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Premier Members Making a Difference: Boys and Girls Club of Greater San Diego

What do you benefit most from being a member of NCPC?
 
Through our membership with NCPC we are able to connect with other nonprofits and thought leaders in our local community. We also look forward each year to honoring our Volunteer of the Year.
 
What is your Mission?
 

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego‘s mission is to inspire and enable youth to achieve academic success, build good character and responsible citizenship, and make healthy lifestyle choices.

 
What do you offer to the community?
 

The BGCGSD offers after-school and school break programs for over 8,000 youth ages 5-18 throughout San Diego County. Participants engage in age-appropriate activities supporting academic excellence, character development, and healthy lifestyle choices. BGCGSD’s aim is to support youth by helping them grow into caring, productive, civic-minded, and successful citizens in their communities. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego service area covers over 2,000 square miles from National City to Borrego Springs; providing enriching programs at 19 community-based sites.

 
What was your organization/company’s biggest accomplishment in the past six months – one year?
 
Our biggest accomplishment in the last year has been the final reopening of the few Clubs which were still closed due to COVID. The Board of Directors and Senior Management originally planned to have all Clubs reopened by December 2022, however, due to increasing demand, the return of students to in-person learning, and with the support of individuals, corporations and foundations in the community, all Clubs were reopened as of September 2021, a full 15 months early! We have also been able to restart our bus transportation system, ensuring that members who are not within walking distance are able to attend the Club.
 
What event/program or campaign do you have coming up that you would like to share with our readers?
 

Our signature event, An Evening of Changing Lives, will take place on September 10, 2022 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina. The funds raised at the event support our mission to inspire and enable youth to achieve academic success, build good character and responsible citizenship, and make healthy lifestyle choices.

 
What changes/opportunities have occurred due to COVID-19?
 

Our budget was greatly impacted both in revenue and expense. On the expense side, costs rose significantly due to the extended hours we were open from June 2020 to August 2021, the necessity of providing Personal Protective Equipment to staff and members, an increase in cleaning costs, the upgrades to Wi-Fi in all buildings and provision of personal supplies to each member to utilize. When the 2021-22 school year started, we were able to return to our normal afterschool hours of operations, and will continue to do so as long as the schools stay open for in-person learning. The impact on our revenue lies with the reduction in the number of children attending, which leads to a reduction in fees collected. Our Board and Staff responded to decreased revenue by revising our 5-year strategic plan. We took on a PPP loan, reached out to new potential funders and created a short term campaign to raise $1,000,000 to ensure that we were able to open all 19 locations by the start of the 2021-22 school year. Additionally, our program logistics continue to looks different in order to provide the safest possible experience while at the Club. Our groups are kept to the same 20 members with the same staff everyday. Children and staff must wear masks while indoors and activities must have enough supplies that no child has to share with another child. We follow strict guidelines for quarantining groups with suspected and confirmed exposure to COVID.
On the positive side of things, these changes to our groups, or cohorts, has increased the quality of interactions between staff and members. Staff are able to get to know the members better than ever before, which allows them to provide a more customized program to each member and gives the opportunity for a closer partnership with the parents.

 

Have you made a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within your organization/company and if so, how are you demonstrating it?

 

Yes. Our Diversity Statement is:
It’s in our nature to include.
At the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego, we create safe environments for staff and members to express themselves and feel included. We believe that all people should have a future of hope and opportunity. To make that happen, we strive to cultivate Clubs which recognize differences and embrace diversity. We reflect the communities we serve by welcoming people of all races, sexual orientations, ethnicities, identities, religions and abilities.
In addition to the Diversity Statement, we are in the process of creating a DEI committee of staff at all levels, Board of Directors, and parents to ensure that we as an organization are providing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for all parties.

 
 

Premier Members Making a Difference: Coastal Community Foundation

 

What do you benefit most from being a member of NCPC?

The Foundation staff benefits through connecting with nonprofits in the community and learning about their work and services in North County. We have had the opportunity to meet many new people, build relationships and share information. We appreciate the opportunity to share our grantmaking programs through NCPC in order to reach more nonprofits. NCPC is a great resource and connector for North County.

What is your Mission?

The mission of Coastal Community Foundation is to enhance the quality of life in San Diego North County by directing philanthropic efforts toward community needs. We fulfill our Mission by…
  • Helping individuals and families meet their charitable goals today and in the future
  • Making grants to support nonprofit programs, education, and community needs
  • Helping to strengthen the nonprofit sector by providing support services
  • Promoting philanthropy in the community

What do you offer to the community?

The Foundation’s grantmaking provides resources for a wide variety of nonprofit programs in North County. The Foundation also serves as a philanthropic connector between local residents and nonprofits in the community. We often refer residents to organizations that match their charitable interests.
In addition to our grants, the Foundation assists residents in establishing their personal donor advised fund, becoming involved with one of the Foundation’s four giving circles or contributing to an area of their interest.

What was your organization/company’s biggest accomplishment in the past six months – one year?

In 2021, the Foundation granted over $1 million to a wide variety of nonprofits and educational institutions. Grants were made through competitive grant programs and donor advised funds. Seventy-seven percent of those awards were made to San Diego County nonprofits. In addition, CCF continued our collaboration with the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation and Impact Cubed to manage the COVID-19 grant program for the City of San Marcos.

What event/program or campaign do you have coming up that you would like to share with our readers?

Grantmaking for the 2022 grant cycle is underway. Upcoming competitive grant opportunities include: Hand to Hand fund for women and girls, Encinitas Fund, Solana Beach Fund, and Scalice Foundation for Music. Grant guidelines, program deadlines, and applications are available on the CCF website.
The Foundation’s giving circles also are an opportunity for North County residents to become involved with philanthropy without having a private foundation or their own charitable fund. By making one donation and having their gift pooled with others in the community, individuals can make a larger impact on programs and services that benefit the community. The giving circles also allow people to learn more about the nonprofit programs and services that are provided in their community. Learn more.

What changes/opportunities have occurred due to COVID-19?

Since the pandemic, many of CCF’s grant programs have shifted focus towards meeting the community’s basic needs such as food, housing, and emergency support services. These grants have helped nonprofits fill gaps in funding that federal or state dollars do not cover.

Premier Members Making a Difference: Allgire Foundation

 

What do you benefit most from being a member of NCPC?

We’re a new organization so it helps us immensely to see how everyone else does it.

What is your Mission?

The Allgire Foundation is dedicated to empowering people who are impacted by the lack of affordable housing and changing their lives through advocacy, education and support programs that provide tangible help. Ultimately, we want to make their house a home.

What do you offer to the community?

Scholarships, Care Packages for Residents of Affordable Housing, and Volunteer Opportunities.

What was your organization/company’s biggest accomplishment in the past six months – one year?

Spring Harvest. On March 20, the first day of spring, 200 volunteers gathered in the rain and packaged up over 10,000 bags of fresh fruits and vegetables and we delivered them to over 10,000 residents of 100+ affordable housing communities. The Allgire Foundation wanted to raise awareness of food insecurities and the difficulties of eating healthy given rising costs.

What event/program or campaign do you have coming up that you would like to share with our readers?

The Allgire Foundation’s Art, Wine & Adventure Gala on April 23, where we will gather after a rough two years to reconnect, reminisce, and look forward – and maybe raise a few bucks too!

What changes/opportunities have occurred due to COVID-19?

We pivoted to providing care packages to residents of affordable housing by delivering them because it was so difficult for residents, especially older residents, to get out and shop.

Have you made a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within your organization/company and if so, how are you demonstrating it?

We seek volunteers from all organizations and groups, and serve residents of all affordable housing communities throughout San Diego.

 

Premier Members Making a Difference: Puzzle Pieces Marketing

Founded by NCPC Board Vice President, Angel Mason Broadus, and operated by her and her wife, Kristine, Puzzle Pieces Marketing is a creative and colorful Black-owned and women-owned marketing agency specializing in nonprofits and mission-driven businesses. We offer Digital Marketing, Branding, Website Design & Development, and Graphic Design.

What is your Mission?

To amplify the social impact of nonprofits and brands doing good by elevating their image and marketing.

What do you offer to the community?

Not only do we work with nonprofits and mission-driven businesses as our clients and partners, but we serve our community through serving on Boards, volunteering, and offering scholarships and internships.

Have you made a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within your organization/company and if so, how are you demonstrating it?

We advocate for diversity and inclusion not only in our own workplace, but also within the organizations with which we choose to partner, support, and volunteer our time. As part of our mission, we choose to align and collaborate with organizations that share our values and have made commitments to supporting DEI initiatives.

Also, through our marketing, messaging, and social media, we are actively sharing and talking about causes and issues related to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

What event/program or campaign do you have coming up that you would like to share with our readers? 

As a minority-owned business, providing opportunities and supporting minority and LGBTQ youth is important for us. We offer four annual scholarships to financially assist minority and LGBTQ+ graduating high school seniors. Applications for our LGBTQ+ Youth scholarships open on March 31st. Please learn more and apply here: https://puzzlepiecesmarketing.com/scholarships

What do you benefit most from being a member of NCPC?

One of the biggest benefits of our NCPC membership is being able to network with people in the nonprofit sector and becoming more familiar and engaged with the important work they do for our community. This continued exposure to nonprofits keeps our team inspired and motivated to support our nonprofit clients and volunteer in the community.

Meet Our Members: The Innocent Justice Foundation

“When we support the heroes, they can save more children.”

Victim serving work takes an emotional toll, because exposure to violent materials and events, or victim stories is a requirement of many first responder and health and human service professions. Vicarious trauma can be catastrophic, resulting in depression, burn-out, and sometimes suicide.

The Innocent Justice Foundation (TIJF) has provided mental health and wellness programming focusing on vicarious trauma mitigation to support Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Teams and their affiliates across the country with our Supporting Heroes in Mental Health Foundational Training (SHIFT). SHIFT was one of the first programs to focus on officer wellness and vicarious trauma mitigation and has been solely funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention since 2009.

Psycho-educational programs are crucial in helping exposed individuals learn how to recognize vicarious trauma and cope with problems before they become severe or permanent. TIJF works to help by offering mental health and wellness training and resources to support professionals exposed to traumatic material and events in the work environment.

Our newest program, Helping Advocates Rebound from Trauma (HART), was launched in 2020 with the support of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. This program provides an education in mitigating secondary trauma experienced by those working in victim services and other professions who regularly experience exposure to the trauma of others. HART has served trafficking survivor advocates, law enforcement, EMT’s, child advocates, Mothers Against Drunk Driving advocates, and crisis hotline workers to name a few, with a goal of helping any organization or person who can benefit from this support.

Law enforcement, first-responders, and advocates of all kinds have had a tough couple of years, and the emotional toll has been heavy. We encourage you to learn more about what we do at www.innocentjustice.org, or email Lori@innocentjustice.org with questions. Please let us know if you would like to bring vicarious trauma mitigation training to your organization or have a desire to sponsor the training for others.

We invite you to join us for our free trainings and webinars offered during Mental Health Awareness month this May 2022. We will have links up to register on our website soon, or sign up for our email list here: http://eepurl.com/gAUPc9

Premier Members Making a Difference: TrueCare


 
What do you benefit most from being a member of NCPC?

TrueCare has served North San Diego and Riverside Counties for over 50 years. Being a member of NCPC provides an opportunity to share our work and expand our reach to additional members of the community in need of accessing healthcare regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.

 

What is your Mission?

To improve the health status of our diverse communities by providing quality healthcare that is comprehensive, affordable, and culturally sensitive.

 

What do you offer to the community?

TrueCare provides a safety net for those most in need. We believe that healthcare is a right that everyone deserves, and that healthy lives equal a healthy community. Throughout our 11 health centers, we offer an incredible level of quality, comprehensive medical services, as well as community outreach programs and engagement with the cities and people we serve.

 

What was your organization’s biggest accomplishment in the past six months – one year?

Equalizing the fight against the pandemic was a major focus for TrueCare in 2021. We worked hard to make COVID testing and vaccinations available to those hard-to-reach communities, including our ongoing outreach to agricultural workers. We collaborated with community partners to make it convenient for parents and adolescents to get vaccinated. We offered testing at many of our TrueCare locations throughout the week, including Saturdays.

We recognized that there are prevalent COVID-19 vaccine disparities among people from racial and ethnic minority groups, especially Hispanic/Latinx. TrueCare sprang into action and mobilized numerous initiatives for increasing vaccination rates in 2021.

Vaccination rates across our geographic service areas were steadily improving. However, rates for the Hispanic/Latinx populations in Oceanside, San Marcos, and Escondido remained low. Through a targeted outreach campaign, we organized our Community Outreach Team in a grassroots initiative to address vaccine-related questions and concerns in these hard-to-reach neighborhoods.

These efforts resulted in:

  • The distribution of 4,150 masks, 12,000 hand sanitizers, 6,000 anti-bacterial wipes, and 68,750 printed materials.
  • “Boots on the ground” outreach via community events, door hangers at apartment complexes, brochure drop-offs at local businesses and community organizations, clinic “tabling” events, social media posts, flyer deliveries to farms and nurseries, and presentations on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.
  • Phone calls to members of the Hispanic/Latinx community from TrueCare’s Promotoras team provided one-on-one communication about the importance of getting vaccinated.

 

What event/program or campaign do you have coming up that you would like to share with our readers?

On March 26, at the beautiful Omni Resort La Costa, TrueCare will host its “Magical Masquerade” Grand Gala to help expand critical health services and ensure access to quality, affordable healthcare for all.

The event, themed as “an enchanting evening in Venice,” will be emceed by Geena the Latina, San Diego’s beloved iHeart on-air radio host. Proceeds will support TrueCare’s continued response to critical COVID-19 services, increased access to mobile healthcare units, transportation assistance, and the ongoing demand for telehealth visits and quality, affordable, healthcare.

 

Purchase tickets and learn more at Truecare.org/gala.

 

Premier Members Making a Difference: Mission Fed

NCPC Member Mission Fed Donates $20,000 to North County Food Bank

 

Mission Federal Credit Union (Mission Fed) is honored to serve as the largest member-owned, not-for-profit, full-service financial institution exclusively serving San Diego County. Success is measured by results. We measure our success based on a double bottom line of both financial performance and social purpose.

 

One example of how we put this to the test recently came in the form of a $20,000 donation to the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank, earmarked for the North County Food Bank. The total included a $10,000 end-of-year donation in 2021 from Mission Fed, plus $10,000 in a matching grant from Federal Home Loan Bank San Francisco (of which Mission Fed is a member). The total amount will provide 100,000 meals for those in North County suffering from food insecurity.

 

“Hunger is something no one should struggle with” said Debra Schwartz, CEO of Mission Fed. “Providing additional support to our neighbors in the North County area is important, and feeding those in need remains a key focus area in Mission Fed’s community relations efforts.”

 

L-R, Food Bank Interim CEO Casey Castillo, Mission Fed CFO Doug Wright, Mission Fed CEO Debra Schwartz. 
 

The San Diego Food Bank and its North County Food Bank chapter comprise the largest hunger-relief organization in San Diego County. Through its North County Food Bank chapter and by partnering with nearly 500 nonprofit organizations with feeding programs, the Food Bank provides nutritious food to individuals and families in need in communities throughout our region. Consider making a donation today at SDFoodBank.org.

 

If you’re looking for a like-spirited partner, or have an upcoming event that aligns with our vision and values, don’t hesitate to contact any member of the small-but-mighty Mission Fed team including:

 

Neville Billimoria
SVP/Chief Advocacy Officer, also a proud NCPC board member nevilleb@missionfed.com

 

Courtney Pendleton
PR & Community Manager

 

Mission Fed is committed to enhancing the lives of all of our stakeholders including our 270,000 member owners, 600 employees, and our larger extended community throughout the county, by focusing intently on financial education and financial inclusion to provide the essential resources and skills to help every San Diegan experience financial wellbeing. To learn more our organization, please visit www.MissionFed.com. We are federally insured by NCUA and are an Equal Housing Lender.

 

Meet Our Members: The Identity Theft Resource Center

ITRC

WHAT WE DO

  • The Identity Theft Resource Center is a non-profit organization established 21 years ago to aid victims and businesses who have been affected by identity theft and fraud.
  • Prevent Identity Theft
    • There are simple steps to protect yourself and your business from identity theft and misuse. We provide podcasts, webinars, trainings and customized breach alerts to help you mitigate risk. 888-400-5530 and live chat
  • Protect Your Business
    • Businesses can leverage ITRC resources and help transform lives. We conduct research and surveys in collaboration with partners and sponsors resulting in white papers, fact sheets, and solutions to educate consumers and businesses
  • Recover Your Identity
    • We partner victims with trauma informed experts to develop custom remediation plans and provide access to multiple resources including 1K written documents, articles, blogs links and videos.
  • Advocacy
    • We provide expert advice and commentary to national media, further informing businesses and consumers about engaging in best practices to protect personal information

© 2021 | Identity Theft Resource Center • dorinda@idtheftcenter.org

Meet Our Members: Educational Enrichment Systems

Educational Enrichment Systems

Founded in 1979, Educational Enrichment Systems’ (EES) mission is to create opportunities for children to become future leaders through quality early education. EES accomplishes this by providing a unique and affordable child development program in an environment designed to meet the social, emotional, physical, and educational needs of the child, as we strengthen and preserve the family and all who influence the life of the child.

EES has grown into one of the largest and most respected non-profit child care providers in the region, serving 1300 families at 22 early education centers across San Diego County from Chula Vista to Vista. Their innovative partnership with Vista Unified School District over the years has helped to educate nearly 700 Vista children each year, with approximately 500 children entering kindergarten in Vista educated at an EES preschool.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, EES has mobilized to provide access to critical resources to all the San Diego County families it serves. EES has provided hundreds of referrals, addressing a range of needs including rental assistance, food, and diapers. EES’ partnership with Feeding San Diego has resulted in over 84,000 pounds of food distributed to EES families since March, 2020.

For more information about EES, please visit www.educ-enrichment.org.

 

Premier Members Making a Difference: MP Consulting

What do you benefit most from being a member of NCPC?

The greatest benefit of being an NCPC member is being able to build relationships with a network of businesses and nonprofits who work together for the good of the greater San Diego community.   By being connected, I can work side by side with nonprofit and business leaders and professionals to improve and enrich mission-based philanthropy and boost philanthropic impact across our community.

What is your Mission?

The purpose of MP Consulting is to inspire nonprofit leaders and board members in the art of Philanthropy.  MP Consulting’s pledge is to steadily and creatively help nonprofits increase their resources by bringing together leadership and investors to work together to solve our community’s pressing issues.  MP Consulting collaborates closely with individuals and organizations facilitating business retreats and training focused on strategic planning, board development and engagement, as well as private philanthropy.

What was your company’s biggest accomplishment in the past six months – one year?

My most recent big accomplishment has been having the privilege to work with nonprofits during COVID-19.  Recently, one client shared that my knowledge and calming influence helped them face a global pandemic as a mission-focused, strategic organization who survived by staying engaged with our community during these unprecedented times.

Have you made a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within your organization, and if so, how are you demonstrating it?

Marianne Pekala, CFRE is on the Board of North County Philanthropy Council, is currently Chair of NCPC’s Membership Committee and is a member of the JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Committee.  Marianne has completed Equity Journey 1.0 and is enrolled in Equity Journey 2.0 beginning soon.

For more information, to sign up for Marianne’s e-newsletters, or to contact Marianne directly, go to CLICK HERE.