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Meet our first Stakeholder Spotlight selection!
Choosing one stakeholder every month to praise and "spotlight" in our Stakeholder Spotlight program for his or her contribution to the community, the Outreach Committee has chosen Consuella Mackey, a resident of Granada Hills for over 24 years, to be our first Stakeholder Spotlight selection for her founding of Operation Confidence (see YouTube video), a non-profit organization which has assisted over 11,000 physically disabled individuals to gain meaningful employment and live independently. Moreover, not only has Consuella been recognized by the GHSNC, but nearly four years ago, Consuella was selected as a participant by ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition which turned her 2 bedroom,1.5 bath home into a 5 bedroom, 4 bath new home full of beautiful furniture! The show also gave Operation Confidence a new office free-of-charge for one year! Extreme Makeover: Home Edition chose Consuella for her involvement in Operation Confidence and because she used her personal home as a shelter for disabled children. In fact,some of those children she sheltered, as well as her own two sons, ages 23 and 18, submitted Ms. Mackey's name to ABC's hit show and the rest, as they say, is television history.
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The children have grown, but Consuella still serves the disabled community: she was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for the World Association for Persons with Disabilities. Moreover, Operation Confidence was recognized for its selfless service by the Volunteer Center of Los Angeles-Assistance League of Southern California at a Rose Bowl ceremony on April 27th, where Consuella accepted the President's Volunteer Service Award and the Celebrate LA Award as well.
Yet, despite all of the good Consuella has done, she is not resting on her laurels. With Hurricane Katrina devastating the city of New Orleans, Consuella and Operation Confidence have turned their attention to the marginalized community of disabled in this rebuilding gulf town. Working in conjunction with the Positive Redirection Team (see YouTube video), Consuella and Operation Confidence hope to travel to New Orleans in October 2008 and offer their services by hosting the First Annual Disability Empowerment Expo. Not only will they host it, but they will also work on empowering this "forgopopulation of people" through services they have perfected here in our area. However, in order to make the trip a reality, they must raise nearly $29,000. In addition, the building where Consuella's office is located is being sold, so she is looking for a new office space for her non-profit organization. Please go to www.operationconfidence.org or call her at (323) 934-2855 to find out how you can help this pillar of our community continue to serve those in need..jpg)
"You never knew people even knew" about the service she performed, Consuella incredulously remarked. When Extreme Makeover: Home Edition showed up with Ty and the trucks, she said, "I just knew there was a force upstairs." Relaxing in her spacious living room with natural light flowing in through the multiple windows, Consuella told us that serving the disabled for over 26 years gives her "tremendous peace" and she hopes to one day turn her luxurious home into a comfort living facility for the disabled. When discussing Granada Hills, Consuella appreciates the "serenity, safety, and how it is a great place to raise kids." Holding her cute dog, Jackie, she remarked how much she hopes Granada Hills South Neighborhood Council can increase the neighborliness for which our community is so well known. We are pleased to recognize such an outstanding servant of the disabled as our first Stakeholder Spotlight selection.
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