Saturday, November 2, 2024

10 Things About Joanne Newgard & Doors of Change

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“When one does not love too much, One does not love enough.”
– Blaise Pascal

The vision of Doors of Change is to ensure that every young adult in San Diego County has the resources and support necessary to live a healthy and productive life off the streets. Doors of Change Outreach workers go on the streets looking for homeless youth between the ages of 16 and 25 to give them water, white socks (the dye in dark-colored socks can cause fungal infections), other necessities and tell them about the Doors of Change free music/art program where they can also receive a hot meal. This critical first contact is an opportunity to begin cultivating a trusting relationship with homeless youth. Without trust, these youths will not be open to further help in getting off the streets. When Joanne Newgard retired from Wall Street, she wanted to help work with struggling youths. Joanne followed her heart and is now the program director for Doors of Change.

Joanne Newgard

#1 I grew up in Monroe, Connecticut.

 

#2 My mom, Marie always made me feel that I could do and be anything I wished. She gave me such confidence as well as enormous amounts of love!

 

#3 I would tell my younger self to know that whatever challenges you are facing, it will pass… to just give it time…. and trust that things will get better.

 

#4 My favorite travel destination is Italy, and it is on my bucket list to live in Italy for a month. I would also like to visit India.

 

#5 I worked on Wall Street for one of the top Money Management firms for 25 plus years as Director of Client Services.

Joanne Newgard smile

#6 After researching nonprofits that support young people, I came across Doors of Change and liked their mission and that they worked with TAY; Transitional Age Youth; ages 17 to 25.

 

#7 Each year, an estimated 4.2 million youth experience homelessness.

 

#8 The mission statement for Doors of Change is to help homeless and disadvantaged youth get off the streets.

 

#9 Through our music and art program we helped a young man named Elliott who was homeless for 5 years. We invited him to our program during our outreach and he joined us that afternoon and quickly fell into the music lessons and was open to meeting with our case manager. Today, he is employed, pays rent, owns a car, gives violin lessons and is a mentor for other homeless youth!

 

#10 The money from “Concert of Hope” will go towards expanding our program and increasing our staff, including additional outreach workers and a Case Manager.

Doors of Change EVENT

Doors of Change
“Concert of Hope” featuring Grammy-nominated Three Dog Night
June 30th, 2022
7:30 pm
Moonlight Amphitheater in Vista
www.doorsofchange.org

Lori Walton
Lori Walton
My love and appreciation for nonprofit work began in college when I was selected to represent UCLA’s undergraduate service organization. As a student, I didn’t have a lot of money to donate but I quickly learned that I could make an impact by giving my time. All you have to do to make a difference in someone’s life is care. For the last 30 years, San Diego has been my home. During this time, I have served on over 17 boards and chaired 27 fundraisers. No matter how much work I do with nonprofits, I am always amazed at the number of awesome causes and dedicated supporters out there. San Diego definitely has the best weather in the world but what makes San Diego America’s finest city are the people. I feel incredibly lucky and blessed to live in a city that has so many kind and selfless souls who genuinely care about making our community a better place for everyone. As Giving Back Magazine’s Philanthropy Editor, each week, I feature a hero and the causes that are creating a positive difference in our world. Always remember that philanthropy is about more than giving money, it’s about caring enough to help others who are in pain. So, go out there and make every moment count!

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