October 2020 Letter from CVCF Board Chair Carmen Richardson

Dear Chula Vista Charitable Foundation (CVCF) members, I would like to introduce myself. I am Carmen Richardson and the newest board chair of the CVCF.  It is my honor to serve on the board and represent our membership as we continue to grow as a community organization. As we move forward in the upcoming grant year, I want to share with all of you my three guiding leadership principles: Engage, Invest, Impact. 

A hallmark of our foundation, and one that makes us unique, our membership votes individually to determine who, what, when, and how your financial investment for grantmaking is allocated. This ensures transparency, accountability and integrity of the grant process but moreover, ensures we all share in the collective decision making for our foundation which builds community.

This year, during our 11^th grant cycle, you all voted to support COVID-19 recovery and relief efforts. The Grants committee has been working hard since July to develop the grant application, revise processes and procedures, and engage our membership to join the committee. 

While we cannot be together face-to-face, I encourage each of you to consider serving on one of our committees. The Membership/Marketing Committee works hard at developing new ideas for member events and promoting the impact of CVCF. It was the work of the Membership Committee that helped to create our newest “Under 40” membership level, which is now our fastest growing membership area. The “Under 40” was created for young adult students and professionals who bring an important voice to the table about the future needs of Chula Vissta.  Stay tuned for new and exciting membership engagement ideas!  

Lastly, I want to share our member spotlight and grantee impact story with you. I hope they inspire you as much as they inspire me. Thank you for your continued support of CVCF. Together, we are making a difference!

Warm Regards,
Carmen M. Richardson
Chair, Chula Vista Charitable Foundation

Member Spotlight: Dayle Ohlau (in memory)

The daughter of late Dayle Ohlau recently joined on her father’s behalf. She does not reside in Chula Vista, but felt called to honor his memory in such a way.

She shared, “My dad, Robert Dayle Ohlau, was a proprietor and resident of the South Bay since 1957. He road tripped along Route 66 from his boyhood farm in Southern Illinois to visit and never went back. For a number of years when I was young, my dad served on the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce as he worked as a barber on Third Avenue to help grow and improve the quality of life in the downtown corridor. My dad loved Chula Vista and I know how pleased he would be to be able to give to a place he called home from the age of 22 until he passed in 2017 at the age of 80.

“On my dad’s behalf, I am thrilled to now be a part of this organization that benefits those who live and work in such a beautiful community as Chula Vista, a sense of place called home.”

Grantee Spotlight: Feeding San Diego

With generous support from CVCF and its members, Feeding San Diego has been able to bring fresh produce to Chula Vista agencies, as well as cover the salaries of staff members who facilitate local programs. These funds also supported Feeding San Diego’s pass-through granting program, which is helping to grow the ability of agencies to rescue local food for their clients.

“In addition to our ongoing food rescue efforts, in November 2019 Feeding San Diego announced the launch of MealConnect in San Diego County, a free, innovative technology platform that connects surplus food from restaurants and other food service providers to Feeding San Diego volunteers and community partners,” shared Becky Gower, Grants Manager. “MealConnect is another way we can divert food from going to waste and increase the availability of nutritious food for the one in eight people facing hunger in San Diego County.”

In total, CVCF funding enabled Feeding San Diego to provide 592,900 pounds of produce to 11 agency partners in Chula Vista zip codes. Thank you to CVCF for helping to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to Chula Vista residents!