From the President

Perspectives That Match Filter Criteria

"The Time Is Now" Sign at protest Letter from the President

Looking Ahead in Uncertain Times 

| by Cathy Cha

The Time Has Come to Build What’s Next

In 2026, the Haas, Jr. Fund is advancing our ambitions by focusing on root causes, bold ideas, greater agility, and deeper collaboration with funding and community partners to drive innovative solutions.

Even though the chaos continues, this year feels different to me. For Haas Jr., 2025 was a year for listening, shifting gears, and setting out to defend and respond to the fast-changing world around us. It was a yea…

Continue Reading
Parents and two children sitting on a couch in their living room, evoking hope and togetherness in a season of financial need and community support. Letter from the President

Helping Our Neighbors in a Season of Record Need

| by Cathy Cha in Season of Sharing

Nonprofits are doing vital work and need additional support to help people

Season of Sharing has distributed nearly $220 million to Bay Area residents and families staring down unexpected financial crises.

The 2025 holiday season is feeling different to me—and I’m guessing I am not alone. It’s been an incredibly challenging year for our communities. The recent government shutdown, the high costs of housing and food, a…

Continue Reading
Woman with a child in court Letter from the President

From Crisis Response to Lasting Change

| by Cathy Cha

How can we build a future where people are not just surviving, but also thriving?

At Haas Jr., we are seeking to find a balance between responding to the many emergencies our communities are facing and the work that needs to be done to seed change

The heartbreaking stories are piling up. Immigrant neighbors living in fear of what’s next for them and their families. Lifelong public servants cast aside, their livelihoods gone. College students dealing with disa…

Continue Reading
Photo of an interfaith vigil in Los Angeles Letter from the President

Freedom, Courage and Caring

| by Cathy Cha in Fund News

Finding Inspiration in Our Grantee Partners

We are inspired by the courage and care we’re seeing as people in California and nationwide exercise their constitutional right to organize and peacefully protest.

The economic, cultural, and community fabric of California depends on immigrants—their safety and well-being are essential to all of us. We are inspired by the courage and care we’re seeing as people in California a…

Continue Reading
Young athletes huddling on the basketball court with their coach Letter from the President

Lessons From A Successful Nonprofit Merger

| by Cathy Cha in College Success

Connecting with the Leaders of Positive Coaching Alliance

Mergers can be a strategic way for nonprofits to grow even stronger and have greater community impact.

Our President Cathy Cha currently serves on the board of the Positive Coaching Alliance.Compared to the for-profit sector, the nonprofit world tends to view organizational mergers through a more skeptical lens. A no…

Continue Reading
Portrait of the Haas, Jr. family Letter from the President

Reflecting on 70 Years of Impact

| by Cathy Cha

Marking our 70th Anniversary by Celebrating the Power of People

Since our founding in 1953, the Haas, Jr. Fund’s grantmaking has revolved around the people and organizations on the front lines of social and community change.

From the beginning, Evelyn and Walter Haas had a commitment to, and belief in, the power of people to drive positive change.It was the leadership and enthusiasm of people around them—people who were organizing their…

Continue Reading
Demonstrators rallying for racial justice Letter from the President

Imagine a California Where We All Belong

| by Cathy Cha

We need to keep pushing for belonging for people that historically have not had equal access

Reflecting on the good work happening across many fronts to make our state more inclusive.

When I walked into the Fannie Lou Hamer Center for the first time, I instantly felt the warmth and comfort of this community space for Black students at UC Berkeley. Tucked away in a lesser-known part of campus, it’…

Continue Reading