Jessie Case took the reins of HandsOn San Diego (HOSD) as Executive Director in May 2025 after eight years with the organization. She first joined as an AmeriCorps Volunteer Infrastructure Program Fellow, and has since received her master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the University of San Diego. She is passionate about inspiring San Diegans to engage in their communities.
1) How did HandsOn San Diego start?
HOSD was founded in 2014 by Jaci Sander, who identified a gap between nonprofits and people who wanted to volunteer. After conducting community research—and supported by a University of San Diego Nonprofit Institute needs assessment calling for a centralized volunteer database—Sander and a small group of volunteers launched HOSD to connect individuals with meaningful service opportunities.
2) Most people would like to volunteer but find it hard to commit. How does HOSD differ from other nonprofits?
We make volunteering easier by gathering opportunities with organizations throughout San Diego County into one easily searchable place. We have a calendar feature that simplifies finding volunteer opportunities that work for your schedule, and you can just jump in. We have plenty of opportunities that don’t require prior training or a minimum time commitment. You can sign up for just one shift a year or one shift a week. It’s up to you and your availability.
The volunteers who can commit to regularly attending an opportunity are often rewarded with deeper connections with that organization and their fellow volunteers. It becomes a third place where they are able to find purpose while forming social connections with like-minded community members.
3) What is the greatest impact you believe that HOSD serves in San Diego and what areas would you like to see more volunteering at?
I believe HOSD’s greatest impact on San Diego is the people power we have been able to provide to smaller, grassroots organizations. Our website serves as a free volunteer management software where they are able to manage registrations, pull reports, and communicate with their volunteer base. We often hear our nonprofits sharing that with HOSD, they finally have a consistent flow of volunteers that they can count on. For example, A Way Home for Dogs reported going from 8 volunteers per week to 65 per week during their partnership with us. The increase in volunteers has provided their dogs with more opportunities for socialization and to find their forever homes.
I would like to see us increase volunteer opportunities in the North Coastal and Southern regions of the county. For every 1 volunteer we have in central San Diego, we have about 4.5 volunteer opportunities within that region, but for the North Coastal and South regions, that rate is less than 1 volunteer opportunity per active volunteer. We are working on outreach to those regions to make it easier for everyone in the county to volunteer in their own neighborhoods.
5) What is your 3-5 year plan for HOSD?
HandsOn San Diego would like to grow our support for local nonprofit organizations while engaging more San Diegans in volunteering. We will do this by building relationships with city and county government leaders, investing in marketing our volunteer opportunities to ensure potential volunteers know how they can get involved, and providing more holistic volunteer engagement support to our nonprofit partners. These goals will move us closer to our vision of a thriving community where everyone is empowered to be an active participant in creating positive change without barriers.
Visit handsonsandiego.org to register and start signing up for volunteer opportunities.
Most homeowners want two things before they commit to a remodel: a realistic sense of cost and a clear picture of what the finished space will look like. Milan Design + Build helps deliver both through its online remodeling estimator and personalized design consultations, supported by a showroom experience and 3D renderings.
“The online estimate gives homeowners a starting number in about a minute, and the showroom and 3D renderings let them see materials and layouts before anything is built,” says David Noriani, CEO of Milan Design + Build. “Keeping design, permits, and construction with one team helps us manage expectations and keep everyone working toward the same vision.”
Courtesy of Milan Design
Modern design is a particular focus for Milan, with an emphasis on clean lines, natural light, functional layouts, and carefully selected materials. The team adapts each design to the homeowner’s lifestyle and the character of the property. Milan Design + Build combines thoughtful design with construction expertise, creating spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful.
The online estimator covers kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations, full-home remodels, and ADU construction. At Milan’s showroom on Carroll Road, visitors can review real materials, finishes, and design options, meet the design-build team, and discuss project scope, budget, and timing. Consultations can also be held virtually for homeowners who prefer to start remotely.
At Milan Design + Build, one integrated team works on the entire project. Design and construction aren’t divided between separate firms. The process begins with a consultation and feasibility review, followed by design, space planning, and 3D renderings developed from detailed measurements and digital scans. The team also coordinates architectural plans, structural engineering, city approvals, and material selection, with construction overseen by a dedicated project manager.
Homeowners can explore their remodeling options, get an initial estimate, or request a design consultation at MilanBuild.com.
At any given time, there are roughly 200 research investigations and clinical trials being conducted at Scripps Health in as many as 25 medical specialties. Research and patient care go hand-in-hand at Scripps. Those studies can be categorized as clinical trials of a medication or device that are conducted by Scripps physicians and studies designed by Scripps’ physicians and clinicians. Click here to learn about three exciting studies underway at Scripps and the benefits to patients.
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Scripps has recently unveiled new features in the MyScripps patient portal and mobile app to help patients connect with their primary care team and simplify the payment process. Among the recent updates is the addition of primary care E-visits for minor conditions. Patients who have an established primary care physician can schedule an E-visit, complete an online questionnaire and, if needed, send a photo. Their doctor can then advise and prescribe medication, when appropriate. Autopay is also now available through MyScripps. Patients can enable or disable autopay, allowing them to more easily manage payments. Learn more about MyScripps and how it helps patients stay connected here.
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Farrah Adams had a persistent dull ache in her lower back that her massage therapist suggested might be caused by the way she sat or drove. That explanation seemed reasonable, but when coupled with heavy, painful periods led the then 46-year-old to seek answers. When she looks back on it now, she’s beyond grateful she trusted her gut. She made an appointment with a Scripps OB-GYN, who determined she had Stage 3 cervical cancer that had spread to several lymph nodes. Farrah was overwhelmed, but immediately found a “champion” in Scripps Clinic gynecologic oncologist Jo Marie Tran Janco, MD. After undergoing successful treatment at Scripps Cancer Center, Farrah is now using her story to inspire other women to make time for care. Read more of her story here.
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In the last several years, there’s been a surge in FDA approvals for what’s known as oral oncolytics. Oral oncolytics are targeted cancer therapies that come in tablet, capsule or liquid form that patients can take at home, rather than in an infusion clinic. Scripps physicians have seen exponential growth using this approach, with patients citing convenience as a major quality-of-life enhancement in their cancer treatment. This approach also allows treatments to be customized based on specific genetic mutations and a patient’s unique disease biology. Find out more about oral oncolytics here.
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Meet San Diego’s leading healthcare professionals, delivering exceptional medical and dental care through innovation, expertise, and dedication to patients.
Unio Specialty Care is a multi-specialty practice specializing in urology, gastroenterology, and radiation oncology.
Unio’s Radiation Oncology team—Dr. Donald B. Fuller, Dr. Tahir Ijaz, Dr. Reza Shirazi, and Dr. Siavosh Vakilian—combines extensive clinical experience with a commitment to personalized cancer care. The RO team treats cancerous and non-cancerous conditions using precision therapies including SBRT, IGRT, and the CyberKnife® S7 System, the only system of its kind in Southern California. Their expertise spans prostate, breast, lung, gastrointestinal, pancreatic, and central nervous system cancers, as well as low-dose radiotherapy for osteoarthritis.
In 2026, Dr. Shirazi and Dr. Vakilian were recognized as San Diego Top Doctors, joining Dr. Fuller and Dr. Ijaz, who have previously received this distinction.
