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A mega blowout Hats and High Tea Party Fundraiser

A High Tea Party - Hats and High Tea! It was an EVENT!


Newsletter May 20, 2025


Potluck Hats and High Tea at Trilogy


It was a real WOW! Event at The Trilogy Service Club’s “Hats and High Tea” fundraiser for South SLO County Womenade on May 15th at the Monarch Club.  200 women were  “dressed to the nines’ with hats and fascinators for a spectacular tea complete with china tea pots and tea cups, tiered cake trays loaded with cakes sandwiches and scones and amazing crudités! Even the tables were “dressed to the nines!”


 The event featured a silent auction, a fashion show of clothing for adults and children from Wildflower and Sandbox Kids,  a couple of games including a competitive” table versus table” word scramble game with meaningful Womenade words, and a “Paddles Up” fundraiser with a $5,000 matching donation!  The Monarch Club was filled with high energy, joy and excitement. The final tally is not in yet, but it is by far our biggest fundraiser event of the year! Kudos to the Trilogy Service Club Committee with great gratitude!


With the many decreases in funding for non-profit organizations so far this year, our many partner organizations have all been drastically affected.  Every dollar you donate is even more treasured than before!


Advocates from three of our partner agencies (Families in Transition, S.A.F.E (Services Affirming  Family Empowerment – also known as our 3 Family Resources Centers in Arroyo Grande, Nipomo and Oceano) and People’s Self Help Housing - gave presentations about their organizations and shared some very moving, meaningful stories of how donors’ money has helped and even saved people in our community.  We appreciate their time to come during their busy work day to help get the word out about the needs in the community.


Our agency partners Joanna Domingues and Maya Cowardin People’s Self Help Housing, Karina Ayala Families in Transition, Mary McCallister S.A.F.E. and Wendy Bruse Families in Transition


Next Potluck


Steve and Linda Curry have volunteered to host our next potluck on Saturday, June 21st at 3PM at 591 Manuela Way in Arroyo Grande.  Note: this is a change from our announcement in our last newsletter!   We are looking forward to this new volunteer host location and a great time with old and new Womenaders! You don’t have to be a woman to attend – all are welcome! Evites will be going out in early June.


Projects Update


 Laundry Pop-Up


The Laundry Pop-Ups have become quite the sensation!  Both locations have seen a dramatic increase with 64 loads paid for in Nipomo on May 3rd and 103 loads paid for at @Laundromat in Grover Beach on May 17th.


Terri Zielinski reports that although it started a little slowly in Nipomo, it got real busy with a few regulars and some new clients. They even had a client help translate to the Spanish speakers. A disabled man's brother brought him in to do his laundry.  After they explained what they do, the brother went outside and made a couple of phone calls.  Another brother showed up with his laundry, mom's laundry, and a friend.  The friend rushed home for another load.   Terri, Beth and volunteer Marci Warkentin were the volunteers


Belinda Benassi reports that it was nonstop from the start in Grover Beacht! Some of the regulars even assisted by completing the ID slips when it got super busy. An individual who received our assistance was impressed with what she witnessed she decided to contribute by writing a check for $100.00. We had several individuals share their appreciation for the assistance we provided, sharing they would be able to purchase groceries or gas with the money they would have used for their laundry. Belinda, Sheila and Richard Semana were the volunteers.


The Laundry Pop-Ups have become quite the sensation!  Both locations have seen a dramatic increase with 64 loads paid for in Nipomo on May 3rd and 103 loads paid for at @Laundromat in Grover Beach on May 17th.


Terri Zielinski reports that although it started a little slowly in Nipomo, it got real busy with a few regulars and some new clients. They even had a client help translate to the Spanish speakers. A disabled man's brother brought him in to do his laundry.  After they explained what they do, the brother went outside and made a couple of phone calls.  Another brother showed up with his laundry, mom's laundry, and a friend.  The friend rushed home for another load.   Terri, Beth and volunteer Marci Warkentin were the volunteers


Belinda Benassi reports that it was nonstop from the start in Grover Beacht! Some of the regulars even assisted by completing the ID slips when it got super busy. An individual who received our assistance was impressed with what she witnessed she decided to contribute by writing a check for $100.00. We had several individuals share their appreciation for the assistance we provided, sharing they would be able to purchase groceries or gas with the money they would have used for their laundry. Belinda, Sheila and Richard Semana were the volunteers.


Nipomo Food Distribution – Rosemary Cleaves, Sue McCutcheon, and Mary Anne Morgan - project leaders


The June Food distribution will be on Tuesday June 10th from 4:30PM to 6:30PM at the Nipomo Elementary School (always the second Tuesday of the month).  


We work with the SLO FoodBank and Nipomo Elementary School to make the Food Distribution happen. Thank you SLO Foodbank and all our fabulous volunteers! Let us know if you want to be on the substitute list. The next distribution will be on Tuesday, June 10th.


We Love Educators – Lisa Arakaki project leader


Heads Up! Coming soon! Our Annual Teachers’ School Supply Drive will start in July! Lisa Arakaki and her fabulous team are already gearing up to lead this important drive just in time to take advantage of all the summer sales on school supplies.  Look for a list of items needed and how this drive will work over the next few newsletters!


Help and Items Needed


Update on Funds Received


4/1/25 TO 4/30/25           $12,055.13


1/1/25 TO 4/30/25           $29,661.96


2/1/2019 TO 4/30/25   $682,456.46



Thanks to April Donors


Susan McCutcheon (2), AG Seventh Day Adventist Church (2), Anonymous (2), Gwen Carton, Susan DeNatale (2), Barbara Aquino, Sandy Strohman, Emily Myhre, Sheila and Richard Semana, Aurora Munoz, Linda and Bradley Wilbert, Kitty Rice, Lola Zybura (2), Fran Norris , Sharon Setchell , Linda Fibich, Rosemary Cleaves (2) , Linda Bishop, Sherry Bushey, Sheryl Patton, Sheryl Patton, Lynnette Yeo, Lisa Murdoch (2), Barbara Kvec, Jordis Daigle, Kathy Forenza, Sheila and Richard Semana (2), Olive and Mike Shu, Kathleen Perez, Steven Behrens, Marilyn Mullany, Mary De Jong, Joann and Stan Benson, Wendy Castleman, Cory Gonzalez, Susan Christie, Elaine Stewart, Daniel Belshaw, BJ & Chris Bushur(2) , Marcella Gelman (2), Kathleen Secrest, Jean Leavitt, Mary Anne Morgan amd Madeline Fay (3), Linda Busek , Carol Chenot (2), Barbara Crawford, Heidi Boatman, Gee Gee (Joyce) Southward, Phyllis Sims, Sandy Richardson, Nan Fowler, Marilyn Knollenberg, Marcy Warkentin, Gwen Carton, Andrea Chavez (2), Ilanit Unruh (2), Helen Falcone, Anita Ikeda, Marcelle Kardush, Susan Sanders, Viviana Hosu, Gail Applegate, Barbara Deel , Fred Donati, Marion Toabe, Rebecca Moazamipour, Caity McCardell, Janet Garrett , Candace Guldeman, Paula Tripp, Christine Gaiger, Karen MacDonald, Deborah Nesset, Dana Robertson, Anita Shower, Gina Andrukaitis, Jessica Griffiths, Michelle Moock. Karen MacDonald, Michele Fissori, Frances Piacente, Randi Price, Shawn Fox, Karlie Cool,  Jennifer Bowen, Robin Pisz, Lynda Burnsed


Where the Money Went


Casa Solana – Renée Poirier – Executive Director

  • Casa Solana was able to provide a gift bed for a woman in her 40s. She was at the sobering center in San Luis Obispo and had no money and no place to go.She is settling in well in our program thanks to Womenade $800 Gift bed

 

Nipomo Family Resource Center – Advocate Mary Mullany (supervisor)

  • Student was assaulted walking to school and has a lot of fear walking to school now. He asked for a bike to try and make it easier to $244.55 Walmart

  • Parent is about to have surgery and needs support with auto repairs $300 Rojas Auto Mechanic

  • Family struggling to pay bills. Parent left a DV situation and is now responsible for paying the bills on a single income. PG&E $100 and $200 So Cal Gas Company


 Oceano Family Resource Center – Advocate Stella Medina

  • Family of 4 struggling to make ends meet. Father’s income has been significantly reduced because he works in landscaping and there is no work at this time. Need support with utilities bill $300 So Cal Gas Company

  • Parent left DV situation but has experienced a loss of income and unable to pay rent for May. She needs help with rental assistance $300 ERA Management

  • Mother is unable to keep employment due to medical challenges. She is behind on water bill and had water shut off. Family needs help with utility fee $200 City of Arroyo Grande

 

Arroyo Grande Family Resource Center – CinthyiaOrtiz-Corona

  • Single mother struggling with homelessness, requested support with purchase of power bank to charge phone and devices that will help her with medication reminders $15.65 Amazon

  • Single mother recently relocated to AG area with section 8 voucher. Requested a mattress for youngest child. Currently sharing bed with mom $122.58 Walmart

  • Single mother recently had shoulder surgery after an injury. Recovery is expected to take three months. Mom requesting support w/ partial rental assistance $300 Del Mar Property management

  • Family of 4 is struggling with homelessness and constant relocation. Lost Birth Cert. and needed help requesting a new copy,this will help obtain certified copies $65 SLO County Clerk Records

 

Nutrition Team – Mary Anne Morgan leader

  • Food for Lopez High School Food Pantry $60.20 SLO Food Bank


5 Cities Homeless Coalition – Janna Nichols Executive Director

  • Client in our Jail to Community Program was released from custody and his Case Manager was able to connect him to a bed at a Sober Living House. However, this client is diabetic and did not have appropriate footwear for his condition. 5CHC was able to utilize Womenade funds to support his request for help purchasing new boots. $86.51 Walmart

  • Client enrolled in Jail to Community Program was released from custody and is working with 5CHC Case Manager to find employment. He had grown significantly while incarcerated and requested assistance with purchasing new clothes for daily wear and interviews. $51.15 Walmart

  • Case managers connected with a senior client during outreach that was sleeping alone in the dunes. The client reported he had lost his housing and had been unable to find work in the area. He had family in Texas that was willing to take him in and provide him with support and housing. 5CHC was able to utilize Womenade funds to purchase a train ticket back to Texas and a one-night motel stay so he had a safe place to sleep and shower before leaving the following day. $374.76 Train Ticket and 1 night Motel Stay


Lopez High School – Keith Gledhill- Principal; Aurora Munoz – Admin

  • PBIS Wolf Market supplies - cup noodles & takis $35.26

 

Lopez High School Wolf Den – Heidi Boatman

  • Shoes for male student $106.64

  • Clothes for male student $141.00

  • Shoes for male student $14.60


Lucia Mar Adult Education – Jennifer Bowen, Principal

  • Graduation gowns, ceremony “swag” and first ever graduation ceremony for adult education program $1,000


Families in Transition - Wendy Bruse Coordinator of After School Programs, Deicy Trejo

  • School site reached out for assistance for the student. Student is low income and parents have not been able to get him his cap and gown. Asked FIT if they would be able to provide one for them. $67.14 Cap and Gown Kit

  • Counselor reached out for assistance for the student. Parent is a single parent that had hours cut down and has been struggling with coming up with her monthly payments. $67.14 Cap and Gown Kit

  • School site reached out for a migrant family needing assistance for student's senior activities. Student has not come up with the financials to pay for his cap/gown. $67.14 Cap and Gown Kit

  • Unaccompanied youth staying with his older sister has been working hard to bring up his grades and be able to graduate. Sister reached out for assistance with the student's cap and gown. She works weekly but is struggling to keep themselves afloat $671.4 Cap and Gown Kit

  • Student reached out for assistance with her cap and gown for graduation. Parent had to stop working due to a medical emergency and the student is trying to handle the situation on her own $67.14 Cap and gown kit

  • Student is first in her family to graduate. Her only parent is disabled, the student has been caring for herself and asked for assistance with her graduation activity $67.14 Cap and gown kit

  • Family is part of the migrant program and student is first student to graduate from his family. Dad is a single parent, and does not understand what graduation means for students. Student is looking for assistance with his cap and gown and be able to participate in his graduation. $67.14 Cap and Gown kit

  • Unaccompanied youth reached out for assistance with his cap and gown. Student is financially responsible for himself and had to cut back on hours due to his grades. $79.01 Cap and gown kit

  • Counselor reached out for assistance for their senior student. Student was not going to graduate and was looking to do a 5th year next school year. Student became determined to go above and beyond and be able to graduate. Needs support with his cap and gown. $67.14 Cap and Gown kit

  • Unaccompanied youth in need of support to purchase a RTA bus pass this month. They are short on funds this month and needs to get SCT-31 day bus pass to school on the bus $37 RTA-Regional bus pass

  • Per school site, the student needs to stay after school to get caught up and is in need of a SCT bus pass to get home from school at a later time. Parents cannot afford to pick him up due to their later work schedule $37

  • Unaccompanied youth if fully independent and living on her own. Student budgets their finances monthly. Cap/gown was not in her budget plan due to all the bills they have, and would like support to purchase her senior items$79.01 Cap and Gown kit

  • Single parent and her older son are living from their car and have relocated to a temporary place in Atascadero. Student will be transporting himself using public transportation and needs support with a bus pass $37 RTA-Regional bus pass

  • Student had been riding his bike as transportation to get to school. Bike was damaged and he had been making the long commute on foot and having attendance issues. Counselor referred him to us, and it was more cost effective to buy a new bike than fix the old one $135.86 Bike, Helmet and Lock

 

Pregnancy and Parenting Support – Cami Statler Executive director

  • No expenses

 

Mission Hope – Katie Crafton – Oncology Social Worker

  • Woman in 40’s with breast cancer out of work and struggling to pay rent. $200

  • Man in 50’s struggling to pay mortgage with medical bills stacking up due to prostate cancer and limited insurance coverage. $200

  • Woman in 40’s with ovarian cancer who is out of work and husband has had to take a lot of time off help towards paying rent. $200

  • Woman in 40’s with Metastatic breast & gyn cancer having to travel to LA for appointments. Struggling to pay for basic needs and needs help with gas. $75


The Link – Advocates – Mesa Middle and Judkins Middle -Yuliana Molina;  Christi Molina - Paulding Middle

  • Family of two, were recently housed after being homeless. Mother is going through some mental health issues.She is currently unemployed.She does not drive or have a car.Student is waitlisted for a bus pass and is currently facing a SARB meeting due to poor attendance.$138.50 5 month bus pass

  • This family is new to the area. They are still getting settled and looking for job security and for more affordable housing; at the moment, they are struggling with funds. They would like help in getting diapers and clothing for the student and her two siblings. $150 Walmart


SLO County Office Of Education CSPP – (California Pre-School Programs) – Shannon Pimentel Program Coordinator

  • No Expenses

 

Department of Social Services – Theresa Johnson – Division Manager

  • Client is homeless, living in her car.Has mental health issues and needs to be able to get to her appointments $25 gas

  • Client is homeless, living in his van.He needs to be able to go look for job and has a potential job interview and does not have the gas to get to it. $50 gas

  • Client was recently released from incarceration needing new clothes and shoe for a work $50 Walmart

 

County Nurses – Meryl Castro – County Nurse Supervisor

  • Diapers $600

 

C.A.R.E.4Paws – Libby Williams-Cabral – area administrator

  • A cat belonging to a Senior living in AG, was attacked by something while outside. It had multiple puncture wounds on her neck. She was not yet spayed but agreed to spay her while she was under anesthesia for the wound repair. Turns out she had a hydrometra which increased her risk of having a pyometra (an infected uterus). Family needed assistance with additional surgery for wound care. $150 Nipomo Dog and Cat Hosptial

  • The cat of a young Nipomo woman on fixed income had was hit by a car in front of her house and could not afford amputation (est $3-$5k). Dr. Gomes at Main Street Vet was able and willing to do the amputation for $1400. The young woman pledged to donate back what she could monthly to pay it forward. Baby's amputation operation went smoothly and he is healing well. $200 Main Street Animal Hospital

  • The dog had a bad ear infection.His owner is an Arroyo Grande home bound senior recovering from a stroke and not able to drive. They arranged for transportation and care. $150 Monarch Dunes Vet

  • A woman living at the Motel 6 in Pismo called us desperate when her dog fell ill. Has a car but has transmission issues and the car overheats. Helped her with transportation and vet appointment, dog food. Dog had many ticks.. $175 Monarch Dunes Vet


People’s Self Help Housing –  Joanna Domínguez - Director of Resource Development

  • Resident has a final water notice due Wednesday for $354. She is waiting on benefits for disability. $354 Avila Beach CSD

  • Single dad of 3 with teenager at home with him is behind in his water and needs to make a payment. Site SW is coordinating with resident, water company and prop manager as he is also behind in rent. $123 Aveila Beach CSD

  • the client is requesting funds for vet bills she is paying for necessary treatments for her dog. $500 Pismo Heach Vet

  • Resident needs funds for her water bill. She is a single mom with 4 children and though she has received assistance she has not been able to catch up on her water bill. She was receiving cash aide but she is now working IHSS. We discussed water conservation with the children so her bill will not be so high $500 Avila Beach CSD

  • resident had to surrender her cats to Animal Services because she is unable to take care of them. $146 Animal Services

  • Client is a single disabled mother of a disabled daughter. Recently her mother passed away in her native country of Costa Rica. Client has been left with running up and down here in the states to help her family down in Costa Rica as much as she can from here. She is having to use much more of her economical resources to accomplish this . Client is requesting a $100 dollar gas card that will reduce her financial hardship and let her deal with her loss less stressed.$100 Chevron

  • Client is a single disable mother with no current income. She is fighting permanent disability as she is no longer able to work. Client needs her car to move to doctor appointments and all other needs. Client is requesting that her tags be paid to be able to keep her mental and physical wellbeing in good condition. If assisted a young kid will have a healthier mother that can be present. $170.26 DMV

  • Resident has a very tight fixed budget and needs fund to help with a part of her water bill. She is a single female senior who is behind in her water bill paying 60% or her limited income for rent and not leaving much for other expenses. She is on some waiting lists for 30% rental apartments and has yet to win a section 8 voucher. $82 Avila Beach CSD


 Laundry Pop Up

  • Pop Ups in Nipomo and Grover Beach/ Arroyo Grande in April $515.75


HOW TO DONATE:


  • To make a donation write a check to South SLO County Womenade and mail to:


    Our bank asked that checks be made out with the full legal name on the account.


     


    South SLO County Womenade, 1793 Farroll Rd., Grover Beach, CA 93433.  We encourage you to become one of our monthly or regular donors.  This can be easily done through your bank or charitable foundation. Please remember that if your company has a matching grants program to include us.  As you make or update your wills, please consider adding a legacy gift to us for our future sustainability.



    or go to our website sslocw.org


    or paypal.me/sslocwomenade


    or venmo sslocwomenade

Our email is: sslocwomenade@gmail.com


Our website is: sslocw.org


Our EIN# 27-0809744


Phone number: (805) 270-5751

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