50 Monterey County GIVES! 2025 mcgives.com COMMUNITY & SOCIAL SERVICES DONATE ONLINE MCGIVES.COM AL & FRIENDS SUNDAY BREAKFAST Year Founded: 2010 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 1 paid, 45 volunteers Budget: $95,000 (831) 251-8888 alandfriends.org BIG IDEA: Consistency is the key to Al & Friends Sunday Breakfast. Serving a weekly meal at the same place and time for a decade has provided both nutrition and community to more than 100 weekly homeless guests, a number that is growing. This Big Idea helps Al & Friends never miss a Sunday, a real challenge as a kitchen renovation is coming soon. Donations will fund a mobile kitchen, providing both a secure place to prepare meals and opportunities to travel and cook for more communities in need. “Hanging out with our guests has allowed me to establish a whole new set of friendships. We connect as equals. They share some of their life stories with me and they want to know what’s happening in my life.” -Randy Kanouse ALLIANCE ON AGING Year Founded: 1970 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 26 paid, 210 volunteers Budget: $2,350,000 (831) 655-7564 allianceonaging.org BIG IDEA: Alliance on Aging continues to offer ever-evolving services to meet the needs of more than 7,000 local seniors each year. This year’s Big Idea focuses on expansion of the Memory Cafe, a new initiative based at the nonprofit’s The Hub location in Salinas. The Memory Cafe provides a welcoming space for people with memory loss and their caregivers, combining resources and support with a casual atmosphere: Think complimentary healthy snacks and chair yoga. Donations will help this Big Idea grow. “I was first attracted to Alliance on Aging by attending one of Chef Gundega’s cooking classes and experiencing the family-like environment. I responded to a request for volunteers and realized I was in the midst of a caring group who took delight in helping senior adults. I volunteer on Tuesday afternoons, and we show a movie and I’ve earned the title of ‘Popcorn Man’ from the moviegoers! I am especially appreciative how this opportunity has supported the decision I made four-and-a-half years ago when my wife of 58 years died. That decision was to be involved with people, rather than pulling back into a grieving/ hermit lifestyle.” -Billy Hayes AMERICAN RED CROSS OF THE CENTRAL COAST Year Founded: 1916 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 60 paid, 344 volunteers Budget: $2,446,104 (831) 624-6921 redcross.org/local/california/northern-california-coastal/about-us/locations/central-coast BIG IDEA: When help can’t wait, the American Red Cross of the Central Coast responds. This nonprofit is a household name for providing emergency services in natural and man-made disasters, whether they affect one household or an entire community. Last year, MCGives! participants helped our local Red Cross chapter respond to 25 disasters. From hazardous waste to house fires, donations help maintain this century-old Big Idea of providing emergency services to anyone in need in Monterey County, for free. “Having an organization like the Red Cross with the infrastructure, people and skills to do what they do, we’re really grateful.” -Mark Phillips BIG SUR FIRE Year Founded: 1974 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 25 paid, 24 volunteers Budget: $2,200,000 (831) 667-2113 bigsurfire.org BIG IDEA: You can help build a new fire station on Big Sur’s South Coast, providing greater accessibility for some of the most remote areas in Monterey County. But first, the challenge of building this facility. Donations will support the initial phases of the multi-year project, including navigating complicated permitting and environmental regulations. This Big Idea for Big Sur Fire will help improve response time for the more than 250 emergency calls each year in this fire department’s 300-mile service area. “After being retired for 25 years as a Big Sur volunteer firefighter, I found myself in need of an emergency response. Big Sur Fire’s response was quick and very professional. They were able to stabilize me and get me to the rescue helicopter for a trip to the trauma center. It was a very positive experience for me to experience my own community members coming to my rescue in such a professional way.” -Ken McLeod SPOTLIGHT “They gave me more than help—they gave me a second chance to build a better future.” -P. Navarro, Catholic Charities
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