San Francisco senior ball is a big draw

Each year, TODCO Group, a community-based housing/community development non-profit corporation operating in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood, holds its Yerba Buena Senior Ball, inviting elders from neighborhood senior housing to socialize while receiving helpful financial information from local non-profit organizations. As in past years, two Consumer Action staff members, Jamie Woo and Cui Yan Xie, attended the ball (held at the Moscone Center) to distribute Consumer Action publications on issues of importance to the elderly.

The Yerba Buena Senior Ball is a highly anticipated annual event in the local senior community, with over 1,000 people in attendance each year. The majority of attendees come from the Yerba Buena housing developments, where more than 2,000 seniors, most of whom are Chinese, Filipino or Russian immigrants, live.

“The Yerba Buena Senior Ball is a great opportunity to increase the community’s awareness about our organization and the services and resources we provide,” Woo said.

Approximately 90 percent of the elders in attendance were Chinese-Americans, so TODCO invited 20 non-profit organizations that provide free Chinese educational publications to take part.

Consumer Action prepared 300 sets of educational brochures (a total of 1,200 pieces)—270 sets in Chinese and 30 in English. The brochures cover topics including: ID theft, account fraud and other scams; the California LifeLine discounted phone program; and how consumers can complain about marketplace injustices. Elderly attendees reported that Consumer Action’s “Just Say No to Scams” brochure was particularly helpful, as they had been receiving scam phone calls and wondering how to handle them.

One attendee reported that she already knew of Consumer Action after calling our hotline number to resolve a complaint about a lemon car she had bought. She gushed about how happy she was to have someone in her corner when she needed the help.

Consumer Action’s materials were such a draw that they were all taken within the first hour.

“We’re happy to represent Consumer Action at the Senior Ball each year because the elders are always so thankful for our publications, which address the financial and marketplace challenges they’re dealing with day-to-day,” Cui Yan Xie added.