Community Hospice Foundation
"The pandemic is our collective training ground. We don’t get to choose the timing, or how long it lasts. We only get to choose how we exist inside of it." –Jeff Warren
At Community Hospice Foundation, we have chosen to exist in the spirit of gratitude. In a year that laid out so many challenges, you - our amazing donors, rose to the occasion. Your generosity and willingness to adapt with us throughout a year filled with uncertainty not only supported our patients and families but lifted and encouraged our staff. There are simply not enough words to share our gratitude for your commitment to our mission.
At Community Hospice Foundation, we have chosen to exist in the spirit of gratitude. In a year that laid out so many challenges, you - our amazing donors, rose to the occasion. Your generosity and willingness to adapt with us throughout a year filled with uncertainty not only supported our patients and families but lifted and encouraged our staff. There are simply not enough words to share our gratitude for your commitment to our mission.
Because of you, we accomplished so much…

We started our fiscal year with a Thank-A-Thon, where our Board members, Friends of Community Hospice members and staff called and thanked over 175 donors for their support. A few months later, we found ourselves again calling donors but this time to offer words of encouragement and support as the California Stay-at-Home order took effect. Donors have always taken care of our patients and families and it was our turn to care for them. We lent an ear to many who were frightened and alone, and connected dozens of donors with community resources to help them navigate the early weeks and months of the public health emergency crisis.
In November 2020, we had the privilege of raising a new flag at our Veterans Pavilion to honor Paul Campbell for his service to our country. Over 60 community members attended the event at our Spyres Way office in Modesto. Veterans Pavilion Celebration video.
215 employees pledged over $31,000 through our Pick Your Passion, Employee Giving Campaign. Both our Community Hospice, Inc. and Community Hospice Foundation Boards also participated in Pick Your Passion. While this campaign raises money for many of our services and programs, we found that food insecurity among our patients ranked high among needs. This past year we fed 90 patients and families and provided burial assistance for 13 families.
Many of our families continue to remember those they have lost with an engraved remembrance brick under our tranquil Rose Arbor at the Alexander Cohen Hospice House or inscribed leaves on our Giving Tree in the lobby at our Spyres Way office. 11 bricks and 15 leaves were dedicated this past year.
Events make up a significant part of our annual Foundation budget. The onset of the pandemic created extra challenges for event fundraising. In early 2020, we began planning our Moroccan-themed Gala to be held in May. However due to the public health emergency crisis, we were forced to make the difficult decision to cancel this wonderful event. Under the leadership of event co-chairs Trinda Nelson and Tracey Kerr, the event evolved into a Stay-at-Home Gala where we invited past sponsors and attendees to help support us in lieu of an event. We are grateful for a matching donor who stepped forward and encouraged other top-level sponsors to support our efforts. Overall, the Stay-at-Home Gala raised over $141,000, including near record sales for our famous Hawaii Raffle.
We were also forced to cancel our Over the Edge for Community Hospice event due to the public health emergency crisis and guidelines initiated by San Joaquin County. But we were thrilled and grateful to hold our annual Golf Fore Community Hospice tournament in September at Del Rio Country Club. Co-chairs Cathy Mendoza and Don Gaekle were instrumental in the success of the event where we debuted mobile bidding and a take-home BBQ dinner.
Kenny Phillips and Ron Ridenour rallied their BBQ troops to hold the rescheduled Pam Phillips Memorial BBQ benefitting Camp Erin® of the Central Valley in July. The event sold out and they raised over $10,000 to support our future campers. Just a few months later the first annual Pam Phillips Memorial Trap Shoot was held at the Escalon Sportsman’s Club raising over $13,000 for Camp Erin.
Our beloved Friends of Community Hospice members have been raising funds for decades to support the mission of Community Hospice. In 2020, more than $202,000 was raised through their annual events, auctions and raffles. We are grateful for each Friends of Community Hospice member for their continued efforts and dedication during this unprecedented time.
While much of the year was unconventional, the steady leadership of two seasoned Community Hospice leaders helped us navigate the changing dynamics. Jim Cogdill served as Chair of the Community Hospice Foundation Board of Directors, and the Friends of Community Hospice revisited a familiar name from presidents of past…Meryl Snider. Their institutional knowledge and optimism were encouraging for Board members, donors, and friends.
We have many heroes to celebrate over this past year but one of the biggest heroes of all is you, our donors. Your contributions are on display each day through the daily work of our nurses, chaplains, social workers, aides, grief support specialists and other program support staff. Thank you for continuing to believe in our mission of service.
In November 2020, we had the privilege of raising a new flag at our Veterans Pavilion to honor Paul Campbell for his service to our country. Over 60 community members attended the event at our Spyres Way office in Modesto. Veterans Pavilion Celebration video.
215 employees pledged over $31,000 through our Pick Your Passion, Employee Giving Campaign. Both our Community Hospice, Inc. and Community Hospice Foundation Boards also participated in Pick Your Passion. While this campaign raises money for many of our services and programs, we found that food insecurity among our patients ranked high among needs. This past year we fed 90 patients and families and provided burial assistance for 13 families.
Many of our families continue to remember those they have lost with an engraved remembrance brick under our tranquil Rose Arbor at the Alexander Cohen Hospice House or inscribed leaves on our Giving Tree in the lobby at our Spyres Way office. 11 bricks and 15 leaves were dedicated this past year.
Events make up a significant part of our annual Foundation budget. The onset of the pandemic created extra challenges for event fundraising. In early 2020, we began planning our Moroccan-themed Gala to be held in May. However due to the public health emergency crisis, we were forced to make the difficult decision to cancel this wonderful event. Under the leadership of event co-chairs Trinda Nelson and Tracey Kerr, the event evolved into a Stay-at-Home Gala where we invited past sponsors and attendees to help support us in lieu of an event. We are grateful for a matching donor who stepped forward and encouraged other top-level sponsors to support our efforts. Overall, the Stay-at-Home Gala raised over $141,000, including near record sales for our famous Hawaii Raffle.
We were also forced to cancel our Over the Edge for Community Hospice event due to the public health emergency crisis and guidelines initiated by San Joaquin County. But we were thrilled and grateful to hold our annual Golf Fore Community Hospice tournament in September at Del Rio Country Club. Co-chairs Cathy Mendoza and Don Gaekle were instrumental in the success of the event where we debuted mobile bidding and a take-home BBQ dinner.
Kenny Phillips and Ron Ridenour rallied their BBQ troops to hold the rescheduled Pam Phillips Memorial BBQ benefitting Camp Erin® of the Central Valley in July. The event sold out and they raised over $10,000 to support our future campers. Just a few months later the first annual Pam Phillips Memorial Trap Shoot was held at the Escalon Sportsman’s Club raising over $13,000 for Camp Erin.
Our beloved Friends of Community Hospice members have been raising funds for decades to support the mission of Community Hospice. In 2020, more than $202,000 was raised through their annual events, auctions and raffles. We are grateful for each Friends of Community Hospice member for their continued efforts and dedication during this unprecedented time.
While much of the year was unconventional, the steady leadership of two seasoned Community Hospice leaders helped us navigate the changing dynamics. Jim Cogdill served as Chair of the Community Hospice Foundation Board of Directors, and the Friends of Community Hospice revisited a familiar name from presidents of past…Meryl Snider. Their institutional knowledge and optimism were encouraging for Board members, donors, and friends.
We have many heroes to celebrate over this past year but one of the biggest heroes of all is you, our donors. Your contributions are on display each day through the daily work of our nurses, chaplains, social workers, aides, grief support specialists and other program support staff. Thank you for continuing to believe in our mission of service.
Veterans Pavilion Celebration
Friends of Community Hospice Fantasy of Trees
Friends of Community Hospice Light Up A Life Holiday Tree
Pam Phillips Memorial Trap Shoot
Golf Fore Community Hospice
Pam Phillips Memorial Camp Erin of the Central Valley Drive-Thru BBQ Fundraiser
Community Hospice Stay At Home Gala
Friends of Community Hospice Annual Card Party
Many companies offer Workplace Giving programs to support nonprofit organizations that are important to their staff. We are grateful for our workplace partners over the past year who help promote a culture of philanthropy and make giving easy and accessible.
Ameriprise Financial
AT&T
Benevity Community Impact Fund
Costco
Cybergrants LLC
Foster Farms
Frontstream
Lawrence Livermore Lab
Liberty Mutual
Network for Good
PG&E
Progressive Insurance Foundation
Rogers Jewelry Company
Stanislaus County Office of Education
Stockton Firefighters Benevolent Organization
United Way of San Joaquin County
United Way of Stanislaus County
UPS
US Bank
Your Cause, LLC
Wells Fargo
Ameriprise Financial
AT&T
Benevity Community Impact Fund
Costco
Cybergrants LLC
Foster Farms
Frontstream
Lawrence Livermore Lab
Liberty Mutual
Network for Good
PG&E
Progressive Insurance Foundation
Rogers Jewelry Company
Stanislaus County Office of Education
Stockton Firefighters Benevolent Organization
United Way of San Joaquin County
United Way of Stanislaus County
UPS
US Bank
Your Cause, LLC
Wells Fargo