July 2019 Letter from Rancho Bernardo President Debbie Kurth

Greetings, members!

As we are well into summer now, we want to remind you of our upcoming event that you won’t want to miss.

The Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation (RBCF) is in the midst of the annual Pathway of Pride campaign. The deadline to participate this year is August 9. For a fully-deductible $1,000 donation, you can add a plaque to the 300 that have been placed in Webb Park since 1993.

Donors have placed many types of plaques over the years, from celebrating a loved one or anniversary to recognizing a local leader or impactful business. To secure your plaque, contact Dave Brooks at davebrooks@san.rr.com with the information you would like on the plaque and he will create an image for your review.

Upcoming Dates

Don’t forget to participate in the annual Grants Ballot Presentation on August 5 at 5:00pm. This is your chance to vote for the local nonprofits you want to see receive our 2019 grants. Members can RSVP by August 1 to Carey at careyt@sdfoundation.org.

RBCF Grants Ballot Presentation & Social
Monday, August 5 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Chicken Charlie’s Patio
12457 Rancho Bernardo Road • San Diego, CA 92128

We also encourage everyone to save the date for September 13 at 5:00pm as we honor the 2019 Pathway of Pride inductees at Webb Park.

Lastly, mark your calendars for the 32^nd Annual All Community Thanksgiving Luncheon on Friday, November 22.

We hope to see you all at these upcoming events! Enjoy your summer.

-Debbie Kurth

Grantee Spotlight

Children in foster care, all of whom have experienced some form of abuse or neglect, often lack a caring and consistent adult presence in their lives. They feel alone, afraid, and overwhelmed by the intricacies of the foster care system. That’s where Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA volunteers, step in to make a difference.

Voices for Children (VFC) is a local nonprofit organization with a mission to transform the lives of children in foster care by providing them with CASA volunteers. The organization has been the sole program designated by the court to provide CASA volunteers to children in San Diego County’s foster care system since 1980.

Last year, RBCF provided grant support to help VFC provide advocacy to more children in the region. With the funding, expertly-trained CASAs are matched with a single child or sibling group and advocate on their behalf in the courtroom, classroom and community. Last year, VFC’s professional staff and network of 1,200 CASA volunteers provided direct advocacy services to 2,700 children across San Diego County.

“We are grateful to the Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation for recognizing the value CASAs provide by supporting our program,” shared Stephen Moore, Voices for Children’s Chief Program Officer. “Through the foundation’s generosity, our CASA volunteers were able to provide individualized attention, support and advocacy to children who have been abused and neglected.”