National Philanthropy Day

Join us for Imperial Valley's 12th annual National Philanthropy Day awards celebration on Friday, November 15, 2024.

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 honorees!

  • Lifetime Achievement Award
    • Tom Topuzes
  • ​Philanthropists of the Year
    • Jim & Nancie Rhodes
  • Spirit of Philanthropy (Volunteer of the Year)
    • Simon Canalez
  • Philanthropic Corporation of the Year
    • Sun Community Federal Credit Union
  • Special Nonprofit Achievement (Organization of Impact)
    • Humane Society of Imperial County
  • Distinguished Philanthropists
    • Haylee Cervantes
    • Norman Chandler
    • Mia Hernandez
    • Kris Kussman
    • Kimberly Maya
    • Pamela Ortega
    • Carter Taylor
    • Turning Point
    • Sharon Stegmuller
  • Distinguished Volunteers
    • Luis Minor
    • Sal Ortiz
    • Julie Reeves
    • Abraham Rubalcava
    • Sara Sanders
    • Ivonne Sotomayor-Santos
    • Jessie Villanueva

Thank you to our sponsors and participating organizations.

Award Sponsors

Category: Lifetime Achievement

   Category: Philanthropist of the Year

   Category: Spirit of Philanthropy (Volunteer of the Year)

   Category: Philanthropic Corporation of the Year

   Category: Special Nonprofit Achievement (Org. of Impact)

   Category: Distinguished Philanthropist

     Category: Distinguished Volunteer

Benefactors

           

                  

               

 

Patrons

Friends

  • Benchmark Mortgage / Valentina Estes
  • United Way of Imperial County
  • WomanHaven - A Center for Family Solutions

Past Award Recipients (All Years)

Lifetime Achievement

  • Tom DuBose (2023)
  • 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

  • Les & Terri Rogers (2023)
  • 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)

  • Jim Shinn (2023)
  • 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

  • RDO Equipment Co. (2023)
  • 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)

  • Imperial Valley's New Creations (2023)
  • 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

  • Bari Bean (2023)
  • Dr. Jeffrey Chan (2023)
  • Stacie Chandler (2023)
  • Tom DuBose (2023)
  • Valentina Estes (2023)
  • Elvira Teran Gonzalez (2023)
  • Roger Havens (2023)
  • Tommy Havens (2023)
  • Yolanda Ibarra (2023)
  • Sheila Kruger (2023)
  • NorthEnd Alliance 111 (2023)
  • Patricia Ojeda (2023)
  • Tony Ojeda (2023)
  • Martha Cardenas-Singh (2023)
  • Gina R. Vargas (2023)
  • 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

  • Gretchen Benson (2023)
  • Kathleen "Kathy" Brandenberg (2023)
  • Simon Canalez (2023)
  • William A. Cooper (2023)
  • Robin Elmore (2023)
  • Orlando "Lanny" Foote (2023)
  • Michael Harvey (2023)
  • Anne Irigoyen (2023)
  • Carla Kuhns (2023)
  • Genevieve Menvielle (2023)
  • Mary Painter (2023)
  • Teri Panagiotopoulos (2023)
  • Darlene Reverente (2023)
  • Bo Shropshire (2023)
  • Staci Stratton (2023)
  • 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)​