Staff from Valley Mountain Regional Center’s Stockton office hosted the United Way of San Joaquin County for a lunch time fundraising event on Wednesday, May 29th. Lunch was served in the east parking lot, as United Way President/CEO Kristen Birtwhistle and Project Manager Jose Serrano spoke to VMRC staff about organizing an employee giving campaign with VMRC. Around 50 employees were in attendance to hear about how the United Way charitably funds different community organizations who are positive for the community. Some of those organizations, like Catholic Charities, Haven of Peace, Community Hospice, and Child Abuse Prevention Council of San Joaquin County set up display tables so staff could talk to the various organizations about the good work that they do.
Valley Mountain Regional Center Executive Director Tony Anderson then spoke to staff about a giving campaign for another good cause that is a little closer to home, the Popplewell Fund. The Popplewell Fund was created in 2012 to both honor the much beloved Dr. James R. Popplewell, and provide a special fund to pay for emergency expenses our consumers face that the Lanterman Act does not allow regional centers to pay for. Dr. James Popplewell was the Valley Mountain Regional Center Medical Director. During his tenure at VMRC, Dr. Popplewell was a tremendous advocate for people with developmental disabilities. Sometimes our consumers are faced with emergency expenses that threaten their ability to maintain community living and a short term no interest loan or a small gift helps them sustain themselves during these hard times.
Future United Way events are scheduled at our Modesto office. To see a calendar of VMRC’s scheduled events, go to https://spd.99d.myftpupload.com/calendars/ .
For more information, please contact Doug Bonnet, Special Assistant to the Executive Director, at 209-955-3656, email [email protected] .
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