Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 15, 2014

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2014

SECTION B

 

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

NONPROFITS STAND TO GAIN NEEDED DOLLARS

11TH ANNUAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COLLECTION 
CAMPAIGN: A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS

By Cynthia Kurtz, President SGVEP

Baby Boomers get the credit and the blame for 
many things. There are just too many Boomers 
and they have disrupted every system they met, 
sometimes in good ways and sometimes in 
not such good ways: education, employment, 
popular culture and norms, and aging. Now the 
California Community Foundation (CCF) - a Los 
Angeles based foundation that supports many of 
the estimated 19,000 non-profit organizations in 
LA County - is talking about another Boomer 
phenomenon. 

 The estimated net wealth of Los Angeles 
County residents in 2010 was around $1.3 trillion. 
With investments and assets having increased in 
value in recent years that number is higher today.

All wealth is redistributed over time and CCF 
estimates that within the next 10 years $114 
billion of this wealth will be redistributed 
through wills, trusts and gifts. Within the next 
50 years the redistribution will reach $1.4 trillion. 

 Why would CCF care about the redistribution 
of these dollars? Because they care about the 
future of philanthropy in Los Angeles County 
and are already helping non-profit organizations 
understand how to leverage these dollars for their 
work.

 Non-profit groups are struggling financially. 
The recession put extra stress on education, food, 
medical and other services as more individuals 
and families found themselves without the 
economic means to purchase basic needs. Non-
profit organizations have struggled to keep up 
with the increased demands. While more people 
needed help, fewer people were able to support the 
non-profits and fundraising dollars dwindled.

 As the economy slowly climbs out of the 
recession, non-profit organizations need to regain 
financial stability as well as plan for future needs. 
CCF has strongly urged nonprofit organizations 
to include planned giving campaigns as a part of 
their strategic plans.

 Wills and trusts often include planned giving 
for philanthropic purposes. If just a small 
percentage of the wealth that will change hands in 
LA County - say five percent - went to non-profit 
organizations, the impact would be significant. 
Five percent of $114 billion is over $5 billion. To 
put that in perspective, $5 billion would cover 
for ten years the total operating expenses of 75 
percent of the county’s active nonprofits! 

 There is huge potential for impacting programs 
in the San Gabriel Valley. Approximately 18 
percent of the County’s 10.2 million residents 
reside in the San Gabriel Valley. CCF’s study found 
that 18.4 percent of the wealth that will transfer 
in the next 10 years is here in the SGV. That’s $21 
billion. Five percent going to philanthropy would 
provide more than $1 Billion.

 Philanthropy is venture capital for investments 
in human “infrastructure.” Just like investments 
in other kinds of infrastructure - like factories, 
water, and transportation - investing in human 
infrastructure is good for the economy. It creates 
jobs, drives demand and increases purchasing. 

But philanthropy does more. It provides help and 
hope - like job training for people who can’t find 
work, health care so people can lead productive 
lives, and the safety net that keeps people 
from slipping into poverty. Clearly, human 
infrastructure investments are equally important 
as the other infrastructure investments we must 
make.

 So Boomers, this time you can be heroes. Think 
about how you are going to redistribute your 
dollars. Five percent for human infrastructure 
would be a good investment.

 The San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership 
is a regional, not-for-profit corporation supported 
and directed by its members and committed to the 
continued successful economic development of the 
San Gabriel Valley. A collaboration of businesses, 
local government, higher education institutions, 
and non-profits, the Partnership pursues this 
commitment by fostering the success of business, 
engaging in public policy, marketing the San 
Gabriel Valley and connecting people, companies, 
and organizations in the San Gabriel Valley.


Above: Congresswoman Chu, Monrovia Mayor Lutz, Congresswoman Napolitano

By Joan Schmidt

Last Thursday I had the privilege of attending 
Congresswomen Judy Chu and Grace Napolitano’s 
Culmination Press Conference for the Annual 
Domestic Violence Campaign Collection Drive 
and the results bypassed expectations!

 Featured guest speakers included the two 
Congresswomen; Maggie Pierce, Executive 
Director, Kaiser Permanente; Dr. Victor Cheng, 
Physician in Charge, Kaiser Permanente Diamond 
Bar; Diana Rivera-Beltran, Director, Kaiser’s 
Educational Outreach Program; Ana Interiano, 
Director, YWCA San Gabriel Valley-Wings; and 
a survivor of Domestic Violence. 

 The Phenomenal Results were 270 (30 gal. 
each) garbage bags! Organizations that accepted 
donations included Quality of Life Center/
Altadena Community Center (45), Arcadia 
Women’s Club (24), Joslyn Adult Recreation 
Center-Alhambra (13), South Pasadena Women’s 
Club (10), Alhambra City Hall (8), South 
Pasadena Wells Fargo (8), Wells Fargo- Southern 
LA Metro District (8), La Crescenta Women’s 
Club (7), El Monte Women’s Club (7), Arcadia 
Wells Fargo (7), Friends Indeed- Pasadena (7), 
Monterey Park City Hall (5), Mr. Phillip Yang (4), 
Office of Congresswoman Judy Chu-Pasadena 
(4), N. Lake Pasadena Wells Fargo (4), Office 
of Congresswoman Judy Chu-Claremont (4), 
Monrovia Community Center (2), Gingi By Ms. 
Ginger Lai (2), South Pasadena City Hall (2), 
Kaiser Permanente-Pasadena (1), Sierra Madre 
Recreation Center (1), Rosemead City Hall (1), 
San Marino City Hall (1), Upland Public Library 
(1), and Kaiser Permanente (101). 8346 GALLONS 
Collected!

 People listened to the requests. On a large table 
was a sampling of donations. Besides women’s 
clothing, there were purses, shoes, toiletries, 
children’s clothing and supplies. A second table 
displayed works of art that were done as therapy.

 Kaiser Permanente’s Executive Directive 
Megan Pierce welcomed us and thanked the two 
Congresswomen for their role in this program. 
Dr. Cheng spoke of the partnership with Verizon 
Wireless and their “Hope Line Program.” Many 
don’t realize that battered women leave their 
homes with just the clothes on their backs. 
Verizon provides disposable cell phones upon 
their arrival for immediate needs. Verizon accepts 
working cell phones and reprograms them and 
they are given to the victims for permanent usage. 
(Kaiser Permanente has donation boxes in ALL 
locations for these phones.) Dr. Cheng knows 
firsthand about domestic violence victims. He has 
seen them. He feels we must raise awareness and 
heighten education. Dr. Cheng said that Kaiser 
educates providers to look for the signs. 

 Congresswoman Judy Chu told us the first year 
of the Clothing Drive brought 20 bags; it has really 
ballooned and she is so grateful. Judy also spoke 
of Altadena’s Dr. Sandra Thomas, who works 
with at-risk children and got them involved the 
collection. The Alhambra Beauty College had a 
wonderful uplifting “SPA” Day where the ladies 
had their hair and nails done. 

 Congresswoman Grace Napolitano thanked 
Chu for bringing her on board for this amazing 
campaign. She feels schools need to address this 
issue. It needs to be in the curriculum. Girls must 
realize this is unacceptable at an early age and 
boys must learn what appropriate behavior is.

 Also attending were Monrovia Mayor Mary 
Ann Lutz, Temple City Council Member Cynthia 
Sternquist, El Monte Council Member Victoria 
Martinez and Mavis Hansen from Greater San 
Gabriel Valley District Women’s Club.

 Maureen Torres spoke of Kaiser Permanente’s 
“Healthy Heart Program” for survivors of 
domestic violence, where art is used as a healing 
tool. It was truly a remarkable campaign that will 
help many.


THE NEWCOMERS AND FRIENDS OF 

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CLUB INVITE NEW LOCAL 

RESIDENTS THE DECEMBER MEET AND GREET

Pasadena, California - The Newcomers and Friends 
of San Gabriel Valley club invite new local residents 
in the San Gabriel Valley to join in their up-coming 
December events. 

 The SGV Newcomers monthly “meet and greet” 
coffee will be held on December 3 in Sierra Madre. 
The coffee is a great way to meet the members of 
SGV Newcomers and learn about the various 
monthly club activities. Anyone interested in 
joining the club is welcome to attend. Additionally, Newcomers is hosting a luncheon on December 
10 in Pasadena.

 Other SGV Newcomers club activities include a book club, Bunco, Bridge, Mah Jongg, Pinochle, 
Scrabble, golf, hiking, movie goers, garden gals, wine tasting, travel, luncheons, tours and more.

To learn more about the Newcomers and Friends of San Gabriel Valley club contact them via email at 
sgvnewcomers@yahoo.com or visit them online at http://www.sgvnewcomers.com


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com