National Philanthropy Day
Thank you for joining us for Imperial Valley's 11th annual National Philanthropy Day awards celebration on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.
More than 300 friends and community partners gathered together to give thanks and celebrate the efforts and contributions of the many hands and hearts that make the Imperial Valley a great place to live.
Guests left the event moved, recharged, and inspired thanks to Keynote Speaker, Sara Griffen (Executive Director, Imperial Valley Food Bank), and the acceptance remarks and reflections of a handful of the day's top honors recipients. The day was heartfelt and the recipients all deserving of praise and recognition for their selfless service and joyful spirits.
We are honored for the opportunity to bring the community together to celebrate the impact of philanthropy in our community, and to recognize some of the special and caring people and organizations for their contributions, services, and philanthropy benefiting the Imperial Valley.
Congratulations to this year's class of National Philanthropy Day honorees.
2023 NPD® HONOREES
Lifetime Achievement Award
Tom DuBose
Philanthropists of the Year
Les & Terri Rogers
Spirit of Philanthropy (Volunteer of the Year)
Jim Shinn
Philanthropic Corporation of the Year
Special Nonprofit Achievement (Organization of Impact)
Imperial Valley's New Creations
Distinguished Philanthropists
Bari Bean
Dr. Jeffrey Chan
Stacie Chandler
Tom DuBose
Valentina Estes
Elvira Teran Gonzalez
Roger Havens
Tommy Havens
Yolanda Ibarra
Sheila Kruger
NorthEnd Alliance 111
Patricia Ojeda
Tony Ojeda
Martha Cardenas-Singh
Gina R. Vargas
Distinguished Volunteers
Gretchen Benson
Kathleen "Kathy" Brandenberg
Simon Canalez
William A. Cooper
Robin Elmore
Orlando "Lanny" Foote
Michael Harvey
Anne Irigoyen
Carla Kuhns
Genevieve Menvielle
Mary Painter
Teri Panagiotopoulos
Darlene Reverente
Bo Shropshire
Staci Stratton
Thank you to our sponsors and participating organizations.
Title Sponsor
Lifetime Achievement Award Sponsor
Award Sponsors
Category: Philanthropist of the Year
Category: Spirit of Philanthropy (Volunteer of the Year)
Category: Special Nonprofit Achievement (Organization of Impact)
Category: Distinguished Philanthropist
Supporting Sponsor
Benefactors
Patrons
- AgWest Farm Credit
- Ben & Patti Wilson
- Benchmark Mortgage / Valentina Estes
- CASA of Imperial County
- California Mid-Winter Fair Heritage Foundation (x2)
- Calipatria Lions Club
- Honor Health Sciences (video)
- Imperial County Child Abuse Prevention Council
- Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation (IVEDC)
- Imperial Valley Food Bank
- Lifted Up Living
- Rotary Club of Brawley
- Womanhaven, A Center for Family Solutions
Friends
- Alford Disributing
- Best S.T.E.P. Forward
- California Health & Wellness
- EnergySource Minerals
- Jeff & Cami Sturdevant
- Imperial Valley Breakfast Rotary Club
- Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation
- San Diego State University
Past Award Recipients (All Years)
Lifetime Achievement
- Dr. Travis Calvin, Jr. (2022)
- Sheriff Oren R. Fox (2021)
- Bill & Sue Brandt (2020)
- Elise & Phil Heald (2019)
- Ed & Patty McGrew (2018)
- George & Audrey McFaddin (2017)
- Ben & Loretta Abatti (2016)
- Dennis Kern (2015)
- Jack & Joan Tyler (2014)
- Norm Lassey (2013)
Philanthropist of the Year
- Karen Elmore Smith (2022)
- Don Shank (2021)
- Bill & Marybelle Plourd (2020)
- Dr. George Fareed (2019)
- Craig & Vicki Elmore (2018)
- Jim Abatti & Deborah Owen (2017)
- Bob & Carol Wilson (2016)
- Edward “Jiggs” Johnson (2015)
- Betty Young (2014)
Spirit of Philanthropy (Volunteer of the Year)
- Robert Trimm (2022)
- Sam Couchman (2021)
- Jill Deen (2020)
- Mary Miller (2019)
- Donna Grizzle (2018)
- Bill Gates (2017)
- Jessica Solorio (2016)
- Mary Sue Shank (2015)
- Betty Jo McNeece (2014)
Philanthropic Corporation of the Year
- One World Beef (2022)
- Farm Credit West (2021)
- Scaroni Family of Companies (2020)
- Vessey & Co. (2019)
- El Toro Export, LLC (2018)
- Rabobank (2017)
- Rogers & Rogers (2016)
- Alford Distributing Co. (2015)
- First Imperial Credit Union (2014)
Special Nonprofit Achievement (Organization of Impact)
- Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego (2022)
- Best S.T.E.P. Forward (2021)
- Calexico Neighborhood House (2020)
- Imperial Valley Food Bank (2019)
Philanthropic Award of Merit
-
El Centro Catholic (2021)
-
El Centro Regional Medical Center (2021)
Distinguished Philanthropists
- El Centro Host Lions Club & Imperial Valley Blind Center (2022)
- Gina Encinas (2022)
- Karen Elmore Smith (2022)
- Kim Taylor (2022)
- Robert Trimm (2022)
- Cindy Wingate (2022)
- Margaret Sauza (2021)
- Glen Huber * (2021)
- Debbie & Roy Foster / RDF Express (2021)
- Steve Ellison / Jordan/Central Implement (2021)
- Jessica Solorio / Spread the Love Charity (2021)
- Victoria Homes (2021)
- Wanda Layton (2020)
- Bill & Marybelle Plourd (2020)
- George & Jaclyn Ray (2020)
- Dr. George Fareed (2019)
- Kim & Kevin Grizzle (2019)
- Lisa & Justin Lofton (2019)
- Mary Sue & Bob Shank (2019)
- Shelvie & Ann Crittendon (2018)
- John & Cathy Kennerson (2018)
- Maria de Lourdes “Lulu” Castro (2018)
- Jim Abatti & Deborah Owen (2017)
- Alliance Healthcare Foundation (2017)
- Elms Equipment Rentals (2017)
- Hon. Judge Ruth Montenegro (2017)
- Nancy Sasaki (2017)
- Larry Fleming (2016)
- Miyoko Oshima (2016)
- Tenaska (2016)
- Paul & Debbie Cameron (2015)
- Bill Gates (2015)
- Kevin & Kim Grizzle (2015)
- George Martin (2015)
- Sadie Rubin (2015)
- Al & Alma Vinson (2015)
- Les Rogers (2014)
- Clyde Shields (2014)
- Robert Perez (2014)
- Harry & Jo Ann Weissman (2014)
- Friends of the Holtville Library (2014)
- Hope Davis, PhD (2014)
- Rabobank (2014)
- Sue Giller (2014)
- Employees of Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District (2014)
- Don Brock (2013)
- Debbie Cameron (2013)
- Phil & Elise Heald (2013)
- Gordon & Jeannie Jongeward (2013)
- Charlene Marriner (2013)
- James Roach, MD (2013)
- Ron & Linda Rubin (2013)
- Joe Montenegro (2013)
- Southern California Gas Company (2013)
- Jack & Joan Tyler (2013)
Distinguished Volunteers
- Ramona Campos (2022)
- Diane Cason (2022)
- Doug Dahm (2022)
- Dillon Faubion (2022)
- Lupita Islas (2022)
- Miguel Meza (2022)
- Angie Marie Peña (2022)
- Noemi Soto (2022)
- Kim Taylor (2022)
- Joan Tyler (2022)
- Richie Windsor (2022)
- Cherisse Alford (2021)
- Martha Cardenas-Singh (2021)
- Christina Center (2021)
- Tom DuBose (2021)
- Father Mark Edney (2021)
- Cindy Elmore (2021)
- Julie Hamilton (2021)
- James Dean Jones (2021)
- Janeen Kalin (2021)
- Cathy Kennerson (2021)
- Federico "Fred' Miramontes (2021)
- Coni Stokely (2021)
- Betty Tucker (2021)
- Cheryl Viegas-Walker (2021)
- Aaron Rubalcava (2021)
- Steven Weir (2021)
- Chuck Fisher (2020)
-
Cynda Henry (2020)
-
Jaime Honold (2020)
-
Kristine "Kris" Kussman (2020)
-
Jeff Lamoure (2020)
-
Katie Luna (2020)
-
Mary Kay Painter (2020)
-
Aaron Popejoy (2020)
- Ross Daniels (2019)
- Leticia Garcia (2019)
- Carla Kuhns (2019)
- Ellie Kussman (2019)
- Mary Miller (2019)
- Lisa Chapin Winkler (2019)
- Cliff Caldwell (2018)
- Abraham Rubalcava (2018)
- Barbara Deol (2018)
- Sheriann Hess (2018)
- Robert Trimm (2018)
- Paul & Kim Hamby (2018)
- Adrienne Dymond (2018)
- Gene Bumbera (2017)
- Marselle Cooke (2017)
- Jesus Escobar (2017)
- Lucy Hendry (2017)
- Jaime Honold (2017)
- Judith Lowe (2017)
- Ed Snively (2017)
- Tom Topuzes (2017)
- Marie Barrett (2016)
- Ramona “Rae” Cazares (2016)
- Lillian Finnell (2016)
- Mike Gilbert (2016)
- Leigh Humphrey (2016)
- Carla Kuhns (2016)
- Andrew Lowenthal (2016)
- Veronica “Ronnie” Avila-Platero (2016)
- Isidoro Romero (2016)
- Jennifer Thomason (2016)
- James & Stacy Arthur (2015)
- Bob Barros (2015)
- Silvestre Benitez (2015)
- Stacie Chandler (2015)
- Rosa Caro (2015)
- Martin Fitzurka (2015)
- Richard Fragale (2015)
- Timothy E. Kelley (2015)
- Molly Johnson (2015)
- Pam Littrell (2015)
- Martha Luna (2015)
- Betty Predmore (2015)
- Roland Pritchard (2015)
- Carla Kuhns (2014)
- Jeff Green (2014)
- Ron Stillman, DDS (2014)
- Blake Miles (2014)
- Charles “Chuck” R. Fisher (2014)
- Luis Estrada (2014)
- Emma Jones (2014)
- Aide Fulton (2014)
- Marcy Bingham (2014)
- Teri Woelke (2014)
- Chuck Bucher (2014)
- Kelly Lugenbeel-Barrios (2014)
- Gregory “Greg” S. Smith (2014)
- Tom DuBose (2014)
- Bob Barros (2013)
- Marselle Cooke (2013)
- Jose Cuellar (2013)
- Cynthia Delvalle (2013)
- Stephen Fairbanks (2013)
- Erik Freeman (2013)
- John Glaser (2013)
- Patty McGrew (2013)
- Nancie Rhodes (2013)
- Tom Topuzes (2013)
- Lori Young (2013)
- Evelyn Zinn (2013)
