“At Equine Healing Collaborative, I’ve witnessed our horses offer something truly rare: unconditional love and deep, intuitive connection. They sense what our clients need, even when words fall short, and reflect emotions with honesty and compassion. I’ve seen clients feel truly seen and accepted, often for the first time in their lives. These horses don’t just mirror emotions—they become powerful partners in healing and transformation.” -Emma Gaughran EVERYONE’S HARVEST Year Founded: 2002 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 7 paid, 40 volunteers Budget: $1,929,005 (831) 384-6961 everyonesharvest.org BIG IDEA: Innovative programs at Everyone’s Harvest weave food and nutrition interventions into preventive health care. Medi-Cal health insurance now accepts the FreshRx program, believing this partnership with physicians to provide weekly produce prescriptions at farmers markets is medically supportive. Next, their Market Match program increased to a $1.50 match, meaning families receiving CalFresh benefits earn $1.50 in value for every $1 spent at the farmers market. This program increased local CalFresh fresh produce purchases by 60 percent. “We are really happy that we have the chance to participate in this amazing program [FreshRx]. It motivates us to live a healthier lifestyle. I hope that next year we have the opportunity to participate in this program again.” -Alma Valdez HEALING PARTNERS OF THE CENTRAL COAST Year Founded: 2019 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 8 paid, 40 volunteers Budget: $300,933 (800) 205-8101 hpcchealingtouch.org BIG IDEA: Healing Partners of the Central Coast seeks donations to help deliver its signature compassionate touch therapy to local patients with cancer—the leading cause of death in Monterey County. Healing Touch is the name of this Big Idea, a gentle, evidence-based energy therapy used by Healing Partners of the Central Coast to calm the nervous system, reduce pain and nausea, and support the body’s natural healing process. In 2025, Healing Partners of the Central Coast experienced a record-breaking 30 referrals in a single month. “I’m no stranger to cancer. I have Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition that caused my first cancers in my 40s. After 20 cancer-free years, it returned— this time, Stage 4. Surgery wasn’t an option, so I began immunotherapy, feeling scared, overwhelmed and unsure of what to do. My oncologist suggested I try Healing Touch; I received eight free sessions that changed my life. I felt calm, supported and no longer afraid. Healing Touch gave me tools to relax during stress and anxiety, which helped me feel like an active participant in my healing—not just a bystander. Moved by the experience, I became a Healing Touch provider. Today, I’m also a mentor, supporting new volunteers. Though I’m not cancer-free, I now live with peace, joy and deep hope through this incredible healing community.” -Denise Powers 134 Monterey County GIVES! 2025 mcgives.com HEALTH, WELLNESS & FOOD DONATE ONLINE MCGIVES.COM “It made such a difference during the hardest time in our lives.” -Denise Ferreira, Coastal Kids Home Care JACOB’S HEART CHILDREN’S CANCER SUPPORT SERVICES Year Founded: 1998 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 27 paid, 200 volunteers Budget: $2,082,808 (831) 724-9100 jacobsheart.org BIG IDEA: Kids facing cancer must navigate medical demands like chemotherapy, radiation and periods of hospitalization far from home. Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services seeks to remove one worry from families so they can instead focus on treatment. Today this Big Idea delivers weekly eggs and protein-rich groceries to 101 children battling cancer in Monterey County. Essential nutrition is harder to find and more expensive to buy. Donations help support basic nutritional needs for our youngest cancer patients. “Going through such a difficult time with my son, both emotionally and financially, would have been so much harder without this program. From the very beginning, Jacob’s Heart was there for us. Even when we were at Stanford, they made sure we still felt supported. The groceries helped in more ways than one. It wasn’t just about food—it was about feeling seen, cared for and not alone. I’ll never forget the day our family support specialist, Mariela, came to visit. Her presence, her words and the reassurance that we could always count on Jacob’s Heart truly gave us hope again. It meant the world to us.” -Conception Jimenez SPOTLIGHT
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