Board Member Spotlight: Dr. Judith Sanchez
Judith Sanchez
What was your initial connection to Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County?
While I was always aware of Catholic Charities, I became more involved when my friend, Father Jon Pedigo, began working at the organization in 2017 as Director of Advocacy and Community Engagement. I began volunteering at Our Lady of Refuge during the creation of their night community market. I loved the concept of allowing clients to choose their own food rather than just being handed a box of food chosen for them. I helped get Gardner Health Network’s mobile medical unit to the night markets, which became a valuable connection once the pandemic hit.
Fr. Jon and Program Director Bridget Balajadia are instrumental in the growth of the Advocacy and Community Engagement division. I don’t know what many people in Santa Clara County would have done without their leadership and foresight during the COVID-19 pandemic. They quickly pivoted from the night market to drive-through food distribution at several different parishes with the help of Araceli Gonzales and her Emergency Programs team. The power of community is beautiful to witness in action.
What area of Catholic Charities’ services is most meaningful to you?
The program that is most meaningful to me is Everybody Loves a Baby, a partnership with
Santa Teresa Parish and Parish Engagement. As an obstetrician and gynecologist for a safety-net hospital, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, I see many struggling moms who are trying to do the best for their families. I was impressed by the ingenuity that Volunteer Coordinator Lynda DeManti showed in creating the program, and I was proud to share the program with my department. I’m grateful there are so many volunteers and donors willing to help. Breaking the cycle of poverty begins at birth, and I am hopeful that these small changes (clothes, a car seat, diapers) will lead to greater ripples throughout their lives.
What is your personal mission of giving back?
I cannot remember a time when I was not involved in service. My grandparents were active in their local Community Service Organizations. I vividly remember the yearly Posadas we would have, which always culminated in distributing toys to my grandma’s neighbors in Alviso.
As I grew older, I knew I wanted to serve my community and decided to become an OB/GYN. I work at a clinic in Gilroy, and a large percentage of my patients work in the agriculture industry. I feel like I have come full circle, as my grandparents and mother were farm workers when they first moved to California. I love being able to speak Spanish to my patients. There is much recent data about the importance of cultural congruence and better outcomes for patients, and I hope to make a difference as I bring new life into the world. I advocate for my patients on a daily basis – both in the clinic and outside. I remember my patient once saw me on the news as I was marching for immigration reform, and she was so happy to see me and know I was speaking up for her.
Why would you encourage others to support Catholic Charities and get involved in our mission?
Catholic Charities has so many different programs that help thousands of people throughout Santa Clara County. Whatever your passion may be, they likely already have a program devoted to that service! With the new Footsteps program, Catholic Charities is devoted to putting an end to poverty, and who wouldn’t want to say they were a part of that?
