THE Women’s Coalition for Arnold-Dave 2022 on Friday visited Karidat to donate gift baskets as Mother’s Day presents to the women at Guma Esperansa or House of Hope, a shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Led by its founder, second lady Wella Palacios, the Women’s Coalition for AD 2022 handed the gift baskets to Karidat Executive Director Lauri Ogumoro at the charitable organization’s office in Chalan Kanoa.
Maryann Borja, the coalition’s chairwoman, said the second lady’s project aims to bring a big smile to the mothers at Guma Esperansa.
Palacios said the coalition members donated the gift baskets.
Becky Cruz, the coalition’s co-chair, said it was their second project. The first one she said was the donation of gift baskets to the children at the Division of Youth Services.
As for their Mother’s Day gifts, she said they wanted to let the women at Guma Esperansa know that there are many people who care for them.
Ogumoro said women who seek shelter at Guma Esperansa arrive there with nothing.
So to have something nice and special just for them on Mother’s Day is really special, Ogumoro said.
She said whenever the women at the center receive gifts, they usually shed tears of joy — they’re glad to know that there are people who remember them.
Ogumoro thanked the Women’s Coalition for AD 2022 for the Mother’s Day gifts. “We really appreciate them. Thank you for thinking of us, and doing this for them — helping each other is what we are all about as community.”
Precinct 3 Rep. Corina Magofna, one of the coalition’s founding members, said they want the women at Guma Esperansa to know that there are people who truly care and are thinking about them.
“From the bottom of my heart, I wish them the best Mother’s Day despite their situation — we are praying for them,” Magofna added.
Women’s Coalition for Arnold-Dave 2022 founder Wella Palacios, center, and Karidat Executive Director Lauri Ogumoro, sixth left, hold gift baskets as they pose for a photo with coalition members and Karidat staff in this file photo.
