CEO Message: February 2024 Dear Friends, Winter in Northern California can be wild, as we have all seen this month. The only thing that is predictable is there will be a mix of rain, wind, as well as a few unusually warm, sunny days. I recall one of my first winters in California. I was bewildered, thinking I was leaving the cold and damp NY winters for the warm California sun!
CEO Message: January 2024 Dear Friends, The passage of time from one year to the next is supposed to be about change, aspirations, and motivators to move forward and grow. It is list-making time, new calendars, fresh plans, and generally high expectations. Personally, I rarely make those lists and avoid pressuring myself with plans or targets that may or may not pan out. I find the new year more of a
CEO Message: December 2023 Dear Friends, At Hospice Giving Foundation’s last board meeting (October 24), we began as we always do with a mission moment – asking directors to share thoughts given a topic prompt. For this meeting we asked directors to share one word to describe the impact, value, or uniqueness of HG Foundation. It was an inspiring start to the meeting. Gratitude came first, appreciating the impact of diligent
CEO Message: October 2023 Dear Friends, After leading Hospice Giving Foundation since 2013, I will be stepping down as Chief Executive Officer, effective June 30, 2024. My husband, who retired in June 2022, and I are looking forward to a new phase of our lives where we can pursue a variety of interests and spend time with family and friends. While June seems like a long time from now, it is
25 Years of Heart and Soul A special message from President/CEO Siobhan M. Greene Above: The original Hospice House in Carmel Valley, Circa 1980. If you are anything like me, there are times when you marvel at how time flies. Do you find yourself saying, ‘it’s been that long?’ when it comes to acknowledging the good parts of life – like births, careers, marriages? Of course, reality means the good things
CEO Message: April 2022 Gathering. Connecting. Believing. These simple, yet strong words shed light on the inner workings of Hospice Giving Foundation this year. Gathering. Being with you, our supporters, brings meaning to our work. We are so happy to be back together for the Scramble on April 26th. The energy of our supporters has been uplifting and gratifying. So many people came forward, fabulous volunteers on the committee, generous donors,
CEO Message: January 2022 Going for Good! Happy New Year to all our friends and supporters. As we begin 2022, there are endless wishes for a happy new year, for better times, and positive change. While I appreciate all the well-wishes, sometimes I think our phrase should be ‘Have a Good Year’; as good seems more definable than happy. So, what does ‘good’ look like? What makes a day, a month, or
CEO Message: November 2021 Dear Friends, At a recent meeting with local skilled nursing facility directors* we had a presentation about the Ombudsman program and the important role they play in advocating for older adults. It is a very interesting program and I encourage you to look up the California state program or our local program through Alliance on Aging. At one point, the presenter asked: “When will you be ready
CEO Message: July 2021 I am becoming a person that I didn’t think I was. I’ve seen them for years. Now… I’m one of them. And with this confession, comes an apology for all the times I’ve rolled my eyes… I hope you didn’t see me, I’m sorry. This person isn’t overly indulgent as I once thought. I don’t think they are all the same either. I’ve always prided our family
CEO Message: March 2021 Dear Friends, Partial to torch songs with a feisty edge, I've always loved Dolly Parton's song that starts with... “Here you come again / Just when I've begun to get myself together / You waltz right in the door / Just like you've done before...” Admittedly not all the lyrics apply, but when we think about our process of re-entry, it sure feels like the first few
