Registration is underway for San Diego Humane Society’s virtual Walk for Animals. Traditionally, SDHS has held a walk at Liberty Station and a second in North County, but this year’s virtual edition will combine the two into one “pawsome” event the week beginning April 11. Registration is free and unlocks access to exclusive online content and resources to help fundraise. Participants will be asked to walk however they please (with safety and social distancing in mind). That means a stroll around the block or even on the treadmill can all help.
“Even though we won’t be together in person this year, we still join together as a community to make a difference for animals who rely on us for shelter, medical care, new homes, and more,” said Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of San Diego Humane Society. “When our community faces challenges, keeping animals safe and sound becomes even more important, and we’ll be standing together to save those lives.”
Miracle Babies will host its first diaper distribution event of the year this Saturday, February 13, at the National City Public Library. Donations will be accepted at the event, a drive-thru for San Diego families in need. Diapers will be loaded directly into vehicles for a safe, contactless experience. To register or donate, visit miraclebabies.org by noon Friday the 12th.
A group of San Diego seniors will be receiving tablets and training to use them this week so they can better stay connected while they continue to ride out the pandemic. The Neighborhood House Association Senior Center purchased the devices using grant funds provided through the San Diego Seniors Community Foundation’s No Senior Alone initiative. In addition to being able to communicate with loved ones, the recipients will also have access to NHA Senior Center’s virtual health and wellness programming, such as exercise classes, art, and bingo.
When the pandemic began, Dr. Mona Minton, general manager for programs and clinics at NHA Senior Center, knew there would be very little access for them to get in touch with their clients. “We knew our seniors did not have tablets, laptops, and even smartphones. From the beginning we had expressed to SDSCF we were in dire need of electronics that could get our clients in contact with us to participate in all our virtual services.”
San Diego Humane Society Hosts a Virtual Kitten Shower
Plus, nonprofits Feeding San Diego and Neighborhood Healthcare fight food insecurity in Escondido
By Sarah Sapeda
The kittens are coming and San Diego Humane Society needs help to get them ready for new homes
San Diego Humane Society is gearing up for a busy baby season by hosting a virtual kitten shower. Each spring, thousands of kitties age eight weeks and younger end up at SDHS, which must care for them around the clock until they’re adopted. SDHS has set up online registries with Amazon, Target, and Walmart so people who want to help can purchase and donate items like kitten formula, bottles, heating pads, scales, and blankets.
“We are so grateful to the community for helping us be ready when thousands of kittens come through our doors this spring,” said Director of Nursery & Placement Jackie Noble. “Our nursery is unique in that we can offer each kitten the shelter, nourishment, medical care and love they need to thrive.”
To view San Diego Humane Society’s registries and donate, visitsdhumane.org.
Feeding San Diego has teamed up with private nonprofit Neighborhood Healthcare to fight food insecurity in North County. The organizations are hosting twice-monthly food distribution events in downtown Escondido. Low-income families will be provided fresh produce, dry goods, and pantry staples on the first and third Saturdays of the month at Neighborhood Healthcare’s Date Street location.
“Feeding San Diego is focused on providing services in hunger hot spots around San Diego County, and Escondido falls into that category,” said Bob Kamensky, chief strategy officer at Feeding San Diego. “This collaboration is part of our organization’s Healthcare Partnerships Program, which links healthcare and food assistance to better support San Diegans in need of resources.”
San Diego Humane Society President Delivers Aid to Ukrainian Pets
Plus, St. Paddy’s O’Beach Party Raises $30,000 and Wounded Warrior Homes unveils a new veterans’ cottage
By Sarah Sapeda
SDHS President Gary Weitzman will spend 10 days providing care to pets affected by the Russia-Ukraine war
San Diego Humane Society President Gary Weitzman, DVM, is headed to the Ukrainian border to help pets impacted by the Russia-Ukraine war. Weitzman plans to spend 10 days in Przemyśl, on the Polish side, setting up a cross-border clinic, delivering supplies, providing veterinary care, and making arrangements for additional SDHS veterinarians and animal care staff to assist. He is traveling as part of Greater Good Charities’ humanitarian response to the crisis.
“As soon as the war broke out in Ukraine, we started looking for ways to support people with pets and animals left behind by this tragedy,” Weitzman said. “When we learned that our partner, Greater Good Charities, was seeking additional veterinary support, we immediately offered to help. Our goal is to make an impact for animals and people in this tragic crisis.”
More than 5,000 St. Patrick’s Day revelers flocked to OB’s party with a purpose
The first edition of the St. Paddy’s O’Beach Party raised over $30,000 for the Ocean Beach MainStreet Association and the Peninsula Alliance, two nonprofits that support the OB community. More than 5,000 people attended the event at Ocean Beach Pier Parking Lot on March 19. The festivities included live music, green beer, Irish-themed games, and a guacamole contest, in which La Doña restaurant took top honors.
“We had such a great time celebrating with the community at our St. Paddy’s O’Beach Party,” said Heather Hudson, the event’s director of marketing and partnerships. “Everyone in San Diego truly came out to support this first-ever event and we really felt the love. We can’t wait to continue to celebrate the holiday in the most San Diego way while supporting nonprofits that work to keep OB thriving!”
Wounded Warrior Homes unveiled its newest veterans’ cottage in Vista on March 24
Wounded Warrior Homes cut the ribbon on its newest transitional cottage for North County veterans with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. The 400-square-foot accessory dwelling unit is the nonprofit’s fourth residence and was donated by Warrior Village Project in conjunction with San Marcos High School. Residents will have access to support and supplemental services to aid in the transition to civilian life, plus case management and up to two years of transitional housing.
“On behalf of Wounded Warrior Homes, we want to thank the community for making this possible,” said Mia Roseberry, executive director of Wounded Warrior Homes. “We are so honored to receive this house from Warrior Village Project; it will be a transitional home for veterans as they get ready to live independently. And when they leave, we’re still here to support them; all that changes when they move is their address.”
Divorce, adjusting to single motherhood or coparenting, and the unexpected adjustments that come with it can turn even the most put-together woman’s life upside down. For many, these shifts trigger a profound loss of identity as that chapter of life officially comes to an end.
While Elena Barbour was navigating a divorce and raising two young children, other women in her circle shared similar experiences—one, a high-powered attorney, said divorce was the hardest thing she’d ever gone through. Barbour realized that women like them who’d gone through divorce, separation, or trauma needed support, but unless they qualified for low-income assistance or could pay top dollar for private services, there weren’t a lot of options. That led to the creation of the Luma Initiative, a nonprofit organization that aims to connect women with the practical resources needed to rebuild after a major life transition. The organization is currently developing its programming and plans to open to its first (already full) three-month cohort of women this fall.
“I consider myself a very strong, competent woman, but what I went through shook me,” Barbour says. “[There were] all these things that I did not expect, and that a lot of people looking from the outside couldn’t see necessarily. It was hard to relate. And I found that after coming out of this divorce, I needed to reshift my community a little bit because the challenges and the life stage of where I was compared to where they were now was just so different—even though I was surrounded by people, I felt very alone.
Courtesy of Luma Initiative
“So [we’re] trying to create that sense of community in this place for women to be like, ‘All these women are going through something similar and when I talk with them, I don’t feel so alone and I can let go of some of the negative feelings I’m feeling, and I can […] start to rebuild.’”
Luma Initiative’s program will include licensed therapist-guided support groups, and support via financial literacy advisors, life coaches who specialize in career building, and family law attorneys, plus therapeutic yoga at sister business Luma Yoga. They’ll also work with other nonprofit organizations as needed to create a “one-stop, well-rounded, holistic approach to supporting women who are going through this really big transition of life,” Barbour explains.
Barbour says Luma Yoga Studio in Little Italy will serve as Luma Initiative’s physical base, transforming into a familiar community-centered home away from home where women can feel safe. She leaned into yoga and the breathwork, meditation, and mindfulness that often come with the practice to get through tough times, and carries those tools with her “off the mat.” She hopes that other women will find that same sense of nervous system regulation. She emphasizes that Luma Initiative and Luma Yoga work as an ecosystem that provides both wellness and tangible support.
“The goal with Luma Initiative will be to help these women come back to themselves and their identity through community, and use community as a platform to rebuild,” she says.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
San Diego summers can be brutal. But since the hottest period is typically late summer into early fall, San Diegans still have time to prepare. The pros at Mauzy Cooling, Heating, Plumbing, and Electrical are standing by to help homeowners fortify their homes against the elements and ensure their air conditioning is as frosty as the penguins that serve as the company’s mascots.
Many homeowners underestimate the load their AC system faces, especially in the inland valleys where temperatures regularly top 100 degrees. San Diego regularly sees multi-day heatwaves each summer, and a system that struggles on the first day will likely fail by the third.Longer run times, unusual sounds or smells, and uneven cooling from room to room are all signs that your system may not survive the next hot spell.
Systems typically last 12 to 17 years, but there are exceptions. If a system is approaching that, or is already there, a professional evaluation is recommended before summer really heats up. A good rule of thumb: If you can’t remember when your system was last serviced, it’s due.
“As technology changes, systems become smarter and smarter,” says Sean O’Connor, an install manager at Mauzy with 42 years of experience. “There are a lot of people out there who will say a system’s only good for 10 years. I don’t buy that—these systems are built to last as long as they’re taken care of.”
There are also a few steps homeowners can take between services to extend the life of their system. Regularly changing a dirty filter—especially if you have kids or pets—and keeping an outdoor unit clean can help head off problems in the future, says O’Connor.
Also, be realistic about whether it’s time to replace a unit. O’Connor likens pouring money into salvaging a faulty unit with patchwork repairs and replacement parts to “tripping over a dollar to pick up a dime.” When one part fails, others are sure to follow, and newer parts may not be compatible with older units. Mauzy recommends homeowners use the 50% rule: If a repair costs more than 50% of the system’s replacement value, and the equipment is over 10 years old, replacement is usually the better long-term value. And don’t forget the ducting. An older house that was built with heat and later had air conditioning added may not have sufficient airflow, regardless of how good the system is.
Last but not least, homeowners should know who to trust when it comes to their homes. Built on three generations of professional integrity, Mauzy has grown into not just a leader for cooling, heating, plumbing, and electrical services, but a leader in the community known for supporting local nonprofits across an array of causes. To ensure complete peace of mind, Mauzy stands behind a comprehensive 12-point guarantee that outlines its commitment to outstanding service, quality equipment, expert technicians who understand how the local microclimates affect HVAC performance, and no upsells or surprises on the bill.
“We go the extra mile. That’s what sets us apart,” O’Connor says. To get a free quote today, visit mauzy.com.
How the Junior League of San Diego Is Helping Local Families in Need
Volunteer Meredith Wood shares how the organization distributes diapers, period products, and other essentials while building community across San Diego
Just shy of 100 years ago, a group of determined women came together to improve the community and help their fellow San Diegans. They formed the Junior League of San Diego, a local chapter of the nationwide cohort of women with a mission to create meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training.
Today, the Junior League of San Diego is one of 291 Junior Leagues in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Great Britain. Locally, the league works to collect essential items, such as period products, diapers, clothing, food, and school supplies to distribute to underserved communities, and pitching in to help other nonprofits fighting food insecurity.
Volunteer Meredith Wood has spent the last two years on the donations committee. Here, she details her experience.
How did you first get involved with the Junior League of San Diego?
I first joined the Junior League in 2024, after I moved to San Diego from the East Coast. I wanted to meet people, specifically more women, and get involved in the community. In my first year in the Junior League, I was placed on the donations committee. That was my first glimpse into the work, specifically with donations. After a year of doing that, I applied to be the chair, so I did that this past year. It was an awesome experience.
What do your volunteer duties entail?
So last year as the chair, I led a team that organized our donation drives, so that includes marketing the drives, managing the inventory, and then coordinating with community partners to distribute the donations.
What do you like best about volunteering at the Junior League of San Diego?
I love working with other women in the league. Everyone is so enthusiastic and brings such bright ideas to the table. Everyone I’ve worked with is so passionate and committed to bettering the community and doing what they can, and they have fun while doing it, which I think is so important because it makes it sustainable.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced?
So far, the biggest challenge as the donations chair has been seeing the huge need for specifically diapers and menstrual products in the community (JLSD operates a Diaper Bank & Period Pantry). It seems like no amount of supply we’ve ever had has been able to meet the demand, which can be a little disheartening at times. But to that, I try to remember that any difference that we make is valued and important. That’s what motivates me to keep going.
Courtesy of Junior League of San Diego
Can you describe your favorite or most memorable experience while volunteering?
That’s a tough one because every time I volunteer at the Junior League, it genuinely is such a fun time. I always really enjoy going to PATH and prepping and serving meals there. The staff and residents are all so awesome, and it’s always a really fun experience to cook with Junior League friends and serve that way.
Then another memorable one was when SNAP funding was on pause back in the fall this year. We mobilized pretty quickly within two weeks and got all our donations out the door, and were handing them out alongside a food pantry in San Diego. That was a really special moment to just connect with the community, see directly where donations were going, and ask people what they needed. We learned that some of the supply that we had didn’t align with the demand, so it was a really big learning experience, too.
Any advice for someone considering volunteering as a way to give back?
Sometimes I’ve struggled, wondering if my efforts have been enough, and I’m sure there’s someone else out there, too, who’s wondering the same thing. But there’s no effort that’s too small, and people really just appreciate anything you can do to better the community. So, find something that you care about and then figure out how you can add value to it. Bonus if you can invite a friend to join you and just make it that much more fun.
The Junior League has given so much to me in the two years that I’ve been a part of it. For starters, the learning experience of how do I even manage a committee and raise donations and get them out into the community has just been such a great opportunity. I highly recommend any woman who wants to get involved in San Diego to join the league. And if that’s not your cup of tea, we’re always taking donations, specifically menstrual products and diapers. We take them all year at 210 Maple St. in San Diego and try to get them out every couple weeks. We have Amazon links on our website as well.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
Enjoy tastings from more than 20 wineries and gourmet bites at the University of San Diego Wine Classic. The all-inclusive annual event benefits USD’s Alumni Endowed Scholarship Fund, and to date has raised more than $1 million.
July 18: The Pride 5K Run & Walk
Around 1,700 runners and walkers will hit the streets of Hillcrest for the The Pride 5K Run & Walk, before the Pride Parade. The long-running community favorite is a highlight of Pride Week and raises money for San Diego Pride and the LGBT Center’s Youth Housing Project.
July 20: Brendan Nordholm Make-a-Wish Golf Classic
The 37th annual Brendan Nordholm Make-A-Wish Golf Classic will tee off at The Crosby National Golf Club at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club. The 18-hole tournament, followed by a reception, will help the organization grant wishes for local families.
July 23: Foundation for Developmental Disabilities Christmas in July
Help the Foundation for Developmental Disabilities celebrate its 40th year at its Christmas in July fundraiser at Koi Zen Cellars. The festive evening marks the start of FDD’s annual Season of Sharing and guests are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate.
Operation For HOPE Foundation’s ninth annual Caring, Sharing & Champagning Fundraiser will kick off with a charity shopping spree for household essentials for survivors of domestic violence and their children. Guests will then be treated to champagne, espresso martinis, and light bites at a private residence in Rancho Santa Fe.
July 25: The Doan Foundation’s Fourth Annual Gala Fundraiser
The Doan Foundation will host a formal fundraising dinner to benefit underserved youth and emerging creatives. The organization’s fourth annual Gala Fundraiser will feature a live performance by R&B artist Amanda Perez, other performances, scholarship awards, and inspiring stories.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
Daniel A. Kaplan is a founding partner of Panakos LLP with more than three decades of civil litigation experience in both state and federal courts. Mr. Kaplan pursues and defends legal claims on behalf of companies, entrepreneurs, and business owners in high-stakes disputes. He focuses on business disputes including breach of contract, unfair competition, trade secret theft, securities disputes, fraud/misrepresentations, and employment matters.
“The best advocacy combines preparation, perspective, and a client relationship built on trust and candor.” — Daniel A. Kaplan
His clients include real estate investors, private and public corporations, and individuals seeking sophisticated legal counsel. Known for practical judgment and strategic advocacy, he works closely with an experienced and diverse legal team to protect, enforce, and defend his clients’ interests.
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