Aleksandra Pejdo: Costanoa Commons in Santa Cruz supports families who have children with disabilities. I selected this organization because it promotes friendship and support for people living with disabilities in an urban farm community where people with disabilities can work and live without being marginalized from society.

Anna Teplitskaya: Animal Refugee Response, an animal shelter in San Pablo. They are committed to “NO-KILL” alternatives for animals who are elderly, disabled, have treatable health conditions or reside in overcrowded conditions. They help hundreds of animals with healthcare, finding new homes, and providing a sanctuary for those who have little chance of being adopted due to age and/or special needs.

Brenna Marcoux: St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County, a community center that provides food assistance, acts as a homeless shelter, and offers workforce development. St. Vincent de Paul also offers shelter for the homeless in Oakland. Their community center offers family support and a technology work-space, and their workforce development offers programs for job training, job placement assistance and professional development support. 

Elizabeth Bognar: Project Second Chance which is an adult literacy program that offers free, confidential, one-on-one basic literacy instruction to people who read and write below the 6th grade level.

Gene Contreras: The American Red Cross that prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. Red Cross is my choice because their Mission and Vison inspired me to do the same, even if in a small way.

Hamid Dadjour: Project Second Chance because I believe that helping people to read and write is a fundamental right and provides opportunities for individuals to participate in their community.

James Enright: Lava Mae began by converting public transportation buses into showers and toilets on wheels to deliver hygiene and rekindle dignity for our unhoused neighbors in San Francisco bringing humanity, innovation and collaboration to the way services are delivered to people experiencing homelessness. Lava Mae has served 10,000+ guests who have taken 35,000+ showers on our mobile units across Los Angeles and the Bay Area.

Jillian van Enckevort: Along Comes Hope, which is a San Luis Obispo charity founded by a cancer survivor, Jenny Mulks Wieneke, providing emotional support to children and their families, diagnosed with cancer. I lost my best friend to an aggressive form of breast cancer four years ago, after a year and a half battle with the disease. During that time I witnessed firsthand the emotional and physical stress it put on her young family. Along Comes Hope helps these families.

John Dal Pino: Claremont Canyon Conservancy. Its mission is to improve wildfire safety in Claremont Canyon by removing fire prone vegetation and replacement with native species.  It also develops measures that private property owners can use to protect their homes from fire flamed by our seasonal high winds. John says “I can’t think of a better way to avoid a repeat of the 1991 Oakland Hills fire that destroyed over 3,000 homes in just a day and killed so many people.”

Larisa Timofei: Larkin Street Youth Services which helps ending youth homelessness in San Francisco by providing a housing services for them. This organization also offers health and wellness and educational programs for young people in need.

Melissa Hazlett: The V Foundation which was founded by ESPN and legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano with one goal in mind: to achieve victory over cancer. Melissa and her husband watched a "30 for 30 – Survive and Advance" on Jim Valvano which was an amazing story.  He gave his moving speech in 1993, less than two months before his death. Jimmy’s main principles are: 1) Laugh, 2) Think, and 3) Cry.

Nadia Makoor: Safe At Home which is part of Rebuilding Together SF. Safe At Home is a year-round program that provides basic safety modifications and critical repairs. It provides low-income elderly and disabled San Franciscans free light home repair and modification services designed to allow them to live more safely and more independently in their homes. 

Nik Favretto: Make-A-Wish Foundation so they can continue with their mission in enriching the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Peter Quock: Earthjustice This organization’s mission is to cherish and protect the environment.

Randy Collins: Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation Wildfire Housing Relief Fund. They will help support agricultural workers who have been impacted by the wine country wildfires. All funds will go directly to supporting agricultural employees in Sonoma County.

Skye Garrison: Orphan Care. This is an outreach by the Tim Tebow foundation that provides life’s essentials to abandoned or homeless children in four countries. Recently, the foundation opened Faith, Hope, & Love Houses in both Jacmel and Grand Goave, Haiti, to provide shelter for orphans along with food, clothing, medical care, education, and love.

Sonny Moraga: Autism Speaks. They are an organization dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the lifespan, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of people with autism.