It is our philosophy that people are born givers. We believe that they are innately interested in helping those in need and giving back, however, find it difficult to know how or where to begin. That is why it is our vision to provide access to opportunities that encourage people into action. In order to do that, we find partner organizations in need of volunteers, spread awareness in our community, create meaningful projects and actively engage with participants in these organizations. Through this process, we have been able to touch thousands of lives in meaningful ways. We believe that every person we touch, touches another, and in turn continues the ripple effect of growing our community of givers. We have found that this formula affects both the recipient and the giver, which in turn enables our community to feel motivated to continue to mobilize each other to live a life of giving.
Mobilizing the Community to Live a Life of Giving
Mobilizing the Community to Live a Life of Giving
Meet Lisa Kodimer
Watch The origin story
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Connecting a Caring Community is truly a story about how one person can change the lives of so many.
Co-founder and Executive Director
meet our executive director
Connecting a Caring Community is truly a story about how one person can change the lives of so many.
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Meet Lisa Kodimer
Watch The origin story
Connecting a Caring Community is truly a story about how one person can change the lives of so many.
Co-founder and Executive Director
meet our founder
CCC is truly a story about how one person can change the lives of so many. In 2011, Lisa Kodimer’s son Kole came up with an idea of starting a special needs baseball league at Westhills Baseball. Lisa went into high gear, and together with her 11 year old son, started Westhills Champions, which created an opportunity for children regardless of their ability to be able to play baseball. One of the ball players was Chase, a young boy with special needs. His parents, Richelle and Brandt Blanken, connected with Lisa and found that they had shared values and visions about giving back.
While it was Westhills Champions that brought them together, Lisa and the Blankens understood that there was much work to be done to unite communities in the spirit of giving. It was the Blanken’s and Lisa’s hope that they would be able to enrich and engage the community through compassion, kindness, giving, leadership and connection. Through this spark of inspiration, Connecting a Caring Community was born.
Their first program, called “Connecting With Moms,” took place in 2016. It was a group of 10 moms who wanted to learn about giving back. This program has grown to 10 programs of Women, Men, Teens, Young Adults with Special Needs and Companies, and over 200 volunteers each month who go out into the community and do give back projects.
Through this spark of inspiration, Connecting a Caring Community was born.
Lisa's story
CCC grew out of Lisa’s long history of changing people’s lives
Lisa Kodimer is the co-founder of the non-profit organization, Connecting a Caring Community. CCC grew out of Lisa’s long history of changing people’s lives. After 17 years of owning her successful boutique, Kodi & Co., in the San Fernando Valley, Lisa closed shop and found her real purpose…GIVING BACK! She has taken what she learned as a businesswoman--trust, loyalty, determination, and the ability to connect with others--into the world of philanthropy. Lisa also founded Good Deeds in Motion, with the inspiration coming from years spent volunteering in the community and developing Westhills Champions, a special needs baseball program that first started as her son’s bar mitzvah project. Westhills Champions Baseball engages over 75 special needs children, inspiring over 200 teen volunteers and others within the community.
our board
Meet the people that make it happen.
Lisa Kodimer
Co-founder and Executive Director
Jeff Singer
President
Joy Prefer Cohen
Vice President
Cheryl Kramer
Secretary
NEIL COHEN
TREASURER
RICK BAER
BOARD MEMBER
GABRIELLE CLAYMAN
BOARD MEMBER
SHEBA GROBSTEIN
Board Member
JANET HELLER
Board Member
RALPH LACHER
Board Member
Jennifer Lopata
Board Member
DEBBI MOLNAR
Board Member
Marc Reiser
Board Member
Minette Rubin
Board Member
David Siegel
Board Member
Marty Goldstein
Board Member
Marty Goldstein
Board Member
Linda Smith
Board Member
Forever in our hearts and their impact will never be forgotten.
Linda Smith
our Staff
PHYLLIS SHINBANE
ASSOCIATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Nancy Reiser
Program Coordinator
Robin Felton
Facilitator, Connecting with Friends
Dr. Sharon Lavin
Facilitator, Connecting with Teens
None of this would be possible if not for the unwavering efforts of CCC's founder, Lisa Kodimer, who has an obvious passion and commitment to "giving back" to underserved individuals and their families. CCC provides hope, resources and a venue to inspire and to be inspired, connecting caring individuals to a grateful community of special participants and their families.
CCC provides hope, resources and a venue to inspire and to be inspired.
Kind Words
Jennifer Lopata - Owner of Synergy Academics
UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital is so grateful to work with Connecting a Caring Community. We see many organizations, and I can say with certainty, it is rare to find a group of people who are truly looking to help where needed - whether the need is large or small. CCC is one of those unique organizations who just "get it" when it comes to hospitalized kids and their families. We are constantly blown away by the generosity and the humble nature by which they do business. We are proud to call CCC our partner.
CCC is one of those unique organizations who just "get it." We are proud to call CCC our partner.
Kelli Carroll, MS, CCLS - Director, Chase Child Life Program
UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital
Your contribution helps us create unique and meaningful give back opportunities for our participants AND a portion of your donation goes right back to support our projects and partner organizations. Whether it is serving a meal to the homeless, bringing a “bubbly Mother’s Day brunch” to moms of hospitalized children, providing dorm room essentials for over 100 youth coming out of the foster care system and going off to college, providing gifts for hundreds of hospitalized children and their families or through our grants program, CCC impacts the lives of thousands of people each year.
When you donate to CCC you are contributing in two very important ways.
GIVE
Join the Newsletter
Keep up with CCC via the newsletter! Here, readers will stay informed of opportunities to give to the community, find out about events, projects, programs and more!
Stay informed on our unique opportunities to give back!
Stay informed on our unique opportunities to give back to the community!
