FAM Recognizes Another Successful Year Amid Transition to New Space

By C. Jayden Smith | Jun 6, 2024

Officials, volunteers and other stakeholders associated with local nonprofit Family Assistance Ministries dressed in white and cream tones and socialized at The Casino San Clemente on Friday night, May 31, to celebrate the organization’s success over the past year.

The seventh edition of FAM’s celebratory gala, dubbed “La Noche Blanca,” featured live music, a silent and live auction, and recognition of Sara Sullivan, the past board chair, as the Lifetime Gala Honoree.

Anna Conti, who became the organization’s executive director in July 2023, told Friday’s audience that stories of compassion and dedication exhibited by FAM volunteers helped inspire her to join FAM. Even when she wasn’t looking to make a change, the initial conversations with organization leadership opened her eyes to a special group of people who cared about others.

“I remember this vividly, because it was a first for me,” Conti said. “I walked out of the interview with the president of the search firm, and in the midst of small talk, I turned around and said, ‘I want to be at FAM.’ ”

Nearly a year later, Conti has spearheaded significant change, according to Jay Pederson, chair of the executive committee.

She’s been “phenomenal,” he said, as she joined FAM at a time when the organization needed to look inward for improved efficiency after growing in a grassroots, piecemeal fashion.

“You get to a point where you need somebody that can come in and really look and understand the operations, the processes, the automation, things of that nature, to ensure that your workforce has been as productive as they can (be),” said Pederson.

Conti has succeeded at uncovering deficiencies in relation to FAM’s system for demonstrating compliance and accurate usage of resources for its government contracts, and it has also worked to find the tools that will allow the organization to scale its work to handle increased volume.

With rapidly changing and evolving technology, Conti told San Clemente Times, there’s an opportunity to enhance FAM’s delivery of services. Although more research is necessary before proceeding, she and Pederson are optimistic that they can improve their organization and provide its clients the best possible access to services that the clients need.

“That’s why I kind of give her a (Grade-A evaluation)for these past 10 months,” Pederson said. “She’s really dug deep, deeper than anybody ever has within the organization, to really understand if we have any vulnerabilities and where the opportunities are, and make sure that we’re identifying the technology that can be put in place at a reasonable cost to help us be more effective and efficient.”

Both officials also mentioned FAM’s move into a new space about three months ago. The transition signifies a new chapter for the organization apart from the previously leased space at 1030 Calle Negocio, a building owned by the City of San Clemente.

Pederson said FAM is in a better situation now that it isn’t necessarily pressured to demonstrate its work and justify why the city provided a subsidy for the lease. The organization is completely functioning on its own, and Pederson added that he feels FAM will be around for the foreseeable future.

“It takes a weight off our shoulders,” he said. “It provides a better work environment for a lot of the employees, giving them an opportunity to feel instead of (being in) an old dusty warehouse, that they’re in actual office suites and things where they can be more productive.”

More information about Family Assistance Ministries and how to contribute can be found at lovefam.org.

Article from SC Times: https://www.picketfencemedia.com/sanclementetimes/eye-on-sc/fam-recognizes-another-successful-year-amid-transition-to-new-space/article_8b92f134-2389-11ef-ae70-abd4d87912b4.html