Power of Purpose — September 23, 2022
Dear Ventura County Community Foundation Family,
This Monday, the VCCF Board of Directors approved over $2,776,908.63 in grants to our community. The excitement and gratitude to you, our VCCF family, for making these grants possible filled the room. Thank you so much for all you are doing to make Ventura County and our shared world a better place.
The grants approved went to dozens of local nonprofit organizations and causes. Some grants went to help families who lost homes in the Thomas, Hill, and Woolsey wildfires, helping them to finally secure permanent housing. Other funds went to nonprofits like Food Share, Kids and Families Together, Ventura Land Trust, Alzheimer’s Association, and Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice, just to name a few.
One of the organizations receiving a first-time grant was The Miracle League of the 805, supporting in their effort to build an accessible baseball field for children and adults with all abilities. We invite you to learn more by watching this video.
There is no limit to the good we can do together.
Please connect with us and join us at our future VCCF Lunch & Learns, monthly nonprofit site visits, Coffee & Connections, and more. If you would like more information on any of our activities, please contact my team anytime!
In partnership,
Vanessa
Vanessa Bechtel, VCCF President & CEO
Carmen Ramirez Legacy Scholarship Fund to Support Public Service
The Carmen Ramirez Legacy Scholarship Fund to Support Public Service, established by Carmen’s family, is now open for donations at the Ventura County Community Foundation. Carmen was a hero and a trailblazer in Ventura County and beyond. We miss her terribly and are honored to partner with you to continue her legacy and support our future public servants.Donate
Merewether Family Supports Ventura Land Trust
Involving three generations, the Merewether Family, treasured donor clients of VCCF, came together to support the Ventura Land Trust and its matching campaign. Since 2003, Ventura Land Trust has conserved and stewarded open spaces in Ventura County, protecting over 3,800 acres of land in the Ventura hillsides, Ventura River, and coastal estuary. Executive Director of the Ventura Land Trust, Melissa Baffa, expressed huge appreciation to the family and other philanthropists in our community for their generous gifts and for protecting what makes Ventura beautiful, today, tomorrow…and forever!
Pictured are Loretta and Mike Merewether, as well as their family and friends joining for volunteer projects at VTL over the last few year.Learn More
VCCF Animal Welfare Grant in Action
Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast
In July, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature categorized the migrating monarch butterfly as “endangered” for the first time ever, two steps away from extinction. Thanks to the Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast, one critical local project is helping to protect this incredible special. The Ventura County Community Foundation visited the Girls Scouts of California’s Central Coast’s Monarch Breeding and Research Institute at Camp Arnaz to see the VCCF Animal Welfare Grant to the organization in action.Learn More
GenerosityForLife Give-O-Meter
How does your giving and volunteering compare to people like you? Take a six-question survey to find out, see where there may be room to grow, and view a generosity dashboard for people who share your demographics.
Estimate your total giving and volunteering for the past year, along with some basic demographics, to see how you compare to people with your characteristics. What percent of people like you give less than you, or more than you? View the dashboard to see how many of your peers are giving and volunteering, how much they are giving, and to what types of organizations they give.Take the Quiz
California Clean Air Day 2022
VCCF is a proud participant of California Clean Air Day 2022, happening on October 5. California Clean Air Day is built on the idea that shared experiences unite people to action to improve our community health. By joining together for a unified day of action we can create new habits to clear the air for all members of California’s diverse communities.
Take the Clean Air Day pledge! See how you can help your planet for a cleaner and greener future.Take the Pledge
Power of Community
Good News from YOUR Ventura Community
Nate’s Place, A Wellness and Recovery Center
Nate’s Place, A Wellness and Recovery Center, is a nonprofit that provides peer support recovery coaching and healthy replacement activities for teens and young adults at risk or recovering from drug addiction, founded to honor the life of local youth Nate Rhoades. Nate was a Nordhoff High School graduate who passed away after a traffic accident in January 2022. His parents, Heidi and Larry Rhoades, created the organization to carry on his legacy of helping others recovering from substance abuse after he had recovered from his own addiction.
Learn more about this incredible new profit, including news about their new location and their goal to make services available to low-income youth, and be sure to join them for their upcoming concert fundraiser on September 25.Read More