From the beaches of Oahu to the town of Los Gatos, Kathy Mlinarich has consistently advocated for her community.
“Because there's a need, and I've been gifted with the ability to do stuff like this, and I don't want to waste that gift,” Mlinarich said.
Her advocacy started at the age of nine years old when she organized a trash pick-up day in Oahu, Hawaii that continues to this day.
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As a young mom in Palo Alto, Mlinarich established a support group for parents that is also still going on.
It was no surprise that when Kathy moved to Los Gatos, her transition to volunteering with the Live Oak Senior Nutrition Center was seamless.
The center, operating out of the Los Gatos Methodist United Church and associated with the Second Harvest Food Bank, fed about 30 seniors a day.
“I volunteered here on a Friday. By Monday, I'm the kitchen manager, and within several months, I'm the executive director,” Mlinarich said. “It's just boom, boom, boom. No skills at all.”
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Her leadership proved essential in ensuring the center continued to provide support to the community’s seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under her guidance, the center’s reach expanded significantly.
“We are averaging. Today we did 87, we're averaging 80 to 85,” Mlinarich said.
Despite the perception of Los Gatos as an affluent town, Mlinarich is acutely aware of the persistent need within her community.
Her daily encounters with this reality serve as a motivator for her volunteer work. Reflecting on her own journey with adversity, she finds strength in her belief that community work is her calling in life.
“I realized I'm valuable and I'm here on this earth for a reason,” Mlinarich said. “I mean, I had a messy childhood, but God said, ‘No, I've got a plan. Don't disappoint me.’ And that's where I go with it. That's the honest truth.”
