...Working through Abaci & Garabedian, Certified Public Accountants, and Richardson, Jones, and Esraelian, Attorneys at Law, Dale Garabedian and Robyn Esraelian have donated all Hope Now corporation accounting, tax services and legal services since 1992. Robyn has also obtained pro bono services from a score of other attorneys to assist Hope Now youth with everything from child support to dealing with past warrants. In a criminal matter, the difference between having a competent attorney or not is often the difference between receiving a jail sentence or another chance...

...to keep urgent health problems from interfering with the ability to work, physicians, dentists, and oral surgeons donate emergency services to Hope Now youth for anything from a severe rash to an aching wisdom tooth. A pre-employment physical examination may uncover the need for glasses, which optometrists donate...

...once people get the idea that gang members can be changed, it seems everybody wants to help. Drug Testing Resource furnishes drug tests at cost... homeowners provide hundreds of odd jobs each year... homeowners also supply us with used men's bicycles to transport youth back and forth to work. If these bicycles need to be fixed, Cyclopath bike shop donates repairs...

...Over the years, JC Penney and Sears have provided gift certificates to help youth obtain any specialized clothing or shoes they may need for work. The staff has Hope Now caps and shirts provided by J&J Monograms of Tuscon. Great Escape Travel provided a 29-passenger bus for a beach trip. At Thanksgiving, turkeys are donated for youth families by Zacky Farms. The Unites States Marines collect from the community and supply us Toys for Tots at Christmas and Fresno Plumbing and Heating hands out coupons for free Christmas trees...

...the love behind all this generosity of spirit toward hurting youth is immeasurable, but the annual dollar value comes to around $150,000. The hope for gang youth that is vibrant in Fresno, I am convinced, lies dormant throughout our nation. It costs Hope Now $5,000 to change the life direction of one gang young man for many years but we are taxed $50,000 to incarcerate and adjudicate that same young man for one year, only to have him turn out worse. You are making an investment in every gang member of your community. The only choice you have is where and when to make your investment. In every city, there are caring homeowners, employers, church members, politicians, and peace officers who want to help kids go straight, but don't know what to do. Some have tried and have been burned, yet most still want to help a gang member take that first step in the right direction. That first step will positively affect many others and perhaps many generations.

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