Category: Supporter Spotlights

Gifts come in all shapes and sizes—from extravagant, to handmade, or sentimental and even humorous. While every gift given for the pure joy of its recipient is meaningful, “life changing” gifts are in a category all to themselves. These are the gifts that when given, change the mindset, the circumstances and even the futures of those being gifted. Every holiday season, Mike McCarthy partners with us to give such a gift to one of our families working towards successful self-sufficiency. And witnessing each family’s joy at receiving Mike’s gift leaves not one dry eye at FCNI, and reminds each of us that we live in a truly remarkable community.

Every year at our Benefit for Kids event, we get the opportunity to connect and work with many local restaurants, wineries and breweries in order to create a wonderful tasting experience for our 250+ guests. Over the 12 years that we’ve hosted B4K, we’ve established some wonderful relationships with the people behind these businesses, and look forward to showcasing their amazing goods each year. As the planning for this year’s Benefit for Kids comes to a crescendo, we want to spotlight one of these important relationships. Shanny Covey, along with her partner with Robin Covey, operates three local favorites: Robin’s Restaurant in Cambria and Novo and Luna Red in San Luis Obispo. At least one of Shanny and Robin’s restaurants has participated in B4K almost every year since the beginning of the event in 2004. This year, Novo will be participating and we’re looking forward trying what is sure to be an amazing dish that will no doubt delight all of our guests.

“When you buy from a small business, you are not helping a CEO buy a third home. You are helping a little girl get dance lessons, a little boy get his team jersey, a mom or dad put food on the table, a family pay a mortgage, or a student pay for college.” –Unknown

I am one of the lucky ones. I grew up in a home, with two parents who loved me and provided for me. I was safe and secure.  This was my “normal” and I assumed everyone else had the same.  The first time I realized I was lucky, was when a boy named Anthony moved in with us.  I was in the first grade, my brother was in third grade, and now we had another person joining our family, a foster brother, and he was a fifth grader.  I had heard the word “foster” before.

Have you ever seen a picture of a child who is starving from malnutrition? It’s difficult. It’s haunting! Images of this severe level of distress either compel you to look away or strongly motivate you to want to make a difference. Similarly, seeing children starving emotionally from mal-parenting, abuse and neglect, and a lack of love and nurturing can ignite the same feelings.

As the Christmas holiday is less than 24 hours away, we here at FCNI are reflecting on all the ways our amazing Central Coast community gives towards our efforts throughout the year. One of the most vital ways that you give throughout the year is with your time—probably the most precious commodity we each possess.