Happy to Help: Fountainview at Gonda Member Sews Protective Gear for Caregivers

Connections to Care Mobile Hero
Home / News & Events / Newsletter

Happy to Help: Fountainview at Gonda Member Sews Protective Gear for Caregivers

Jun 9, 2020


When Judy Fenton heard about the shortage of protective gear for healthcare personnel, she knew she could contribute, but did not know where to start.

"I was trying to figure out how to get involved," says Fenton, who lives at Fountainview at Gonda Healthy Aging Westside Campus. Then she learned that there was a need right in her own backyard when Charlette Ofrecio, executive director at Gonda, told her that Jewish Home staff lacked protective masks.

Fenton eagerly jumped in to help. "The Jewish Home has been so good to me and I appreciate the staff so much," she says.

Adept at sewing, Fenton borrowed a friend's sewing machine and got to work. "I always sewed for fun," she says. "I used to make my daughters' clothes for fancy occasions such as weddings and proms."

Now she sews protective gear, estimating that she has produced 40-50 cloth masks.

Toward the end of March, staff at the Home began to realize that there was a shortage of disposable gowns. Prices were skyrocketing. Kathleen Glass, executive director of the Home's Eisenberg Village campus, came up with a solution: Sew long sleeves onto traditional hospital gowns.

Soon, staff and their friends and family were sewing gowns. And the Helping Hands campaign was born.

Ofrecio told Fenton about the Home's "Helping Hands" campaign, which distributes medical gown sewing kits throughout the community, Fenton quickly and enthusiastically volunteered to help.

Volunteer Services Director Stacy Orbach posted the Home's need for gowns onto various online sewing groups. Over thirty local women answered the call, and so far have created 1,000 gowns. "The community really stepped up," Orbach says, adding that completed gowns are still flowing into the Home on a weekly basis. Orbach reports that one volunteer has committed to keep sewing gowns until the Home reaches its 3,000-gown goal.

Fenton has also joined the cause, firing up her sewing machine to sew the sleeves, which she then attaches to the gowns. She spends a few hours a day sewing, listening to music as she sews.

"It's something to do as we shelter in place," Fenton says. "I feel like I'm contributing as I can't volunteer anywhere right now. Sewing makes me feel like I'm doing something to help the community."

Public service runs in her family. Her grandson in Minneapolis used his Bar Mitzvah money to purchase a 3D printer and is making face shields for a Jewish senior facility near his home. In addition, her granddaughter in New York launched "Eats and Beats" for healthcare workers. A DJ performs over Zoom while they feast on donated meals. "I'm proud of my family," Fenton says.

And it's also gratifying to see Jewish Home caregivers wearing the items she sewed. "The Jewish Home has been so good to me and I appreciate the staff so much," she says. "When I recognize them wearing something I made, it makes me feel so happy!"

To join the Helping Hands campaign or to help out in other ways, please contact our Director of Volunteer Services Stacy Orbach at 818-774-3116, or [email protected]. Orbach will coordinate the gown distribution.


Sign up for the Los Angeles Jewish Health newsletter, Connections.

Recent Articles

Jul 9

Los Angeles Jewish Health Welcomes New Chief Information Officer

Rey Lopez brings experience and community commitment to improving local seniorsʼ lives (RESEDA, CA – July 8, 2025) Los Angeles Jewish Health announced the appointment of Rey Lopez as its chief information officer. Lopez arrives at LAJH with two decades of experience strengthening information technology (IT) infrastructure in the medical field to enhance the delivery of high-quality patient care. Central to Lopezʼs portfolio at LAJH is building technology and business solutions to help the organization grow, to assist its employees to be more efficient in their jobs, and to safeguard residentsʼ health and wellbeing by protecting their sensitive personal health information and data.“Whether itʼs securing electronic health records, streamlining our payroll systems, or reducing cost and boosting the performance of our data reporting systems, there are so many ways we can harness technology to be more nimble and to provide LAJH stakeholders with new pathways to success,” Lopez said. LAJH Chief Information Officer Rey LopezLopez joins the LAJH leadership team at a critical time in the healthcare industry, as emerging technologies play a growing role in the provision of vital care and as concerns around protecting data privacy continue to require best practices in the field. His knowledge and expertise will help drive LAJHʼs strategic approach to effective data management. “We are pleased to welcome Rey as a member of the LAJH family,” said Dale Surowitz, LAJH CEO and president. “His commitment to safeguarding the health and privacy of our residents makes him a perfect addition to our leadership team.” Lopez arrives at LAJH after a long tenure as CIO at Kern Medical in Bakersfield and, before that, as Director of Information Systems, St. Joseph Medical Center at Providence Health & Services in Burbank. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, he attended California State University, Northridge, graduating with a degree in business administration and management information systems. It was as a small business owner in the late 1990s—based in Encino, he consulted on issues related to workerʼs compensation—that Lopez developed an interest in pursuing a healthcare career. His new position at LAJH further deepens his connection to the San Fernando Valley, where he currently resides. “Iʼm so happy to be working in the Valley again, contributing to the community that I love,” Rey says. “Through LAJH, I look forward to helping make it an even better—and healthier—place to live.” 
Read More
Jul 2

Growing to Meet the Needs of Today’s Seniors, Annenberg School of Nursing Expands Reach Into New Markets

Enhancing wellness and expanding impact are critical components of the work at Los Angeles Jewish Health. Through the highly acclaimed Annenberg School of Nursing (ASN), progress is occurring on both fronts, most recently with the opening of an additional location that is broadening the ability for ASN to prepare the next generation of nurses to serve seniors and others in need of quality healthcare.This new location, currently identified as ASN-LA, is part of a collaborative partnership between Los Angeles Jewish Health and AltaMed, one of the country’s largest community health networks. Based at AltaMed’s headquarters in City of Commerce, the new location will offer the Annenberg School of Nursing’s signature fast-paced, 12-month licensed vocational nursing (LVN) program. ASN-LA’s inaugural LVN class is scheduled to launch this August, with 24 students selected from among more than 200 applicants who applied for the chance to attend.“The demand for a nursing education—and for Annenberg-level training—is extremely high, and we’re thrilled to be increasing our capacity to reach more students than ever before,” says Amandeep Kaur (who has served as executive director of the Annenberg School of Nursing for more than seven years and logged nearly two decades of experience as a nursing instructor). “Combining our expertise and AltaMed’s footprint, ASN-LA will extend the pipeline of talented nurses even further across Southern California.”(Left to Right) LAJH CEO & President Dale Surowitz, ASN Executive Director Amandeep Kaur, ASN Board Member Armida Colmenares‐Stafford, and ASN Board Chair Sheldon Steier)The opening of ASN-LA is just one of many exciting developments underway at the Annenberg School of Nursing. Later this summer, the location of the school will be moving from its current location, on the corner of Sherman Way and Tampa, just across from LAJH’s Grancell Village Campus, to the Max Factor Building on the Eisenberg Village campus, located on the corner of Victory and Wilbur. The move marks a tremendous stride forward for the school, which will now occupy a much more clinically-aligned space, and paves the way for many future healthcare training initiatives to come.“This new space opens the door to so many opportunities for us, as we identify innovative ways to ensure nurses are ready for emerging challenges in healthcare,” Amandeep says. “It’s a new chapter full of possibility and progress!”That progress includes a simulation lab designed to bring clinical training to life. Equipped with four mid-to-high fidelity manikins, the lab replicates real-life patient scenarios, enabling students to practice critical thinking, clinical decision-making, and hands-on skills, all in a challenging yet quality-controlled immersive environment.“The lab is a dynamic space that mirrors a real-world healthcare setting and provides an engaging, interactive learning experience that prepares students for success in the field,” Amandeep says.LAJH CEO and President Dale Surowitz notes that these and other groundbreaking advances are helping the Annenberg School of Nursing continuously redefine excellence in nursing education.“We’re incredibly proud of the role we play in preparing the next generation of nurses to meet the growing demand for healthcare professionals,” he says. “The Annenberg School of Nursing is an unparalleled asset, not only for our students, but for the entire community, as it helps ensure more people receive high-quality care from these outstanding future nurses.” 
Read More
Jul 2

Los Angeles Jewish Health Welcomes New Chief Information Officer Rey Lopez

One secret to the success of Los Angeles Jewish Health has always been the talent and dedication of their leaders. This spring, LAJH added yet another outstanding staff professional to its administrative roster: Chief Information Officer Rey Lopez.Rey arrived at LAJH after a long tenure as CIO at Kern Medical Hospital in Bakersfield and, before that, as Director of Information Systems for St. Joseph Medical Center at Providence Health & Services in Burbank. For over two decades in the healthcare field, he has played a vital role in enhancing IT infrastructure, which in today’s medical field is critical in the delivery of high-quality patient care.“I love being part of this industry. The value of the work you put in makes such a difference to patients and others,” Rey says. “That was a huge part of what attracted me to LAJH: knowing I could provide critical support to residents, employees, and the entire community.”Central to his portfolio is building technology and business solutions to help LAJH grow, to assist its employees to be more efficient in their jobs, and to safeguard residents’ health and wellbeing by protecting their sensitive personal health information and data.“Whether it’s securing electronic health records, streamlining our payroll systems, or reducing cost and enhancing the performance of our data reporting systems, there are so many ways we can harness technology to be more nimble and to provide LAJH stakeholders with new pathways to success,” Rey says.Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Rey attended California State University, Northridge, graduating with a degree in business administration and management information systems. It was as a small business owner in the late 1990s—based in Encino, he consulted on issues related to worker’s compensation—that he developed an interest in pursuing a healthcare career.“As I began encountering issues related to employee injuries and the need for retraining, my eyes were opened to what a positive impact working in healthcare could have,” Rey says. “The people I was serving were getting a real, tangible benefit that could seriously improve their lives.”During his tenure at Providence, Rey got to know LAJH CEO and President Dale Surowitz, who was Providence’s CEO at the time. For Rey, having an opportunity to team up with Dale again was an important factor in his decision to accept the LAJH position.“I’d already had a front-row seat watching Dale run an organization,” Rey says. “Knowing what he’s done for the community, and getting another chance to collaborate with him, was a really big draw for me.”Rey’s new position at LAJH further deepens his connection to the San Fernando Valley, where he lives with his wife and two children, who are 11 and 14. He also has two older kids and is a proud grandfather of three.“I’m so happy to be working in the Valley again, contributing to the community that I love,” Rey says. “Through LAJH, I look forward to helping make it an even better—and healthier—place to live.” 
Read More