The Mission Beach Women’s Club has donated $52,938 this fiscal year, 2022-2023, to 20 nonprofit groups, which is the mission of the club. The total marks the highest amount given away by the 97-year-old philanthropic group.

“We may be a small group, but we are mighty,” said club president Lynne March. “With their help, we were able to give back an unprecedented amount to the community.”

As an extension of the club’s philanthropic arm, the group allowed seven nonprofits and schools to use its venue – the cottage on the bay – at no cost or at a significantly reduced rate, which amounted this year to $20,000 that the club underwrote.

The largest donation given, $18,000, went to Shelter to Soldier, a not-for-profit organization that adopts dogs from animal shelters and rescue groups and then trains them as psychiatric service dogs for post-9/11 combat veterans suffering from PTSD. The club’s donation is earmarked for a woman veteran to receive a therapy K9.

Also receiving funds were Autism Society San Diego, Boys & Girls Clubs of East County, Center for Community Solutions for Project Safehouse, Friends of Crown Point Junior Music Academy, Girls Rising, I Love a Clean San Diego, Mission Bay High student scholarship, Jetty Kids, La Jolla Meals on Wheels, MBHS Class of 2023, New Dawn/Riley Schools, Pacific Beach Town Council for PAESAN, San Diego Canoe Kayak Team, San Diego Foster Angels, San Diego Police Foundation, Senior Gleaners, Shoreline Community Services, Special Delivery San Diego, and Support the Enlisted Project.

About the club’s donations, Nancie Geller, a board member who heads the rental committee, quoted Winston Churchill, who said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” In that vein, Geller noted: “The women’s club is a philanthropic organization that is proud to be able to fund nonprofits in our community through our rentals and fundraising. It’s our greatest joy to help nonprofits achieve their goals. This is attainable through our grant process and the ability to allow other nonprofit groups to use our venue for free or at a reduced cost.”

The club is also busy planning for its annual fundraising campaign, which will be held in May at the Mission Beach Women’s Club venue on the bay.

The group is gearing up to once again send off in November more than 200 large boxes stuffed with goodies and sundries to military servicewomen overseas and on ships through their Support Our Servicewomen, or S.O.S., program.