July 2022 Letter from CVCF Board Chair Lisa Johnson

Greetings…

CVCF members and friends, please join me in thanking Carmen Richardson for outstanding leadership of CVCF over the last year. We have been fortunate to have had such experienced nonprofit leadership from Carmen. We look forward to celebrating Carmen’s leadership on August 4.

Hopefully, you have already RSVP’d and we will see you at 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 4, at Sun Outdoors, located at San Diego Bay 825 E Street in Chula Vista, as we also celebrate our 2022 grantees.This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our organization, our mission and our grantees, and to network with friends and other nonprofit leaders. We are truly passionate about building a more vibrant community through relationship-building, as well as grantmaking.

Please invite family and friends to this annual event. It is the perfect opportunity to introduce others to the impact that we are making in Chula Vista.

Watch your emails and/or our social media posts in the next few weeks for updates. Please don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Twitter and “Like” and “Share” on Facebook.

Have a wonderful summer!  See you August 4!

Lisa Johnson
CVCF Board Chair

Grantee Spotlight: Accessity

The Chula Vista Community Foundation (CVCF) provided Accessity with a $10,000 grant to provide COVID-19 relief and recovery services to Chula Vista small businesses over the past year. Accessity provided close to $350,000 in leveraged loan capital to 15 Chula Vista small business owners, which helped create and maintain 52 jobs in the community. Accessity also hosted educational webinars in English and Spanish that provided 280 entrepreneurs with education on access to capital, marketing, hiring employees, managing business finances and more.

Accessity helps entrepreneurs like Tim Parker, owner of Chula Vista Brewery. Tim originally came to Accessity to secure startup capital for his 3^rd Avenue tasting room location in Downtown Chula Vista. As an active-duty Navy service member at the time, he and his wife Dali worked hard to open the business and build a loyal customer base. They received support from Accessity through the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream partnership and were awarded an Experienceship to attend national beer festivals, receive mentoring from Samuel Adams employees and brew a collaboration beer.

Despite all of Chula Vista Brewery’s growth, COVID-19 was disruptive to their business operations and the food and beverage industry broadly. Chula Vista Brewery navigated through the challenging time by providing curbside pickup, starting to can and wholesale beer, and gaining access to working capital from Accessity through a COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Loan. Chula Vista Brewery made it through the pandemic and even opened a second location in Eastlake with a kitchen. Not only is Tim creating more spaces for locals to connect over delicious food and beers, but he’s also supporting a staff of 47 people.

Assistance with COVID-19 recovery services has been vital to small business owners like Tim. According to the San Diego Union Tribune, 60% of Chula Vista small businesses feared they would have to permanently close their doors due to COVID-19. Accessity staff are grateful for CVCF’s support, which helped them be responsive to Chula Vista small businesses that were faced with closures, implementing public health measures, inflation and the rising costs of doing business. Accessity will continue to work in Chula Vista to help entrepreneurs launch, maintain and expand their small businesses through access to capital and a community of resources.

Member Spotlight: Cesar and Mary Padilla

In 1999,  shortly after graduating from San Diego State University, Cesar and Mary Padilla moved to Chula Vista to plant their roots. Cesar proudly serves the community as a financial advisor for Edward Jones, and Mary is an elementary school teacher in the South Bay. They’ve raised three children – Eddie, Ylexia and Calixta – all SDSU graduates, with Calixta graduating in May 2022.

The Padillas believe in giving back to build better communities, primarily supporting youth programs. Cesar currently serves as a board of directors member with Chula Vista Kiwanis Club and the SDSU Alumni Board and has served as a Commissioner in Chula Vista. Mary, through her many years as a teacher, believes in inspiring children with a love for education.

“We joined CV Community Foundation to continue to give back to the community we love,” Cesar said. “As a family, we believe in making a positive impact in others to help create a better society. There were many that had a similar affect in our lives, and now the CVCF allows us to pay it forward with their great work.”