April 2021 Letter from CVCF Board Chair Carmen Richardson

Greetings members and friends, and happy spring!

I look forward to spring every year. Spring is symbolic of hope and renewal. After a long year, we can all look forward to hope and recovery from the pandemic. Crises often bring out the best in humanity to help our fellow man. This was evident in the work of our passionate nonprofit and philanthropic community.

We observed those who were fortunate to give, that didn’t hold back in times of crisis but rather dug a little deeper with charitable giving and were ready to respond to emerging needs. Our own membership is reflective of this wonderful giving community.

The San Diego Foundation is our regional leader in philanthropy and collective impact. As a result of their efforts, they secured additional grant funding to be shared between all their affiliate partners. We were incredibly humbled and excited to use the funds received to increase our community grantmaking capacity to support COVID-19 relief efforts in our Chula Vista community.

We are in the final stages of our grant cycle and very excited to share the final results of the Membership Ballot. The Grants Committee reviewed an impressive 39 applications and conducted several virtual site visits.

Learning about our nonprofit partners’ work and how they plan to use the grant funding was truly awe-inspiring. Our nonprofits need us more than ever as we work together as a community to recover from the pandemic crisis.

None of the work of the Chula Vista Community Foundation (CVCF) would be possible without your incredible generosity and continued member support. We continue to reach new members who not only want to give financially, but also want to give their time serving on Committees and in leadership positions. I wish to thank all of our members, volunteer committee members and volunteer board members.

And finally, on behalf of the CVCF family, thank you to The San Diego Foundation team and our affiliate staff support, as well as our sister affiliate partners for all their hard work in elevating the issues affecting our region and finding the resources to meet the needs of our neighbors.

Our CVCF grant recipients will be announced in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please enjoy our latest member spotlight from new members Heather and Steven Naegele, as well as an update from last year’s grantee, St. Paul’s Senior Center.

We are honored to be their community partner and supporter!

Member Spotlight: Heather and Steven Naegele

Heather and Steven Naegele have called Chula Vista their home since 2003.

Well-known for their passion for pet care, Steven is the owner of Fuzzy Buddies Pet Sitting and Heather is a technical manager at Qualcomm.

They are passionate about volunteering and philanthropy. You will find Steven and Heather out in the community volunteering at the local church, participating in cross-border philanthropy efforts and always looking for ways to give back.

Steven and Heather also enjoy outdoor activities as well as traveling to and exploring new places.

“We are excited to be part of the Chula Vista Community Foundation and look forward to being active members who help improve our community,” they shared.

Thank you, Steven and Heather, for your support to CVCF!

Grantee Spotlight: St. Paul’s Senior Center

St. Paul’s PACE provides all-inclusive healthcare and social services to over 420 medically-complex, MediCal-eligible seniors living in the South Bay.

“Bringing healthcare services to seniors during a pandemic has been quite a challenge,” said Angi Mitchell, the Center Director at PACE Akaloa located in Chula Vista.

“Our care team uses a lot of personal protective equipment in our clinic when we provide in-home support to seniors,” Mitchell added. “We have been going through gloves, gowns and masks by the hundreds each week. When serving a vulnerable population, you have to put safety first.”

Mitchell said that these mounting costs have been a challenge for their organization.

“So when our friends at the Chula Vista Community Foundation stepped up with a generous gift, it made all the difference,” she shared. “Thank you for being there for us in a time of need.”