Because every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end, we are preparing to say goodbye to our two-year grantees: Silver Lining Mentoring and Family Nurturing Center. Of course, we wish them well! And even more than that, we wish as many of our members as possible will continue to support them in any way they can.

 

Silver Lining Mentoring

Three TPC members are currently Silver Lining Mentoring (SLM) Board members and two of our Young Philanthropist Fellows are volunteers. SLM supports foster youth through prolonged mentoring and life skills training. TPC member Anna Vouros who sits on the SLM Board, encourages anyone who can to get involved with SLM because:

“SLM changes lives – both children in foster care and those of us fortunate enough to be involved with them. Colby, SLM’s CEO, is a highly effective leader who inspires us with her idealism and altruism. She has harnessed the energy of an amazing team of individuals, all of whom are fully committed to making the life of foster youth better in every way they can. Serving on SLM’s Board has enriched the life of my entire family as we have all learned more about foster youth and how we can make a difference.”

 

Family Nurturing Center

Paola Ozuna, a TPC member who has volunteered as a TPC-Grantee Liaison with Family Nurturing Center (FNC), thinks the world of the organization:

“I wish we had more organizations like FNC, whose entire goal is giving parents and caregivers the support they need to become effective teachers, listeners, and sources of guidance and stability for children.”

Valerie Bean, FNC’s Development Director, is sad things are ending but is excited to explore how to stay connected as a TPC Graduate:

“What a privilege to be awarded two grants from TPC. From the moment Marla called us, we felt embraced by a new group of friends and supporters.  We were welcomed to and celebrated at TPC events, big and small, and we had our own liaisons who took special interest in us and in our funded project, Playgroups Plus. 

Looking back over two years, we can see how much more we got out of the program funding than what we outlined in our proposals. The first TPC grant let us try something new. In year two, the grant enabled us to develop new partners to offer the program, rewrite the curriculum in a second language, build staff skills in facilitation (which extended to other programs), raise up parents as leaders, and offer the program in new neighborhoods to benefit more parents and children. Wow – what a gift!”