Earlier this year, CSA introduced the “Why I Care” series featuring articles and profiles of our staff, volunteers and philanthropic partners. This month we are delighted to feature Donna and Darwin Poulos, longtime CSA supporters.
Meet Donna and Darwin: Natives of the Bay Area, Donna and Darwin witnessed the changes as Santa Clara County transitioned from an agricultural community to the center of high tech, along with the devastating income inequality that came with it. Darwin is a retired engineer from biotech where he was part of the R&D team that designed commercial and consumer devices for monitoring blood glucose levels. Donna has managed rental properties and currently teaches music to young children. Both are now active volunteers supporting causes such as land conservation, early childhood education, literacy and social justice.
The CSA Connection: Donna and Darwin were first introduced to the agency in the late 1980’s when Donna’s great-aunt began relying on VanTrans, a CSA program that provided on-call transportation for seniors to travel to the grocery store, doctor’s appointments and other destinations. The Poulos’ recognized the value of this service and chose to support the agency.
Why Do You Support CSA? We have both been very fortunate. When we were growing-up, it was possible to work hard and afford a comfortable house in the Santa Clara Valley. Now, it is almost impossible for most people to do so. We are distressed to see the evidence of economic divide within our area, whether it be people living in their vehicles, changes in the schools when teachers are no longer community members or the impact on families when a parent must undertake an extremely long commute to their job. CSA provides people with the type of caring service that we would all like to receive ourselves. Not only does CSA assist with people’s basic needs for food and shelter, but the agency also acts as a hub to help people negotiate the maze of other services available to them. We are proud to contribute to an organization that is an active partner in the community and helps guide clients to services that can improve their living situation.
If you would like to be considered for a future profile in this series, please contact the CSA Development Office at (650) 968-0836, extension 115.
