Leadership Stockton Class Visits City's Charitable Organizations 

MARCH 2007 -- Community Based Organizations have always been essential to our local community. Charitable, nonprofit groups play an important role in our lives, extending help to our community in many ways. That is why each year we devote an entire day exploring some of Stockton’s finest community-based organizations.

For the participants the day began like no other. The class was divided into six teams, each assigned to a different community-based organization. The six organizations were: Women’s Center of San Joaquin, St. Mary’s Interfaith Community Services, Stockton Shelter for the Homeless, Child Abuse Prevention Council, Emergency Food Bank, and Gospel Center Rescue Mission. Four teams also had another added adventure—riding the bus. The teams caught the San Joaquin RTD buses from the new Downtown Transit Center and were off to their locations.

Once the teams arrived at their host locations each was given a tour, an information session and got to work. The agencies gave them a variety of tasks including working in the kitchen at St. Mary’s and Gospel Center, distributing food at the Food Bank, and observing client work at the Child Abuse Prevention Council. Each visit lasted about four hours and included lunch at the non-profit.

After lunch, the teams made their way back downtown to the offices of the United Way of San Joaquin County. There, President and CEO Andy Prokop introduced the wonderful staff of United Way, and thanked the class for its commitment to the community and participation in Leadership Stockton. Prokop spoke about United Way and how Leadership Stockton participants are already well on there way to being the future of Stockton.

Each team then had the opportunity to share with the other members of the class, the experience at each community based organization. They used words such as “eye-opening”, “deep respect”, “life changing”, “better understanding”, “better appreciation”, and “extremely impressed” when speaking about the time spent at the various non-profit agencies serving our community. Most participants felt it was one of their favorite sessions this year.

I would like to thank the following people for their contribution to the success of this session: Andy Prokop and the United Way team for all of their help, and for the generous use of their facility; to each hosting non-profit director who helped make the day so special: Lindy Turner (LS ’01), Bill Brown, Tim Viall (LS ’93), Edward Figueroa, John Reynolds and Joelle Gomez (LS ’95)—Thank you for opening your doors; to the San Joaquin Council of Governments for the use of their parking lot (Thanks Steve Dial); and to Paul Rapp, from San Joaquin RTD (and the rest of the great SJRTD staff) who is always busy, but took the time to coordinate the bus routes.

See us here next month as we recap the Health Care session to be held on March 9th. If you would like more info on Leadership Stockton or wish to sponsor a session, please contact Wes Rhea at 547-2770 or leadership@stocktonchamber.org.