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Category: Volunteers

Thanks to Our Auxiliaries

By in Annual Report, Success Story, Volunteers  |  Posted

Our Auxiliary members do it all! They volunteer, complete service activities, hold fundraising events, and act as ambassadors of Peninsula Family Service (PFS), and have for over 60 years. Our Auxiliaries have also tremendously supported PFS and our annual Fund a-Need, a goal which changes each year to responsively address the most pressing needs of our community. The Foothill Auxiliary (FAPFS) carried on their tradition of support last fall through the annual Holidays on a…

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Longtime Peer Counselor Retires After 10 Years

By in Older Adult Services, Volunteers  |  Posted

“Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value.” – Albert Einstein. These days, successful people tend to get more out of life than they put in. But a person of value will give more than they receive. Longtime Peninsula Family Service (PFS) Peer Counselor Charles Woods recently retired from volunteering after 10 years of service where he had a positive impact on dozens of older adults.…

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Helping older adults help other older adults

By in LGBTQ, Older Adult Services, Spanish, Success Story, Thought Leadership, Volunteers  |  Posted

This opinion piece was published in the Daily Journal on September 21, 2022: The U.S. population is growing older, and that is especially apparent in our local community. According to California Department of Finance population projections, San Mateo County will grow by more than 150,000 residents 65 and older by 2050. As the population increases, their needs increase as well, specifically those related to housing, transportation, social isolation, mental and physical health, and employment. Unfortunately,…

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Spring 2022 Program Updates

By in Early Learning, Financial Empowerment, Newsletter, Older Adult Services, Success Story, Uncategorized, Volunteers  |  Posted

Child Development Associate Program PFS has launched our Early Learning Child Development Associate (CDA) Training Program in early 2022, and have gone through the first cohort. We are exiting the pilot phase and now planning our second cohort for the fall. The purpose of the CDA program is to support individuals with a pathway to a rewarding career working with children and at the same time to increase our teacher pipeline. Graduates will earn not…

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Volunteers THRIVE Before and During COVID-19

By in Annual Report, Success Story, Volunteers  |  Posted

2019 Fall Giving Last year was busy for more than 500 corporate and community partner volunteers who supported various drives for our participants across all of our programs. Thank you to: Goodwin, the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, NetSpend Community Connect, Populus Group, SnapLogic, Upstart, and YMediaLabs for granting so many holiday wishes. These wonderful partners bought and assembled sixty thanksgiving food baskets, purchased coats, donated holiday gifts, built children’s bicycles, donated gift cards, and made…

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Our Volunteers Thrive During COVID-19

By in Success Story, Uncategorized, Volunteers  |  Posted

Volunteers are writing thoughtful note cards to our aging neighbors who usually visit  Fair Oaks Adult Activity Center and our Senior Peer Counseling participants. More than 100 note cards were written and donated by National Charity League Crystal Springs Chapter. Many more cards are being written and distributed every week by new volunteers. Several volunteers have hand-sewn face masks that will be given out to our teachers and students when they go back into the…

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Book Buddies

By in Early Learning, Philanthropy, Volunteers  |  Posted

Helping children and families in our community grow and thrive truly takes a village. We cannot close the achievement gap, or help our families become financially stable, without the support and partnership of our Corporate and Community Partners. Often, as we get to know these partners, one touchpoint grows into a deeper, long-term relationship. This is the case for the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), a unique nonprofit with a mission to enrich lives by…

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2019 Volunteer of the Year

By in Early Learning, Success Story, Volunteers  |  Posted

Many volunteers find it hard to say goodbye when their shift is over, including PJ Rich, a recent graduate from St. Ignatius High School. This summer, PJ visited with staff to reflect on his 160+ volunteer hours completed during high school at the Child Development Center in San Mateo. “Over the past three years, I have been able to watch the kids grow. It was amazing to see them learn new skills, but one child…

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Filipino senior peer counselors listen with their hearts

By in Older Adult Services, Volunteers  |  Posted

Tessie Mamaril- Madrinan, Peninsula Family Service coordinator of the Filipino Peer Counseling program, has been featured in the Philippine Daily Inquirer for her community work. “Through our programs, we reduce rates of illness and injury, maintain mobility, promote independence, and ensure aging members of our community live better, together,” Madrinan recites program outcomes. “We train volunteer counselors who make weekly home-visits. Through our diverse services, we’re able to personalize support and develop an individualized approach…

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A Special Need for Our LGBTQ+ Adults Ages 55+

By in LGBTQ, Older Adult Services, Volunteers  |  Posted

Our Senior Peer Counselors (SPC), a diverse and inclusive group of volunteers, show compassion for our community members ages 55+ who request peer counseling. This group of specially-trained volunteer counselors provide weekly one-on-one visits or facilitate a support group for older adults. The counseling helps older adults manage transitions and life changes including health concerns, mobility issues, caregiver needs, loss, and grief. All counselors have completed over thirty-six hours of training to learn active listening…

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