Listen to this article
Pat Eberling, long-time Golden State Divisional Headquarters employee, was honored by the Greater San Francisco Bay Area Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness and Housing with its first-ever “Lifetime Achievement Award.” The award was given for “…outstanding performance and lasting contribution to turning homelessness around in the San Francisco Bay Area.” The steering committee is a coalition of individuals and organizations in 11 counties concerned with issues of homelessness.
Eberling has been actively involved in social welfare concerns in the Bay Area and statewide for more than 25 years. She has served on a variety of sub-groups of the steering committee, including the group that developed the publication. “In-fusing Humanity into Welfare Re-form” which made an important contribution to shaping welfare reform legislation.
Always interested in legislation impacting the poor, Pat was instrumental over the years in getting the Army to sponsor three bills in the California state legislature, one of which, AB 1733, eventually became law, providing funds for initial rent costs for thousands of AFDC-eligible homeless families across the state. Pat has also served on the State Set-Aside Committee of the National Food and Shelter Program since its inception.
The award was presented as a surprise addition to the steering committee’s annual awards luncheon. Along with the award certificate, Pat was given a one-week vacation in Paris, including airfare, hotel and expenses for two. “I could not have been more surprised or honored,” Pat said.
Well-known to officers and social services personnel in the state and across the country, Pat’s recovery from serious illness of the last three years has her now working part time at DHQ. Previous to that, she served for 24 years as Divisional Social Services Coordinator, first serving in this role in the former Northern Calif. and Nevada Division. Prior to that she was the director of social services for the Army in San Francisco
“It is gratifying to see Pat honored in this way,” said Gordon Bingham, territorial Social Services secretary. “Those who have known and worked with Pat, both in and outside the Army, have admired her commitment to quality service and her thorough but very warm-hearted professionalism.”
