Paying attention to those in need

When Norma Mason retired and moved to Glendale more than a year ago, she decided to make good use of her free time by volunteering for her new community.

The 65-year-old Pennsylvania native almost immediately started looking for volunteer work after she settled into her new home.

After she picked up a copy of the Glendale News-Press, she saw a listing in the volunteer directory for drivers wanted to deliver meals for the Salvation Army's "Meals on Wheels" program.

"I was familiar with the Salvation Army and Meals on Wheels appealed to me," said Mason, a retired business analyst.

Mason called the Salvation Army and expressed interest in helping deliver packaged meals to seniors and home-bound residents in the community.

Every week, Mason delivers food to the homes on her route in northwest Glendale. She drives her own car and pays for the gas.

"It's really a good opportunity for other people; it's rewarding," Mason said. "Most people are appreciative; it's a little bit of a touch ... some don't have that much contact."

In addition to meal delivery, Mason sometimes runs errands for physically disabled residents who are unable to leave their homes.

"The last woman I go to on my route is almost blind," Mason said. "I go to the store for her and get groceries or cosmetics."

Mason's service to the community also extends to the county's jail population.

Mason's desire to help the jail population stems from the memory of her late son, who was diagnosed with mental illness, and was incarcerated on several occasions for minor offenses.

Mason's son died as a result of a psychiatric medication overdose, she said.

"This put me in a more immediate sense of the situation," Mason said. "The plight of the mentally ill in prison is a big thing. In a way, I sort of do it out of respect for the chaotic life he had; to honor him in a way."

Mason is a volunteer with "Friends Outside," a group of volunteers that visit inmates at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles.

"We're almost like an in-jail case worker," Mason said. "We're just kind of a go between, we don't know too much about the inmates except for their expressed need."

Mason meets with female inmates who need someone to talk to. With their permission, she contacts the inmates' family members or their public defenders to settle legal issues.

Inmates' relatives sometimes are not aware that their family member may be incarcerated, Mason said.

"She is very energetic and very dedicated and that kind of sums it up," said Martín Sosa, senior case manager at Twin Towers. "Norma gets involved and does a lot of advocacy for the inmates. She has her heart in the work."

As an advocate for inmates rights, Mason also provides inmates with resources to help them find employment after their release.