Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— The Knock Knock Angels and Ashley Furniture/West Covina have created a collaboration to assist a homeless Veteran couple and their family by providing a complete interior makeover of home furnishings. They have partnered to help give this family a new beginning from a troubled past that includes being a victim of sexual assault which led to challenges with substance abuse.
Knock Knock Angels is a non-profit based out of Fontana, CA that has for the last five years helped countless families, single mothers, Veterans and the elderly bounce back and recover from tragic situations. They help families by providing basic essentials for children and families to live and thrive in. They are also known as a giving forum for people and companies to perform random acts of kindness in the community.
On Friday, September 14, the Angels along with the help of Ashley Furniture, made over the home of Sherwin Sanchez and Heather Phillips, both of whom are Veterans.
Newly appointed Post Commander, Yolanda Davis of AMVETS Post 77, contacted Vickie Lobo, Founder of Knock Knock Angels, with a need for help for Sanchez, Phillips and their baby. The Angels then contacted Charles Serrano, Store Manager of Ashley Furniture in West Covina, CA. Upon hearing the family’s story, Serrano immediately agreed to help with providing furnishing for their home, which the couple and their child had been living in without any furniture.
The couple struggled with sobriety and have stayed clean since 2016. They eventually were provided housing by the Veterans Administration as well as financial benefits. Together, Knock Knock Angels and Ashley Furniture will continue to assist this family with community support and furnishings for their apartment.
Sherwin is a self-taught tattoo artist and Heather in now a full-time employee with Loma Linda VA hospital. It’s a great ending to a horrible story but these are the types of families that Knock Knock Angels looks for when selecting families to assist.
Knock Knock Angels was founded in 2013 to provide household furnishings to needy families and individuals throughout the Inland Empire. The nonprofit organization facilitates home makeovers for people suffering from debilitating illnesses and victims of financial poverty.
Founder Vickie Lobo is a local Realtor in the Inland Empire who started her community service with a small group of friends who received donations of furniture and home décor to furnish small homes locally. Four years later, her dream has grown to assist multiple families yearly with dozens of volunteers and hundreds of items donated to each family.
To date, Knock Knock Angels has serviced many families and now has monthly Random Acts of Kindness to keep the community involved in the spirit of giving.
For more information about Vickie Lobo and Knock Knock Angels, or to nominate a deserving family for their 2018 Christmas MiracleMakeover, please contact them at (909) 496-2082 or info@knockknockangels.org.
To volunteer for the makeovers please call (909) 496-2082. You may also visit their website at www.knockknockangels.org
