Linda Vista Community Garden Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

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Since 2011, Bayside's Environmental Learning Center has helped spearhead and support legislation that has resulted in the increase of urban agriculture throughout our region. Our team has helped support and develop more than a dozen community, backyard, and school gardens throughout the region including the Linda Vista Community Garden now located at the Linda Vista Community Park, 7064 Levant Street, San Diego, CA 92111.

On June 8,2024 we celebrated the grand opening of the largest of these urban agricultural spaces in Linda Vista since the neighborhoods original development in the 1940’s.

In addition to being the first community garden in San Diego to make use of urban agriculture policy that Bayside helped to develop, this 14,000 square foot or ⅓ of an acre public use space features community rental plots, an outdoor classroom to support enrichment learning, and a native-plant pollinator garden. Older adults also have access to communal garden plots to grow and harvest together alongside the rest of the community.

We hope you enjoy the various pictures and video excerpts of the days events!

2024 Bocce Ball Tournament Recap

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On Friday, August 2 we were excited to host our second ever Bayside Bocce Ball Tournament at the Little Italy Amici Park! The bocce courts are adjacent to the historic, original site of our center at 250 W. Date Street. We were glad to see so many come out and enjoy this fun and traditional Italian field game with us. Proceeds and donations from this event support our continued work to empower diverse communities throughout San Diego.

We owe our thanks to this year’s event sponsors Molina Healthcare, the University of San Diego, and San Diego Mesa College Foundation. We also want to thank the Amici Bocce Club, Convivio, and Jack Pecoraro for their special support of this fun annual event. Because of their combined support, 10 teams comprised of San Diegans from all over the county, and Bayside volunteers and board of directors, as well as institutional partners were able to participate in this year’s tournament.

We also want to thank Danny Moceri and Romantic Sounds of the Past for the fantastic live music, photographer Kevin Raquidan (@kevrockydon) for capturing the energy and excitement of the day, and all of our guests who came out to watch the games and enjoy delicious pizza from Mona Lisa Italian Foods! Fun fact: Mona Lisa's founders met in 1950 while attending English classes at Bayside!

Enjoy the many pictures and video of the game winning throw below.

Meet the Teams

Our congratulations go to this year’s winning team and defending champions of the 2023 bocce tournament, the Bayside Board! Also of note, runner-up team, New Kids on the Bocce, won second place and was awarded the Little Italy gift basket.

The Bayside board, two-time tournament winners

New kids on the bocce, 2024 runners-up

Event Recap Pictures

Watch this year’s game winning throw!

Stay tuned for information about our third annual bocce ball tournament in 2025!

Bayside Staff Receives Recognition for Impact in Linda Vista

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Amy Zink, Woman of Distinction

On Tuesday, March 19, the City of San Diego gave Amy the recognition she deserves at the annual Women of Distinction Award. According to the City of San Diego, this “...ceremony was initiated by Mayor [Todd] Gloria three years ago to recognize exceptional women in San Diego and to thank them for what they do to make the City a better place for all of us.” Amy was one of ten women across the City honored at the event. She was nominated for the award by Linda Councilmember Raul Campillo (D7), who specifically pointed to her “pivotal role in revitalizing the Linda Vista Community Garden, leveraging her expertise in program development, community engagement and urban farming practices.” She is at the forefront of making systemic changes to improve our food systems and address food insecurity. Read the City’s full press release by clicking here. 

Thank you, Councilmember Campillo, for recognizing the groundbreaking work that Amy is leading!

Tomasa Velediaz, Public Health Champion

On Friday, April 5, the County of San Diego honored Tomasa at the 2024 Live Well San Diego 23rd Annual Public Health Champions Award Ceremony. This year’s theme was “Protecting, Connecting, and Thriving: We Are All Public Health.” As a Community Advocate, Tomasa is at the forefront of addressing public health issues in Linda Vista. This includes her leading and frontline work in the Resident Leadership Academy, the Leaders in Action, food distributions, home food deliveries and wellness checks, Senior Lunch Program, community gardening, Tiny Gardens program, Financial Literacy workshops, and Linda Vista Community Cleanups. She is a leader of the leaders, and a true staple of the Linda Vista community. Read more about the county’s ceremony by clicking here. 

Thank you, Live Well San Diego, for honoring our Tomasa! 

Literacy Gaps Reduced in Half a Year

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Students enrolled in Bayside’s Academic Club, an after-school literacy support program, show promising signs of reducing and eliminating literacy gaps. On average, students new to our program began the school year reading 1 to 2.73 years behind grade level. By the middle of the school year, these same students have reduced their literacy gaps by an average of 11%.

Initial reading level gaps among new students.

New student progress after 90 days of enrollment in the Academic Club.

Former students returning to our program for a second or third year demonstrated similar results. In the beginning of the school year, returning students were anywhere from .84 to 1.93 years behind the expected reading level for their grade. While a few of our returning students were reading at or slightly above their grade level, they still wanted to improve their reading abilities. Now, after more than 90 days of instruction by our Academic Club team, students who returned to our program have continued to reduce their literacy gaps by an average 47%.

Initial reading level gaps among returning students.

Reading level gaps among returning students after 90 days of Academic Club instruction.

Program founder, Adam Osorio, attributes the success to, “understanding the support and instruction that each of our students need. Using a student-centered, data-driven model is essential for our team to help close the literacy gaps.”

Another factor contributing to the rapid progress Academic Club students demonstrate is the supportive network of parents, family, teachers, and school site staff. Our team works to bring all of these key players together in understanding and providing for our students needs during every part of their day and week.

“Building a strong connection with the students, their families, and school site staff which allows our team unique opportunities to fill student needs in a well rounded way. Without the frequent and fluid communication we wouldn’t know what our students really need in order to be successful in the classroom,” comments Program Coordinator, Nina Aguele.

She adds, “Our students are hard working and determined. But, unfortunately, we know that those qualities alone are not enough to succeed. Family support it massively important to student progress and we’re thankful for the participation and support we’ve seen from parents this year. We are also very thankful for the generous support of our school site parters at Kit Carson, Linda Vista, and Encanto Elementary this year.”

We are so proud of the hard work and efforts our students, their families, and our school partners have made to support academic achievement. And we look forward to even more progress to come in the second half of the 2021-22 school year. It is our hope that our student-centered, data-driven program will continue to be a fun and effective way to empower students and improve the quality of life for many more students in the coming years.

Meet Nadia Arambula- Visionary, Entrepreneur, and Leader

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Nadia Arambula is the Director of Ballet Folklorico El Tapatio de San Dieguito based out of Linda Vista. Her rich and colorful history with the art of Ballet Folklorico led her to establish her renowned dance ensemble in the heart of Linda Vista, Bayside Community Center, in 2008. Nadia's commitment to her community, her talent at the beloved traditional Mexican dance, and her business savvy found a perfect match in Bayside’s Community Supported Micro-Enterprise Program. She and her ensemble have come a long way since then, but there's more yet to come in the future for Nadia and her group.

Here is Nadia to tell us more about Ballet Folklorico El Tapatio de San Dieguito (BFETdeSD):

Why did you start BFETdeSD? Tell us about your roots.

I started BFET as a result of one of my dreams I had since I was young. That dream was to have my own Ballet Folklorico group through which I can share the richness, diversity, and colorfulness of Mexican Ballet Folklorico. I wanted to share this art especially with the youth so they can experience joy throughout dance. I never planned nor thought that my dream would become a reality, not in my country, but in the United States!  

Above: Before founding her dance ensemble, Nadia and her daughter perform alone.

Above: Nadia and her group before their first official performance at the Linda Vista Multi-Cutural Fair in 2009.

 Tell us about your vision for BFET.

My vision for BFETdeSD is big! First of all, I really want us to have our own dance studio with enough space for my dancers and I to freely dance through our choreographies. We also want this studio to be equipped with the necessary tools - dance wood floor, mirrors, sound system, color lights, and a big closet for our attires and accessories. Also, we want to have our own bus so we can all go together in the same vehicle to the performances. This would be a huge help to my students’ parents, especially to those with no cars, and those wanting to save on gas. Another vision we have is to expand our performances beyond San Diego, reaching audiences that still are not familiar with Mexican Ballet Folklorico. 

Lastly, my personal vision is for this group is to continue on for generations! Actually, that is why I started delegating and mentoring my experienced students so they can continue with this group when my time teaching comes to an end.    

Since founding BFETdeSD, Nadia has gone on to expand the group to encompas many age groups and experience levels. The group can still be found practicing in private homes, local institutions and, during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, in public parks. With the support of Encinitas Friends of the Arts, Nadia has also gone on to launch a second dance troop, Ballet Folklorico San Diegito, based out of Encinitas.

What does it mean to you to be an artist and a teacher?

Above: Nadia, age 5, performing in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Being an artist and a teacher is everything to me! I am a dancer, rhythm and dance are in my genes! Before knowing what Ballet Folklrico is, I danced.  My mom says that when I was little, I used to wear her long skirts and high-heel shoes to dance to the Mexican music she listened to. So when I was five years old, my parents enrolled me in Ballet Folklorico. Since then, I've been practicing this art.

My role as a teacher started early, when I was nine years old, my teacher knew that I practiced Ballet Folklorico. She asked me to teach my classmates, so we could all perform for the whole school and parents; I accepted, and we all performed for them on Mother's Day that year! 

Above: Nadia, age 10, performs alongside classmates that she helped instruct.

Above: In between takes for a recent Petco Park promotional video, Nadia takes a moment to continue training her daughter and other advanced students for their role as teachers with her group.

What would you like other people to know about BFET?

I would like other people to know that behind this creation, there is a bittersweet history to tell. There have been challenges, disappointment, fears; but also accomplishments, great satisfactions; and most importantly, I want them to know that there are a lot of people that make these creations possible. Dancers, parents, friends, and the two organizations: Encinitas Friends of the Arts, and Bayside Community Center.  

In addition to her role as a performer and instructor, Nadia is also a leader and role model in her neighborhood. As a graduate from Bayside’s Resident Leadership Academy (RLA), she has learned many practical ways to get involved in improving her community both at the grassroots level and with institutional partners. Nadia has co-taught multiple cohorts of Bayside’s Youth RLA, she continues to support Bayside’s Leaders in Action along with several of her dance students, and she cultivates Bayside’s Co-Op garden along with her daugher. All around, Nadia’s example exemplifies Bayside’s vision of a civicly engaged, culturally responsive, entrepenuer and leader.

For more information about booking a performance or, enrollment in either, Ballet Folklorico El Tapatio in San Diego (ages 7+), or Ballet Folklorico de San Diegito in Encinitas (ages 4-6 only), pleaes visit www.balletfolkloricoeltapatio.com. For more information about how to get involved and improve your community please visit www.baysidecc.org/get-involved or email us at baysideinfo@baysidecc.org.

Our Impact in 2021

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We are excited to share a few of our amazing accomplishments in 2021. Check out our short recap video and keep reading to learn about the big impact we had last year.

SERVICES

Our team reconized how it important it was to meet the immediate needs of our diverse community. That’s why we continued to serve hundreds of families through our emergency food distribution programs. We also hosted multiple vaccine clinics throughout the year in collaboration with the County and City of San Diego, so that the most vulnerable among us and those without regular access to medical care could get the care they needed.

30,140 pounds of produce

harvested throughout San Diego County and distributed through Bayside to the community in Linda Vista, a federally-defined food desert.

14,922 emergency food boxes

were distributed through our weekly walk-up and drive-through food distributions.

797 home deliveries

of emergency food boxes and meals were made to homebound seniors and others who face significant mobility challenges.

After months of hybrid work, we reopened our offices to the public in July 2021. Since then, we have not experienced a single case of transmission or outbreak of COVID-19 while providing our services and programs. This is in large part due to the proactive adjustments to our activities to prioritize the health and well being of our staff, volunteers, partners, clients, and community. We felt that these changes were especially important because of the exceptionally vulnerable populations that we work with including elderly adults and youth.

Additionally, we have hosted three vaccine clinics that helped over 100 individuals to further protect themselves during this pandemic.

“I am incredibly proud of the flexibility and determination of our whole team to ensure that every person who works with Bayside remains safe and healthy.”
— Rose Ceballos, Director of Programs and Operations

EDUCATION

Additionally, we created new educational opportunities for more students and more families. This included the expansion of our after-school literacy support program to a third school site and the creation of two new garden-based programs. We also graduated two Resident Leadership Academy cohorts, working with 19 graduates to address community-identified challenges. 

339 hours of student instruction

across three school sites including a four-week summer intercession program.

25% reduction in literacy gaps

among the 89 students enrolled in our after-school literacy support program, the Academic Club.

214 students

from 33 different schools across San Diego County were provided with backpacks and school supplies during the summer.

Education extends beyond school. In January, we kicked off our first cohort of Tiny Gardens; an interactive, 10 month, training program that equiped and tought families how to grow their own produce at home using minimal porch or yard space.

“Before growing our own vegetables, my kids would not eat them. Now that we grow our own lettuce, cucumbers, and other vegetables, my kids love to eat them.”
— Magdalena, Tiny Gardens student

And in the summer, we introduced our Garden Therapy program at Montgomery Middle School in partnership with San Diego Unified School District to teach students how to benefit from the restorative practices of gardening and mindfulness. We look forward to continuing both of these educational programs in 2022 in support of students and residents of all ages.

ADVOCACY

Our mission to empower our diverse community to improve its quality of life would not be complete with advocating for and alongside San Diego residents. That’s why our team worked at both grassroots and institutional levels to help create needed changes.

$12,000 dollars

raised by Bayside to support the development of a community garden in Linda Vista including a generous $5,000 investment by the Linda Vista Town Council.

Over 1,800 pounds

of litter and debris were removed from our city’s streets by over 200 volunteers as a result of our monthly community clean-ups.

19 resident leaders

were trained through our Resident Leadership Program including 8 students from the University of San Diego’s Nursing Program.

CELEBRATING 90 YEARS

In 2022, we will not only continue to expand our work but we are excited to celebrate our 90th anniversary as an organization. We hope that you will join us in honoring nine decades of empowering our diverse San Diego community!

Founded in 1932 to meet the immediate needs of immigrant fisherman and their families in Little Italy, Bayside has a long and rich history of empowering our city’s diverse community. For the last 90 years, Bayside has remained committed to its mission and has adapted to the dynamic needs of the region and its population as the  organization expanded to other neighborhoods beyond Little Italy.

We hope that you will join us for a variety of celebrations in 2022 as we honor nine decades of service to our diverse San Diego community.

All of the amazing work that we accomplished in 2021 would not have been possible without the financial support from donors, sponsors, partners, and stakeholders like you. Thank you for all of your wonderful support!

Because of contributions like yours we are able to meet the immediate needs of those who require our services when and where they needed it most. In addition, your donations allowed our team to expand programs that have had a proven impact across our diverse San Diego community, as well as to develop new programs that teach critical skills.

This dynamic and flexible approach to addressing the challenges of 2021 will continue to empower our diverse community to improve its quality of life in 2022. Thank you for all that you do. We look forward to celebrating our 90th anniversary with you soon!