Our Mission
The PlumpJack Foundation was created on the belief that by making a meaningful, permanent impact on the lives of individuals, we serve society as a whole. Building on our organization’s commitment to improve the communities we serve, the PlumpJack Foundation collaborates with trusted Bay Area partners to foster hope and enact positive change.
Our mission is inspired by the personal history of PlumpJack’s President, Hilary Newsom, as well as the PlumpJack Group’s dedication to community development, particularly with regard to stopping the cycle of poverty by educating and empowering youth. Both in our philanthropic pursuits and in our company’s history of community service, we are dedicated to two primary areas of focus:
Cancer Prevention, Education & Support
Promoting opportunities for individuals to be empowered in protecting themselves against cancer; educating at-risk communities about cancer treatment and prevention; supporting organizations working to eliminate cancer through research and treatment; acting as an agent of hope for cancer patients and their families as they move through the treatment and healing process.
Preventing the Cycle of Childhood Poverty
Supporting early childhood education; stopping the cycle of abuse; educating and empowering youth mentors; providing childcare, counseling, nutrition, and advocacy for children in at-risk communities.
Key Values
As we work towards our goals, we hold fast to these…
The Individual is the Gateway to the Greater Good.
We are motivated by the transformative potential of a single, beautiful act. In keeping with our company values, we maintain an unwavering commitment to service, and we encourage every one of our employees to participate in the philanthropic process.
Fiscal Responsibility & Integrity.
We are committed to keeping our administrative costs low and directing a maximum amount of resources towards the advancement of our causes. We promise fiscal transparency.
A Lifetime of Giving to our Community
By immersing ourselves in the community, we build trust and establish an enduring legacy of giving. In order to have the greatest and most lasting impact, we create long-term, two-way partnerships in the service of our mission and values.
Hilary’s Story
In 2002, Tessa Newsom, the mother of PlumpJack President Hilary Newsom and California Governor Gavin Newsom, lost her fight with breast cancer. She was 55. It was not the first time the Newsom family had been struck by this disease: Hilary & Gavin’s father had lost four of five siblings to cancer. Something had to change, both to preserve Tessa Newsom’s legacy and — most importantly — to turn the tide on cancer.
“As long as we are around, we will give back. It is our honor and our pleasure.”
In response to their family’s tragic loss, Hilary and her husband Geoff Callan (whose own mother is a 27 year breast cancer survivor) began their work to support breast cancer treatment, education, and the eventual cure of this disease. Hilary threw herself passionately into the cancer research and support communities, forging profound relationships with families at all stages of the treatment and recovery process. In 1999, PlumpJack hosted the first PlumpJack/LINK Golf Classic, which to-date has raised over $5.5 million for Cancer Research, Education & Prevention.
The success of the golf tournament, coupled with PlumpJack’s increasing role as a powerful philanthropic and environmental force in the Bay Area and Tahoe, evidenced the need to formalize the company’s commitment to the community. The PlumpJack Foundation was established in 2014 as a means of uniting PlumpJack’s many philanthropic and service pursuits under one umbrella.
“What can I do that will make
your life better, today, right now?”
A 4th-generation San Franciscan, Hilary Newsom was raised with a legacy of serving her community. Her father — himself an environmental philanthropist and advocate — encouraged every opportunity for the family to participate in acts of community service extending well beyond philanthropy. Today, at a moment when so many philanthropists and corporate foundations work with officials and administrators on a citywide or nationwide level, Hilary reminds us that behind every cause is a collection of individuals: her neighbors, her employees, her friends, her family. A tireless volunteer in her free time, she is never more inspired than when she is interacting with people in need and asking the question: “What can I do that will make your life better, today, right now?”
“A Wig. A Meal. A Ride. A Friend.”
From the beginning, PlumpJack has partnered with organizations that empower individuals by providing them with the day-to-day resources and tools, which restore or affirm their dignity, and help them to regain control over their lives.
“It starts with the lemonade stand on the corner of your street, teaching the next generation that raising funds and sharing with others can change the course of someone’s life. Wow, how empowering is that!”