Dorris Dann

October 3, 1928 - June 29, 2019

Former director of Our Saviour Center in El Monte, died at her home in San Gabriel. She was 91.

Dorris began her tenure as director of Our Saviour Center in 1987. Annually the Center serves thousands of individuals with food, shelter, medical care, and children's youth programming. Dorris's decision to become the center's director was a surprising one; she was nearing retirement as a women's sportswear buyer for the upscale Broadway Department store. At that time, she was a volunteer board member of the fledgling agency. When they were looking for someone to lead it, she stepped up. When Dorris began at the Center, it served the community only as a food pantry. But she recognized that the community needed comprehensive programs to address multi-faceted challenges. In time, her dedication, zeal and tremendous fundraising efforts would make the food pantry among the largest private distributors of food in Los Angeles County and expand the center to add children's programming, homeless services, and medical care.

Dorris was an excellent fundraiser, grant writer, and motivator, and within 10 years the Center included a new building the Cleaver Family Wellness Center with a full-time bilingual medical staff in association with the USC Keck School of Medicine, as well as the Beatrice Bird Computer Learning Center. In recognition of her work, the Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, sixth bishop of Los Angeles, named Dorris an honorary canon of the Cathedral Center of St Paul in 2003.

Five years later the Center acquired additional property and built the Kid's Campus, an 18,000 sq ft facility with a gymnasium, fine arts studio, cafeteria, game room, and study arena. Dorris's focus had always centered around serving children and youth. Even in its early food pantry days, the Center had volunteer story tellers, so kids would have something to do while their parents were in line for food. With the assistance of the center staff and the support of the Church of Our Saviour, the Center was able to secure a State of California Parks and Recreation grant, the second largest grant awarded that year. The Kids Campus was dedicated on Dorris's birthday on October 3, 2015. It was a fitting tribute.

Dorris is survived by her cousin, Helen Nelson. She also leaves the Our Saviour Center Family, many of whom have continued to be part of her life up to her last days. She will be missed for her tireless efforts on behalf of the poor and disenfranchised; honored for her example in answering the call to serve those in need; and loved as a friend, mentor and second mother to many.