44 Monterey County GIVES! 2023 mcgives.com Community & Social Services DONate online mcgives.com Asian Cultural Experience (ACE) Year Founded: 2008 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 2 paid, 19 volunteers Budget: $31,285 809-8310 salinasace.org Big Idea: For 10 years, the Asian Cultural Experience (ACE) has collected artifacts from Salinas’ Chinatown, including photos and oral histories. Now, this nonprofit is ready to launch its Big Idea: It will direct donations to website upgrades, including hiring an archivist to present an online virtual museum, and toward purchasing equipment and software. The website will help tell the Asian immigrant story of Chinatown, a community in Salinas since 1872, making the history accessible to all. “I wanted to help a nonprofit based around giving back to the Asian community. I looked up ACE and what they did. When I saw they were trying to revitalize Chinatown in Salinas, as well as preserve Asian culture, I was hooked. I reached out and started volunteering. First, it was mostly online: meetings, readings and videos to watch in order to understand what ACE really was. Later, I was hired as their program manager. What ACE does is so important to me, and I am glad to be a part of it. It has been a fascinating learning experience. I would suggest to people that they volunteer as well to gain the same experience I’ve had. The whole process has been beautiful, and I can’t wait to continue to help out.” -Jayden Saechao Big Sur Fire Year Founded: 1974 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 2 paid, 34 volunteers Budget: $801,331 667-2113 bigsurfire.org Big Idea: Working as the only all-risk emergency response organization covering a 300-mile area south of Bixby Bridge to the Monterey County line, Big Sur Fire continuously responds to more than 250 annual calls in some of the most isolated and rugged terrain in the county. Both locals and millions of visitors each year rely on Big Sur Fire. This volunteer-based nonprofit organization needs funds for general operating support, as the everyday costs to operate a fire department continue to grow. “Big Sur Fire is absolutely vital to the Big Sur community. Big Sur Fire volunteer firefighters are first on the scene of most traffic accidents, rescues, structure fires and wildland fires. Trained volunteers scale steep cliffs to rescue people, provide on-scene medical attention, and more. Nothing is beneath these volunteers. They climb trees to rescue a cat. They show up to community events. Still, Big Sur Fire volunteers are held to the highest standards required by the state firefighting licensing and trained for exceptional performance. They’re our friends and neighbors who work and live in Big Sur. They keep their pagers on hand and are ready to respond. Big Sur Fire volunteers are irreplaceable, and we’re honored to have them.” -MaryAnn Vasconcellos Breakthrough for Men Year Founded: 1985 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 3 paid, 132 volunteers Budget: $241,261 375-5441 breakthroughformen.org Big Idea: Providing a supportive space for men to build community–and potentially work through painful or unworkable aspects of their lives–is the original and ongoing Big Idea of Breakthrough for Men. This nonprofit teaches men tools to help build stronger, more fulfilling relationships with the people they love. Subjects addressed at Breakthrough include emotional expression, friendship and communication. Donations through MCGives! help fund financial assistance so anyone can participate, regardless of their ability to pay program tuition. “The experience of going through Breakthrough was life-changing in all good ways. It made a difference in so many aspects of my life. First and foremost, the relationship that was changed was with me. The first half of Breakthrough is where you redefined your relationship with yourself. And then the second half helps you deal with your relationships with others, based on what you’ve learned in the first half.” -Bob McGuire Cachagua Fire Association Year Founded: 1976 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 0 paid, 23 volunteers Budget: $0 (Cachagua Fire Protection District has a budget of $170,000) 659-7700 cachaguafire.com You guys are angels in disguise.” Gilberto Nunez, American Red Cross of the Central Coast Al & Friends Sunday Breakfast Year Founded: 2016 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 0 paid, 30 volunteers Budget: $70,000 251-8888 alandfriends.org Big Idea: Al & Friends seek to go “back to basics” with this year’s Big Idea. People facing hunger, homelessness and poverty have received a fresh, quality meal from Al for more than 12 years. This nonprofit takes pride in offering its regular weekly meals at Window on the Bay in Monterey on real plates with silverware. This means funds to continually purchase dishes and silverware are always a pressing need. Donations help support this sustainable way to feed Al & Friends’ growing crowds. “I get a good feeling inside when I see that big white truck pull up. I know there’s a tasty meal coming my way and I love that he gives us sandwiches for later. Al is cool.” -Frank G., Monterey spotlight
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