Dear STAY COOL Supporter,
I am pleased to inform you about an exciting change in store for STAY COOL for Grandkids! On November 13, 2017 the San Diego Audubon Society (SDAS) Board of Directors voted to take over the fiscal sponsorship activities of STAY COOL as of January 1, 2018.
For more than four years STAY COOL has built a robust community in San Diego: you, our active and motivated coalition of elders. You are willing to speak out to limit the worst consequences of global warming, and we will continue to offer our support for these efforts. We are grateful for the leadership of SDAS Executive Director Chris Redfern and Board Chair David Kimball, both of whom have supported this new partnership. Our shared visions and similar missions will help STAY COOL remain focused on our goal of preserving a livable climate for future generations by engaging seniors in the San Diego region.
SDAS will create a restricted fund designated solely for STAY COOL’s projects, and all funds that reside with our current fiscal sponsor, Mission Edge, will transfer over to the new fund by the end of the year. If you wish to continue to support our outreach and education programs, donations* will be accepted through Network for Good, our secure online donation platform.
Our changes are bittersweet. Unfortunately, the executive team has determined that we can no longer ensure the resources necessary to employ a staff member. As a consequence, we will with the new year become an all-volunteer organization. We will lose our Administrative Director, Sarah Benson, who has done such an outstanding job for STAY COOL for the last four years. Sarah’s last day with STAY COOL will be December 15. Her dedication to our cause has been tremendous and her many talents will be sorely missed.
Our volunteer Advisory Council is growing. This month, we welcomed a new member, Linda Giannelli Pratt. Linda has built a professional career focused on community-based environmental protection, most recently as managing director of Green Cities California, a statewide nonprofit organization which serves local government leaders to advance more sustainable policies and practices. We are pleased to welcome Linda to our team! Learn more about Linda on our “Who We Are” page.
For any questions or comments about these changes, please feel free to give me a call at 619-261-6321.
Many thanks for your ongoing support for a cooler future,
Bob Leiter
STAY COOL for Grandkids Advisory Council Chairperson
* All gifts to the STAY COOL project are tax-deductible. Through December 31, 2017 the fiscal sponsor accepting donations on behalf of STAY COOL is Mission Edge, tax ID 27-2938491. If you prefer, checks can be mailed to Mission Edge at: P.O. Box 12319, San Diego, CA 92112. Please indicate your gift is to support “STAY COOL” on your check. Beginning January 1, 2018, tax-deductible donations to the STAY COOL project can be made directly to San Diego Audubon Society.
