A Foundation of Love

Dear Friends,

On Saturday, July 9, we celebrated our collective accomplishments and raised funds in support of the health and well-being of our region. Noche de Amor, set this year in the beautiful open courtyard of Healdsburg’s Bacchus Landing, generated just over $350,000 for our Mental Health Talent Pipeline and SRJC HOPE scholarships and other programs. I want to thank all of you who were there or participated from afar in this vital effort.

As I said that night, there are many wounds to heal in this world, including right here in our north county communities. Ultimately, what heals all wounds is love. And love is at the core of the Healthcare Foundation’s work, infusing our values of community, equity, and compassion—love that is consistent and inclusive across false borders, love that expresses itself through our collective embrace of one another as we fight for universal access to healthcare and mental health services. The love we share is generous, and holds those who are suffering with special care.

Below we share a few highlights from Noche de Amor, with thanks to all who made it possible.

This month we also highlight far-sighted support from the John Jordan Foundation for two local traineeships that have become permanent positions for bilingual therapists—along with insight into the importance of strengthening a professional pipeline for bilingual mental health services in northern Sonoma County.

We update you on the participatory project launched in Cloverdale toward the planning of a Community Wellness Center there—a collaboration of local stakeholders with funds secured from the North Sonoma County Healthcare District.

Finally, I’m so pleased to acknowledge the latest addition to our Board of Directors, Darnell Bowen. An outstanding community leader and administrative strategist, Darnell is already an invaluable asset to our mission and an enthusiastic member of our team. You can read more about him below and join me in saying, “Welcome, Darnell!”

With gratitude,

Kim Bender
Executive Director

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A Night of Love for Northern Sonoma County

Noche de Amor lived up to its name! We sold every ticket to the July 9 event, raised critical funds to further health and well-being in our communities, and celebrated our collective accomplishments and power while hearing from the diverse voices of established and emerging community leaders—all amid the lush and energizing strains of our outstanding musical guests, Jesús Díaz y Su Qba and Moníca María.

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Thank You, John Jordan Foundation! Grants for Bilingual Mental Health Professionals

We are pleased and grateful to acknowledge two recent grants funded by the John Jordan Foundation to support newly practicing clinicians from our Mental Health Talent Pipeline.

Strengthening the Mental Health Talent Pipeline (MHTP)—which provides full scholarships to local bilingual and bicultural graduate students in counseling psychology—and increasing the number of bilingual, bicultural mental health professionals serving northern Sonoma County means increasing the number of traineeships and full-time jobs available. Over the last two years (2021 and 2022), the John Jordan Foundation has provided vital funding to do just that: two grants totaling $90,000 have resulted in two new traineeships that have become permanent positions for therapists.

One of these new positions is at the Cloverdale Unified School System through Support Our Students Community Counseling (SOS); the other is at Corazón Healdsburg through Side by Side.

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Cloverdale Community Wellness Center Update

Cloverdale Begins Public Meetings to Explore and Shape Possibilities for Nuestra Comunidad Sana

In March of this year, the Healthcare Foundation secured funding from the North Sonoma County Healthcare District to conduct community-led research into the potential and parameters for a community wellness center (CWC) in Cloverdale. The effort, which the coordinating partner organizations have named ‘Nuestra Comunidad Sana,’ is being facilitated by On the Margins in collaboration with the leading local community-based organizations La Familia Sana, Nuestra Comunidad, and Alexander Valley Healthcare.

Geared to supporting the social and cultural life and expressed needs of the entire Cloverdale community, the project devotes special attention to lifting the voices of the Latinx community. The ideas and perspectives of neighborhood residents will be leading forces in the design and implementation of Nuestra Comunidad Sana, beginning with the development and planning process itself.

As relayed by On the Margins, “The objective of Nuestra Comunidad Sana is to use a grassroots approach led by BIPOC Cloverdale communities to envision a safe, vibrant, green, community space of belonging.”

Read More

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Welcome Darnell Bowen!

We are delighted to welcome Darnell Bowen to our Board of Directors. Darnell is the co-founder (with his wife Alma Bowen) of Nuestra Comunidad, the northern Sonoma County nonprofit dedicated to improving health, safety, and well-being for all through programs that foster a culture of preparedness and promote a high quality of life in underserved communities.

As the newest member of the Healthcare Foundation Board, Darnell brings deep experience and expertise in finance and accounting, human resources, and administration—he calls himself an “administrative generalist,” focusing on all aspects of program infrastructure.

We spoke with Darnell recently about the development for his work and his love of the place he calls home.

Read More

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An Opportunity for New Legacy Circle Members!

Have you considered leaving a legacy gift? A generous, anonymous donor will contribute $5,000 for the first five new or newly disclosed commitments to the Healthcare Foundation’s Legacy Circle in 2022.

If you would like to learn more about making a transformative bequest that will go on supporting the health and well-being of your northern Sonoma County community for years to come, we’re here to work with you!

Contact us today to set up a meeting with Development Director Mary Ott at 707.395.4928 or mott@healthcarefoundation.net.