Stories of Impact
Melinda first came to Cope when we were helping to distribute emergency financial assistance to those who had been affected by the fires. The work made a huge impact on her. "I was so impressed with the way Cope shifted its focus to support victims of the fires, putting the needs of the community first,."
Joanna first got involved with Cope Family Center in 2009 during our inaugural Rock and Stroll Fun Run. When her gym formed a fundraising team, Joanna enthusiastically joined and ended up being the top fundraiser that year. After learning more about our work, touring our Family Resource Center and meeting the staff, Joanna decided to make Cope one of her philanthropic priorities. “The first time I came to Cope,” Joanna recalled, “I thought that if I were a parent in need, this is where I would want to come to get help. It was such a warm, welcoming and safe environment.”
To those around her, Debbie appeared to be Super Mom. She had a successful career as a realtor. She volunteered in her kids’ classrooms, chaperoned field trips, served on 4H committees and volunteered with Napa Little League. She seemed to effortlessly balance the demands of her career and the challenges of being a single mom. But behind closed doors, Debbie struggled to manage it all and would often find herself losing her patience with her three children.
Jackie learned about Cope as a new mother in the 1980s. Several of the women in her moms’ group were volunteers at Cope. With a background in social services, Jackie knew how important it was to support struggling parents. “I felt that Cope’s work with the family as a whole unit was really important and would help build a good strong community by helping reduce the stress of parenting,” Jackie recalled. “So, I started out as a volunteer on the parent hotline and later got involved as a Board member. Over the years, I’ve assisted with fundraising, served on committees and helped with various administrative projects.”
When Iren first learned of Cope from friends, she was interested in learning more and, at some point, getting involved. Her commitment to our mission was cemented about a year later when three year old Kayleigh Slusher died at the hands of her mother and her boyfriend. “The heartbreaking story impacted me so much that I couldn’t sleep at night,” Iren said. “I thought about my children, my grandchildren and my nieces and nephews. I couldn’t fathom how one child could be so privileged and another child so vulnerable that she could be killed by the people who were supposed to protect her”.
Rosanna has been volunteering at Cope since August. “When I was researching organizations to get involved with, I was really impressed with how Cope focuses on prevention,” Rosanna said. “Their work creates a ripple effect through generations. Helping parents today impacts their children and their children’s children. That really inspired me and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.”
