Recap: Changing Lives 2023
StarVista’s Annual Fundraiser
Thursday, October 12, 2023
Thank you for joining us at Changing Lives 2023 for an evening of community, change, and celebration! We are proudly celebrating over 55 years of providing life-changing mental health and wellness services.
This year’s Changing Lives event was phenomenal! On Thursday, October 12, we held our once-a-year fundraising event, Changing Lives, in the beautiful Farallon Room at Skyline College. Guests enjoyed delicious food and drinks as they listened to live music by DJ Goyo and Elaine Ryan and watched the sunset over the ocean. Then, we all gathered to watch the Main Show, which featured stories of empowerment, inspiration, and strengthening community.
In short, this year’s program featured stories of empowerment from our partnerships, inspiration through our programs, and strength in collaboration with our shared community to support mental health and wellness. We highlighted numerous programs, including Kids Kamp, Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT), School-Based Services, The Children’s Place, and more!
VIEW THE EVENT PHOTO ALBUM ON FACEBOOK HERE
Above all, Changing Lives means so much to our community. It is a chance to not only discover ways StarVista is changing lives through partnerships, innovation, and collaboration, but to also join the StarVista community in making change possible through your generosity.
Thank you…
Guest Speakers
Thank you for highlighting our high-impact services and programs.
We were grateful to be joined by StarVista and San Mateo County leaders as they shared stories of empowerment, inspiration, and strength.
Speakers from left to right:
Sara Larios Mitchell, Ph.D., MACP, StarVista CEO | Marilyn D. Thomas, MPH, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of California, San Francisco, Former StarVista Client, StarVista Board Member | Eric Wollman, Retired Police Chief, Burlingame, StarVista Vice Chair Board Member | Jerry Moe, MA, Founder of StarVista’s Kids Kamp | Donna Colson, Vice Mayor of Burlingame | Congressman Kevin Mullin, CA 15 | Nancy Magee, San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools.
To sum up, the event featured familiar faces from StarVista, including CEO Sara Larios Mitchell, Retired Police Chief of Burlingame and Board Member, Eric Wollman, and former StarVista client and new Board Member, Marilyn D. Thomas, MPH, Ph.D.
Similarly, we were grateful to also have Vice Mayor of Burlingame, Donna Colson, and the San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools, Nancy Magee, share their connection to StarVista and how StarVista is increasing mental health resources and accessibility in the community. Our attendees also watched several videos highlighting and showcasing our work in the community. These videos were kicked off by a virtual visit from Congressman Kevin Mullin, CA 15 as he shared his connection to StarVista’s Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) program. Jerry Moe, the founder of StarVista’s Kids Kamp shared the effect of summer camps like Kids Kamp and introduced a special video featuring our very own Taylor Coutts from StarVista’s Crisis Center and one of our clinical interns and Kids Kamp counselor, Zariah Mekile! The final video brought to light the incredible work our CWCRT program is doing.
Changing Lives celebrates our collective impact in ensuring equity gaps are filled and our mental health and wellness services are accessible to those in San Mateo County who need it most. Our Board Member and guest speaker Dr. Marilyn Thomas said it best – “StarVista is an amazing asset to our community. Some of us has more personal ties than others, but we’re all impacted in positive ways because of this amazing organization.”
Visionaries
Thank you for your continued support of our organization and mission!
Thank you to our incredible visionaries for showing your commitment to our mission, and embodying the hopeful inspiration that heals the most vulnerable people in our community.
You can become a Visionary too! Learn more and pledge here: https://star-vista.org/visionaries/
Sponsors
Thank you for your generosity and for making Changing Lives possible!
A big thank you to the Heritage Bank of Commerce, Hannig Sail It Forward Foundation, SolMateo, The Raiser Organization, Seiler LLP, Newfront, The Watson-Marshall Group, Viola Law Firm, and The San Mateo County Office of Education, for sponsoring our once-a-year fundraising event, Changing Lives 2023! We are grateful for your support and for joining us in Changing Lives.
Check out our sponsorship portal here: https://star-vista.org/sponsorship-portal/
Musicians
A big thank you to our musician, Elaine Ryan, and live DJ, DJ GOYO, for their wonderful music.
DJ GOYO
A huge record collector, DJ Goyo is a vinyl DJ who brings the best of the old and the new, the rare and the popular, the upbeat and the intimate to the San Francisco Bay Area!
Elaine Ryan
Elaine Ryan is a singer-songwriter living in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a passion for performing, Ryan has become a sought-after artist for weddings, events, and local venues!
Staff
We also want to shout out our incredible program teams from Daybreak, First Chance, Health Ambassador for Youth (HAP-Y), Crisis Center, San Mateo County Pride Center, Women’s Enrichment Center, Early Childhood Services, Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT), and Differential Response, for joining to share more about their programs with guests.
Guests, Donors, Community Captains, Community Partners, and Volunteers
Thank you for joining us for an evening of community, change, and celebration!
With about 200 attendees, 20 volunteers, 10 StarVista program tables, and an impactful night, we cannot express how grateful we are to have you attend.
We would like to share a big thank you to all who attended Changing Lives last Thursday. It was an incredible night full of empowerment, inspiration, and strength. A special thanks to you, our sponsors, Visionaries, donors, speakers, community partners, staff, guests, community captains, volunteers, and supporters. Together, we are helping 40,000 people of all ages change their lives for the better.
Our work is not possible without you, our incredible supporters. Thank you for your continued commitment to helping San Mateo County residents navigate life’s challenges, and access supportive services that yield high-impact results.
Your generosity today will make a lasting impact.
We look forward to seeing you in May for Mental Health Matters 2024 and next October at Changing Lives 2024!
Show your support for StarVista and Changing Lives all year long and shop Official Changing Lives Swag exclusively from StarVista’s Merch Shop!
Visit the StarVista Merch Shop to order your own Changing Lives short and long-sleeve tees. A portion of the proceeds from each Changing Lives tee sale will be donated to StarVista’s programs.