TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Katie Andan, a fifth-grade teacher at La Costa Heights Elementary School, is a 2027 California Teacher of the Year and is the state’s nominee for 2027 National Teacher of the Year. She is the first educator from San Diego County since 2017 to earn this national nomination.
LGBTQ CENTER
Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas) presented the North County LGBTQ Resource Center in Oceanside with a $1 million check earlier this month from the 2026-2027 state budget. The nonprofit will use the money to pay down its mortgage and free up other money to support its services, which include mental health, family, drug and alcohol counseling services, support groups, meals, legal assistance and transitional housing.
FINANCIAL GIFT
Solutions for Change, a Vista-based nonprofit organization that works to end homelessness with services including affordable housing, workforce training, and other personal growth, received a $4.8 million gift from the Goodrich family to help strengthen its financial position. From the gift, more than $2.8 million will go toward first-year needs with a remaining $2 million held for future years.
GRANT AWARDS
The Solana Beach Fund has awarded $20,000 in grants to five nonprofit organizations helping the city’s residents access food, education, senior services and other resources: Solana Beach Community Connections, Community Resource Center, Casa de Amistad, Pathways to Citizenship and Backpacks for Kids. Each organization received $4,000.
BOARD MEMBERS
Promises2Kids, an organization that seeks to aid foster youth with mentoring, camp, funds and other needs, recently welcomed two new members who live in North County to its board of directors: David Fischer, a co-founder and CMO of Independent Financial Group who lives in Del Mar; and Sara Vaz, the Director of Business and Community Collaboration for the College of Business at Cal State San Marcos, who lives in Escondido.
WATER CHAIR
Vista Irrigation District Division 1 Director Marty Miller was elected as the 21st chair of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, becoming the first board chair from San Diego County in Metropolitan’s 100-year history. Miller has represented Division 1, which stretches from Gopher Canyon Road to Vale Terrace Drive, since 2008.
