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From Groceries to Fundraisers: Bringing Jacob’s Heart’s Mission to Life
Organization
Jacob's Heart Children's Cancer Support Services
Industry
Non-profit, Pediatric Healthcare Support, Community Engagement
Project Type
Volunteer Project Manager - External Programs & Event Support
Services
Grocery Delivery, Caroline’s Closet Organization, Holiday Program Support, Fundraiser & Event Operations, Volunteer Coordination, Back-Office Process Support
Regions Involved
Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Clara Counties, California
Stakeholders
Families facing pediatric cancer, Jacob’s Heart staff, volunteers, donors, and community event partners
Impact
Helped sustain core family services and fundraising events during a period of high demand. Delivered groceries and essentials directly to families, organized resources like Caroline’s Closet, supported large-scale events including Kidrageous, Concorso Italiano, and Seascape Golf Tournament, and improved back-office workflows. Contributions ensured reliable delivery of care and strengthened community presence, allowing families to feel supported, connected, and never alone.
Location
Watsonville, California
Jacob’s Heart exists to stand with families when a child is diagnosed with cancer, offering emotional support, groceries, transportation, and respite programs across four counties in the Monterey Bay area. As part of the external programs team in 2019, I worked at the heart of this mission, translating donor generosity and community partnerships into tangible, everyday support for families.
My contributions blended hands-on service with behind the scenes structure. I delivered groceries through the Full Hearts program, maintained Caroline’s Closet to provide families with clothing and essentials in a dignified way, and supported cornerstone fundraisers like Kidrageous, the Seascape Golf Tournament, and Santa Cruz Warriors basketball nights. I also represented Jacob’s Heart at events such as Concorso Italiano, building awareness and strengthening donor connections. At the same time, I created checklists, streamlined volunteer coordination, and tracked supplies to ensure smooth operations during peak demand.
The work taught me that nonprofit project management is as much about presence as process. Every trunk of groceries was both logistics and love. Every fundraiser was both revenue and visibility. By bridging structure with compassion, I helped Jacob’s Heart deliver stability, dignity, and care to families facing the unimaginable, while sustaining the community partnerships and systems that made that mission possible.
