Alta Vista Insurance Spreads Holiday Cheer with Boys & Girls Club of Vista’s “Adopt a Family” Event

Posted on December 20, 2023December 20, 2023 by Seth Arruda

At Alta Vista Insurance, we believe in the power of community and the joy that comes from giving back. This holiday season, we are excited to share our participation in the Boys & Girls Club of Vista’s “Adopt a Family” event – an initiative that brings warmth and happiness to families in need during this festive time.

The Boys & Girls Club of Vista’s “Adopt a Family” project has become our annual tradition, and Alta Vista Insurance is thrilled to be part of this heartwarming initiative. Our commitment involves purchasing gifts for each child – clothing, toys, and gift cards. Additionally, we pledge to provide gifts and a gift card for each adult in the adopted family. For families that may need extra support, we contribute additional gifts to ensure a brighter holiday for everyone involved.

Seth Arruda, a proud member of the Alta Vista Insurance family, emphasized the significance of contributing to the local community during the holidays. “The holiday season is a time for gratitude, reflection, and above all, generosity. At Alta Vista Insurance, we understand the importance of giving back to the community that has supported us throughout the year. The ‘Adopt a Family’ event with the Boys & Girls Club of Vista is a wonderful opportunity for us to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those in need.”

To add a touch of warmth to the holiday festivities, we will also be providing a holiday meal gift card for each adopted family. This gesture aims to make their celebrations a bit brighter and more enjoyable during this special time of the year.

As we embark on this holiday community project, we invite our clients and community members to join us in spreading joy and goodwill. Together, we can make a positive impact on the lives of families in need and create lasting memories during this festive season.

In the spirit of giving, let’s come together and make this holiday season truly special for everyone. At Alta Vista Insurance, we believe that by supporting one another, we can create a community that thrives on compassion, kindness, and the joy of giving.

If you would like to contribute or learn more about our participation in the Boys & Girls Club of Vista’s “Adopt a Family” event, please feel free to reach out to us. Your support is invaluable, and together, we can make a difference in the lives of those who need it most. To learn more about the Boys and Girls Club of Vista visit their website here.

Giving Thanks and Giving Back: Our Annual Solutions for Change Thanksgiving Drive

Posted on November 20, 2023November 20, 2023 by Seth Arruda

As we reflect on the recent holiday season, we’re thrilled to share the heartwarming success of our annual participation in the Solutions for Change Thanksgiving Drive. This initiative holds a special place in our hearts, allowing us to spread warmth and joy to families in need right here in Vista, CA.

This year, we extended a heartfelt invitation to each and every one of you to join us in making a difference. The Solutions for Change Thanksgiving Drive provided us with the opportunity to unite and support local families facing challenges during the holiday season. Our goal was clear: to create a memorable Thanksgiving feast for these families, ensuring they had all the essentials for a warm and comforting celebration.

So, what did we do to be part of this meaningful cause? We collected a list of items that would contribute to the perfect Thanksgiving meal. Think stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, vegetables, mac n’ cheese, cornbread, and of course, pie! To top it all off, we provided a gift card to ensure each family could enjoy the centerpiece of a traditional Thanksgiving meal – a turkey!

Our dedicated agency owners, Morgan and Seth, took it upon themselves to personally deliver the food baskets to Solutions for Change last week. Their commitment to community involvement and giving back was truly inspiring. Seth, reflecting on the experience, shared his thoughts,

“Giving back to our local community is not just a responsibility; it’s a privilege. It’s about creating a positive impact and fostering a sense of togetherness that goes beyond business.”

Let’s take a moment to acknowledge the incredible work done by Solutions for Change. This non-profit organization is on a mission to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty through a comprehensive program addressing the root causes of these issues. If you’re curious to learn more about their impactful programs and services, you can check out their website here.

By participating in the Solutions for Change Thanksgiving Drive, we contributed to a larger movement that seeks to build a stronger, more compassionate community. Your support, whether through donations or spreading the word, undoubtedly made a difference in the lives of those who needed it most.

As we reflect on the past Thanksgiving, we’re filled with gratitude for the opportunity to be part of such a meaningful initiative. Thank you for being part of our journey and for your continued support. Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Holidays To The Boys and Girls Club of Vista

Posted on December 15, 2022December 15, 2022 by Seth Arruda

All the gifts provided by our wonderful staff before we pack them in Santa’s sleigh. (Santa drives a Subaru Outback in this story)

The holidays are here! As Christmas approaches and the hustle and bustle of the year comes to a close, we reflect on the many things we’re thankful for and take some time to be with our family and friends. For some of us the true meaning of the holidays is not the gifts we “receive” but the gift of “giving” that leaves us with a warm feeling in our hearts like a batch of cookies right from the oven.

Every year at this time our agency participates in the “Adopt a Family” program with the Boys and Girls Club of Vista, a local charity right in our community that we’ve been working with since 2017. Each year we are assigned a family that are members of the Boys and Girls Club who are in need of support around the holidays. We get a wish list of presents for each child and some items and gift certificates for the parents to make their holiday season a little brighter.

This year we have a large family that we were paired up with and all of our staff stepped up and went above and beyond! Clothes, toys, games, puzzles, gift cards, are just of the few items the kids requested on their lists and our team at Alta Vista Insurance went out and picked up all the items and much more. The presents, gifts, and gift cards were stacked in Santa’s sack tightly, we almost needed to take two trips in our sleigh.

When we arrived at the Boys and Girls Club of Vista, California, the staff were overwhelmed by the amount of presents we brought. They were so excited to make this family’s holiday season one to remember. Knowing that we can make a positive impact right here in our own community around the holidays is one of the ways we like to give back and support our local Vista, California community. As a local small business, we work with our clients and customers here in San Diego, California helping them protect their assets as their trusted insurance advisor and there are so many people that need help and support you don’t have to look very far. There are people right in our own community that are in need and we are very thankful to work with such a great cause. Working with the Boys and Girls Club of Vista is such a wonderful organization to work with and this program is just one way we help to ensure that the youth who attend the club have the resources they need to prepare for great futures.

I’m so proud to work with a staff that values the importance of community service and takes time out of their busy schedules to support the local charities we work with and give back through our service projects and charitable donations. We always make an effort to take time each year to give back to our local Vista, California community. As we spend time with our family and friends around the holidays, it’s nice to know we were able to make a small impact to make another family’s holiday season a little brighter.

The Boys and Girls Club of Vista meets the needs of over 2,800 kids a year, many from families who are of lower/moderate income households that rely exclusively on the broad range of services the Club provides. our mission is to empower every Club member, though safe and impactful experiences to graduate high school with a plan for college and career, contribute to their community, and live a healthy life. We rely on community members who fill the gas so the Club can provide these services to Vista’s kids. Member pay $50 a year to join, but the actual cost is $702/child.

Donate To This Great Organization Here

National Insurance Industry Council – Spirit of Life Honoree – City of Hope Gala 2022

Posted on September 13, 2022September 27, 2022 by Morgan Hege

City of Hope Gala – Hard Rock Hotel San Diego

Paul Patterson along with Sandi Grigg from The Hartford Insurance invited my wife and I from Alta Vista Insurance along with our friends Brandon and Justina Strausbaugh from Pauma Valley Insurance to the 2022 City of Hope Gala.

National Insurance Industry Council | Spirit of Life Honoree | City of Hope

The Spirit of Life® Award is City of Hope’s most prestigious honor, presented to an esteemed community of industry leaders around the world who have made a significant commitment to support those in need. Honorees are selected for their notable contributions to the community in which they live and the profession in which they work. This year, the National Insurance Industry Council (NIIC) honors Joel Cavaness, President, Risk Placement Services.

We were able to “Rise our paddle” for Lung Cancer Research performed at City of Hope and raise hundreds of thousands of dollars. Truly a special evening, for a very special cause.

Feeding School kids with the Food Bank North County Vista Branch!

Posted on September 13, 2022September 27, 2022 by Morgan Hege

We are back at it again!

Breaking the Rules! Beth Walls, Sandi Grigg, Vira Rodriguez, Jim Owen, Holly Bishop and Raymond Lowder fill over 500 meal bags! Recorded by Morgan Hege

Last Friday, September 9th, 2022 we shut down the office early at noon to go help our community by volunteering at the North County San Diego Food Bank again! We had a ton of fun back in June helping put together meals for those with food insecurity here in Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, that we decided to come back for round 2 and put together over 500 meals for students at risk from Valley Elementary in Poway and Cesar Chavez from San Diego Unified.

How was it George? He was perspiring, or as Geo likes to say; “perspering” The whole team with Vira Rodriguez, commercial lines account manager, Sandi Grigg – The Hartford Insurance, and George Francis all were “perspiring” after assembling more than 500 meals for youth in our community. Holly Bishop didn’t want to be on camera! But here are are few video clips from our adventure!

Also, we got Natalie, our Food Bank Volunteer Coordinator to smile “ear to ear” in her own words with all the work we did to help feed our community in North San Diego County Food Bank! The schools we Valley Elementary in Poway, and Cesar Chavez for San Diego Unified School District. 300 and change, and we did two orders of 500 each (so 1,000 meals to food insecure kid-o’s here in our community) Watch the clip here.

Thank you to everyone that came out for the event. We will do something else fun and of service some time late in 2022. Until then, stay safe, stay well, and have a great fall season!

Pacific Plastics was also on scene to serve! We were excited to give back to the community with them too. If you need injection molding here in Vista, they are your ticket! Fun folks, that know how to work the line!

ServPro of North Vista/San Marcos To The Rescue!

Posted on August 29, 2022September 13, 2022 by Seth Arruda

We wanted to give a big shout out to Servpro of North Vista/San Marcos for helping out one of our local elementary schools right here in Vista, CA.

Over the weekend there was a shed that was broken into and vandalized at T.H.E Leadership Academy, AKA Temple Heights Elementary. Luckily nothing was stolen but there was damage to the shed. The school was having a hard time trying to get the repairs completed so, we called up one of our clients, Servpro of North Vista/San Marcos to help out! They sent a team over to Temple Heights Elementary School and they repaired the shed at no cost to the school.

We love these types of success stories especially when our clients make a large impact in our community right here in Vista, CA. The students, teachers, and staff are so grateful for lending a hand. Thank you ServPro!

Brunch with The Hartford at Beach Break Café

Posted on July 22, 2022September 27, 2022 by Morgan Hege

Lisa and Sandi at Beach Break Cafe — Lisa and Sandi don’t think Morgan is that funny

Tandy Owen, Holly Bishop, George Francis order from the menu — Lisa and Sandi don’t think Morgan is that funny

We were excited to take a little trip to Beach Break Cafe Where we had lunch with Sandi Grigg, our carrier partner representative from The Hartford Insurance. We met to break bread and discuss business!

The food is really good at Beach Break Cafe. The coffee cake is home made, and really a special treat, I highly recommend it with any breakfast or lunch menu item, or just with a good cup of coffee. The portions are too big, even for me. I’m 6’5″ and 280 pounds!

For breakfast, if you like mexican food, I like the Huevos Rancheros with corn tortillias or the Chili Verde burrito (with extra verde sauce on the side!) and you won’t be disappointed with true Cali-mex style San Diego beach food.

The Hartford insures restaurants like Beach Break, and has competitive rates for workers compensation, general liability (slip and fall), and commercial property for your businesses building.

Gary and Zell started Beach Break Cafe as a great local go to spot after surfing, fire fighting, or just a great place to meet with your friends and family down by the beach. The Beach Break is now in the 2nd generation of family ownership!

Alta Vista Agency Community Service Project – Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank

Posted on June 24, 2022September 27, 2022 by Morgan Hege

Hi Clients, Friends and Family!

I wanted to share with you the great group of people I am blessed to work with. Did you know the San Diego Food Bank also has a North County location? The North County location serves over 10,000 families facing hunger in Vista, Oceanside, San Marcos, Escondido, Carlsbad and through out San Diego in need monthly with quality meals. We were excited to help our community!

North County Food Bank volunteers Raymond Lowder, Mark Lamb, Beth Walls, Morgan Hege, Tandy Owen, George Francis, from Alta Vista with Nancy Trejo from Safeco/Liberty Mutual *Thanks to Jim Owen too, not shown he was taking this picture!*

Our agency had a great time and a lot of fun on our recent community service project! We were happy to volunteer over 32 hours of our time today to help a great cause here in our community. During that time we moved over a thousand pounds of plums into five pound bags for distribution to those in need.

Raymond Lowder, Morgan Hege, George Francis waiting to get to work!

If you haven’t volunteered with the North County Food Bank before, I highly recommend it. We excited to help the North County Food Bank by sorting fresh plums into five pound bags for distribution to the community in Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido and throughout San Diego. Here is a great video about the people in our community benefiting from this program.

In addition to that, the North County location also servers as the Diaper bank for San Diego. Many young working moms are in need of diapers to send with their kids to day care to be able to get back into the workforce to make a difference. We at Alta Vista were excited to donate dozens of diapers, as well as our time this week! With 3 kids of my own (thankfully all out of diapers!) I know how expensive it can be to have kids in day care and keep them fed and in diapers. Here is the link if you would like to donate to this valuable community resource.

Vista Boys & Girls Club – Alta Vista Insurance Toy Drive December 2021

Posted on December 27, 2021September 27, 2022 by Morgan Hege

It was fun for everyone to support a local vista family in need for Christmas this year! For the past several years it’s been our pleasure to support a local family through the Vista Boy’s and Girls Club. We hope our our clients, friends and family enjoy this Christmas season. God Bless Us Everyone! ~ Morgan