Connie Matsui, a Trustee of Forever Balboa Park, and Janessa Wheeler, Annual Giving and Stewardship Specialist, chat about the mission of the organization; the sPARK Awards; Balboa Park volunteer programs; and the key partnerships that enhance and sustain the park.

Stephanie Cook, the Executive Director of the San Diego Women’s Foundation talks about how the organization was founded as a supporting branch of the San Diego Organization to connect, educate, and inspire women to come together in collective philanthropy.

From the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy, Very Goddard, the executive director, Joseph Rivera, the conservation manager, and Kim Rogers, the community engagement director, share about the San Dieguito watershed which runs from Del Mar all the way to Julian, providing many water services to the region.

Ollie Benn, the Director of Philanthropy and Social Impact at the Jewish Community Foundation San Diego, and Heather Lezon, the Director at the Youth Assistance Coalition discuss the impact of the partnership between their organizations through the Give For Homelessness program created by the JCF. Through the programs they create like Give For Homelessness, the JCF has been about to implement the Jewish values of righteous giving and healing the world to benefit the whole community by leveraging capital and relationships. Similarly, through Give For Homelessness, the Youth Assistance Coalition has been able to further provide youth dealing with homelessness with support and care they never had.

Sarah McSpadden, the President and CEO of Elizabeth Hospice, talks about the importance of the services provided by Elizabeth Hospice for those reaching the end of life and their loved ones. Elizabeth Hospice is an organization that has been around for 45 years that originated as a charity movement with volunteers. Today, it has evolved into an organization that not only offers hospice services but also grief services, pediatric services, volunteer services and more.

Jay Scovie, a Director of the Kyoto Prize Symposium, talks about the 2023 Kyoto Prize Symposium that will be held March 15-17 in San Diego. The Kyoto Prize is an international award of Japanese origin, presented to those who have made significant contributions to the development of science and civilization for the enrichment of the human spirit.

Jose Cruz, CEO of the San Diego Council on Literacy, is joined by some of the region’s top credit unions to promote the Council’s 2nd Annual Financial Literacy Superheroes Competition. Joining Cruz are Neville Billimoria, SVP of Marketing & Community Relations of Mission Federal Credit Union; Todd Lane, President & CEO of Cal Coast Credit Union; and Gloria Rogers, Vice President, School & Community Development of North Island Credit Union.

Andrew Waltz, Director of Arts Management for UC San Diego Park & Market, and Yale Strom, an ethnographer, artist and curator, discuss the launch of the Intersections interdisciplinary event series, designed to forge connections between people, educators, businesses and innovators in San Diego and worldwide.

Nicky Moore, Director of Training Operations for Shelter to Soldier, chats about her organization’s mission to train local shelter dogs to become psychiatric service dogs for post-9/11 veterans suffering from PTS, traumatic brain injury and military sexual trauma. Moore notes that Shelter to Soldier also places emotional support animals with active duty military.

Stacey Roberts, the creator of Reggie Rapasaurus, and Jose Cruz, the CEO of the San Diego Council On Literacy, discuss their passion for literacy as well as their upcoming neighborhood reading event at Bowlegged BBQ, which will offer books and songs by Reggie Rapasaurus.