Dear PNASD members, friends, and supporters,

As we turn the corner to Spring and the weather begins to warm up, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the progress we've made towards the fulfillment of our mission, vision and goals, almost a year after taking oath as President.

I’m proud to say that we’ve provided ongoing professional and leadership development opportunities to our members: four mental health educational series, two professional development modules, and high participation in virtual educational offerings by PNAA and PNAAF. Additionally, we hosted new grad orientation for new RNs, continued the mentorship program, participated in PNAA’s Resilience Program Kabalikat Emotional Wellness and ILDP Leadership Development Program.

We continued community outreach activities as emergency and first aid providers and provided BP screenings. We held our first beach clean-up during the National Coastal Beach Clean Up Day as part of our Care for the Environment initiative and volunteered as Watershed Warriors doing community clean up in collaboration with I Love a Clean San Diego. We joined the San Diego Honor Flight Program honoring veterans, created the Balik-Tulong (Giving Back) where we shipped medical supplies donated to PNASD by hospitals, similar to the Balik-Aklatan, where nursing books donated by students and members are sent to nursing schools in the Philippines.

To increase our visibility, PNASD collaborated effectively with other professional, civic and religious organizations. This includes San Diego Black Nurses, Hispanic Nurses, Roaring Lions, Council of Filipino Americans Organizations, Filipino Press and House of the Philippines. The Community Outreach Committee had been very active with planning a variety of volunteer events, like food packing at the San Diego Food Bank, vaccinations and flu immunizations.

I'm thrilled to announce that PNASD received our PNAA National Award at the 29th Western Region Conference in Maui for “Best Community Outreach and Service Initiatives.” Philippine Business Improvement and Development (PHILAMBID) awarded PNASD with a “High Achieving Team “ (HAT) in the presence Atty Gen Rob Bonta.

• Several other highlights to mention include:
• Sponsoring five nurses during the Philippine Nurses Global Conference in Vigan, Philippines.
• Sponsoring a successful Nurses Week celebration and recognized deserving members with a plaque and gift card.
• On the Finance side, we obtained several grants and monetary incentives adding to the sustainability of the organization.
• Our Mental Health Fair on May 20 at Sweet Water High School will be a big step for the organization to raise awareness and support for mental health.

As our work continues to expand, we plan to emphasize diversity, equity and inclusivity. I'm excited about the impact we will continue to make. I encourage all of you to stay engaged with us and be part of this amazing yet challenging journey. Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to PNASD.

Sincerely,
Perly Aguinaldo BSN RN
PNASD President
PNASD C.A.R.E.S