H.E.L.P. , Helping Elders Live Productively, is a free education, counseling and referral resource for seniors and their families to help them make informed decisions to live their best lives.
Our Mission
Walk-In Consultations: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday From 11am-2pm
What Can H.E.L.P. Do For You?
H.E.L.P. provides information and referrals through: telephone and walk-in services, educational website updates, free community classes, and short private consultations with our community specialist. Focus and priorities include: access to healthcare, help with substance abuse, financial stability, avoiding scams and elder abuse, retaining cognitive stability. Our professionally developed publications include : H.E.L.P. Is Here an annual magazine that contains important articles about current issues that affect seniors and their caregivers; Your Way – a guide to help you stay in charge of decisions about your medical care; Torrance Guide to Services for Older Adults a comprehensive directory of services in Torrance and other cities throughout the South Bay and beyond that assist older adults in addressing current issues and future planning tools. We also provide the publication: Alcohol and Drug Awareness for Safe Senior Living. See also our publication series Nuts and Bolts Guides – simple-to-read 4-page booklets on Estate Administration, Financial Powers of Attorney, Healthcare Powers of Attorney, Medi-Cal for Nursing Home Care, Probate (and Avoiding It) in California, Gift, Estate and Capital Gains Taxes, Wills and Revocable Living Trusts, and Your Aging Preparedness Kit.
Community Partner Feature
H.E.L.P. is very grateful to have received a generous 2022 grant from the McMillen Family Foundation to enable our staff to stay focused on the important topic of alcohol and substance use among seniors. This continues our valuable partnership with the Foundation that began in 2017, with the growing awareness of the dangers of opioid use by seniors.
H.E.L.P. Receives Bohannon Bequest
H.E.L.P. is grateful for the generous bequest from the John and Dorothy Bohannon Trust. Through their gift, H.E.L.P. will be able to carry out the Bohannon’s intent that seniors will receive the assistance they need in confronting aging issues and benefit from continued learning through H.E.L.P.’s Bohannon Community Education Program.
In 2021:
H.E.L.P. served around 13,494 people with counseling and education.
Over 374,000 visitors used H.E.L.P.s Internet resources,
Distributed over 14,445 publications to the public.
Thank you to all our donors for their generous support.
2019 to 2021 H.E.L.P. Donors
Donor Contributions $20,000 and above
The Ahmanson Foundation,
Brad Baker,
John W. Bohannon Family Trust,
David & Ann Buxton,
McMillen Family Foundation,
Scriba Family Trust
Donor Contributions $5,000 to $19,999
Michael & Honeya Barth,
Brigante, Cameron, Watters & Strong LLP,
Barbara Carlson,
Estate of Alfred Carrasco,
Confidence Foundation,
Farmers & Merchants Trust Company,
First Foundation Bank,
Kate Crane\John Gogian Family Foundation,
Jeff & Nancy Grant,
Noble and Lorraine Hancock Family Fund,
Harris Financial Advisors, Inc.,
Yim Hom & Dr. Simon Lo,
Johannessen Trading Company,
Juris & Laura Kauls,
Allen & Dorothy Lay,
Legacy Financial Group, LLP,
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn,
Charles McDonough Accountancy Corporation,
Oarsmen Foundation,
Pacific Premier Bank,
Drs. Tom & Tricia Paulsen,
Scott Donnelly\PDM, LLP,
Judy Ruiz,
Sandpipers Philanthropy Fund Inc.,
Manny Sousa,
Watson Land Company,
Nancy & James Welsh\Smith-Welsh Foundation
Donor Contributions $2,000 to $4,999
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.,
Kent & Lauren Burton,
The Canterbury,
Pat & Cathy Carroll,
Continental Development Corporation,
Chris & Kim Engen,
William & Phyllis Glantz,
Sibylle Grebe, Esq.,
Zaffar & Teresa Hassanally,
Robin Krotz,
Marcil Family Foundation,
Grant Niman\Niman & Associates, Inc.,
Pettler & Miller, LLP,
Red Chamber Co,
Carol Lee Rhyme,
Philip Johnston Ross,
Cynthia Rustanius,
Robert & Mary Sheh,
Torrance Memorial Foundation,
Michael Tramontin,
Robert & Elly Visser,
Robert & Hillary Watts,
West Basin Municipal Water District
Donor Contributions $1,000 to $1,999
Robert & Rosalie Abelson,
Philip & Velma Albitz,
Michael & Keri Botello,
Donald Corsaro,
Merle & Kathy Countryman,
Michele & Paula Del Vicario,
Raymond & Anne Destabelle,
Carolyn Elliott,
Law Office of Garee T. Gasperian,
The Jacqueline Glass Family,
David & Manuela Ho,
Charles R. Holmes,
Darlene Holubiak,
Stella Horton,
Joyce Kochanowski,
Aaron & Maude Landon,
Kevin Liedlich,
Rick & Sally Moton,
Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center,
ReMax/Palos Verdes Realty,
Sharon Ryan,
Sandra Sanders,
Laura Schenasi,
Nancy & Timothy Scott,
Susan Seamans,
Linda Smith,
Michael Swanson,
Torrance Refining Company,
Kay Wardell,
Wayland & Vukadinovich LLP,
James & Nancy Welsh,
Welch & Co.
Donor Contributions $400 to $999
Albitz/Miloe and Associates, Inc., American Qualify Care for the Elderly, Dr. O. Alpay, Virginia Butler & Les Fishman, California Community Foundation, Leonor Chernila, Duane Conover, Conover & Grebe, LLP, Kathleen & Mila Crane, Kristen Damon, Helen Dennis, Helmut & Susanna Epp, Kathleen Fitzgerald, Debra Frank, Stephen Gildersleeve, Dr. Mark Goldberg, Lupe Hoxworth, Larry & Lyn Huff, Joanne & Jim Hunter, Terry Kennedy, Ellen Blair Kircher, Ron & Evelyn Kita, Donald Lanzinger, Cathy Luciano, Paul & Kay Lupo, Ron & Marian Lyons, Mardy & Norman Maehara, Robert & Ruth McMillen, Frank & Marilyn Miles, Gregory & Doris Morton, George & Helen Nakano, Charles & Lisa Noski, Simon & Palmer, Lauren Phan, Ralphs Community Contribution Program, Harvey & Ina Sarver, Barbara Sepeda, Robert & Pam Schachter, Jennifer & Robert Shafer, Evelyn Stern, Robert & Katherine Swank, Terranea Resort, Torrance Lions Club, Sandy VandenBerge, Sidney & Fran Wielin, Clint & Cassie Wilson, Dwight & Kay Yamada, Mary & Lloyd Zuniga
Donor Contributions $200 to $399
Jeffrey & Debbie Atkins, Carolyn Ayers, Jacqueline Bacharach, Robert & June Bacon, Dr. Peter Barrett, Allen & Wendy Bond, Thomas & Frances Booth, Sue Breiholz, Christine Campisi & Larry Schmidt, Gretchen Calhoun, Richard Carter, Cetera Advisor Netowrks, LLC, John Chevedden, Cindy Chew, Michael & Linda Cochrane, Carol Dean, Michael & Susan Dillenback, DS Design, Donald & Donna Duperon, Irene Freitas, Dr. Lynn & Sheri Gill, John & Katherine Gonzalez, Mary Haag, Martin & Linda Herman, Hofer & Harris, APC, , James Hill & Pam Barrett, Richard Hine, Bruce & Kaaren Hoffman, Bob & Gail Johnson, Richard & Rose Marie Keidel, Chuck & Marylyn Klaus, Joyce LaCoe, Dr. Rosemary Leake, Stephen & Laurie Love, Patricia Maurice, Delia McCulloch, Ljerka Miller, Christopher & Gill Moore, Sunny Moss, William Oberholzer, Mary Ochi, William & Marsha Paulsen, Frederic Randa, Mike & Debbie Richardson, Lewis & Peggy Roland, Shirley Russell, Stephen & Patricia Savage, Donald & Linda Savell, Ann Shaw, Oren & Jo Ann Sheldon, Paul & Alice Slavich, Carmeta Sturdivant, Phyllis Sussman, Donald & Melanie Tanaka, Evelyn Teng, Clark & Debra-Lynn Terrill, JoAnn Thomson, John & June Uharriet, Jerry & Anne Wittels, Vincent & Karen Woo, Steve & Ruta Wroblicky, Richard & Joyce Yamashita
Donor Contributions $15 to $199
Sandra Allbee & Jerry Wahlin, Robert & Karen Armstrong, Paal & Edel Bakstad,, Frederick & Judy Bayer, Kathy Benz, Elvira Beskos, Vijay & Sharda Bhasin, Alvin & Judy Borne, Mary Boyd, Gertrude Brown, David & Phyllis Cannom, Fred & MaryAnn Chappelear, Fred & Sue Christie, Earl & Shirley Clark, Annetta Cochran, Mary Coe, Chris Collignon, Corporon Law Office, Eldon & Cynthia Cotton, Warren & Winifred Cutting, Howard & Janet Davis, Ruth Depuy, James & Mary Ann Donahue, Peggy Escobedo, Joanna Farmer, Sunya Felburg, Norma Fernandez, Joan Fey, Mary Ellen Foti, Marty Gamble, Rowena Gordon, Mariela Gorosito, Karen Gottlieb, Quintus & Sharon Guthrie, Allen & Mary Hammer, Eric Harris, Jane Hashimoto, Don & Alma Hazzard, Robert & Eileen Hecht, James & Pam Monte Hill, Guy Hocker Realtors, Drs. Ken & Britt Huff, Susan Inouye, Dr. Harriet Kaplan, Evan Koch & Julie Hamill, Gayle Koch, Jordan & Caren Libit, Paul & Helen Limburg, Yvonne Liu, Richard & Ruth Lohrer, James & Hazel Lord, Kay Magee, Dr. Hugh McIntyre, Jane McNeil, Jesse & Ruth Mendez, Hal & Nell Mirels, Grace Mizuno, Kevin & Rita Nakano, Laurie Nakano, Dr. Wade Nishimoto, Charles & Enedina Norris, The Honorable Maureen O’Donnell, David & Natalie Parfitt, Wade Nishimoto, Tatiana Penners, P.E.O. Sisterhood Internatonal, Chapter PN, Jerry Ronan, Derek Rose, James & Laurel Sarra, Mike & Marcia Schoettle, Richard & Jennifer Sittel, Richard & Marie Stark, Fred Stevens, Everett & Kathleen Stinson, Rudi Suminski, Nina Tisner, Toby & Mardi Tobias, Jim & Kim Vandever, Thomas Van’t Land, Frank & Mary Vogt, Albert & Linda Wang, Lois Whitener, Wade Winter, Christine Yoshiba-Medeiros