132 Monterey County GIVES! 2025 mcgives.com “Coastal Kids is more than just a service—they are our family. Services began the same week our daughter came home from the NICU, and this year she turns 3. It made such a difference during the hardest time in our lives. From fall events at the pumpkin patch to summer outings at Happy Hollow and MY Museum—these experiences make a big impact not only on my disabled daughter but also on my oldest, who sometimes feels left out. Being around families with similar experiences strengthens our bond. My daughter is thriving because of the love and care Coastal Kids provides.” -Denise Ferreira DENTISTRY4VETS Year Founded: 2018 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 7 paid, 16 volunteers Budget: $883,590 (831) 883-9371 dentistry4vets.org BIG IDEA: Approximately 35,000 veterans live on the Central Coast. While many of them receive health care through the VA, there is a gap: The VA does not include dentistry, leaving an estimated 75 percent of those local veterans in need of dental care. That is where Dentistry4Vets comes in, as the only clinic in Monterey County providing dental care to veterans and their spouses, with 1,100 patients in the organization’s first seven years of existence. This Big Idea keeps growing: a new Ryan Ranch facility includes upgrades like a surgery suite for advanced oral surgery and specialty care. “I want to express my deepest gratitude to Dentistry4Vets for providing the care that I so desperately needed. As a veteran, I struggled with the financial burden of dental work that I couldn’t afford, especially without insurance. I had broken front teeth, and it was incredibly difficult to smile with confidence. I even had to travel to Mexico for dental work at one point, but it wasn’t enough to restore my smile to the way it should be. I now have a smile that I can be proud of again. The procedure was not only life-changing for my appearance but has also restored my self-confidence. I am forever thankful to everyone involved in this program for giving me back something that I thought I’d lost forever.” -Doreen Soto, Army veteran, honored as Veteran of the Year in 2022 by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1716 EQUINE HEALING COLLABORATIVE Year Founded: 2015 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 27 paid, 76 volunteers Budget: $1,783,000 (831) 293-4492 equinehealing.org BIG IDEA: At the Equine Healing Collaborative, rescued horses and humans recover together. Whether those humans are children, veterans or first responders, the gentle, unconditional presence of this organization’s horses has promoted healing for the last decade. In 2024, more than 2,000 people benefited from these Big Idea programs, ranging from trauma-informed, equine-assisted psychotherapy to all-ages public awareness programs in the community like “Mini Horses, Big Feelings,” which destigmatizes mental health challenges and promotes asking for help. HEALTH, WELLNESS & FOOD DONATE ONLINE MCGIVES.COM UPLIFTING THOSE WHO CARE FOR OTHERS The hearts that comfort, the hands that heal — they also need care. Hospice Giving Foundation’s Big Idea focuses on the doctors, nurses, and caregivers who give everything to others, sometimes at the cost of their own well-being. Your Monterey County Gives! donation helps us expand programs that address caregiver stress, fund wellness and bereavement support, and ensure those who comfort others never have to carry the burden alone. Because caring for them is caring for all of us. GIVE TODAY AT: montereycountygives.com/hospice
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