|
Every year, Kern Community Foundation hosts Give Big Kern to help local nonprofit organizations raise money and volunteer hours. Give Big Kern was on May 2, 2023. Since 2016, Give Big Kern has raised millions of dollars from thousands of donors for hundreds of local nonprofits. To kickstart giving day, local nonprofits gathered around the Downtown Bakersfield Liberty Bell to ring-in the day. Mayor Goh presented a proclamation.
This year, Give Big Kern raised a record-breaking $965,893 for 137 local nonprofits. Thanks to our generous sponsors, participating nonprofit organizations had the opportunity to compete for prizes totaling $13,300.
Give Big Kern 2023 prize winners are:
- Marley’s Mutts Dog Rescue
-
Most Individual Donors - $1,500
-
Dolores Huerta Foundation
-
Most Dollars - $1,000
- Mountain Communities Family Resource Center
-
Most Dollars (Rural Nonprofit) - $1,000
- Helping Animals Live Tomorrow Rescue
-
Most Dollars (Animals & Environment Nonprofit) - $1,000
- Empty Space Productions
-
Most Dollars (Art & Culture Nonprofit) - $1,000
- Bakersfield Pregnancy Center
-
Most Dollars (Health Nonprofit) - $1,000
- Independence Through Grace
-
Most Dollars (Human Services & Community Benefit Nonprofit) - $1,000
- Kern Community Tennis Association
-
Most Dollars (Education & Youth Development Nonprofit) - $1,000
-
Far, Far, Away - $300
- ADAKC – Alzheimer’s Disease Association of Kern County, Inc.
-
Most Individual Volunteers - $1,000
- Honor Flight Kern County
-
Most Volunteer Hours - $500
- Bakersfield High School
-
Don’t Bother Me - I’m FUNdraising - $1,000
- Strength of Shadow Dog Rescue, Inc.
-
Go home? I’m having too much fun FUNdraising - $1,000
- League of Dreams
-
100% Board Giving Challenge - $1,000
| |
Give Big Kern Watch Party | |
To celebrate Give Big Kern, Kern Community Foundation hosts its annual Watch Party at Temblor Brewing Company. We had a great turnout, and it was amazing to see a room full of people come together to celebrate Give Big Kern. In attendance were local nonprofit representatives, community leaders, and community members. Kern County Supervisor Jeff Flores presented a declaration proclaiming May 2, 2023, as "Giving Day" in Kern County. Representatives from Senator Grove, Senator Hurtado, Assemblywoman Bains, Assemblyman Fong, and Representative Valadao also attended. A special thank you to Temblor, Madi, and staff for your excellent service, In-Kind and Raffle Basket Sponsorship. | |
Give Big Kern Press Conference & Mixer | |
On April 18, KCF hosted the Give Big Kern Press Conference at the Padre Hotel. KCF and local nonprofits announced Kern’s annual day of giving. The Press Conference highlighted the importance of Give Big Kern and the work of various nonprofits. Thank you to our outstanding guest speakers: Carlos Sanchez, KCF Chairman of the Board, Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh, Janelle Capra, Executive Director at ADAKC, Luther Gray, CEO at Dat Krew, and Gilbert LaRoque, Program Director at Bakersfield Recovery Services. Your valuable insights and expertise highlighted the important issues we are addressing through our community fundraising efforts. | |
|
The following Tuesday, after the Press Conference, KCF hosted the Mixer at the Padre Hotel. The Kick-Off mixer provides the space for community engagement between community members and participating nonprofit organizations. Thank you Padre Hotel and staff for the outstanding service and In-Kind Sponsorship.
We would also like to take the time to thank our Diamond Media Sponsor, 23ABC. We appreciate your partnership and we look forward to future projects that support our local nonprofits. KCF's CEO and President, Aaron Falk has been getting a lot of media time, make sure when you're in the office to get his autograph. Check out Give Big Kern's Facebook for pictures (Click Here).
| |
|
On April 22, we hosted the inaugural Give Big at the Park. We would like to thank all of the nonprofits who participated. It was a great success, and it couldn't have been done without your dedication and enthusiasm. This event brought together over 60 local nonprofit organizations to share their mission, services, and stories. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about the amazing work being done by these organizations and had a chance to win awesome raffles. It's wonderful to see so many people of all ages coming together to support the local nonprofits that make Kern County a better place.
A special shoutout to our generous sponsors. Your sponsorship allowed us to provide raffles, prizes, and host Give Big Kern events at no charge for the nonprofits and community. We look forward to next year's event. If you missed out on any of the events, check out Give Big Kern's Facebook for pictures (Click Here).
| |
|
Thank you to our Give Big Kern Sponsors!
Platinum Sponsor:
Patricia C. Brown Foundation, 23ABC
Gold Sponsor:
Klein DeNatale Goldner, BitWise Impact, Walmart
Silver Sponsor:
Jay Hershey, DeWalt Corporation, Grapevine MSRP
Bronze Sponsor:
Chain Cohn Clark, Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, Carlos Sanchez Realtor
Matching Sponsor:
Mission Bank
In-Kind Sponsors:
DJ Noe G, Padre Hotel, Temblor Brewing Company, El Popular, Gr8 Heritage
Raffle Basket Sponsors:
Dewars, Eagle Mountain Casino, Raising Canes, Dewalt Corporation, Chef Lino's Catering, In-N-Out
These sponsorships make Give Big Kern 100% free for nonprofits!
| |
Kern Connected Community Network |  | |
We currently have 141 network partners, 2,241 users on the platform, and 303 different programs on the Kern Connected Community Network. These organizations range from behavioral health clinics, school districts, and community-based organizations. The users are the individuals who are sending and accepting referrals.
KCCN was invited to present at the Homeless Youth Committee which is part of the Bakersfield-Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative. This effort allows different organizations to send referrals to one another using a closed-loop system while collecting data.
The second Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting of the year is scheduled for May 25th. The purpose of the CAG meeting is to assist in building a strong, healthy, and effective network. The next spotlight is scheduled for June 22 at 11 AM. If you are interested in learning more about KCCN or would like to be a Partner Spotlight, please contact Teems Tulfo at Fatima@kernfoundation.org.
For more information on KCCN (Click Here). If you would like to get connected to community resources (Click Here).
| | | |
Bakersfield Youth Jobs Program | |
18th Year Celebration Women's and Girls' Fund
Annual Luncheon
| |
|
The Women's and Girls' Fund (WGF) is a Kern Community Foundation leadership initiative. Its mission is to Empower, Educate, and Endow by transforming the lives of women and girls in Kern County by mobilizing the power and passion of women working together.
On April 19, the WGF hosted its annual luncheon. Dayna Nichols, Vision Committee Chair, shared, “The opportunity for women to see beyond their current situation and help someone else is really the power of what women are doing to make a difference in the world.” During the luncheon, the 2023 Judi McCarthy Philanthropy Awardees and the 2023 grant recipients were announced. A huge congratulations to all of the awardees and grant recipients!
2023 Judi McCarthy Philanthropy Awardees
- 2023 Judi McCarthy Women’s Philanthropy Awardee – Stephanie Lynch
- 2023 Judi McCarthy Young Women’s Philanthropy Awardee – Jaiden Elyssa Bareng
2023 Grantees
To learn more about The Women's and Girls' Fund (Click Here).
| |
|
Kern Community Foundation staff made a visit to the Kern River Valley area earlier in April. Kern Community Foundation continues to explore potential partnership opportunities with local businesses in Kern County. Our goal is to discover new opportunities and establish connections with professionals who share our mission of growing community and growing philanthropy.
Thank you, Justin Powers, Founder of Kernville Cowork, for being a great host. KCF staff learned about the rich history of the Kern River Valley area. If you would like to know more about Kernville Cowork (Click Here).
| |
|
Community members, did you know Kern Community Foundation has a Community Calendar? To make it easier for you to stay in the loop, KCF created a Community Calendar that lists all upcoming nonprofit events, including workshops, galas, and marathons, as well as volunteer opportunities. To check out the upcoming events (Click Here).
Nonprofits registered with Kern Community Foundation, did you know you have access to post events on the Community Calendar? Nonprofits can post straight to the Community Calendar by logging into their Partner Access account. To request Partner Access, please contact info@kernfoundation.org.
| |
|
The Wildlands Conservancy's Wind Wolves Preserve | |
|
The Wildlands Conservancy (TWC) was founded in 1995 and is dedicated to preserving the beauty and biodiversity of the earth and providing programs so that children may know the wonder and joy of nature. At over 93,000 acres in the southernmost end of the San Joaquin Valley, Wind Wolves Preserve is The Wildlands Conservancy’s largest preserve and primarily serves Kern County. With an elevation range of 600 to over 6,000 feet, it encompasses an array of landforms and habitats and is home to threatened and endangered species like the San Joaquin kit fox, tricolored blackbird, and blunt-nosed leopard lizard, as well as one of the largest populations of Bakersfield cactus. With more than 20 miles of trails and free tent camping, Wind Wolves Preserve is an ideal setting for a memorable outdoor experience.
Since 1998, Wind Wolves Preserve has served as a premier outdoor education facility in Kern County, offering programming to thousands of school children each year with lessons that connect local youth to the natural world around them. More than 200,000 students throughout the county have received a unique educational experience at the Preserve. Free public events are also offered year-round, including the annual Spring Nature Festival which showcases educational exhibits, wildflower viewing, and much more.
Volunteers and docents play a major role in fulfilling our mission. Wind Wolves Preserve offers a variety of unique opportunities throughout the year to those who wish to get involved. You can visit our website or call our office at (661)858-1115 for more information.
| | | | |
