Ali Ong Lee

My journey with HAF & WRCF began, when I was a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist applying for Angel Funds, when some clients required one-time, small grants to support their unmet health needs.  Conversations with the Angel Fund contact (at the time) Amy Jester led to organizational support and my becoming involved with the Northern California Association of Nonprofits (NorCAN) and what was then the Cascadia Leadership Training.  My HAF & WRCF journey continued when the foundation’s Community Response Team was activated for both the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfire response, recovery, and resiliency requests for supporting residents of the region.

By being part of the team–as Access Consultants and now as a Senior Program Officer: Programs & Community Partnerships—I have the honor of strategically supporting nonprofit agencies, public benefit organizations, charitable organizations, and groups with qualified fiscal sponsors, during times of disaster and blue skies.  I look forward to working more closely with our affiliate Trinity Trust.  I look forward to staying engaged in the earthquake recovery process with the Humboldt Eel River Valley Long-term Recovery Group and Earthquake Disaster Case Management Team.  We continue to collaborate with Habitat for Humanity and the Hope Crisis Response Network to meet Unmet Individual Needs related to the December 20, 2022, earthquake.  We continue to grow and learn about the disaster recovery process; in so doing, we continue to learn about ourselves.  My focus is to prioritize Racial Equity and A Just Economy/Economic Development.  It’s an honor to continue to support north coast resiliency with my HAF & WRCF colleagues and community during these rapidly changing times.