Jenny Chheang
A born’n’raised Long Beach native and current Bixby Knolls resident, Jennifer lived in Cambodia for awhile where she learned to speak Khmer. After coming back home, she used her skills in working with the Cambodian community for six years at the Cambodian Association of America, developing and overseeing a number of community-based programs and along with generating millions of dollars in grants.
She is now Program Manager at the California Endowment overseeing their grantmaking in Long Beach. The Endowment is one of the largest foundations in the state and has made a 10-year commitment to improving the health and well-being in fourteen communities throughout California, one of them being Central and West Long Beach. Her job is more than just grant-related, stating “[I]t’s really about being a catalyst for change in the community; addressing long-standing issues of poverty and inequity through empowering youth and adult residents to have a voice.”
While honored to receive this award, Jennifer emphasized that “it really belongs to the men and women who work tirelessly for a fraction of what they deserve at nonprofit organizations throughout this city because they want to see all residents of Long Beach thrive.”