Author: veritasinv

It started with an email after midnight, literally a stab in the dark to colleagues in his department. By 11am that morning, Dan Chung, a Vice President at Veritas Investments, had overrun his goal and it didn’t stop there. People were asking about the campaign so he widened the net to other staff.

“Hi Veritas Family, I started an initiative with the goal to purchase 10,000 surgical masks to be donated to local hospitals to help protect doctors and nurses as they treat patients infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19). …Please don’t feel obligated to make a contribution. For those interested in making a contribution, no matter how small, please email….”

As of April 17, Chung’s solo mission raised enough money to acquire 10,000 surgical masks, as well as 1,100 N95 masks for Bay Area medical staff. In the past week, he dropped off over 5,500 masks at Kaiser Permanente and another 5,500 at the San Francisco emergency medical facility created at Moscone Center. And more are coming, Dan said, because the fundraising kept going.

How did it start? Dan and his wife were at Kaiser Permanente’s Oakland Medical Center for an appointment a couple weeks before, unrelated to coronavirus, but he noticed something out of sync.

“I saw a few people without masks and they told me, they’re being saved for surgery and high-risk needs,” he said. “I decided I had to do something.”

It was just an idea, something that tapped Dan’s deep appreciation for the Kaiser Permanente teams who had been so good to his family now and over the years, and for all the medical workers on the front lines of the pandemic. It struck a chord with his colleagues, too, in seeing an opportunity to recognize the crucial role that our medical system and its dedicated professionals play throughout our lives, sometimes quietly and sometimes with great needs like today.

Another key part of achieving Chung’s goals included the extended Veritas network. Chung has relationships inside and outside the company and one of them, a Veritas investor based in Hong Kong, was moved by his fundraising effort and immediately wanted to help with the cause. This Veritas investor personally helped source and ship the N95 masks and located a supplier for the medical-grade masks, all of which were shipped direct from Hong Kong. He also made a 100% matching contribution to extend the fundraising efforts.

The Bay Area medical personnel were extremely appreciative, and told Dan, “Wow, this is amazing!”, “So many masks!”, “The doctors and nurses really need these.” Dozens and dozens of his colleagues had contributed money as well as their time. Most folks generously gave between $10 to $100, he said, and Chung was thrilled that CEO Yat-Pang Au made a 100% matching gift to further add to the campaign. Chung also gave a shout-out to Bernard Borja for joining him at 6am each day for delivering masks to the hospitals.

CEO Au recognized Dan Chung’s community-minded spirit on a companywide Zoom call, saying, “Thanks Dan, we very much appreciate it, and shows what can be started by just one person. And let me encourage everyone else, when you see people in times of need, lend a helping hand, find out ways to connect and support them. We are all in this together.”

You don’t have to be in second grade to enjoy a San Francisco park.

That’s the message 150 laughing and scampering kids had March 2 for Mayor London Breed and other dignitaries who, having graduated from swings and slides, still enjoy a good urban play haven like the Turk-Hyde Mini Park, which reopened after an 11-month, $1.7 million makeover.

Veritas founder Yat-Pang Au talks with Mark Gayapa, who grew up in the Tenderloin and lives in a Veritas-owned building, and his daughter, Aquamarie, at the mosaic tile bench.

Renovations feature new playground equipment, landscaping, tables and a bold mosaic bench created by noted Berkeley artist Wilma Wyss and commissioned by Veritas Investments. The bench highlights native pollinators, butterflies and the plants that support them.

Mark Gayapa, who grew up in the Tenderloin and lives in a Veritas-owned apartment, brought his young daughter, Aquamarie, to the opening. “I’m proud of this,” said the father of two. “We need more parks to keep kids out of trouble.”

Andy S. a fifth-grader at Tenderloin Community School, eyed the bench swings. “I really like them. You can play on them with your friends,’’ he said, bouncing near the slide.

As a siren blared, Breed welcomed the grown-ups to the urban oasis in the warm late-winter breeze. “The kids need a safe and clean place to play,” Breed said amid the giddy shouting students. “Look how happy they are!”

Mosaic artist Wilma Wyss works on the installation of the Turk-Hyde Mini Park bench.

The mosaic bench is part of Veritas’ mission to improve San Francisco neighborhoods for both residents and native species. “This mosaic bench and natural habitat complements the 11-story monarch butterfly mural three blocks up at 455 Hyde,” Jeff Jerden of Veritas said. “We are thrilled to have been part of this wonderful addition to the neighborhood.”

Using 100 different colors of high-quality tiles, Wyss spent two months creating the mural at her Berkeley studio. “I researched local butterflies and plants,” she said. “I tried to render the butterflies accurately so they could be identified; the plants are a bit more abstract.”

Wyss and her crew then moved the mural’s 35 pieces to the park, assembling and grouting the sections.

“I love working with environment themes as well as the education aspects. I’m thrilled to have it in a park used by kids,” said Wyss, noting that she will have additional mosaic art debut this spring at nearby Sergeant John Macaulay Park.

The engaging bench and the eye-catching mural are some of the steps Veritas is taking to encourage the expansion of living space for endangered pollinating insects. Efforts include influencing the city to change planting plans at both parks to be 100 percent pollinator friendly and redoing the rear garden at 455 Hyde – home of the national migrating mural.