ECS Participates in The Good News Festival

ECS staff members from administration, CERRC, ACCORD, Para Las Familias, and other programs manned ECS’s booth at The Good News Festival throughout the day. December 2022.

What a weekend! Dec. 9 – 10, the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego (EDSD) took over the Town and Country Resort to welcome Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and the Reverend. Dr. William Barber II to Southern California to remind San Diegans that the good news of Christ is alive and well.

You could say that both speakers are a big deal, as Curry delivered the sermon at Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding and is a several-time published author, and Barber is a nationally known Disciples of Christ pastor and co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign.

ECS participated throughout the weekend to demonstrate support as the community services function of EDSD and to share information about our services with festival attendees.

On Friday evening, EDSD hosted The Bishop’s Reception & Dinner as an opportunity to fellowship and learn more about EDSD’s mission and vision. During dinner, guests listened in as San Diego Bishop and ECS Board Member Susan Brown Snook and Curry discussed his insight and perspective on what it means to love. Their conversation was only an appetizer for Saturday evening’s main event – the revival service.

On Saturday afternoon, EDSD simultaneously held the Holiday Marketplace and The Good News Workshops. The Holiday Marketplace was filled with nonprofit organizations like ECS and Plant with Purpose, and small businesses like Mama Africa Catering. Several ECS staff members from administration, CERRC, ACCORD, Para Las Familias, and other programs manned ECS’s booth throughout the day.

Later in the afternoon, Elizabeth Fitzsimmons, Chief Executive Officer of ECS, Dinora Reyna-Gutierrez, Executive Director of San Diego Organizing Project, and Paige Eaves, Assistant District Director of South District in the United Methodist Church, joined forces to discuss how faith-based communities can begin affordable housing initiatives in their areas. The workshop was standing room only as participants were attentive to the conversation, ready to take ideas back to their communities.

Curry ended the festival Saturday night with a heartfelt and humorous revival message filled with hope, restoration, and love. Barber was also scheduled to preach but cancelled due to illness.

If you missed the Saturday evening service, you may view it here.

Curry also preached at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral the following day.

Episcopal News Service article: Presiding bishop preaches ‘love always’ at San Diego’s Good News Festival.

ECS staff and board members enjoy the Bishop’s Reception at the Town and Country Resort. December 2022.

ECS staff and family attend the revival at the Town and Country Resort. December 2022.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry preaching at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. December 2022.

The Bishop’s School Provides Invaluable Holiday Support for ECS Clients

November was a busy month for The Bishop’s School. If you’re not familiar with the college preparatory Episcopalian learning institution, it offers a rich academic program that includes service learning for students in the sixth through twelfth grades.

Students putting together art kits for Head Start students. November 2022.

ECS enjoys a long, trusted partnership with The Bishop’s School, which has benefited our families and clients in many ways.

During November, The Bishop’s School provided the following support to ECS:

1.) Presented Angel Ibarra, Community & Volunteer Engagement Manager, with a guest speaker invitation to the middle school chapel service to educate students about ECS volunteer opportunities.

2.) Students collected food and gift cards for Thanksgiving meal kits to bless 29 recovery residents with meals delivered for the holidays.

3.) Students helped prepare and serve food for CERRC’s Thanksgiving Luncheon.

4.) Students put together art kits with play-doh, wooden dolls, and other supplies for Head Start students to enjoy over the holiday break.

We appreciate The Bishop’s School for its unwavering support!

Meal kits for recovery residences housing CERRC clients. November 2022.

Students & gala committee members volunteer at CERRC TG Luncheon. November 2022.

ECS Staff Member Delivers Sunday Sermon for St. Mark’s ECS Sunday

Reverend Dr. Richard Lee (left), St. Mark’s Priest-In-Charge & ECS Board Member, and Angel Ibarra, Community & Volunteer Engagement Manager, after Ibarra’s sermon at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in City Heights, California. December 2022.

St. Mark’s held its annual ECS Sunday in its commitment to support ECS in our mission. On the first Sunday of December, Angel Ibarra, Community & Volunteer Engagement Manager, delivered a captivating sermon to St. Mark’s congregation. His message shared the importance of helping others break barriers in their lives, connecting his sermon to ECS’s mission of breaking barriers and transforming communities. Timothy Wipple, Interim Development Director, accompanied Ibarra on his visit, with both staff meeting parishioners after service to answer questions and educate them about the work of ECS and ways to get involved.

ECS Secures Three Grants for Uptown Safe Haven, Head Start, & Para Las Familias

ECS is grateful to those who support our work and our clients. December 2022.

ECS secured three grants from September to November: 

1) $2,923 from Women of St. James by-the-Sea for Uptown Safe Haven (UTSH).

2) $12,500 from the PNC Foundation for Head Start (HS).

3) $5000 from The Big Lots Foundation for Para Las Familias (PLF).

As a nonprofit organization, grants are a valuable resource that helps fund our programs and services and requires a lot of time and preparation to secure.

Our programs impact the daily lives of thousands of San Diegans in need of fundamental health and human services support. These families and clients depend on us to provide high-quality services with care — clients like River, an UTSH resident since August. Before moving to UTSH, River participated in another program that did not achieve effective results. Since becoming a resident of our program, River has enjoyed the freedom of feeling respected in a safe environment while building the skills needed to create mental and physical stability to pursue a better life.  So, partnerships with organizations like those mentioned above are essential in accomplishing our mission.

Grant Highlights:  

In September, the Women of St. James by-the-Sea generously awarded a $2,923 grant to refresh all the linens at Uptown Safe Haven, a 19-unit residential facility that provides transitional housing and support to single adults experiencing chronic homelessness. When residents move into permanent housing of their own, these linens will welcome them with open arms into a dignified, upgraded environment that feels like home.

ECS’ Head Start & Early Head Start programs provide early childhood education and development services to break cycles of poverty among low-income, high-potential families. In October, the PNC Foundation invested a $12,500 grant to support a pilot project at ECS' Head Start in San Ysidro, providing flexible music and movement curricula in collaboration with Kindermusik. When music and movement are practiced together, all lobes of the brain are engaged, creating peak neurological connections for young learners.

In November, the Big Lots Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to PLF, which currently provides free bilingual and bicultural behavioral health services to children ages 0-12 and their families across San Diego County's South Region. This grant supports efforts to develop a future generation of leaders by reducing the prevalence of mental illness/serious emotional disturbance in daycare, preschool, and elementary school children.

With gratitude, we offer sincere thanks to each organization.

If your corporation or group would like to provide a grant to any ECS programs, please contact Timothy Whipple, Interim Development Director.