Media Contact: DP&A, Inc., David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

Tony Bennett Honored with Street in front of Fairmont San Francisco 

Famed Singer Will Unveil “Tony Bennett Way”
During Free Block Party – Saturday, June 2: 12noon – 3pm

30 May 2018 – San Francisco, CA: San Francisco’s singing ambassador, Tony Bennett, will unveil “his” street sign on Saturday, June 2nd in front of the storied Fairmont Hotel where his first public performance of the iconic classic “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” took place in December 1961. From 12noon – 3pm on June 2, a free-and-open-to-the-public block party with food, music, big-band dancing and a special interactive “Heart Salute” to the legendary crooner will take place on the 900 block of Mason Street, hitherto to be known as Tony Bennett Way.  The legislation renaming the street was passed unanimously by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in November of last year, and was one of the last official acts of the late Mayor Edwin M. Lee.

“Tony Bennet forever immortalized our great city with the legendary song ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco,’ so it is only appropriate that we return the favor by renaming a portion of Mason Street in his honor,” said Mayor Mark Farrell. “Throughout his iconic career, Tony has been a wonderful ambassador for our City, always eager to literally sing the praises of our home. It fills me with pride to formally recognize San Francisco’s longtime relationship with our great friend by announcing the unveiling of Tony Bennet Way.”

Scheduled to be on-hand for the event are U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, House of Representatives Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, former San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. Supervisor Aaron Peskin, Italian Consul General Lorenzo Ortona and San Francisco Director of Protocol Charlotte Shultz among other dignitaries.  Liam Mayclem, KCBS Radio’s “Foodie Chap”, will emcee the event.  Providing entertainment will be the Cosmo Alley Cats, Accordionist Suzanne Ramsey, the San Francisco Girls Chorus, the San Francisco Boys Chorus, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and The Dick Bright Orchestra. Shawna Ferris from Beach Blanket Babylon will lead the crowd in a sing-a-long of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

“On any street in the world, you can hear San Francisco’s singing ambassador singing his signature song, our song,” said Charlotte Mailliard Shultz, San Francisco Director of Protocol and organizer for this weekend’s event. “So, it’s perfectly appropriate for us to now have a street named in his honor here, right in front of his statue. I promise, this Saturday will be a true love in on the streets of San Francisco.”

This weekend’s salute will include a number of free family-friendly activities including face painting, circus acts and a Cable Car “Bell Ringing Contest” for youth in addition to bringing two famous San Francisco landmarks into the streets from the Fairmont: the Tonga Room and the Venetian Room “outside” for one day.

“Fairmont San Francisco is thrilled to honor Mr. Bennett with this special tribute that offers  visitors a glimpse into our city’s history,” says Paul Tormey, Regional Vice President  & General Manager of Fairmont San Francisco (www.fairmont.com/san-francisco). “Our iconic property has enjoyed an incredible relationship with this legendary artist that has spanned more than five decades and included countless performances in the Venetian Room , a time capsule buried here in 1999, and the 2016 installation of a bronze statue of his likeness in front of the hotel to mark the celebration of his 90^th birthday.  We thank Mr. Bennett for always being there, as our ambassador for Fairmont San Francisco and  an enthusiastic promoter and friend of his City by the Bay.”

In honor of the occasion, Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream will be serving its unique flavor, “Duet,”  a Tahitian Vanilla ice cream swirled with Limoncello sorbet and house-made fennel biscotti. Inspired by his “Duets” album, the ice cream is an unexpected pairing of two classics with an Italian twist.  The ice cream was first served at the public dedication and unveiling of the Tony Bennett statue in front of the Fairmont to mark the singer’s 90^th birthday in August 2016.  

About Tony Bennett
Entering his seventh decade as a recording artist with over 100 albums and 15 Grammy Awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Bennett has earned his legendary status many times over. He remains the Columbia recording artist with the greatest longevity at the label. His 2007 prime-time special, “Tony Bennett: An American Classic,” won seven Emmy Awards and was directed by Academy Award winner Rob Marshall. He has performed for 10 U.S. Presidents, from Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, Bush Jr. and Obama. He also worked with and marched alongside Martin Luther King in his 1965 civil rights march and was honored with the Martin Luther King’s Salute to Greatness Award. In addition to performing, he is a visual artist as well, with three of his original paintings featured in the permanent collection at the Smithsonian, including his portraits of Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington. His humanitarian efforts are renowned and the United Nations honored him with their Humanitarian Award in 2007. He has published three books – his autobiography, “The Good Life,” and two books of his paintings, “Tony Bennett: What My Heart Has Seen,” and “Tony Bennett In the Studio: A Life of Art and Music.” Bennett founded, in association with the Department of Education in New York City, the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts – a public arts high school in his hometown of Astoria, Queens. With his wife Susan, he established Exploring the Arts, a charitable organization which supports arts education in NYC public high schools. Exploring the Arts supports 14 public high schools throughout New York City. For more information about Tony Bennett, go to: www.tonybennett.com 

Media Contact: DP&A, Inc., David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

25^th Anniversary Gala for Family Connections Honored “25 Hearts of the Community” 

www.portolafc.org

May 10^th Event at Sons of Italy Hall Celebrates Nonprofit 

Serving Immigrant Families in SF’s Portola / Excelsior Neighborhoods

15 May 2018 – San Francisco, CA: A crowd of more than 150 people came out to San Francisco’s Sons of Italy Hall last night to salute Maryann Fleming and her bold idea 25 years ago – an idea that gave birth to the respected nonprofit Family Connections (www.portolafc.org): dedicated to developing strong, healthy families that build thriving communities in San Francisco’s Portola and Excelsior neighborhoods. Rose Aguilar of KALW Radio emceed the festivities right across the street from the future home of a newly expanded Family Connections center at 5016 Mission Street, set to open later this fall. The event raised $50,000 for the organization.

“We are truly honored and humbled by this show of support,” said Fleming, who first conceived of Family Connections when she was serving on the Advisory Board of E.R. Taylor Elementary School’s Healthy Start program in the Portola neighborhood. “When we started 25 years ago, we had a vision but thanks to the people in this room and countless others, the Principles of Family Support were able to take root and positively impact thousands of families.” 

Dubbed the “25 “Hearts of the Community” Gala, the evening paid tribute to 25 people and organizations who have been instrumental in realizing the ongoing success of Family Connections: volunteers, philanthropists, community and political leaders and city officials. The honorees (in alphabetical order) were: Margaret Brodkin * Mollie Ward Brown * Willie L. Brown, Jr * Warren Browner * Dr. Eddie Chan * Flora Colao * The Cowell Foundation * Bevan Dufty * Barbara Fenech * Nicole Termini Germain * Mary Gregory * September Jarrett  * Greg Keech * Laurel Kloomok * Jenny Lam * Stephanie Lee * Kingman Leung * Betty Liao * Mimi Ly * Gina Mendicino * Naomi Powers * Lorena Sanchez * Joaquin Torres * Suzy Vogler * Neva Walker

Also, on-hand for the event were San Francisco Board of Supervisors members Hillary Ronen (District 9), Ahsha Safai (District 11) and City & County Assessor Carmen Chu.  Personal greetings and letters of congratulations were sent from Senator Dianne Feinstein, House of Representatives Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and San Francisco Board of Supervisors President London Breed. San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell proclaimed May 10, 2018 as “Family Connections Day” by presentation of an official embossed civic proclamation. 

Family Connections serves primarily low-income, immigrant working families and individuals in community centers located in San Francisco’s Portola and Excelsior neighborhoods. Their array of more than 30 interconnected, participant-driven programs is designed to provide a comprehensive continuum of care from early childhood education to grandparent support groups and from family literacy to intensive case management. The goal is to support and empower parents and caregivers to develop healthy families that will, in turn, create a thriving community in which to raise children. Using the Principles of Family Support as the underlying philosophy and framework, Portola Family Connections was launched in 1993 to deliver the initial community requested services. In 2004, after an invitation from a local advocacy group and survey of families in the district, they expanded into the Excelsior neighborhood.

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Media Advisory / Request for Onsite Coverage: Thursday, May 10 – 6pm

Media Contact: DP&A, Inc. / Erin Saberi  (916) 952-5080 / erin@davidperry.com

WHAT: Family Connections Honors “25 Hearts of the Community”

Nonprofit serving immigrant families in SF’s Portola / Excelsior Neighborhood  Celebrates 25 Years of Service

WHEN: Thursday, May 10: 6pm – 9pm

WHERE: Sons of Italy Hall  / 5051 Mission Street,  San Francisco

WEB: www.portolafc.org

What a difference a quarter century makes.  25 years ago, Maryann Fleming had an idea with a lot of heart: develop strong, healthy families to build thriving communities in San Francisco’s underserved Portola and Excelsior neighborhoods. 25 years later, Fleming’s idea, Family Connections (www.portolafc.org), is one of the Bay Area’s most respected nonprofits, having served more than 40,000 people and set to open an expanded facilty late this year.  On Thursday, May 10^th, 6pm – 8pm, that heritage is celebrated and “25 Hearts of the Community” will be honored for their contributions in a Gala Celebration at the Sons of Italy Hall (5051 Mission Street) – right acoss the street from Family Connections under-construction and expanded facility. Rose Aguilar of KALW Radio will emcee the festivities. Tickets for the Gala, a fundraiser for Family Connections, are $100 and may be purchased online by clicking on the at “Get Tickets Now” button at http://portolafc.org/support/celebrating-25-years/ Family Connections serves primarily low-income, immigrant working families and individuals in community centers located in San Francisco’s Portola and Excelsior neighborhoods. Their array of more than 30 interconnected, participant-driven programs is designed to provide a comprehensive continuum of care from early childhood education to grandparent support groups and from family literacy to intensive case management. The goal is to support and empower parents and caregivers to develop healthy families that will, in turn, create a thriving community in which to raise children. Using the Principles of Family Support as the underlying philosophy and framework, Portola Family Connections was launched in 1993 to deliver the initial community requested services. In 2004, after an invitation from a local advocacy group and survey of families in the district, they expanded into the Excelsior neighborhood.

The 25 “Hearts of the Community” honorees are Margaret Brodkin * Mollie Ward Brown * Willie L. Brown, Jr * Warren Browner * Dr. Eddie Chan * Flora Colao * The Cowell Foundation * Bevan Dufty * Barbara Fenech * Nicole Termini Germain * Mary Gregory * September Jarrett  * Greg Keech * Laurel Kloomok * Jenny Lam * Stephanie Lee * Kingman Leung * Betty Liao * Mimi Ly * Gina Mendicino * Naomi Powers * Lorena Sanchez * Joaquin Torres * Suzy Vogler * Neva Walker

Media Contact: DP&A, Inc. / Erin Saberi  (916) 952-5080 / erin@davidperry.com

“Taste of Richmond” 

Sunday, May 20

Event Featues Bay Area’s Coolest New Eats, Drinks & Destinations 

www.VisitRichmondCA.com 

4 May 2018 — Richmond, CA: The 2^nd annual “Taste of Richmond” on Sunday, May 20, 2018 will join some of the Bay Area’s newest and coolest craft beer and urban wine establishments with culinary delectables from Richmond’s best known and historic eateries.  The event will feature an array of local restaurants, caterers and beverage establishments, many of which are making their mark as new “go to” Bay Area destinations.

“Richmond is the Bay Area’s rising star,” said Matt Lewis, Executive Director of Visit Richmond CA, “and much of what is rising – locally crafted beverage, food and access to the most amazing panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay – come together at this special event.” 

The 2^nd Annual Taste of Richmond will be held on Sunday, May 20 from 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm at the Riggers Loft Winery in the Historic Point Richmond Ship Building District. Riggers Loft Winery, a collective urban winery, cidery, wine bar and tasting room which opened to the public on the Richmond waterfront in 2016, is one of the Bay Area’s newest urban wine centers.  The venue offers spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay, the San Francisco skyline and Richmond’s unique shoreline. 

“Taste of Richmond offers all of the delights present day Richmond has to offer” said Marsha Tomassi, a Richmond caterer and President of the Board of Visit Richmond CA.  “In addtition to sampling from our unique restaurants, wineries and breweries, guests will also experience our rich history, music and culture scene plus the most exquisite views in the Bay Area.”

Guests will experience tastes from an array of Richmond establishments including:

R&B Cellars
Mississippi Catfish
Carica Wines
Lemur International
Far West Cider
Food Service Partners
Jimi Z Grill & Golden Gate Meat
Oren’s Kitchen/Anaviv Catering
Up & Under Pub and Grill
Curbside Kitchen
Nobilis
Richmond Certified Farmers Market
East Brother Beer Company
Benoit Casper Brewing Company
GDC Kitchen
Kim’s Louisiana Fried Turkey & Stuff
Catahoula Coffee
San Francisco Pizza

Established as a 501c-6 tourism business improvement district established in 2004, Visit Richmond CA is the destination marketing organization for the City of Richmond, California.  Visit Richmond CA @visitrichmondca/www.visitrichmondca.com/ www.facebook.com/visitrichmondca.

All samples and tastes are included in the single price of $20 admission. Discounts are available for large parties, and children 10 years and under are admitted free. For more information ant to purchase tickets, visit www.TasteofRichmond2018.Eventbrite.com  or call (415)867-6390.

Media Contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

Family Connections Honors “25 Hearts of the Community” at May 10th Gala
www.portolafc.org

Nonprofit serving immigrant families in SF’s Portola / Excelsior Neighborhood 

Celebrates 25 Years of Service

17 April 2018 – San Francisco, CA: What a difference a quarter century makes.  25 years ago, Maryann Fleming had an idea with a lot of heart: develop strong, healthy families to build thriving communities in San Francisco’s underserved Portola and Excelsior neighborhoods. 25 years later, Fleming’s idea, Family Connections (www.portolafc.org), is one of the Bay Area’s most respected nonprofits, having served more than 40,000 people and set to open an expanded facilty late this year. On Thursday, May 10^th, 6pm – 8pm, that heritage is celebrated and “25 Hearts of the Community” will be honored for their contributions in a Gala Celebration at the Sons of Italy Hall (5051 Mission Street) – right acoss the street from Family Connections under-construction and expanded facility. Tickets for the Gala, a fundraiser for Family Connections, are $100 and may be purchased online by clicking on the at “Get Tickets Now” button at http://portolafc.org/support/celebrating-25-years/ Rose Aguilar of KALW Radio will emcee the festivities.

“No nonprofit is a stand alone,” said Fleming, who first conceived of Family Connections when she was serving on the Advisory Board of E.R. Taylor Elementary School’s Healthy Start program in the Portola neighborhood. “This sort of work takes people with a lot of heart. Without the 25 honorees being saluted at our Gala on May 10^th, my idea would have stayed just that – an idea.”

Family Connections serves primarily low-income, immigrant working families and individuals in community centers located in San Francisco’s Portola and Excelsior neighborhoods. Their array of more than 30 interconnected, participant-driven programs is designed to provide a comprehensive continuum of care from early childhood education to grandparent support groups and from family literacy to intensive case management. The goal is to support and empower parents and caregivers to develop healthy families that will, in turn, create a thriving community in which to raise children. Using the Principles of Family Support as the underlying philosophy and framework, Portola Family Connections was launched in 1993 to deliver the initial community requested services. In 2004, after an invitation from a local advocacy group and survey of families in the district, they expanded into the Excelsior neighborhood.

The 25 “Hearts of the Community” honorees are (in alphabetical order)

• Margaret Brodkin: Margaret Brodkin’s leadership transformed the landscape for children in San Francisco. She is a nationally recognized pioneer in both the nonprofit and governmental sectors. Margaret has been a constant thought partner and cheerleader for Family Connections for over 20 years. As the former Director of San Francisco Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, it was Margaret’s idea to expand Family Connections into the Excelsior to serve the needs of the children and families in that neighborhood. She will always be remembered for her “little red wagon brigade” to San Francisco City Hall in the early 1990s to create the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families.
• Mollie Ward Brown: Mollie served on the Board of Family Connections for 15 years, and as Chair was a tireless advocate for the organization and the families they serve. Mollie has a depth of experience in social services, fundraising and championed the efforts Family Connections has made in responding to community needs. She was actively involved in securing funding for both the Portola and Excelsior family resource centers. She has been a god-mother in the growth of Family Connections.
• Willie L. Brown, Jr.: During his administration, Mayor Brown came to Portola Family Connections Center to learn about the concerns and needs of Portola community members and Family Connections. That view of hard-working, aspiring families who needed services in order to reach their potential not only influenced their work in the Southeast sector of San Francisco, but influenced Mayor Brown’s ongoing service to families across San Francisco.
• Warren Browner: Warren S. Browner is the Chief Executive Officer of California Pacific Medical Center. Dr. Browner graduated from Harvard College, and received an MD from UCSF and an MPH from UC Berkeley. He was on the full-time faculty as a general internist at UCSF for 15 years; he is currently Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology & Biostatistics there. Dr. Browner was the Executive Editor of the American Journal of Medicine; has published more than 100 peer-reviewed research articles; and is the author of Publishing and Presenting Clinical Research and a co-author of Designing Clinical Research: An Epidemiologic Approach. He is the Past Chair of the Board of the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco.  He has lived in San Francisco for more than 40 years and raised two children here. Both CPMC and Dr. Browner have been long-time supporters of Family Connection’s mission to improve the lives of families in the City.
• Dr. Eddie Chan: Dr. Chan is the President & CEO of North East Medical Services (NEMS). NEMS has been a longstanding neighborhood partner of Family Connections, and for several years, collaborating on screenings, workhops, referral and more to serve thousands of low-income and immigrant families, children and infants. NEMS Foundation has also been a donor to Family Connections, helping ensure its health related programming continues to serve the community.
• Flora Colao: Flora is a social worker that specializes in children and those in trauma. Flora is also an active member of the Excelsior Family Connections and a grandmother who has brought all three of her grandchildren to Family Connections programs for over seven years, including her youngest granddaughter who first came to Family Connections when Flora’s daughter was pregnant with her. Flora is a connector and advocate, telling many neighbors about Family Connections’ programs and impact.
• The Cowell Foundation:  The S.H. Cowell Foundation made complementary, place-based grants in the Excelsior neighborhood from 2003 to 2015, including grants in each of the Foundation’s main program areas: Families and Communities, Education, and Youth Development. Chief among these investments were 12 grants totaling $1,087,500 awarded to Portola Family Connection, to support its Excelsior family resource center. These grants helped to establish and expand the center’s programs and services, and ultimately contributed to Excelsior Family Connection’s capital campaign to purchase its ultimate home at 5016 Mission Street.  Cowell is gratified to have played a part in ensuring that Excelsior Family Connection remains a thriving community asset. 
• Bevan Dufty: Bevan currently sits on the BART Board, and has had many roles in San Francisco city government, including twice elected Supervisor and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services. Bevan has helped Family Connections form partnerships with other community organizations and funders. Bevan has shown his support for Family Connections in many ways, including being Emcee of its annual event for three years.
• Barbara Fenech: Barbara was born and raised in the Portola, where her family ran a small business on San Bruno Avenue for over forty five years. She is an active member of the Portola Neighborhood Association Board (PNA). The PNA, in all of its forms, has partnered with Family Connections for decades to dramatically improve the neighborhood from blight to a vibrant community for children and families.
• Nicole Termini Germain: Nicole is the Librarian at the Portola Branch Library. The Portola Branch Library is one of the most critical, longstanding partners in Family Connections’ work and history in providing early literacy and love of reading to children and English language learners. The library was once  housed at Family Connections in its early years and now provides weekly visits from the librarian to our site and frequently welcomes Family Connections’ children and families to the library.
• Mary Gregory: Mary first came across Portola Family Connections in 2003, when she was looking for potential grantees for the Bella Vista Foundation.  The foundation was attracted to the way PFC was enhancing the bonding between small children and their caregivers— parents and/or grandparents.  The subtle one-on-one coaching of the adults was a new and effective way to foster these important relationships, and few organizations appreciated that at the time—but Family Connections and Bella Vista did!
• September Jarrett: September is the Executive Director of San Francisco Office of Early Care and Education. She has devoted her career to making San Francisco a better city for children and families. As a founding staff of the Child Care Facilities Fund of the Low Income Investment Fund (an award winning public-private partnership with the City and County of San Francisco designed to expand the supply of high quality child care facilities), September was a leading force in brokering the grant for Family Connections to purchase 2565 San Bruno as the home of Portola Family Connections, laying the foundation for future years of financial and programmatic stability and growth.
• Greg Keech:  Greg Keech has been collaborating with Family Connections for over 20 years to provide English as a Second Language instruction to the Portola district. Classes in the morning and evening are designed to give students a firm foundation in the English language, which they can use to achieve their own goals, whether personal, academic or vocational. Many students transition to other programs at City College of San Francisco as a result of the skills they’ve built at Family Connections.
  
• Laurel Kloomok: Laurel has been involved in the field of early childhood and family support for over 40 years. She began her career as a home visitor and directed four family resource centers, helped implement state and local policies and spent a decade supporting family resource centers in her role as Executive Director of First 5 SF.  She has been a colleague, partner, champion and friend of Family Connections for the past 22 years.
• Jenny Lam: Jenny has been an active, warm presence at Family Connections for over 20 years both as a mother and community partner. Jenny’s (now adult) daughter and two sons have all attended Family Connections’ programs. Jenny is also a health educator with UC Extension, presenting nutrition and cooking classes to over thousands of parents, grandparents and caregivers at Family Connections for over two decades. Her workshops are among the most attended and requested at Family Connections.
• Stephanie Lee: Stephanie has had many years of memories at Family Connections and has seen all three of her daughters go to preschool here. She has been in charge of cleaning the center for over 20 years and takes great pride in its cleaniness and safety. She is excited to see this new and expanded center come to fruition and the caring people here grow even more.
• Kingman Leung: Kingman has been a long time supporter of Family Connections serving on the Board and continually as a donor. He has a strong understanding of the community and Family Connections’ role as a safe place and anchor within that community, and his sharing of that perspective over the years has been very beneficial to how they approach their work. His ongoing in-kind support as a small business owner is another way he sets an example for how people can support an organization that is a vital part of the community.
• Betty Liao: Betty Liao has been an active participant of Family Connections for over a decade. Betty and her sons have participated in many of Family Connections’ programs. Betty has been a member of the Parent Advisory Board for several years, and both she and her sons (now teenagers) are tireless volunteers at community events.
• Mimi Ly: Mimi first came to Family Connections as a mother and community leader, later joining the staff and speaking three languages.  For the last 20 years, she has been a centerpiece and town crier of the agency, connecting thousands of children and families to FC’s services and each other. Her love for the children and community is clear, infectious and central to Family Connections’ growth.
• Gina Mendicino:  Gina is a licensed marriage and family therapist who is celebrating her 20th year as a staff member of Family Connections. A passionate advocate for children and families, Gina served as Family Connections’ first Program Director and was instrumental in developing many of Family Connections’ core programs including Next Steps, a pre-K family readiness program.
• Naomi Powers: Naomi was the inspiration for Founder and Executive Director Maryann Fleming to start Family Connections. Raising Naomi as a single mom and seeing the immense need for support as a parent to raise a healthy child, Maryann developed the agency and programs through the lens of a consumer and of Naomi’s mother.
• Lorena Sanchez: Lorena has brought several children to Family Connections over the last decade as a nanny and as a single mother of her five year old son, Jordan. As a parent and caregiver, she has become very knowledgeable about the Family Connections programs. She has been a tireless advocate for Family Connections, serving on their Parent Advisory Board and raising thousands of dollars for the organization through acquiring cash and in-kind donations.
• Joaquin Torres: Joaquin currently serves as Deputy Director for the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, a City agency that has been very supportive of Family Connections and the work they do strengthening families and building communities. Prior to that, Joaquin worked in the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, where he supported Family Connection’s mission of providing participant-driven services throughout both the Portola and Excelsior neighborhoods.
• Suzy Vogler: Suzy has been a stalwart supporter of Family Connections, providing inspiration, connections to funding, and her significant personal contributions to their literacy efforts for many years. Sharing Family Connections’ passion for early learning and participant-driven services, Suzy was also instrumental in securing the purchase of our their Excelsior building by making  a donation through her family fund.
• Neva Walker: Neva Walker is a long-time community organizer and the first African American woman elected to the MN Legislature in the state’s history. She relocated from Minneapolis to the Bay Area seven years ago and has been the Executive Director of Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth in SF since 2011. Her work at Coleman focuses on deepening the leadership of parents and youth while promoting progressive change via inside/outside policy and civic engagement strategies. Neva strives to create systematic change in policy, budgeting, and structures by empowering people to advocate for themselves by utilizing a racial equity lens, particularly in education. She is also the Executive Director of Coleman Advocates’ sister 501c4 organization, Coleman Action Fund, which endorses candidates and educates on ballot initiatives.

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