Meet Windi

ACCORD Counselor Monya (left) and Windi (right). September 2021.

Windi’s journey to ACCORD started earlier this year. After a long period of substance use, she decided to make a change. Part of that change included facing some of her past mistakes, including an infraction of driving under the influence. So, she enrolled at ACCORD DUI, a California-licensed program for individuals arrested for or convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. 

“From the beginning, the staff were very welcoming,” Windi said. “They took a personal interest in me, and that was different from other programs I’ve been a part of.” 

Windi dove headfirst into the program, attending virtual group sessions regularly. And now, she’s able to see things differently. 

“ACCORD has just changed my life,” Windi recalled. “Just a few weeks into sessions made me see things differently. It was like peeking through the looking glass and seeing things in a different light.” 

Windi credits much of her success at ACCORD to Monya. 

“Without Monya, I’d still be self-sabotaging,” Windi recalled. “She is such a good facilitator. She creates a safe space and makes everyone feel welcome.”

But during their brief meeting at ACCORD, Monya was quick to provide equal praise to Windi. 

“You did the work,” Monya told Windi. “You showed up and did it.” 

The fact that Windi will celebrate three years of sobriety in October is not lost on either of them. And just after they ended their embrace, they were immediately drawn to a framed poster in the ACCORD lobby. It features a staircase with the words “one step at a time” emblazoned in the corner. 

It serves as a reminder to clients that recovery is a process, not necessarily a destination. 

For Windi, it’s been a road worth taking. 

"Recovery means that you can live a life that’s worth living,” Windi said. “I never really knew myself but now I can be with my mom and be dependable. I can be of service.” 

But Windi is painfully aware of the need for substance use disorder services in the community.

“ACCORD saves lives,” Windi said. “And you don’t know whose life it’s going to save. You are protecting your family by supporting ECS. Life’s a team sport; no one’s winning alone.”

Watch Windi share how ACCORD helped her on her journey to recovery.

Meet Loyda

CERRC walked with Loyda on her journey to recovery. September 2021.

Loyda pauses and reflects for a moment as she enters the North Park Community Park on a hot summer day.

Just a few blocks away is where she raised her kids. And now, she relishes the opportunity to stop by and, in a way, her visit brings her recovery experience full circle.

Loyda’s journey has not been the easiest, to say the least. At age 15, she was emancipated in the court system, and with one child already, she was forced to grow up quickly.

Domestic violence and other experiences led her to selling and using drugs. She worked to keep some kind of structure for her kids, but substance use never seemed to escape her life.

And then, one slip up changed her trajectory.  “I slid back, and got high,” Loyda recalled.

A friend recommended Loyda reach out to the Central East Regional Recovery Center (CERRC), an outpatient substance use disorder program run by Episcopal Community Services (ECS).

“My friend recommended ECS for the stability of my housing, so I could find a safe place to stay without drugs,” Loyda said.

She completed her first interview with ECS virtually. But COVID provided additional headaches for Loyda. Her father tested positive for the virus, which forced Loyda into quarantine. Meaning that she would be delayed in moving into a sober living facility. 

And she made another misstep.

“When I quarantined, I knew they couldn’t test me,” Loyda said. “And I fell back.”

Once she was out of quarantine, she tested positive for drugs. It looked like all her hard work was about to go out the window. But she got one more chance.

Loyda revels in her recovery. September 2021.

“Everyone agreed that they were going to test me again,” Loyda said. “If I passed, I could stay in the outpatient services of ECS. It was like a pot of gold for me to get back the trust of my family.”

Since then, Loyda’s been on the path of recovery.

“Eight months later, I’ve been supported by ECS,” Loyda said. “They’ve assisted me with my housing and move-in fees, clothing, transportation to get to work.”

Since then, Loyda has been an active participant in her recovery at the Central East Regional Recovery Center (CERRC).

And now, Loyda has remained housed and in recovery for the past 8 months.

“I was feeling lonely, and I didn’t have anyone to talk to,” Loyda recalled. “But ECS has always been there. It’s really been an amazing ride. I really appreciate everything.”

But it’s more than the recovery services offered at CERRC.  

“I received help with my housing and move-in fees, clothing, transportation to get to work, and employment services. And now, here I am as a helpful member of my community,” Loyda said.

She’s returning to her life as an involved grandmother, picking up her grandson from school daily. And she just started a new job at 7/11, which has given her a fresh start.

“I’m very happy with my life today,” Loyda said. “I’m full of joy. I was grateful to be able to get my life back.”

However, she’ll be the first to admit, recovery is a process.

“It’s one day at a time,” Loyda said. “Everyone wants to hurry up, but no, you take it one day at a time. It’s not going to come at once. If it does, then what did I get out of that?”

Loyda continues to be on the road to recovery. But she’s felt less alone during these isolating times because of her involvement with ECS.

“ECS is a community that walks with you, and you don’t feel alone,” Loyda said. “That’s a good feeling.” 

Watch Loyda tell her recovery story.

Episcopal Community Services Names Elizabeth Fitzsimons as CEO

Elizabeth Fitzsimons steps in as ECS’ new CEO. April 2021.

Episcopal Community Services (ECS) has named Elizabeth Fitzsimons as the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer. Fitzsimons is a seasoned non-profit and community leader with a passion for creating equity, opportunity, and possibility. ECS inspires children, empowers adults, and transforms communities by providing vital, high-quality social services that focus on early childhood education and development, homelessness, mental health, and substance use disorder treatment.

“This is a significant moment in the history of ECS. I’m deeply grateful to Lesslie Keller for her vision, dedication, and passion which led to the creation of one of the most impactful nonprofits in San Diego,” said Roseann Meyers, ECS Board President. “Equally, I am excited for what the future holds under Elizabeth’s leadership.”

“The pandemic has highlighted the inequities many of our neighbors face - access to education, childcare, healthcare, and stable employment,” Fitzsimons said. “ECS is at the forefront of addressing those inequities with programs that help break oppressive cycles and systems.”

“I am honored to join in this important work in partnership with ECS’s stellar team, board of directors, and community of supporters,” she said. “We have the opportunity to tap into the Episcopal Church’s leadership on social justice, and partner with fellow community organizations and our elected leaders to make an even deeper, broader impact across our region for generations of San Diegans. I can't wait to get started!"

As Vice President of Leadership & Engagement at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Fitzsimons led LEAD San Diego. Fitzsimons and her team inspired, connected, and empowered leaders to make positive change in communities and organizations throughout the region.

Fitzsimons developed and led multiple programs including Advance, a professional development program to equip emerging women leaders with the skills and confidence to assume executive leadership positions; and All Our Talent: Women on Boards & Commissions, an initiative to understand, track, and address the gender gap on corporate, nonprofit, and government boards and commissions.

Fitzsimons also has been recognized for developing and hosting Leading in a New Reality, a LEAD webinar series livestreamed by ABC 10News to inform and mobilize leaders dealing with the ever-changing challenges of leading teams and families during the pandemic. The webinars attracted thousands of viewers and explored systemic racism, police reform, the education gap, mental health, and the impact of the pandemic on women in the workforce.

Fitzsimons led the Chamber’s strategic marketing communications efforts, ensuring all outreach aligned with and supported the organization’s vision to make San Diego the best place to live and work. Fitzsimons and her team engaged thousands of San Diegans through more than 60 events a year, providing connections and resources to business, nonprofit, and government sectors.

Previously, Fitzsimons was Senior Director of Marketing & Communications at Rady Children’s Hospital. There, she oversaw a repositioning initiative; media relations; web, video, and social media; internal communications; and strategic communications planning for the hospital and its foundation.

Prior to Rady Children’s, Fitzsimons worked at the County of San Diego in media and public relations and internal communications. She started her career in San Diego as a journalist at The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Fitzsimons is a 2013 graduate of LEAD’s Impact program. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree in journalism and public affairs from American University in Washington, D.C.

Fitzsimons serves as Library Commissioner on the City of San Diego’s Board of Library Commissioners, a member of the Board of Governors for the University Club Atop Symphony Towers, a member of the Governance Committee of the San Diego Public Library Foundation, and previously served on the Board of Directors for the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank. She lives in Del Cerro with her husband, daughter, and twin sons.

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Jessica Ripper Elected as Episcopal Community Services Board President

ECS Board elects Jessica Ripper as new Board President. February 2021.

Jessica Ripper has been elected Board President for Episcopal Community Services (ECS). Ripper is a versatile community leader and strategist who specializes in facilitating systems change at the intersection of housing, health, and human services to support the development of vibrant communities where people of all ages and backgrounds live, work, learn, and thrive.

Ripper currently serves as a Principal at LeSar Development Consultants where she focuses on creating and facilitating virtual and in-person interactive workshops on housing and homelessness policy. She also has experience facilitating strategic planning and capacity building, conducting policy and funding analyses, and framing narratives that generate support for strengthening our communities. She currently leads an Affordable Housing Task Force for the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego and serves on the North Park Planning Committee.

“Jessica is a strategic, inclusive leader and she steps into this role at an important time for ECS,” said Elizabeth Fitzsimons, Chief Executive Officer at Episcopal Community Services. “As we emerge from the pandemic, we have an opportunity to listen to our community and respond intentionally. It’s an exciting time for ECS when we are dreaming big - and Jessica is just the right person to dream big, and then act.”

Prior to joining LeSar Development Consultants, Jessica consulted for the County of San Diego Child Welfare Services and served as marketing director for Walden Family Service. Prior to moving to San Diego, Ripper worked for the Annie E. Casey Foundation where she helped to develop a framework to guide public investment in evidence-based programs for children and youth. She has also held positions at Goodwill Industries International and the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and has consulted for several regional and national nonprofit organizations.

She attends both Good Samaritan Episcopal Church and Mission Hills United Church of Christ and enjoys supporting local restaurants, bookstores, and arts and social justice organizations with her husband David, teenager Sophia, and friends.

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