January 20, 2023

Dear friend,

This week was the first week I spent around my new district meeting with several constituents and community leaders. I enjoyed staying busy and introducing myself to new parts of my district.

Since Valentine's Day is around the corner, my office has the perfect opportunity for you to give back to our veterans. If you or your children would like to make this Valentine's Day special for someone who has served in our armed forces, you can write a letter and participate in our Valentines for Veterans initiative! Drop off or mail a letter to 4350 Executive Dr. Suite 105, San Diego CA 92121 by Monday, February 13. My staff and I will deliver these special letters to veterans throughout my district on February 14.

Below is another update on the work my staff and I have done recently to serve you.

Karla in Rancho Bernardo contacted my office in November to request assistance with a series of tax returns filed with her husband, who passed away in 2020. Due to her husband’s passing, the IRS requested additional documentation to verify Karla’s identity and proof that she’s the executor of his estate. My staff worked with Karla to gather the proper identifications and legal documents. A few weeks ago, Karla received a total tax refund of $9,357.10 for tax years 2017, 2018, and 2020.

Celebrating Jewish Life at UCSD’s New Beverly and Joseph Glickman Hillel Center

Last weekend, I had the honor of attending and speaking at the grand opening of the Beverly and Joseph Glickman Hillel Center at UC San Diego. This project has been important to me since I represented La Jolla on the San Diego City Council and supported this project when it was proposed over 20 years ago. The ceremony's successful turnout demonstrates how vital this center will be for Jewish students and the broader community. Congratulations to the entire Hillel of San Diego team for reaching this long overdue milestone. It’s wonderful to see it completed.

On Tuesday, I joined the San Diego Hunger Coalition with USDA Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean and Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Cindy Long for a roundtable discussion on solutions to hunger in San Diego.

Local leaders discussed potential solutions to solve the hunger gap. I stressed that many military families struggle with hunger and food insecurity, and how very few of them qualify for federal food assistance programs.

I do my small part to help save lives by donating blood on a regular basis. As a routine, I donate blood every couple of months when I’m home at the San Diego Blood Bank. This week, the San Diego Blood Bank staff tallied up my stats: I’ve visited the blood bank 33 times and donated a total of 4 gallons of blood. Not bad for #NationalBloodDonorMonth! If you're able, please donate blood and help save a life too!

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or need assistance with a federal agency, reach out to us through our website or by calling the district office at 858-455-5550.

To stay updated on my work throughout the week, you can also follow my social media accounts by clicking on the icons below.

Sincerely,