Native Plant & Pollinator Workshop

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For more than four years, Bayside Community Center has worked in partnership with San Diego Foundation's Growing Green Spaces, the County of San Diego, and Urban Collaborative Project on implementing projects that advance the County's Regional Decarbonization Framework. Whether it's increasing biodiversity, improving air quality, reducing urban heat impacts or modeling climate-appropriate landscaping practices in Linda Vista - we are committed to environmental justice and especially in urban neighborhoods like Linda Vista. 

That is why we were excited to continue the Community Climate Conversation (CCC) in 2026, starting with the "CCCI: Shelter the Stop Workshop" in May that focused on advocating for shade and amenities at public transit stops. San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (SDMTS) provided an excellent presentation on bus stop amenities, and then gathered community feedback from the nearly 40 attendees. That conversation continued and expanded at the "CCCII: Native Plants and Pollinators Workshop" held in August at Advancing Students Forward (ASF). ASF is a fellow nonprofit in Linda Vista that proudly hosts one of the three gardens that Bayside manages and operates in the neighborhood. 

The Native Plants and Pollinators Workshop was a hit! It was the first of two such events that were held at ASF this fall through which community members learned the importance of native plants and pollinators, the environmental benefits, and the steps needed to install their own such green spaces. The presentation was facilitated by Living Earth Native Gardens, a local business with expertise in native plants and pollinators. Nearly 30 people attended, including intergenerational families ranging from elementary-aged youth up through senior citizens, as well as members of both the Leaders in Action and Linda Vista Youth Leaders. 

The program then shifted to a hands-on activity where attendees designed their ideal native plant and pollinator habitat and submitted their drawings. The community's feedback will be incorporated into a redesign of ASF's front yard, which will serve as an interactive natural habitat for community members to experience. At the follow-up workshop later this fall, participants will not only help install the new garden design, but they will also receive plants and ongoing technical support to implement their own gardens at home, thus extending the project's impact beyond the ASF garden site.

We are very thankful for our partners for their support in making this event a success: Advancing Students Forward, Living Earth Native Gardens, Urban Collaborative Project, County of San Diego, and San Diego Foundation. And a special thanks to SDMTS, whose staff were available at the CCCII workshop in August to close the loop regarding on-going conversations with the community about local bus stop improvements.

Keep an eye out for updates on the follow up CCC workshop at ASF later this fall!

3rd Annual Bocce Ball Tournament Recap

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Friday, August 8, 2025 | Little Italy, San Diego

Bayside Community Center hosted its 3rd annual Bocce Ball Tournament Fundraiser at the historic Amici Park Bocce Ball Courts. Congratulations to New Kidz on the Bocce for bringing home the championship, and Cal-Vets for their second place finish. A few highlights from the tournament below:

  • Eight teams participated with more than 40 players.

  • Congressmember Sara Jacobs stopped by, gave opening remarks, and played!

  • Live music was provided by the one-and-only Danny Moceri with Sounds of the Past.

  • We enhanced the spectator experience this year by adding Bayside Cornhole and a Scavenger Hunt with opportunity drawings for the winners.

  • Bayside’s storied past was on full display with the tournament being hosted on the grounds where Bayside was founded 93 years ago. Check out Bayside’s 90th Anniversary Documentary video here to learn more. 

This event was made possible by the following sponsors: Molina Healthcare (Platinum Sponsor), San Diego Mesa College Foundation (Gold Sponsor), University of San Diego (Gold Sponsor), Bayside Board of Directors (Gold Sponsor), and in-kind sponsorship from Convivio, Amici Bocce, and Jack Pecoraro.

Congratulations again to our tournament winners and to all the participants. Looking forward to seeing you all at Bayside’s 4th Annual Bocce Tournament in 2026!

Some photos provided by KRD Photography (@KevRockyDon).

Back to School with Bayside

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Thursday, July 31, 2025 | Linda Vista Farmer’s Market

Bayside Community Center was proud to host their annual back-to-school distribution which was a huge success! This event was made possible by many donors, partner organizations, funders, and community volunteers, including Linda Vista’s very own Leaders in Action.

More than 175 students representing 35 schools countywide were able to choose their backpacks and school supplies for their upcoming academic year. Of that, nearly two thirds of students came from schools in Linda Vista while other students came from as far as Poway, La Jolla, and Encanto. What a reach!

This annual distribution is so important to hold in a low-income community like Linda Vista. These students now have the confidence to show up to class on the first day with the tools they need to succeed. They are prepared to be the best version of themselves, to perform well academically, and to enjoy their time at school.

If you weren’t able to stop by last week, there’s still ways to support! With school starting on August 11, we have one week left to raise our final $395 to reach our $5,000 Back-to-School fundraising goal. Donate before school starts and make your impact today!

Celebrating International Women's Day 2025

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In recognition of the inherent value and strength of the women in our community, Bayside is proud to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2025. 

Women are the backbone of Bayside, making up 75% of our Board of Directors, 86% of our staff, and an estimated 70% of our clientele base. We regularly work to empower the women of Linda Vista to be leaders in the community to acquire the long-term skills to become active and engaged in their community as they address systemic challenges facing the neighborhood (e.g., food insecurity, affordable housing, park safety and security). For other clients, the road to empowerment begins with assistance in meeting basic physical, emotional, and social needs (e.g., case management, food distributions).

As we gear up for International Women’s Day, we’d like to share the experiences of women who have benefited from Bayside’s services, educational programs, and advocacy.

SERVICES

According to the American Center for Progress, women are more likely to live in poverty than men and these patterns are exacerbated by race, ethnicity, and age. Here in Linda Vista, women make up 70% of Bayside clients who utilize various social service programs.

Irene is one such client who says, "I like coming to Bayside because of the services that they make available to address whatever need people have."

Food insecurity is a problem that has a disproportionate impact on women. According to the American Medical Women's Association, "Among the women who reported more severe abuse (51% of the sample), the investigators compared recent reporters (abuse in 12 months prior to interview) and past reporters, and found that 35.7 and 26.5 %, respectively, reported food insufficiency in the past year. The results of this study presented a principal correlation between food insufficiency and domestic violence."

Thi is just one of the hundreds of Linda Vista women who have made use of Bayside's emergency food distribution as a means of addressing food insecurity. She says, "it's very important to have Bayside's food distribution program, especially for low-income families. Without the food distribution they couldn't afford to buy good, healthy food for family and we'd have to eat whatever we could afford."

The challenges that women face are exacerbated with age. For example, a 2021 Census Bureau study found that women 75 years or older were 30% more likely to be widows than men of the same age. This often results in increased emotional, mental, and financial hardships.

Dinh is one of many Bayside seniors who enjoys hot, nutritious meals at Bayside alongside the invigorating company of other community members. Regarding her experiences with Bayside's senior programs, Dinh says, “I would be very sad if I did not join the Senior Lunch at Bayside. I would not have the motivation to eat healthy and nutritious food if I did not join Senior Lunch, too. Coming to Bayside, I am welcomed warmly and taken care of like a family member. My health has improved and I feel more optimistic about life. Thank you, Bayside, for having healthy lunches every day for the seniors.”

EDUCATION

According to the World Literacy Foundation, "Girls face a greater risk of illiteracy than their male peers. Approximately 496 million adult women worldwide cannot read and write – this is 2/3 of the illiterate population around the world. The long-term impact of this is staggering. From reducing infant mortality, increasing women’s agency, leadership skills, and employment, it is imperative that girls access literacy. "

Sherleen entered our Academic Club afterschool program reading below grade level and, within months was able to not only close her reading level gap but actually began reading above her grade level!

Regarding her experiences in the English as a Second Language (ESL) classes hosted at Bayside, Tinh says, "I joined Bayside's ESL class because I wanted to learn English well and communicate with other people. I really wish there were more English classes so everyone could have the opportunity to learn English well."

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, "Women are responsible for roughly half of the world’s food production, and in many countries they produce between 60 and 80 percent of the food. Yet globally, the prevalence of food insecurity is higher among women than men." Bayside is proud to help local women learn the skills necessary to overcome these challenges.

Diana, a Linda Vista resident, mother, and graduate of Bayside's Tiny Garden program says, "Tiny Gardens is an important program because it gives you the guidance and confidence that, no matter what your space is, you can grow your own food. Bayside gave us the supplies that opened our world to new crops and new possibilities."

She adds, "before the class I never knew about different soil types, I just thought that dirt was dirt. I knew I could start the plants but I didn't know what to do next, I didn't know how to harvest them or what signs to look for so I wasn't able to really benefit from them. It was really nice to come full circle and see the products of my labor."

ADVOCACY

According to Forbes magazine, while the call for female leadership has increased, "Women remain underrepresented in political offices, particularly at the local government level. Despite making up more than half the U.S. population, women account for only 31% of state legislative seats, less than 30% of mayoral positions and hold just 26% of elected county offices nationwide, according to the Center for American Women and Politics,"

Meet Tomasa who graduated from Bayside's Resident Leadership Academy in 2013 and who says, "This program is important because you learn how to be a leader, how to work with the community, and most importantly you make connections with representatives that you couldn't make otherwise." Since 2020, Tomasa has worked as a Community Advocate for Bayside Community Center and has been instrumental in developing projects throughout the neighborhood including but not limited to community clean-up events, community gardens, and the re-establishment of the Linda Vista Farmers' Market. Tomasa was also recognized by the City of San Diego as a Public Health Champion in 2024. Learn more about Tomasa's development as a Linda Vista leader here.

Forbes magazine also reports, "More women are starting businesses, but they still face challenges operating their businesses. The number of women entrepreneurs is on the rise. Regardless of the positive outcomes, women are struggling to survive in the business environment given the challenges they face."

Nadia, founder and lead instructor of Ballet Folklorico El Tapatio states, "If it wasn't for Bayside, I don't know what would have happened with my business. I started with five dancers and Bayside Community Center helped me, guided me, and gave me the tools to enhance my business." Nadia's business has now grown to include two locations, over 56 individual dancers of all ages, and has gained much recognition for performances throughout San Diego County. Learn more about Nadia's development as am entrepreneur and leader here.

Donate to support the women of linda vista

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!