Changing Lives Behind the Scenes: Meet Linda
Linda Bresnick of Davis is a busy volunteer with several nonprofits across Yolo County, but most of her work is done behind the scenes on her computer.
“I was a software developer for many years, so if volunteer work needs to be done on a computer, people say go ask Linda,” she said.
About four years ago, Linda learned about Make It Happen for Yolo County and became the interface between our website and the people who write to us asking to donate household items. She coordinates the donation process to make sure it goes smoothly.
“It’s very satisfying,” Linda said. “I think Make It Happen is just doing a wonderful service.”
Linda knows well the challenges faced by youth in the foster care system. When she retired from her computer programming career down in the San Diego area, she and her husband were trained as volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for children in the legal system.
“I was a software developer in a rarefied environment – I was in my head and on my computer,” Linda said. “When I retired, I wanted to get out in the real world.”
Linda and her husband Stu served as CASAs for two years, and their younger daughter became a social worker in Santa Cruz County working with youth aging out of the foster care system.
“These youth who are aging out of the system very often have absolutely no support, no family connections, no money,” Linda said. “Some of them have been sleeping on mattresses on the floor. They need a leg up and a better head start, especially for those who are working to continue their education after a childhood that was not the easiest.”
After Linda and Stu both took early retirement, they had the chance to start a new chapter in their lives. They moved to Davis, where their newly married older daughter happened to be living, so that Stu could earn a master’s degree in nutrition at UC Davis.
“Moving to Davis was supposed to be temporary, but we loved it so much that we’ve stayed for 26 years,” Linda said.
Over the past two decades, Linda started a new career at UC Davis in public health sciences, provided childcare for her now grown grandchildren and has helped multiple Yolo County nonprofits with her computer skills.
Linda learned about Make It Happen when she was helping her older grandson move into his first student apartment and furnish his kitchen. As she collected items for her grandson, she also collected items for Make It Happen. Not long after, she met our Board President Jan Judson. When she learned that Jan was with Make It Happen, she began volunteering. She’s been a volunteer ever since while balancing retiring from a second career and volunteering with several other nonprofits that have been essential to Yolo County residents in need.
Linda is involved with the STEAC (Short Term Emergency Action Committee) Neighborhood Project, which created a system for neighborhood coordinators to recruit donors willing to give a bag of food every other month. Linda maintains the database of project donors and coordinators, which has grown to 650 people across Davis. She also volunteers with Empower Yolo and its emergency shelter that provides safe refuge for 35 women and children. In addition, she participates in the Yolo County Adopt a Social Worker program.
Now at age 80, Linda feels fortunate that the twists and turns in her life all came together.
“There wasn’t a lot of planning, but it just worked out wonderfully,” Linda said.
People across Yolo County are grateful as well that Linda and her husband made the move to Davis. At Make It Happen, her help has been valuable beyond words.
“I’m so glad to see how Make It Happen has grown and how many people they’ve helped,” Linda said.
We know that’s all thanks to our volunteers like Linda.