Winter Quarterly Newsletter

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As the year begins, CALICO continues to stand alongside the children and families of Alameda County, providing safety, support, and hope when it’s needed most. The first months have already been busy, and our team shows up each day with care, professionalism, and dedication to ensure every child who comes through our doors receives a coordinated, trauma-informed response.

As we reflect on the year behind us, we are proud to share that in 2025, CALICO served 841 children and caregivers across our community. Behind each number is a family met with compassion, dignity, and the reassurance that they did not have to navigate a difficult moment alone.

The new year has also brought meaningful leadership transitions for our Board of Directors.

We are proud to share that Kelsi Perttula is now serving as Board President. Since joining the Board in 2021, and most recently serving as Board Treasurer, Kelsi has played an important role in helping guide CALICO’s financial oversight and long-term planning. She cares deeply about this work and about ensuring CALICO remains strong and sustainable for the children and families we serve.

We are also pleased to announce that Edward “Eddie” Vieira Ducey, who joined the Board in 2024, is now serving as Board Vice President. Eddie has quickly become a strong addition to our board, and we appreciate his willingness to step into this leadership role as we continue strengthening our work across Alameda County. We still have Board vacancies; see more information below!

Our Circle of Support

We are grateful for the incredible generosity of our community.

This holiday season, Antonio Bonuan, a student at Castro Valley High School, collected over $500 from friends and family to provide stuffed animals for the children who visit CALICO. Growing up visiting CALICO with his mother, former Family Advocate Jennifer Co, Antonio wanted to give back and ensure kids felt supported during difficult times. His dedication brought smiles to many young faces. It's a wonderful reminder of how our community helps brighten the lives of the children we serve.

We sincerely thank Leadership Fremont, a Program of the Fremont Chamber of Commerce, for choosing CALICO as the focus of their community impact project. Leadership Fremont brings together local professionals committed to strengthening and serving the Fremont community, and each year participants take on a project designed to create meaningful, lasting change.

This year, they are fundraising to update CALICO’s bathrooms. Having a comfortable, welcoming space, even for a few quiet moments, can make a real difference for the children and families we serve, as well as for our staff during challenging days.

It has been an absolute pleasure working alongside this dedicated group. We are deeply thankful for their thoughtfulness and hard work, and we are looking forward to the project beginning in the coming weeks.

STANDING OVATION

A Milestone Moment for an Exceptional Advocate

This quarter, we are excited to celebrate Alexis Taper, who joined CALICO as a Family Advocate in January 2022. It has been such a joy to watch her grow into a confident and compassionate advocate for the families we serve.

Last December, Alexis reached an incredible milestone she worked so hard for: she earned her Master’s in Public Administration. She continues to grow in her leadership and public service, all while showing up with care, thoughtfulness, and support. Alexis has a remarkable ability to comfort parents and caregivers in crisis, helping them feel seen, heard, and supported during some of their most difficult moments.

Since joining CALICO, Alexis has made a real difference in the lives of families she works with every day. We are so grateful for her contributions and can’t wait to see all that she accomplishes next.

OUR SEASON IN ACTION - WINTER EDITION

In December, CALICO was thrilled to host our annual Holiday Gift Shop. The CALICO Holiday Gift Shop brings joy to many of the children and families in need that CALICO served over 2025. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we were able to provide toys and gifts to families who might otherwise have gone without.

We are incredibly grateful to the Newark Police Department, Alameda County Sheriff’s Department, Emeryville Police Department, and the Altamira Club for collecting toys and supporting this effort. A special thank you also goes to the Special Victims Unit at the Oakland Police Department, the Center for Child Protection at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, and a dedicated member of Delta Kappa Gamma-Alpha Omega Chapter for rolling up their sleeves and helping us wrap gifts.

We truly couldn’t have done it without all of you! Your generosity and partnership helped make the holidays a little brighter for the children and families we serve.

CACC CORNER

Children’s Advocacy Centers of California (CACC) provides guidance, training, and resources to 48 member centers across the state, helping ensure every child’s needs remain the priority.

At the start of the year, CACC faced uncertainty about its primary federal grant, the funding that supports more than 96% of its work. Today, we’re excited to share that they are fully funded for 2026!

Learn more about CACC’s work and their journey by the image.

EXCITED TO LEAD

Hi! I'm Kelsi Perttula, and I am so honored to serve as CALICO's Board President. CALICO's mission is so essential to children who have experienced abuse, and I'm so proud to be part of this relatively small non-profit organization that serves every referred child that enters its doors. CALICO has gone through big changes in the five years I have been on the board. I look forward to growing CALICO's

CALICO is so grateful for its dedicated support network. In today's challenging fundraising environment, we are looking for people who care about CALICO who would consider serving as a board member or be a founding member of CALICO development committee to increase our fundraising impact. If you are interested in helping out, please email me at boardpresident@calicocenter.org.

Thank you for supporting CALICO!

UNTIL NEXT TIME

As we move further into 2026, we are reminded every day that this work is truly a community effort. CALICO is stronger because of the collective commitment of those who believe in protecting children and strengthening our community. Thank you for the many ways you show up through your partnership, generosity, advocacy, and trust. Your support makes it possible for us to continue providing a safe, child-focused response to abuse in Alameda County. We are honored to do this work alongside you and look forward to building on this momentum in the months ahead.

With gratitude,

Nadia Bueno

Executive Director

Kelsi Perttula

Board President