As we close 2025, I want to express my sincere appreciation for our dedicated board of directors, service providers, and staff. Your contributions have been invaluable to the individuals and families we serve. You helped VMRC create a new strategic plan that reflects our community’s values, choices, and individual needs. By listening and helping solve challenges, you supported our ongoing efforts to improve VMRC systems, programs, and best practices. You showed up to listen, learn and share your ideas for new policies, contracts, and ways we can make our information more accessible for our community. Together, we will meet the New Year with hope, appreciation for one another and a renewed spirit to help people with developmental disabilities lead meaningful lives. Warm wishes for a healthy and happy New Year to all of our families, board members, service providers and dedicated staff!   -Mele Kalikimaka, Leinani 

Honoring An Amazing Self-Advocate & Friend 

November 22 – Modesto CAPS hosted a beautiful gathering to honor Lisa Utsey - a beloved friend, an amazing self-advocated, and a dedicated leaders. Her celebration of life was filled with heartfelt memories and photos capturing her spirit and personality through the years. The afternoon concluded with a beautiful release of balloons in her memory.

Learning & Connecting at the ARCA Academy

November 13 & 14 - The ARCA Academy in Sacramento was a walk back in history to better understand our system today. It was a terrific opportunity to connect with fellow regional centers across the state. This annual training provides valuable learning experiences, and offers new insights and strategies to help our team better support families we serve. Big thanks to ARCA and Alta California Regional Center for hosting the Academy!

VMRC Shines in the 2025

Performance Year End Report 

VMRC achieved many accomplishments in 2025 in housing, education, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. We improved access to people from multi-cultural backgrounds with new language resources in ASL, translation of information, and hosted the most successful Cultural and Disability Resources Fair to date. While we have more work to do in employment, our CPP funding will bolster our efforts to increase access to meaningful job opportunities for our consumers. We are grateful to all of the self-advocates, community leaders, and staff for contributing innovative ideas and priorities in our public meetings. For more details on the report, click here: 24/25 Performance Contract Year End Report .

Giving Back to Our Community 

Recognizing People: Unhoused Awareness Month 

The Stockton Transition Team came together to host a heartfelt clothing drive in honor of Unhoused Awareness Month with donations supporting St. Mary’s. Thanks to the incredible generosity of Valley Mountain staff, we collected new and gently used clothing to help neighbors in need. Your kindness and commitment truly make a difference—thank you for lifting up our community and making this effort such a success! 

Diaper Deliveries by the VMRC Early Start Team!



In December, the VMRC Early Start team of San Joaquin County collected diapers and completed their very first Diaper Drive and delivered them to Prevail in Lodi. Prevail provides services for victims of domestic violence and runaway youth experiencing homelessness. Our diaper deliveries were made by: Noelia Canfara, Blanca Avalos, Cori Azevedo, Mary Blansitt, Gisela Mireles Rodriguez, Ryan Lee, Giselle Simpson, Stephanie Silva & Deanna Wagenman. Grateful to the Early Start Team for donating to this important community based organization. 

Giving Thanks in Our VMRC Communities 



November 27, 2025 - VMRC Board, staff, SAC6, and the State Council gathered in Stockton, Modesto and Jackson to personally deliver Thanksgiving meals to 58 people served who live independently. This annual event is made possible through community partnerships and generous donations to the James R. Popplewell Fund, which supports individuals with developmental disabilities by covering emergency expenses and needs not funded by other resources. To donate to the Popplewell Fund to contribute to the holiday meal delivery or provide emergency assistance for VMRC consumers, click on the link.  

First 5 Winter Festival Celebrates

Cultures from Around The World

December 7 - First 4 of Amador hosted Winter Festival's Around the World which included activities, music, snacks, holiday entertainment, and community resources. Community partners represented a country and shared its holiday traditions. VMRC represented Portugal and shared holiday coloring activities along with regional center information. Interfaith Foodbank donations were being accepted. A wonderful event to support families and make community connections!

Cholos Car Club Donates Hundreds of Toys!  

December 16 - Cholos Car Club donated over 300 toys to the Early Start and Children's Units in Stockton. A member of the club is a parent of a consumer served and wanted to do something over the holidays for children with developmental disabilities. In addition to all the toy donations, the Club also donated over 200 hot wheels to be kept at reception through the holidays so that every child who comes to VMRC can receive a gift when they come to the office for appointments. Thank you to the Cholos Car Club for the generous donation which will bring smiles to so many children!

Annual Tree Lighting

December 10, 2025 - VMRC Board members and staff traveled to Sacramento for the annual State Capitol Tree Lighting Ceremony. Every year, regional centers are invited to decorate a tree dedicated to their center. At the end of the evening, one client from a preselected regional center helps the Governor of California light the Christmas tree. Our Board members and staff decorated Valley Mountain’s tree and joined the festivities. It truly is a wonderful way to celebrate the season and end the year.

A Festive Integrated Community Collaborative

Posada at VMRC Stockton

A Festive Integrated Community Collaborative Posada at VMRC Stockton

Integrated Community Collaborative (ICC), one of VMRC’s community-based organization partners, hosted their annual Posada at VMRC in Stockton, bringing together the families they support for an afternoon of celebration and connection. The event honored this cherished tradition and created a warm, welcoming space for families and VMRC staff to gather, share a meal, and enjoy time together. VMRC appreciates ICC’s continued commitment to building community and supporting the families we serve. ¡Feliz Navidad!

Holiday Cheer Around VMRC!

The holiday cheer was felt around VMRC! Our Modesto staff were in festive good spirits for their Annual Holiday Cubicle Competition. Teams created masterful displays filling the office with merriment & joy! Themes included Santa’s Post office, Super Mario Christmas, Gingerbread house, Tree farm, Polar Express, Grandma got over by reindeer, Gingerbread Crime Mystery, Igloo, Grinch’s Lair, and Whoville. The holiday magic in the office was contagious. Cheers to all the participating teams! 

Community Services

VMRC’s Community Services team wishes everyone a wonderful holiday season!  

Employment - Please remember that  Home - DSP Collaborative remains active and accessible for all service providers. This is a FREE way to post employment opportunities for all vendored services!  

Join the VMRC vendor advisory group! C.L.A.S.P. (Coalition of Local Area Service Providers) and VMRC leadership (Executive Director, Directors of Adult & Children's Case Management, Equity and Engagement, Quality Assurance, Resource Development, Clinical services) meet monthly to discuss policy and program related matters and agency updates. Join C.L.A.S.P. of Valley Mountain Regional Center 

We look forward to supporting all service providers in a unified goal to provide the highest quality of services to individuals served. The Community Services team wishes all service providers, direct support professionals, individuals served and family members a wonderful, safe, and joyous holiday season! 

Community Events & Resources

The J. Ballelos Community Integration

Training Program

December 10 - Each year, local firefighters partner with the Emergency Food Bank for the annual Turkey Brigade, helping ensure families in our community receive a holiday meal. Throughout the year, JBCIP clients proudly volunteer at the Emergency Food Bank, one of six community volunteer sites, assisting with packaging and assembling food boxes for families across San Joaquin County. Volunteers support operations Monday through Friday, helping prepare an average of 200–300 boxes for distribution each day. JBCIP clients are dedicated and reliable volunteers at every site they serve.  

The Family Resource Network (FRN) is hosting its 26th Annual Mother’s Retreat on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Join other moms to network, learn, and enjoy time together.

Registration is limited, and your space is reserved upon submission of the registration form and a $15.00 fee. For more information, don't hesitate to get in touch with FRN at 209-472-3674 or FRNfamilies@frcn.org