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Second Careers participants visited LinkedIn

Peninsula Family Service’s participants of the Mature Worker Job Coaching program visited the LinkedIn campus in Sunnyvale. This program, a collaboration between NOVA and Peninsula Family Service, is part of our Second Careers Program. During this visit, participants had small group conversations with employees. They also talked with HR representatives. In these discussions, they learned more about what LinkedIn looks for in prospect employees and about in-demand skills. This half-day event took place on October…

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Aging Well with 70 Strong: Surlene’s Story

Surlene has lived in the same house in Redwood City for 70 years. When she was looking for new ways to keep active, she had no idea that the solution would be so close. “I’ve lived most of my life here,” Surlene said, “but I had no idea that I could have been going to Fair Oaks.” After learning about 70 Strong through a mailer, she became curious and contacted our Community Navigator. “She was…

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Helping Our Neighbors DriveForward: Francis’s Story

For 30 years, Francis has dedicated her life to providing for her family, working long hours at multiple jobs and has never once taken a vacation. Though her other children have moved on to begin their own lives, her son Juanito has a developmental disability and requires careful attention. Francis is on-call 24/7 to care for her son’s needs. “Every time Juanito gets sick I need to leave work quickly and come and check on…

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The Road to Fulfillment: Marquel’s Story

Sometimes, finding your true calling can be a long journey.  Marquel, one of our teachers at Leo J. Ryan Child Development Center, knows this well. After years of hard work training to become a dental professional, she finally earned her certificate and secured a high paying job. Still, Marquel felt unfulfilled. “I felt like I needed to do more,” she explained, “I just wasn’t using all of my skills as a dentist. I knew I…

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The Future of Philanthropy: Lauren’s Story

Lauren Murphy is a San Mateo neighbor and one of our Advancement Team interns. As a rising sophomore studying Economics and Legal Studies at UC Santa Cruz, Lauren values the insights that this internship provides. “Spending this summer with Peninsula Family Service has given me valuable experience and it has helped me narrow the parameters of my studies. It has also helped me further my passion to aid my local community.” Lauren has known about…

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Staff members of First 5 San Mateo

Community Partner of the Year: First 5 San Mateo

First 5 is one of the largest investors in young children in the State of California. Funded by Proposition 10 in 1998, First 5 transforms tobacco taxes into support for young children in the areas of health, early learning, family engagement, and in larger system-wide changes. State-wide, First 5 has invested more than $10 billion in young children and their families. In 2018, First 5 San Mateo will celebrate 20 years of investment in San…

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Ruth Wisnom: A Lifetime of Leadership

For decades, Peninsula Family Service has been shaped by philanthropists with strategic vision. Their expertise and knowledge have created a dynamic organization, equipped to respond to the ever-changing needs of our community. This fall, we are introducing the Peninsula Family Service “Lifetime Achievement Award,” an accolade to honor and celebrate the philanthropists who have guided Peninsula Family Service through the years, helping us grow from supporting 164 families to serving more than 10,000 people yearly.…

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Reggie stands smiling in front of her new car

Regina’s Story

For Reggie, a life-long resident of the Bay Area, having a car is everything. “I need to be at work at 5 a.m. If I did not have a car, I would simply be out of a job.” Reggie’s story with Peninsula Family Service started two years ago with her participation in a financial education workshop. Today she is one of the many success stories of our DriveForward program. Thanks to her participation in Peninsula…

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Teacher and Triplets

Norma’s Story

When Norma was a young girl growing up in the Philippines, she never dreamed of being a teacher. “I wanted to be a nurse,” she explains, “their uniforms were just so good looking!” Norma, a pre-school teacher at our Leo J Ryan Child Development Center, found her true calling by coincidence. When she moved to Manilla to attend university, she accidentally enrolled in the school of education instead of nursing. After Norma’s first class, “I…

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