Your Soul Food for the week of Friday August 22, 2025: Local Treasures Hidden in Plain Sight

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

Through the North County Philanthropy Council (NCPC) where I am currently board president, at the end of this month we are running an 8-month Impact Leadership Accelerator for emerging leaders. Sign up Deadline is August 22nd.

As you probably know when budgets are tight it’s typically marketing and leadership development that get cut, but effective storytelling for impact, and equipping our leaders for this BANI (brittle, anxious, non-linear, and incomprehensible) world is precisely what we need to navigate uncertainty and future proof our organizations.

We are looking for a few sponsors to invest in either orgs they care deeply about and perhaps already support, and/or people they believe in.

The total cost for the program is $550 per person and intentionally designed to be accessible and impactful.

Grant Oliphant, CEO of the Prebys Foundation was our first guest speaker, followed by a Women in Leadership panel featuring Krishna Kabra, Beatrice Palmer, and Idara Ogunsaju.

Links to both these webinars as well as more details are available at the link below:

Impact Leadership Accelerator – North County Philanthropy Council

We have 3 cohorts filled and have just a few more slots in case you know of anyone that could benefit from this program at this critical time, run by our leadership committee, headed up by Jim Ristuccia a Vistage chair, along with several seasoned leaders, in both the business and social sectors.

Unique Benefits of this One-Of-A-Kind Leadership Experience:

  • Exclusive opportunities to hear from renowned subject matter experts in the nonprofit space on topics that are very relevant to the current operating environment, with an eye toward building resiliency and capacity for a strong future.
  • In-depth group discussions of topics facilitated by skilled coaches.
  • Peer-to-peer collaborations for sharing knowledge, experiences, advice, and mutual support of one another in meeting your challenges and opportunities.
  • Access to experienced, conscientious coaches for 1:1 assistance throughout the program.
  • Valuable assessments with personalized feedback and insights to identify strengths and opportunities for growth as a leader.
  • Hands-on Capstone Project: a group mastermind project to help a real, local nonprofit solve a specific challenge.
  • free one year-membership in NCPC upon successful completion of the 8-month experience.
  • Opportunity in subsequent years to maintain connection with your cohort and give back to the program as a coach, committee member, or both.

The kickoff session is Aug 27 from 9 to noon at Mission Fed HQ.

See below and please share with your networks too!

  Accelerate your impact—in your career, your organization, and your community—through a transformative leadership experience that delivers lasting results. Offered exclusively by NCPC.   Welcome to a unique leadership development journey tailored to your individual growth. Whether you’re just stepping into leadership or looking to deepen your influence, this program meets you where you are—and helps you go further, faster.   Here’s why Kristian Browning, a participant in last year’s program, found it so beneficial, in her own words:   The Impact Leadership Accelerator gave me exactly what I was looking for—meaningful connections throughout the county and access to impactful mentors who provided ongoing support even after the program ended. More than just skill-building, it offered validation and a steady stream of energy to continue doing meaningful nonprofit work, while creating lasting relationships with mentors like Jim and Adri who continue to provide guidance, recommendations, and networking opportunities that will be invaluable as I advance in my career.   Kristian Browning, Director of Special Projects and Development, SupplyBank.org   Don’t miss the August 27th kickoff of this 8-month leadership development program tailored to nonprofit professionals with a panel discussion on how to —   FUTURE PROOF YOUR CAREER — Build Skills That Endure in Uncertain Times   This discussion will explore practical steps to strengthen your career—focusing on developing leadership skills, expanding expertise across multiple areas, becoming the go-to person in your organization, and nurturing a strong professional network.   Participants will walk away with strategies to grow their influence and resilience, even in turbulent times.    Meet Our Expert Panel:   Trevor Blair, CEO, Blair Search Partners   Sarah Agee, President, Sterling Search Inc.   Dr. Laura Deitrick, Executive Director of The Nonprofit Institute; Professor of Practice; Department of Leadership Studies Program Director   Moderated by Neville Billimoria, NCPC Board President, & SVP Marketing and Membership at Mission Federal Credit Union     Register for the 8-month program now and join us for Day One of this extraordinary journey.   LEARN MORE AND REGISTER »   Join by 8/22 to receive your DISC personal assessment.

Thanks for your consideration and blessings for all you do to make San Diego America’s Kindest and most Purposeful Region!

Love,

Neville

Do You Deserve Some Time for Self-Care and Self-Compassion?

As leaders and practitioners, we often invest substantial energy in serving others, and as a result don’t always attend to our own needs. Here is an opportunity to provide you, and by extension those in your community, with simple and proven energetic techniques- supported by both western science and eastern wisdom traditions- that reduce chronic stress and upskill resilience and fortitude, particularly in times of challenge.

You can register here: https://secure.ncphilanthropy.org/eventReg.jsp?event=150&

This California City Was Just Named the Best Place in the U.S. to Watch the Sunset:
A new ranking crowned a Southern California destination No. 1 for sunset lovers.

This California City Was Just Named the Best Place in the U.S. to Watch the Sunset

New Data Proves It: You Need to Go to More Parties:
The time Americans spend at parties is down 50 percent. That’s terrible for our happiness, health, and careers. It’s the dog days of summer, so our free time should be packed with backyard barbecues, al fresco dinner parties, or lakeside hangs. But if your own social calendar is looking a little bare this year, you are not alone. As journalist and author Derek Thompson reported on his Substack newsletter recently, new data shows Americans are in the depths of a nationwide party recession.

New Data Proves It: You Need to Go to More Parties

The 10 most expensive U.S. metro areas to buy a home–half are in California:
By median price, San Jose, California, is the most expensive metro area for U.S. homebuyers for the second year in a row, per a report from SmartAsset.

The 10 most expensive U.S. metro areas to buy a home

And if that stressed you out…

Why protecting your vagus nerve is key to optimal mental health:
It’s the body’s information superhighway that tells your organs how to rest. What is the vagus nerve? Your brain is connected to your body through a set of 12 crucial nerve networks that descend through your spine and branch out into your body. Of these, the vagus nerve is probably one of the most important. Its tendrils influence digestion, your heart, your reflexes and your breathing. So you can see why scientists are so interested in what the vagus nerve does – especially when you consider how all the above affects your mood.

The vagus nerve: Everything you need to know | BBC Science Focus Magazine

Enjoy more sunsets, have more parties and play it forward!

Love,

Neville

Linked-In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nevillebillimoria
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

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