San Mateo PAL Pulse
Backpack PALooza Was A Hit!
Backpack PALooza 2023 was another success! We gave away 300 backpacks, school supplies, and Target gift cards to elementary, middle, and high school students in our PAL program. The gift cards were generously donated by the Mayer Family (pictured top left: Sally Mayer and friend).
This is one of our favorite events because it brings us joy to be able to provide our PAL kids with new supplies and excitement for the new school year. Sally, the donor of the Target gift cards, really wanted to make sure that our kids had a chance to buy something new for school, whether it was a new notebook, new pair of shoes, or new clothes. Our programs would not be possible without the support of our donors and contributors. THANK YOU!
If you'd like to participate in events like Backpack PALooza, sign-up to become a PAL member.
News and Updates
Introducing PAL's new Business Development Director Jenna Nguyen
Jenna comes to PAL with over 10 years of experience in the non-profit world. Most recently, Jenna served as the Institutional Funding Manager at the Marine Science Institute in Redwood City, where her management of over 80 grant prospects contributed to raising $1M for the organization annually.
As our new Business Development Director, Jenna will be managing PAL’s grant application and reporting process, including the research and procurement of new Corporate, Foundation, and Government grant opportunities. She will also focus on expanding our donor database, through relationship building, engagement with strategic partners, and collaboration with the PAL Board, staff, and other stakeholders.
Jenna is a graduate of the University of Akron Ohio, where she earned a Master's Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor's Degree in Business/Organization Communication-Public Relations. Jenna’s strong leadership skills, fund development experience, and background in outreach, communication, and marketing will be key in driving PAL’s mission to “Build the Bond between Cops and Kids.”
Jenna lives in San Mateo with her husband, two beautiful children, and her pup.
Welcome to PAL, Jenna!
PAL Annual Golf Tournament - Individual Spots and Foursomes Available NOW!
Registration for individual spots and foursomes are available NOW! Join us at the Half Moon Bay Golf Links golf course for our annual golf tournament. You can register for just yourself or as a foursome for you and your buddies!
We will have a full day of golf along the beautiful coast on both the Old and Ocean courses, food and refreshments, exclusive tee prizes, and an unforgettable reception to close out the day. This is one of our most popular charity events and is guaranteed to sell out.
Sponsorships are also available, so you can support your local community by raising funds for our youth development programs while putting your golf skills to the test! This unique event is a fantastic way to impact the lives of our PAL kids while engaging in friendly competition amongst your peers.
Secure your spot in our tournament and register now! You won't want to miss out.
Yamile Cruz
In every newsletter, we will be spotlighting a PAL staff member or volunteer. Without them, our PAL programs would not be as successful as they are.
This month we are spotlighting:
Yamile Cruz, Recreation Specialist
Hello everyone! My name is Yamile Cruz Solorio and I am a Recreation Specialist for PAL. I recently started working for PAL in June and in this short amount of time, I have learned a lot and absolutely love what we do as an organization. Getting involved in the community and helping our local youth is such a rewarding job and I'm grateful for the opportunity!
Currently, I am working on program planning for our Fall classes and I help with PAL outreach activities that take place on evenings or weekends. I have also been setting up new recipes for our cookie club, lesson planning for our knitting class, and also coming up with different arts and craft activities for PAL programs.
A fun fact about myself is that I am currently an Explorer with the San Mateo Police Department, and I hope to one day become a police officer to continue giving back to my community.
PAL's Place Reopens on Sept 5th!
PAL's Place, at the Shoreview Recreation Center, reopens on Tuesday, September 5th! It's a dedicated space for middle schoolers to visit, hang out, play sports, or do homework in the presence of other PAL members. It's a collaborative space with computers, comfortable chairs, PlayStation, and sports equipment to check out for use in the park.
PAL's Place is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 2:00 to 6:00 pm. This awesome place is for PAL members only. Becoming a member is easy, fill out this membership form here. Upon completing your membership form, you can register for the program at any recreation center or on-line using the Activity # 532130.
Feel free to email:
smpal@cityofsanmateo.org or call Laura Sharp at (650) 759-1852 with any questions. Hope to see you there!
Monthly Paw-some Update
Rookie is PAL's Therapy K9. Under the care and watch of Youth Services Officer, Allison Adle, Rookie's duties include comforting victims and witnesses of crime, reducing trauma, increasing wellness, and participating in community outreach particularly involving our youth.
Pictured: Rookie paying his cheese tax! #CheeseTax #DoingHisDuty
To see more pictures of Rookie, follow Rookie's Instagram page @tk9_rookie.
Upcoming Events
Fall 2023 Activity Schedule
Our Fall schedule is available and registration is NOW OPEN! Check out some of our offerings this semester.
You must be an active PAL member in order to register for our classes. To become a member and register for our classes, follow the steps here.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions: smpal@cityofsanmateo.org.
Parks and Recreation - Movies in the Park
Save the dates for upcoming Movies in the Park with the Parks and Recreation Department!
-Friday, Sept 8th at Beresford Park
-Friday, Sept 15th at MLK Jr. Community Park
-Friday, Sept 22nd at Shoreview Park
-Friday, Sept 29th at Central Park
Please visit the Parks and Recreation website for event details and information.
Family Fun Day at the Hillsdale Shopping Center
Save the dates for two upcoming Family Fun Days at the Hillsdale Shopping Center. PAL will be tabling near the North Quad of the mall near Apple.
-Saturday, September 23rd
-Saturday, September 30th
from 11am to 2pm
These events are FREE to attend! Hope to see you there!
Dia De Los Muertos - October 14, 2023
Save the date for our annual
Dia De Los Muertos celebration. There will be fun for the entire family and ALL are welcome to attend!!
Where: King Center
When: Saturday, October 14, 2023
Time: 12pm - 4pm
Cost: FREE
Check Out What Are PAL Kids Are Up To!
Enter for a chance to be featured on our social media!
Email us pictures and videos (past or present) of your child participating in PAL programs or activities for a chance to be featured on our social media. You can email all content to: sanmateopal@cityofsanmateo.org.
Follow our Instagram @sanmateopal and
"Like" our Facebook page @SanMateoPAL!!
