why charitable nonprofits exist.

“Charitable nonprofits embody the best of America. They provide a way for people to work together for the common good, transforming shared beliefs and hopes into action. They give shape to our boldest dreams, highest ideals, and noblest causes. America’s 1.3 million charitable nonprofits feed, heal, shelter, educate, inspire, enlighten, and nurture people of every age, gender, race, and socioeconomic status, from coast to coast, border to border, and beyond. They foster civic engagement and leadership, drive economic growth, and strengthen the fabric of our communities. Every single day.”

- Council of Nonprofits

Must! Collaborative Circle
Non-Profit 101 Workshop

At Must! we operate with a growth mindset, always looking at ways to do our work and serve our community better. It takes a group of dedicated community members to help us assess community needs and figure out how best to invest our community giving dollars. This all-volunteer group recently went through the first of three educational workshops created and led by Randy Gray, our Community Project Manager. The first course, Nonprofit 101 was created so the entire Collaborative Circle can have a collective conversation and build a foundation and lens from which we do our Must! work. This workshop had three aspects to it. 1) Nonprofit Basics - understanding why nonprofits are necessary, what they do, and how they function. 2) Assessing Community Needs - where do we get data, how do we gather reliable data, and how do we use it? 3) Understanding the Must! Model of philanthropy - diving into why Must! was created, what makes us different, and how we operate.

Meet the Collaborative Circle

Meet our New Board Members

Lori Bickel is a long-time resident of SLO County and a seasoned board member who served on the board from 2014 – 2016 and is back to serve again. Over the years, she has been an integral part of Must! Charities’ Collaborative Circle, volunteering her time to help the organization determine the nonprofit projects we invest in. “It’s an honor and a privilege to serve on the board again,” stated Lori Bickel. “I’ve seen firsthand how the Must! model benefits donors, supports and energizes nonprofits, and moves the needle to address the critical concerns of our communities in San Luis Obispo County.”

Maeve Pesquera is brand new to the board but not new to philanthropy and business strategy. In addition to her executive role as Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Development at

DAOU Vineyards, Maeve holds board and leadership roles in numerous wine industry and philanthropic organizations. Committed to mentorship, she is dedicated to developing the next generations of leaders and works tirelessly to ensure the wine industry and our community continue to thrive. “MUST! Charities and their model have a profound impact on the hearts, hands, and minds of our beloved region. I am honored to participate in furthering their vision and impact.”

Meet the rest of our 2024 Executive Board

PROJECT UPDATE

We embarked on a project with The Vineyard Team to invest in their Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship, supporting vineyard and winery workers' children with higher education scholarships. We thought you'd like to see the impacts of this investment and the work The Vineyard Team is doing to ensure these students and their families achieve their dreams of becoming a college graduates and pursuing professional careers. Click Here To Read More.

Donate today. Make an impact.