bensurto Jr.

Lloyd La Cuesta

Lloyd La Cuesta

Frances Dinglasan

Frances Dinglasan

San Mateo Behavioral Health & Recovery Services, Philippine News, Philippines Today, Positively Filipino, GMA News Online, Rappler.com, The Filipino Channel, Lucky Chances, Moonstar, Noah's Bagels and Chalet Ticino are this event’s donors.

Some 15 service providers led HICAP of San Mateo and HICAP of San Francisco will attend. Kaiser Permanente Filipino Association will provide free health screenings. Refreshments will be served. Raffle prizes will be drawn.

ALLICE is an all-volunteer nonprofit based in San Mateo County dedicated to promoting healthy interaction through education. Founded in 2003, members form a multidisciplinary team united in passion to prevent intimate and family violence. Allen Capalla, Bettina Santos Yap, Cecile Gregorio Ascalon, Cherie Querol Moreno, Edna Murray, Elsa Agasid, Jei Africa, Jennifer Jimenez Wong, Joanne del Rosario, Jose Antonio, Leonard Oakes, Malou Aclan, Nan Santiago, Nellie Hizon, Ofie Albrecht, Paulita Lasola Malay, Sarah Jane Ilumin, Teresa Guingona Ferrer and Father Mark Reburiano each represent a specific population, from private to public entities, tech and legal offices, health and finance corporations, marketing and faith organizations.

For more information on the event, call Philippine Consulate General 415-433-6666, Grace United Methodist Church 415-731-3050, or Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center 650-992-9110. Visit www.allicekumare.com.