Newsletter
November, 2023
2023-24 Board of Directors
President and Board Chair — Nikki Carmody Ream Secretary — Mary Consalvi Treasurer — Diane Solomon Grant Committee Co-Chair — Cathy Burch Grant Committee Co-Chair — Kathy Sage Investment Committee Chair — Candise Holmlund Membership Co-Chair — Cheryl Solomon Nominations and Governance Chair — Susan Hoehn Member-at Large — Sandra Coufal, MD Member-at-Large/Technology Chair — Mara Buchholz20
2023-24 Advisory Board
Audit and Finance Committee Co-Chair — Cynthia Hudson Incoming Grant Committee Co-Chair — Maritia Walper Incoming Grant Committee Co-Chair — Sara Bennett Membership Co-Chair — Melissa D’Amour Programs Co-Chair — Kirstjen Nielsen Programs Co-Chair — Muffy Walker Publicity Chair — Elia Surran Social Chair — Kelly Stroud Social Media Chair — Kathryn Brown Volunteer Co-Chairs — Amy Hobert and Ellie Cunningham Members-at-Large — Donna Vance and Vivian Hardage
Letter from Our President
Ladies,
There are wonderful things happening in our 20th year of granting!
Our November luncheon meeting, will be held at the RSF Golf Club at 11:30 AM.
General Walker has encountered an unavoidable conflict but, we are lucky to have Charles Phelan, Past Director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), and Past Director of Security for the Central Intelligence Agency; Assistant Director, Security Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation flying in to share his knowledge of Spies: Preventing Terrorism at Home and Protecting Us from Adversaries Abroad. He will give us an inside look at the technology, gadgets and espionage tactics that keep us safe. This is a terrific time to bring friends and neighbors to hear this interesting talk and get involved before the spring grant cycle begins.
Annual contributions are now past due so if you have not already made your donation, please remit your dues promptly so that you can continue to join us at WF events. The Grant Committees spent a large amount of time and energy vetting LOI’s and have moved 33 organizations with an ask of $1,467,005 forward to the RFP Stage. They were very impressed with the quality of the organizations and the meaningful nature of their programs. We are going to have a hard time choosing who to eliminate this year. If you are able to participate in the Above & Beyond Campaign, we would be so grateful for the capacity to help as many of them as possible.
Our membership growth and high attendance at our events has placed an unworkable burden on the Foundation to continue supporting us administratively, so we have been working together to establish our own 501(c)3 status. Due to an immense amount of work by Mary Consalvi, our California non-profit status has been granted and we are awaiting our federal determination. In the meantime, Diane Solomon and Mara Buchholz have been working to set up our membership and accounting programs to interface through our website so that we will have instantaneous updating of all of our systems each time you make your contributions or register for an event. We anticipate remaining a DAF through this grant season and completing the transition for the next grant year.
Wishing you and yours a peaceful and laughter-filled holiday season and I will look forward to toasting you at Bubbles in January!
Gratefully,
Nikki
It goes without saying that we are our Members. Each member increases our impact on the Community — not only through increased financial support, but through the additional man-power that is generated to support the grant vetting process, to volunteer at past grantees and to attend their fundraising and educational events.
It is especially exciting when we have new people join us in this endeavor. Since April 1st of this year, we have had 10 new members join us. We are now over 140 members strong!! Please reach out to these new ladies, introduce yourselves and make them feel welcome. Show them how we build friendships through philanthropy.
Sheryl Durkin
Monique Erman
Robin Fantin
Tamara LaFarga Joseph
Irene Pimentel
Tamara Stadler Pizzigoni
Louise Stanger
Anne Thorson
Athena Tsimikas
Kat Zabloudil
Member since October 21st
Member since October 13th
Member since September 16th
Member since October 9th
Member since September 14th
Member since May 8th
Member since September 19th
Member since September 14th
Member since August 21st
Member since September 23rd
New Member Orientation
If you are interested in attending this event, please click here.
Volunteer Opportunity
Please consider helping ASYMCA on Thursday, November 16th with their NEX Food Distribution event.
In addition to their regular food distribution, they will also be distributing turkeys to active duty families. Since Covid, they have been doing drive up distributions but this is the first one since 2020 where it will be a walk-up/farmers market-style distribution.
When: Thursday, November 16th 8:30-12:30
Where: ASYMCA Murphy Canyon Office, 3293 Santo Road San Diego, CA. 92124
To register, please CLICK HERE.
Please note: Space is limited and carpooling is encouraged.
Spotlight on a Recent Grantee
This past May, Wounded Warrior Homes, Inc. received $75,000 from the RSFWF for their Stabilizing Veterans and Their Dependents via Critical Services Program.
Wounded Warrior Homes delivers core services to 467 post-9/11 vets and dependents to decrease the veteran homelessness/suicide risk and alleviate hunger in the north regions of San Diego County.
San Diego County has the largest concentration of military presence worldwide, with over 240,000 vets plus 100,000 active-duty Navy and Marine personnel. As over 15,000 annually separate from the military, our county is the number one destination for many newly returning vets. In addition, San Diego County has the highest vet suicide rate in the country.
Our funds are supporting all three of their crucial programs:
- Transitional Housing plus Re-Integrative Case Management (RCM), which provides 25 vets with up to 24 months residency (10 months is average stay) while they complete their individual RCM plans.
- In addition, an additional 80 veterans at high risk of homelessness/suicide will receive 6 months of intensive RCM support.
- And finally, the Food Pantry that feeds 467 vets/dependents. (Note: usage for this service grew 624% between Jan 2020 and Jan 2022).
November General Membership Meeting
Our November General Membership meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 15th at the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club. Charles Phalen, Past Director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), and Past Director of Security for the Central Intelligence Agency, Assistant Director, Security Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation is flying in to share his knowledge of Spies, Preventing Terrorism at Home and Protecting us from Adversaries Abroad. This will be an inside look at the technology, gadgets and espionage tactics that keep us safe.
If you haven’t already registered for this exciting meeting, please do so by clicking HERE by NO LATER THAN November 8th. No walk-in registrations will be permitted.
To access Mr. Phalen’s bio, please CLICK HERE.
We Are Making an Impact!
In May, 2022, RSF Women’s Fund granted the Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego $50,000 to help fund their Rachel’s Women’s Center Program. Rachel’s Women’s Center is a critical shelter for homeless women in San Diego to receive respite and trauma-informed care and services. It serves approximately 100-120 women daily and is a peer-support social model environment in which one woman models behavior and provides positive support for another. They are open from 7 am to 5 pm, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
RWC’s core services consist of two daily meals, laundry, restroom and shower facilities, a mailing address, telephone, and a boutique offering clothing, shoes, and other essential items, as well as case management and referrals to other social services programs as needed. The $50,000 grant was to sustain RWC by funding supplies, food, hygiene products, and staff.
Given the nature of the program, Rachel’s Women’s Center faced two significant challenges during the grant year, namely, preventing the contact and spread of Covid-19 amongst this population and combating the rising costs of supplies and utilities due to inflation. Despite these challenges, they were still able to achieve their goal by providing 79,373 services to 1,219 unique women for the year. Additionally, they were able to offer case management services and referrals for wrap-around services to its participants through several other social service and mental health programs that fall under the Catholic Diocese of San Diego umbrella.
To learn more about this wonderful organization and the other non-profits we funded in May, 2022, CLICK HERE to read the Impact Report.
Steak 48 Event
RSFWF Members enjoyed a spectacular evening at the private Women’s Fund preview event at new local restaurant, Steak 48. Attendees were encouraged to make donations to the RSFWF Grant Fund. The check presentation for this special event will be made at our November General Membership meeting.
Upcoming Events
Thursday, November 9th, 12:30
New Member Orientation at the RSF Foundation Community Room. See details above.
Wednesday, November 15th
11:30 – 1:30
November General Membership Meeting at RSF Golf Club, featuring Mr. Charles S. Phalen, formerly of the DCSA, CIA, and FBI, as our guest speaker.
Thursday, November 16th
8:30 – 12:30
Volunteer Opportunity at ASYMCA. See details above.
Monday, January 8th
12:15 – 1:45
Monday Grant Work Group resumes reviews of Grant Proposals.
Tuesday, January 9th
12:15 – 1:45
Tuesday Grant Work Group resumes reviews of Grant Proposals.
Wednesday, January 24th
5:00 – 7:00
Membership Celebration…Bubbles
Come toast to the mid-way point in our Grant Cycle at the home of RSF Women’s Fund Member Kristin Helms.
Wednesday, February 7th
11:30 – 1:30
Site Visit Sign-up Galentine’s Meeting — Location TBD. Come hear about the exciting new organizations which have been selected for this Grant Cycle’s Site Visits.