Let's Connect
Let’s Connect

News

Read All About It! AMS News and Local Updates

Congratulations ESL Graduates at AMS!!

In 2016 an English as a Second Language course (ESL) began at AMS, and 23 students signed up. After two years of dedicated hard work, nine of those individuals have completed eight separate ESL segments, or the equivalent of 2.5 semesters. Congratulations to the Graduates! We are so proud of you!

The highly beneficial ESL class began on the AMS campus two and a half years ago as part of the ongoing collaboration between Santa Clarita’s College of the Canyons (COC) and AMS. Our joint intention was to provide adult education non-credit courses that will have a benefit to the individuals, the company, the college and the community.

The following employees have conquered the learning challenges, made it to the finish line of the 8th and final segment in this program and passed their final exams:

* Alicia G., Receiving Supervisor, Williams Location
* Andres C., Production Lead, Williams Location
* Beatriz H., Operations Supervisor, Scott Location
* Cirino B., General Warehouse, Scott Location
* Jacqueline G., General Warehouse, Scott Location
* Mayra A., Operations Lead, Witherspoon Location
* Yadira S., Operations Supervisor, Scott Location
* Yesenia P., Assistant Operations Manager, Witherspoon Location
* Fidencio G., Shipping Clerk, Headquarter Location

The ESL course has four levels, with two segments per level, and these employees have completed all four. From the beginning they found the course to be beneficial with regard to their work, in that most of the positions in the company do require an ability to communicate in English, especially with regard to correspondence. In addition, with a greater command of English, new opportunities within the company and within COC do open up.

Oscar Ruiz, Director of the program, had the following to say: “I am proud to see the long-time ESL employees grow and become the best version of themselves.”

Yesenia, who is an Assistant Operations Manager, offered these words: “Overall, I have a better life now, inside and outside of work. It was rough, but it was the best decision I could have made.”

Alicia, who works as a Receiving Supervisor, commented: “The ESL Class helped me improve in my personal life, as well as work. I get to speak to my co-workers now in English better than I ever have before.”

Once again, Congratulations from AMS!!!

Read More

AMS Assists In Redefining Reentry

AMS Fulfillment is a business recognized as a trendsetter in workforce development. For many years the company has seen the value of developing an inclusive and well-trained workforce, and of hiring individuals in the SCV community that face barriers in finding and retaining employment, such as the homeless, individuals with a disability, at-risk youth, single parents, individuals affected by ageism and persons reentering society after having been ‘justice-involved’.

“They don’t hire people with a record,” is an all too common refrain heard among job seekers. Like elsewhere across the country, individuals in SCV encounter closed doors for years after they have been involved in the criminal justice system. AMS CEO Ken Wiseman doesn’t see this as a ‘fair chance’, and neither does the company’s HR Department. AMS is a company that keeps an open mind, and is ready to open doors for individuals who are ready to overcome challenges.

Because of Ken’s dedication and AMS’ example, LA County and the Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Service (WDACS) invited AMS to assist in an upcoming media campaign. Ken was more than willing to help. As a fair chance employer he has seen the strong contribution of employees with barriers to the success of AMS, and he is more than willing to encourage other businesses to open their doors to the reentry population.

The WDACS media campaign is called “redefining reentry.” ‘Reentry’ is understood as entering once again into the workforce after having either been incarcerated or having a criminal record that impacts employment. The media campaign is intended to inspire a more honest narrative that may begin to remove the stigma of being justice-involved. To accomplish this, they will be highlighting the personal stories of those who have successfully reentered, the services available to support reentry, and advocating for increased opportunities for this population.

Thank you to Alex-Handrah Aime and Casswell Goodman, the FUSE Executive Fellows with LA County’s WDACS division who have designed the campaign. AMS agrees that removing the stigma is fundamental to establishing a fair playing field for individuals with justice-involved backgrounds. The reentry stories of several AMS employees as well as the stories of Ken and the HR team will be featured in the campaign, which is set to launch later this year.

Read More

Thanks!! AMS Employees of the Month – June 2018

Employee appreciation - AMS FulfillmentCongratulations and a very big Thank You to these outstanding members of our corporate family: Bryanna A., Carmen A., Vanessa H., David R., and Gloria V.

In the fulfillment industry employees are much more than human resources. They directly serve the company’s clients, making their efforts vital to the growth and success of the business. AMS Fulfillment is a large company with a number of facilities and several hundred employees. Even though we are large, we make it a point to get to know and appreciate individual employees and celebrate their achievements.

Each month the supervisors or team members within AMS’ Valencia CA facilities nominate an employee who has provided outstanding service to the clients. The nominations and supervisor comments demonstrate that the individual being recognized has gone above and beyond, and deserves special recognition!

It’s our pleasure to recognize the June Employees of the Month:

Bryanna A., Account Support, (January 2017)
HQ Administration, 29010 Commerce Center Drive

I would like to nominate Bryanna for Employee of the Month. She goes above and beyond. She is always willing to help and she has a tremendous positive attitude. She is kind and genuine to everyone. Bryanna gets the job done for AMS!

Carmen A., Custodial (September 2011)
HQ Office, 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Carmen was first chosen as Employee of the Month in January of 2015. I feel she deserves the title once again! She is such a hard worker – constantly striving to keep our office, kitchens and restrooms clean. She goes about her work quietly, doing anything that is asked of her. She truly is a nice person, always friendly with a smile for everyone. Carmen truly cares about AMS. We are so lucky to have her here at HQ!

Vanessa H., Lead, Returns & Data Entry (July 2017)
WIT2 28624 Witherspoon Parkway

I would like to nominate Vanessa for employee of the month. She has been a great addition to the WIT2 team and has continued to push to move up, learn more and help others. She currently is leading the Returns/Vas Departments and she never backs down from a challenge. She has great attendance and gets along with all fellow employees. Vanessa continues to take on more and more clients and handles her communication professionally and promptly.

David Patrick R., General Warehouse (March 2018)
SCO3: 27801 Avenue Scott

I nominate David for Employee of the Month. He always shows initiative at every task given to him. He continuously makes suggestions and looks for ways to make things more efficient. He has quickly become one of our top pickers. David is training to become a shipping clerk and has made it known he wants to learn everything about our operation.

Gloria V., Shipping Clerk (March 2014)
WIL1: 28936 Avenue Williams

Gloria is a multitasking type of employee. She goes above and beyond to get her job done. She helps all of us and is very detail oriented; she is consistently amazing to work with. Gloria is always on point and organized. When it comes to scanning and shipping tremendous numbers of orders, she will be on point with all clients at WIL. She is serious and meticulous about her job and overall an awesome person.

***
Whether these outstanding employees are part of the management team, client services, technology, accounting, fulfillment operations, facilities, the warehouse team, taking inventory, answering the phone, training people, making decisions, doing payroll… they are the reason that AMS succeeds so well and continues to grow.

Once again… a sincere Thank You from the AMS Fulfillment Family!

Not pictured: Vanessa H. and David R.

Bryanna A.
Carmen A.
Gloria V.
Read More

Congratulations! Employees of the Month for May 2018

Employee appreciation - AMS FulfillmentCongratulations to the AMS Employees of the Month for May 2018! We are very grateful for your efforts! Thank you Stacy C., Veronica C., Robert N., Jammal Y., and Tanner D.

Every month the supervisors in our various facilities nominate a team member who has provided outstanding service to the AMS clients. The nominations and comments demonstrate that the individual being recognized deserves to be thanked and appreciated for not only doing a job well, but for caring enough to go above and beyond. Nominations are listed according to the facility that the employee represents. All of the AMS facilities are located in Valencia, CA, City of Santa Clarita.

Stacy C., Account Manager (April 2016)
HQ Administration, 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Stacy is an outstanding client services employee. Although I don’t work directly with her, I hear her manage and see her interact with her manager, her clients and her peers. She always has time to assist her team and with any task needed. I have witnessed her coaching methods when she is assisting a new employee, she is always patient. She takes time to ensure that they fully understand. Many times I hear her say, “How can I help?” Stacy is kind, has a pleasant warm personality and is a great asset to AMS, the client services department, and it’s a pleasure to have her in the office.

Veronica C., General Warehouse (November 2017)
HQ Warehouse: 29010 Commerce Center Drive

I would like to nominate Veronica as Employee of the Month. Veronica is a GREAT employee. She is willing to take on any task and works her hardest to make sure that it is done accurately and in a timely manner. She shows good communication skills and asks all the right questions when starting something new. Veronica truly deserves the title of Employee of Month.

Robert N., Receiving Clerk (August 2017)
WIT: 28624 Witherspoon Parkway

I would like to nominate Robert, because he is always pushing himself to get the tasks done on time. He shows leadership when working with the team. Robert has initiative to get the receiving team to warm up and stretch before unloading containers to prevent injuries. He is always willing to help his co-workers. He brings up ideas on how to do tasks more efficiently and is always ready and prepared to start a new day with a positive attitude.

Jammal Y., General Warehouse (March 2018)
SCO3: 27801 Avenue Scott

I would like to nominate Jammal for Employee of the Month. He has the most positive energy and drive and spreads it to each one of our employees. I feel he has such a great respect for everyone on our team and greets us with a “good morning” every day. He takes safety to heart and works very hard to keep our building safe. Jammal is one of our best pickers and we are so happy to have him as part of our team.

Tanner D., Custodial (August 2015)
WIL: 28936 Avenue Williams

I would like to nominate Tanner because he is an outstanding hard-working employee. As soon as he walks into the facility he is ready to work with a positive attitude. When there is a new employee working in his area he is always willing to help and train them, so they can do the job as best as they can. He is very responsible for his team and himself. Tanner is a caring person and we are so grateful to have him as part of our team.

…

As one can see from the supervisor comments, AMS has nurtured a culture that depends upon and places great value in employees. We call it an ‘AMS Family’ culture that takes note of and cares about the people who work here, their wellbeing, and their job satisfaction. No matter which department they work in, which task they do, or which location we find them in, our employees are the reason that AMS succeeds so well and continues to grow.

Employees of the Month recognition is meant to be a sincere Thank You from the entire AMS Fulfillment Family.

Read More

Sheriff’s Foundation Holds “An Evening with the Captain”

Sheriff's Foundation - AMS FulfillmentThe SCV Sheriff’s Foundation held a very special event in June in order to develop and encourage community support of the SCV Sheriff’s Department. The event, called “An Evening with the Captain”, offered an opportunity for guests to become Associate Members of the Sheriff’s Foundation.

The Sheriff’s Foundation is a volunteer organization that assists the SCV Sheriff’s Station in purchasing equipment, supplies and training for Deputies and Volunteers. The Foundation supports our Sworn Officers, station administration, Civilian Volunteers, Explorers, the Search & Rescue Unit and Reserve Deputy Programs.

The event was held at the estate of Moe & Linda Hafizi. Seventy-five guests were invited to enjoy wine and delicious hors d’ oeuvres, and meet with Captain Robert Lewis, who took over the post in 2017. Captain Lewis has spent more than 30 years in law enforcement, about half of that in the Santa Clarita Valley in several different capacities.

Guests were able to get to know Captain Lewis on a more personal level and discuss various topics of interest in their community. He spoke to the group about the new sheriff´s station which is coming soon. He also discussed safety and crime statistics and how crime is down in Santa Clarita due to the hard work of the men and women of the Sheriff´s station. The Captain also took questions from the guests including questions on drugs in the SCV and safety issues on school campuses.

Guests were pleased with the opportunity to chat with the Captain and some of his staff in this very informal and relaxed setting. As a result, many guests became Associate Members of the Sheriffs Foundation, and the Foundation gained a number of new Citizen and Business Associate Board Members as well.

During the evening, Captain Lewis expressed the gratitude of the entire Department for the generous support of the community and the dedicated efforts of the Sheriff’s Foundation and the Foundation’s leadership.

There are plans in place for more “Evenings with the Captain” in different areas of the Santa Clarita Valley.

The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Foundation began in 1985 as the Sheriff’s Booster Club. It was created by a group of residents who wanted to assist local law enforcement in a tangible way. In 2009, the group reorganized as the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Foundation to reflect the growing breadth and scope of its ongoing support. Through the generosity of SCV residents it continues its valuable work.

Read More

AMS Earns “Best For The World” Recognition

Congratulations to AMS Fulfillment for earning a spot on the Be The Change organization’s “2018 Best For the World” list! To earn a place on this list a company must score in the top 10 percent of all B Corps on the Community section of a test. This section evaluates a company’s supplier relations, diversity, and involvement in the community.

According to their website, “The Community section also measures the company’s practices and policies around community service and charitable giving, including whether a company’s product or service is designed to solve a social issue, such as access to basic services, health, education, economic opportunity and the arts.”

We’re very proud that AMS has achieved this coveted recognition.

Please enjoy the following article, published on the Be The Change website, discussing some of the reasons AMS Fulfillment is a “Best for the World” business.

* * * *

Fulfillment Company’s Mission Is to Do More Than Fill Orders
AMS Fulfillment Provides Employment and Education to a Challenged Workforce

By Katy Ibsen

Advantage Media Services Inc. (AMS), founded in 2002, is a company specializing in the distribution of consumer products both to the traditional retail sector as well as directly to consumers who have made orders via client websites. Serving clients in industries such as cosmetics, footwear, apparel and technology, the company recorded about $45 million in sales in 2018.

While becoming a successful fulfillment company based just north of Los Angeles, AMS has discovered the benefits of employing a workforce of people facing life challenges. The company finds purpose in providing initial job opportunities, as well as skills training to take people beyond that first job.

Read the full article here.

Read More

Thank You!! AMS Employees of the Month – April 2018

Employee appreciation - AMS FulfillmentCongratulations to the AMS Employees of the Month for April 2018! We are very pleased and proud to recognize Michelle S., Madoya W., Marquita J., Ashley G., and Ana C.

AMS is a large fulfillment company, with several facilities and several hundred employees, located in Valencia, CA, City of Santa Clarita. We are recognized within the community as a company that cares, through training and development of a diverse workforce. Our employees are the reason for this reputation and a very big part of our endeavor.

Every month the supervisors at our facilities nominate individuals who are doing an outstanding job for the clients. These nominations and supervisor comments demonstrate that the individual being recognized has not only been noticed, but has served the clients, the company and the community in a way that is exemplary!

Thank You to the following members of the AMS Family!

Michelle S., Billing Coordinator (October 2010)
HQ Administration, 29010 Commerce Center Drive

When I began working here, Michelle was my primary trainer. It was a difficult time, due to the unexpected exit of a major team member, and Michelle took on greater responsibility in a period of urgency. She appeared calm and patient while sharing with me the numerous steps of information, locations, and client peculiarities that are inherent to this business. It was as if she had nothing else to do but show me, often repeating how the job is done. She is thorough, intelligent, and understands fully the process of billing and managing the team we work in cooperation with. Because of her patient and thorough instruction, I was able to create SOP’s for billing storage, services, and freight invoices. Granted there is more to learn, but Michelle made it easy to learn. She is a valuable employee.

Madoya W., Receiving Clerk (November 2015)
HQ Warehouse: 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Madoya is reliable, trustworthy, dependable, honest, hardworking, great contributor and a good role model for all employees! This is why I would like to nominate him for Employee of the month.

Marquita J., General Warehouse (November 2016)
WIT: 28624 Witherspoon Parkway

Marquita is always ready to work and help the team. She pushes herself and others to get orders done on time; she takes on additional tasks and is eager to learn new things, always staying late whenever asked to help the team during crunch time. Marquita learned the client system and helps process freight and she can help in other departments when needed too. Great employee!

Ashley G., General Warehouse (November 2017)
SCO3: 27801 Avenue Scott

I would like to nominate Ashely for EOM. She goes above and beyond to get the job done. She is always at work, on time and has a great attitude. Ashley has taken responsibility in training all new personnel for a direct to consumer program which she takes great pride in and does an amazing job at it. She came up with the idea of going paperless for one of our picking programs.

Ana C., General Warehouse (January 2015)
WIL: 28936 Avenue Williams

I have been working with Ana 3 years now at AMS and she has shown growth in all areas of the warehouse. She has taken on a plethora of responsibilities and never complains about the workload she is given. She exhibits honesty and is extremely reliable. She always pays attention to her work and gets the job done no matter what the circumstances are. She takes the initiative every day and is a self-motivator.

* * *

No matter which department they work in, which task they do, which location we find them in or which month of the year, our outstanding employees are the reason that AMS succeeds so well and continues to grow. Thank You from the entire AMS Fulfillment Family!

Ana C.
Ashley G.
Madoya W.
Marquita J.
Michelle S.
Read More

AMS Holds Communication Team Luncheon

In order to improve communication between different branches of management, the AMS Executive and HR teams organized a Team Lunch for Managers, Directors and Executives. The luncheon took place in the on-campus Advance My Skills Learning Center in June. The task of participants was to learn methods of communicating effectively, and then utilize those methods in communicating with members of different teams.

The teams were: Operation Directors, Client Service Senior Account Managers, Sales Team, Client Billing Leadership, IT, Facility and Core Operations and Human Resources.

The teams were asked to first enjoy lunch with their own group and discuss communication within their workgroup function area, covering what is working and what needs improvement. They then watched a short video on communication in the workplace and ‘broke up’ into four other groups to discuss different aspects of effective communication.

The questions that the new groups considered, were: 1) what are the areas of current communications that you see need improvement, 2) what are the key things you see will improve communications, and 3) what are some things you will do differently in your communications after participating in this Team Lunch?

In the days following the lunch, several Sr. Account Manager team members came back with even more responses to the third question. In stating what she will do differently, Evelyn said, “Know your audiences, this will help to know how to communicate with each person.” Michael emphasized one of the points from the video, “Communicating with a positive tone can make all the difference. Starting off a conversation with a negative tone will cause the listener to lose focus on the details and topics thereafter.” Zuleka added, “It’s not what you say, it is how you say it!”

Thank you to all participants for a very successful workshop!

Read More

AMS Celebrating 16-Year Anniversary!

AMS Fulfillment has been celebrating! June is our 16th birthday and also the 15-16 year employment anniversary of 21 individuals who have been with the company since it began. When AMS first came into being in 2002–2003, the company had 35 employees. For 21 of these friends and associates to still be with AMS is a heart-warming achievement.

The birthday party and 15-16 year employee celebration took place at the home of CEO Ken Wiseman and BettyLou Wiseman, EVP of Client Services. Jay Catlin, President and founder of AMS and David Catlin, Board Chair, were in attendance as well.

Ken welcomed the awardees and Jay followed up with a history of the company. Both recognized the employees for their amazing tenure. With over 385 clients served in AMS’ 16 years, there was time spent in reminiscing about the favorites, accomplishments, and the challenges that AMS faced.

The evening celebration was followed by an AMS afternoon event to recognize additional employees who had been unable to attend. All of AMS’ 15-16 year employees received a certificate and $500 gift card.

A celebratory luncheon was also held at the AMS campus for our 10-14 year employees with 23 associates being honored. Two individuals were marking their 10th year and the rest were celebrating between 11 and 14 years with AMS. Many members of both groups had started in the warehouse and worked their way up to management positions.

Recently Ken spoke about the anniversary celebrations and the employees: “Paradoxically, in the midst of these two celebrations, we had an additional recognition cake and cookies event for two employees moving on to other career opportunities outside of AMS. It speaks to our culture that we would find celebration in both. We do hope to be a place where individuals can grow and be long term contributing associates, yet we also can celebrate when a valued employee chooses another great opportunity. Either way, we hope to have been a wonderful part of their career.”

AMS is understandably proud of its growth and achievements as a company that cares for employees, clients, the environment and the community in which it operates. To have so many employees rising through the ranks and helping build the business still in the employ of AMS is indeed remarkable.

Jay summed it up with these thoughts: “We were very fortunate to have assembled such an amazing crew, right from the company’s inception. The stars were aligned in such a way for AMS Fulfillment, it’s almost as if we were destined for greatness. Our success has been driven from the thoughts, energy and efforts of many valued employees throughout our 16 years, but in looking back I gave thanks to our 15+ year employees for setting the stage for us all.”

Congratulations and Happy 16th Birthday AMS!!!

Read More

AMS: At the Forefront of Change

Change is constant. Children revel in it, adults move with it, elders might resist it and a business is wise to anticipate it. We all are involved in creating this particular change, as it’s a revolution in the way we shop and buy. With technology came the Internet, with the Internet came e-commerce. Now it appears that with e-commerce we’re seeing changes in the physical landscape and social landscape as well.

A recent article in Bloomberg talks about the impact of e-commerce on mall owners who are seeing their real estate decline in value. Their choice appears to be attempting to sell the lower-tier malls and transform the more profitable ones. Apparently selling mall real estate is becoming difficult with buyers demanding steep discounts due to the risk. The article goes on to talk specifics about the difficulties mall owners are facing as this change expands.

AMS Fulfillment is very much involved in the rise of e-commerce and for us this change presents new challenges. Early on we anticipated the need for skilled workers in the warehouse who are trained in logistics, and we entered into collaboration with SCV College of the Canyons (COC) in an effort to develop our workforce. We equipped a full classroom with computers in order to accommodate the training.

AMS and COC experienced such success with their initial efforts that they collaborated on a first of its kind Logistics Apprenticeship Program. This innovative solution to training a skilled logistics workforce is in process, and it can now serve as a model for other community colleges and businesses involved in warehousing and logistics.

In developing its workforce, AMS has done well at anticipating and responding to the e-commerce revolution. Certainly more can be anticipated as e-commerce continues to expand into new markets and blockchain technology enters the logistics arena.

A second, and vital way that AMS has responded to the surge in e-commerce is with technology improvements that keep us at the forefront. Jay Catlin, President of AMS, had this to say about the expansion of AMS technology: “Our amazing team of developers and engineers are continuously making impactful change with analysis, processes improvement and new technology. You have to stay nimble when you manage a large and diverse client base with a wide array of commodities and order metrics, but AMS has managed to innovate in a way that works across the entire business.”

But when looking at mall real estate, the Bloomberg article does not paint a comfortable picture. Larger, more popular malls that have added attractions e-commerce cannot provide, are expected to survive. For others, the recommendation is… “If you’re thinking about selling an asset down the road, it would be wise to think about pulling it forward and selling now.”

We invite you to visit our website and contact AMS for E-commerce Fulfillment, Drop Shipping, Amazon Prime, Infomercial and all Direct to Consumer Fulfillment.

Read More

AMS/COC Pre-Apprenticeship Program Set to Begin

Apprenticeship - AMS FulfillmentAt the beginning of 2018, after having successfully planned, created and brought into reality a groundbreaking Logistics Apprenticeship program, AMS Fulfillment and College of the Canyons announced their intention to start a new Pre-Apprenticeship Program.

Over the past few months they have continued their efforts until recently they met to discuss the launch of the Material Coordinator Pre-Apprenticeship Program. Once again we see the unique partnership between an employer, AMS Fulfillment, and a community college, SCV College of the Canyons, breaking new ground in workforce development.

The Pre-Apprenticeship program takes place for 10-12 weeks with job shadowing, on the job training, and coursework. It will be focused on individuals who are struggling to maintain employment by providing the opportunity to learn basic employability skills and specific skills to enter the logistics field, which is one of the fastest growing industries in LA County.

Upon announcing the new partnership, Ken Wiseman, CEO of AMS, said, “This program is designed for employees struggling to get themselves established in the job market. We are trying to help these pre-apprentice candidates get their hands firmly around the first rung of the employment ladder, and empower them to start their climb.”

The pre-apprenticeship training from AMS and curriculum from COC will be augmented by other wrap around services to help trainees overcome obstacles such as single parenthood, homelessness, and other circumstances that get in the way of starting and holding a job. AMS has worked with resource groups in the community to identify candidates.

Jeffrey Forrest, VP of Economic and Workforce Development at COC recently announced more details about the program:  “Administered by the Strong Workforce Apprenticeship Group (SWAG), participants will receive training in soft skills, Excel, Warehouse Operations and Safety. Upon graduation, they will be eligible for the company’s apprenticeship program that is registered with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) and the US Department of Labor (US DOL).”

On the SWAG website we find a definition of apprenticeship that includes the new developments we see taking place at AMS and COC in response to the needs of job seekers and the SCV community:

“Apprenticeship is a training model that is used to enable companies to develop a pipeline of talent for critical positions within their organizations. An apprenticeship consists of two components: 1) On-the-Job Training (OJT) and Related Technical Instruction (RTI). The OJT is developed by the company and involves a set of skills the apprentice is expected to master based on work experience. The minimum OJT experience is one year and can extend to up to four years depending on the occupation. RTI is generally offered by a Community College or other Local Educational Agency and consists of course work relevant to the skills being gained from the OJT experience.”

Read More

AMS: Celebrating With Natasha

It was almost a year ago, early in July of 2017, when we reached out to the public and asked our friends in the community and at the SCV Signal Newspaper to help one of our AMS Family members – our driver and in-house messenger, Gene.

Gene’s daughter Natasha had lost her eyesight at age twelve due to a rare condition called Stargardt’s disease. She lost all central vision and was left with limited peripheral sight. At that young age she was informed that there is no cure and that her vision would decline further. But even as she moved on, there were advancements in technology being created that would change her life.

Several years later Natasha was told that there is now an ‘eyeglass type’ of device that would allow her to see using a high-speed, high-definition camera. She qualified medically for the device and even wore it for a brief trial. During the trial it was a thrill for her to see people’s faces, look at pictures… all of the things we take for granted. Natasha wanted and needed those glasses.

She started raise the money to buy them through a company called “E Sight”. This was when AMS became aware of her efforts, through her father Gene. We undertook to spread the word of her fundraising campaign and people responded very generously. But the cost of the glasses was high. When the donations slowed and seemingly stopped, she was less than halfway to the goal.

There followed a time of true perseverance searching for solutions with the eSight company. Finally, when hope was nearly lost, Natasha received a surprise. “Back in March I sent one last email explaining all that I had done to fundraise and how disappointed I was with their progress. I was surprised to get an email back almost immediately. Apparently eSight had been trying to come up with a solution to help me for a while without telling me. The email said they would take what I had raised so far and I’d be given a refurbished pair. I agreed, and received my glasses maybe a week later!”

In her email to AMS, Natasha described how this gift of sight has changed her life:

“I use them everyday for everything. I had to be trained to use them which I did through video conference with another eSight user. It took two weeks to fully adjust to using them all the time. The battery lasts for about eight hours. It’s incredible being able to just read my own mail or decide what I want at a restaurant all on my own. It’s the little things like that that make my day so much better and easier.”

Natasha goes on to say, “Since your last article, I married the man of my dreams who also works with my dad. Patrick and I are expecting our first child, Zayne, and he is due to arrive July 6th. All I want is to read to him and now I can. I won’t have to worry about the things I can’t see to keep him safe. With your help and everyone who donated I’ll be able to care for my son like every other parent and that’s a gift I am truly so grateful for. Thank you so much for all you’ve done for me and my family. Words cannot express how beautiful this new world really is for me.”

Thank You from AMS to all who played a part in this wonderful outcome.

Read More