Mission Beach Women’s Club is celebrating a century of philanthropy in the Mission Bay area on Nov. 7 with an open house in its historic clubhouse.
The Saturday program will highlight 100 years of community involvement and accomplishment from 2-6 p.m. at 840 Santa Clara Place in Mission Beach.
The free community event commemorates the club’s founding in 1926 and will give neighbors, community partners, and members past and present a chance to tour the clubhouse and celebrate the organization’s long history of service on Mission Bay.
The nonprofit with over 100 members fundraises year-round supporting the beach community. Over the past century, the club has granted more than $1 million to local nonprofits while working to meet community needs.
President Mary Bradstreet said Mission Beach Women’s Club’s purpose has never wavered.
“Our mission remains the same today as in the beginning,” Bradstreet said. “The women of this club have shown what a small group of neighbors can accomplish when they commit to serving their community. We are dedicated not only to charitable giving and community service but also to educational enrichment and social activities. We have made a profound difference to other nonprofits in our community and have improved the lives of many underserved individuals.”
Bradstreet’s sentiment that the club has real staying power and appeal was echoed by colleague Cordelia Mendoza, who noted the club is anchored by its historic clubhouse. “We’re proud of that little cottage on the bay. It’s a little gem,” Mendoza said. “It’s just a great place, and people love to have special events there.”
The women’s philanthropy club takes many forms. Each week, the club employs unsheltered individuals from Shoreline Community Services’ Community Care Crew in Pacific Beach to help maintain its clubhouse and grounds.
Through its annual philanthropy grant program, the club has awarded more than $100,000 in the past two years to local organizations and is currently accepting grant requests. Schools and nonprofit organizations may also use the clubhouse venue free for their events, while proceeds from private rentals — including weddings and other celebrations — are donated back to the community.
Mission Beach Women’s Club also holds regular food drives and donates toys, computers, and clothing to needy children, along with assisting the unsheltered. Each November, the club’s SOS Campaign ships hundreds of care packages to servicewomen stationed aboard ships and overseas, timed to arrive by Veterans Day.
Through a partnership with I Love A Clean San Diego, Mission Beach Women’s Club has adopted the Santa Clara Point beach and park areas, helping keep the surrounding shoreline clean for the community.
Bradstreet noted the women’s club’s centennial isn’t just a celebration of the past.
“It’s a renewal of our promise to keep giving back for the next 100 years,” she said. “We invite our neighbors, our partners, and everyone who has ever been touched by this club’s work to join us on Nov. 7 as we celebrate together.”
The Centennial Open House is free and open to the public. Guests are invited to tour the clubhouse, learn about the club’s history and current philanthropic initiatives, and meet the members who carry its mission forward.
