#709 | SEPTEMBER 2, 2025

Featured Project: Pro-Inclusion Napa



More Than Words

by Joanne Sutro, PIN Steering Committee Member

At Pro-Inclusion Napa, we think words are important. They have the power to explain and connect, or to confuse and alienate; to heal and console, or to wound and torment.

A project of Napa Valley CanDo since 2024, Pro-Inclusion Napa was started in 2023 by concerned residents who learned about offensive, hateful signage being displayed on Brown’s Valley Rd. and in other parts of Napa, and were motivated to take action. The group learned that the signs—which are often vulgar and target specific groups—were protected under free speech and private property laws, but also knew that the insulting, mean-spirited messages did not reflect the attitudes of the majority of our local residents. Pro-Inclusion Napa was created as a way to give voice to our greater community—to reject and counteract the hate speech by promoting and displaying positive messages in our neighborhoods.

When our group was first forming, we spent weeks thinking about, talking about, debating, and finally selecting the words that would underpin and define our work. Out of 80 words that we considered, nine emerged as our core values and three of those rose to the top of the list: Respect, Acceptance, and Kindness.

These words are at the center of everything we do, including our first project, the Positive Poster Project (PPP). The PPP invites participants to think about and discuss these values with their peers and teachers. We provide thought-provoking questions, as well as poster boards and art supplies. The students then design a poster reflecting their understanding of one of the core value words.

The resulting posters are beautiful, unique, and inspirational. To date, more than 300 posters have been created by students, children, and families including at Brown’s Valley Elementary School, Valley Oak High School, Mentis Youth Program, New Tech High School, Camille Creek School, Willow Elementary School, and the local Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth events.

Our booth at the Juneteenth celebration attracted quite a few eager participants, including a few as young as two and three years old. The little children were a delight to watch, as they chose rainbow colors from an array of magic markers and created their works of art with abandon. Of course, those posters weren’t the result of pondering the meaning of Respect, Accept, and Kindness. They came from the exuberance of creative play. And yet while watching them, it occurred to me that the children were experiencing those core values. They were welcomed, encouraged, included, and accepted.

So while words are extremely important, it’s good to remember that there are many ways to convey the message. Whatever the mode, it’s how we make people feel that really counts.

Mimi Adams of Napa Farmers Market was the 2024 winner of the Hilary Zunin Spirit Award. Also in photo: Nancy Fireman. left, and Camille Kaijankoski, right

We are thrilled to share that Napa Valley CanDo will be presenting a new award at this year’s Give!Guide Kickoff Party on Nov. 13: the Hilary Zunin CanDo Service Award, alongside the beloved Hilary Zunin CanDo Spirit Award.

The CanDo Spirit Award honors the energy and promise of emerging nonprofit leaders under 35, while the new Service Award recognizes the wisdom, perseverance, and lasting impact of volunteers over 35 who continue to serve our community year after year.

Like CanDo's co-founder Hilary Zunin—whose vision, compassion, and leadership inspired countless acts of service—recipients of these awards exemplify how one person’s dedication can strengthen the fabric of our community. Together, these honors celebrate Hilary’s legacy across generations.

How to Nominate

Each award requires two applications: one from the nominator and one from the nominee.

To submit a nomination, click here. They both must be submitted by Friday, October 3rd.

Eligibility

These awards are open to ALL nonprofits in the Napa Valley.

Need Assistance?

If you require an alternative method to submit an application, please contact: Camille@nvcando.org

Let’s celebrate the spirit of service that makes our community strong!

More info at candogiveguide.org.

Susan’s Wish List for Flower Power

As her project of rehabbing and rehoming donated flowers grows by leaps and bounds, Susan would appreciate donations of these supplies:

• 30 gallon black plastic/leaf bags 
• Boba straws
• Ceramic/glass yogurt/pudding cups

If you have any of these to donate, please contact Susan at: GrapeHeartKnits@gmail.com.

Providence Adult Day Health clients create art with upcycled blooms and petals provided by Flower Power

Inspiring Inclusion

Hispanic Heritage Month: September 15 - October 15

By Hannah Wallenbrock, CanDo’s Pro-Inclusion Napa

Hispanic Heritage Month: Sept. 15 - Oct. 15, 2025 

By Hannah Wallenbrook, CanDo’s Pro-Inclusion Napa

September is Hispanic Heritage Month! This month, we celebrate Hispanic and Latino/a/e history and culture and explore the impact they have had in the United States. 

National Hispanic Heritage Week was first established by legislation sponsored by Rep. George Brown, Jr. of Los Angeles and signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, then expanded into a month (September 15th-October 15th) by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

The 30-day period includes many dates of importance in the Hispanic community. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua all celebrate their anniversary of independence on September 15th, and Mexico commemorates its independence on September 16th. Chile commemorates its independence on September 18th, and Belize on September 21st. Día de la Raza (which originated as an alternative to Columbus Day) will be observed on October 12th of this year as a celebration of native races and cultures and their resistance to the arrival of Europeans in the Americas.

Latinos have always held significant roles throughout US history, dating as far back as the American Revolution and beyond, with native peoples’ contributions. Hispanic Heritage Month provides the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the role they have had in shaping our democracy, and continue to shape as community members, public servants, and more.

“From Spanish colonists in the Americas to Mexicans who suddenly found themselves Americans in the wake of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, to wealthy Creole planters in the deep South, Hispanics both played an important role in and were shaped by America’s early military conflicts.”

—American Battlefield Trust

According to 2020 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, one in every four children in the United States is Hispanic/Latino. However, a recent study found that Latino history is largely left out in high school textbooks in the US despite the increasing percentage of Latino/a/e students.

As we learn more about American Latino/a/e experiences, we can better recognize and value the many contributions they have made to our country.

Hispanic Heritage Toolkit 2025 (video)

2025 Theme: Building the Business Case 

–The Hispanic Star

Hispanics are a Key Economic Force in the U.S.

It’s Time for Everyone To Know It!

Sources:



• National Museum of the American Latino, “Hispanic Heritage Month”

• National Museum of the American Latino, “Why is Hispanic Heritage Month so Important?”  

• History, Art, and Archives: United States House of Representatives, “The Creation and Evolution of the National Hispanic Heritage Celebration”

• National Hispanic Heritage Month website 

• American Battlefield Trust: "Hispanic Figures in America's Wars"

More Opportunities to Support Our Community

Volunteer Opportunities & Events to Support Local Nonprofit Groups

Tell 'em you heard about it through CanDo!

Highlights from CanDo's Community Calendar

September 1-15

Sept. 1 - Sept. 30 - Napa Humane’s Calendar Pet Photo Contest

Sept. 5 - Sept. 21 - Lucky Penny presents the musical “La Cage aux Folles”

Sept. 6, 12:00PM - 4:00PM - The St. Helena Historical Society hosts its Heritage Center Museum. Free.

Sept. 8, 10:30AM - 11:30AM - Scammers & Their Tricks - American Canyon Library. Free.

Sept. 7, 1:00PM - 3:00PM - National Grandparents Day - American Canyon Community Park, 1400 Rio Grand Drive, Bring your Grandkids! Free.

Sept. 11, 7:00PM - 8:30PM - Call for singers: Sing Napa Valley 1st rehearsal of the 2025-2026 Season.

Sept. 13, 10:00AM - 2:00PM - NapaSan Open House - Napa Sanitation District. Toilet Races and more! Free.

Sept. 15 - First Day of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Compost Corner

Napa Recycling provides answers to your questions about recycling, composting, and the like.

How Reliable is an Online Recycling Newsletter?

Q: I subscribed to an electronic newsletter, Resource Recycling and find it fascinating. I especially like "Women in Circularity" (shining a light on the women driving the circular economy). But, is it reliable information? I always check my resources to make sure they are factual and trustworthy. ~Karen

A: Yes! Resource Recycling is great and reliable. It’s been around for decades -– they still even have a monthly print version. It's probably the standard in the industry, along with Biocycle for organics/compost-specific content.You can sign up free to Resource Recycling, weekly e-newsletter, here.

~Tim Dewey-Mattea, Recycling & Public Education Manager

If you have a question about recycling or other waste disposal, send it to info@nvcando.org with “compost corner” in the subject line. We’ll send it on to Tim, Recycling & Public Education Manager at Napa Recycling & Waste Services. You may first want to check if the answer to your question is here, in NRWS’s Recycling Guide.

Quick Tip

So Many Ways for Napa County Seniors to Stay Active and Engaged!

Here is a list of day programs and senior centers in Napa County. With gratitude to our friends at Molly’s Angels.

Bits & Pieces

Two Important Jewish Holidays are Coming in September

Sponsored by Congregation Beth Shalom in Napa, which emphasizes inclusivity and provides a warm, caring community for all, including interfaith families. 

Celebrate Rosh Hashanah with Congregation Beth Shalom, as they mark the Jewish New Year with joyous services, reflection, and the sounding of the shofar. Registration is required. Tuesday, September 23, 2025, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm.

More info and registration here.

Join Congregation Beth Shalom for Tashlich at Kennedy Park in Napa. This is a meaningful tradition where sins are symbolically cast away into the water, as participants gather in community and contemplation, reflecting on personal growth and renewal for the New Year. Registration for potluck is required. Tuesday, September 23, 2025, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm. 

More info and registration here.

Give!Guide

CanDo Garden

Napa Valley Food Project

Food Rescue

Gleaning Project

Pro-Inclusion Napa

Stow It-Don't Throw It

Neighborhood Reads

New to CanDo? Want to receive this nifty eNewsletter? It comes out bright and early the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, full of ways you can volunteer and connect with community.