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Arson attacks paralyze French high-speed rail network hours before start of Olympics, the Obamas endorse Harris for President; A NY county creates facial recognition, privacy protections; Art breathes new life into pollution-ravaged MI community; 34 Years of the ADA.

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Harris meets with Israeli PM Netanyahu and calls for a ceasefire. MI Rep. Rashida Tlaib faces backlash for a protest during Netanyahu's speech. And VA Sen. Mark Warner advocates for student debt relief.

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There's a gap between how rural and urban folks feel about the economy, Colorado's 'Rural is Rad' aims to connect outdoor businesses, more than a dozen of Maine's infrastructure sites face repeated flooding, and chocolate chip cookies rock August.

AARP CA honors advocate for people experiencing homelessness

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Thursday, January 11, 2024   

Today AARP is honoring a California woman whose journey to the U.S. inspired her to open a shelter for people experiencing homelessness.

Betty Kwan Chinn escaped persecution and homelessness in China decades ago and fled to Hong Kong and then the U.S. Chinn said many people welcomed her with open arms, so she decided to find a way to give back.

"I tell myself somehow, sometimes, I will do something good for this country," Chinn explained. "Because people are so kind to me."

Chinn settled in Eureka and started feeding people experiencing homelessness out of her own pocket after noticing her son's classmate was always hungry. Her nonprofit, the Betty Kwan Chinn Homeless Foundation, now feeds 500 people per day. She oversees five shelters, including a small housing village made from old shipping containers, plus a day center with a commercial kitchen and wraparound services.

Chinn's shelters employ 22 people and all but two are former clients, giving them a chance to pay it forward.

"I really like to volunteer," Chinn noted. "I encourage anybody and get yourself the chance to do something for other people. You never know how you affect other people. Just look at me and give me a smile that affects my life."

The AARP Andrus Award for Community Service honors people who exemplify the spirit of service of AARP founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus.

Disclosure: AARP California contributes to our fund for reporting on Health Issues, and Senior Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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