Volunteer, 83, Recognized for Volunteer Grant Writing

While some 83-year-olds might be writing their memoirs, Marge Tehar of Northridge is keeping up her passion of authoring grant proposals to benefit the needy.

In 14 years, she's raised more than $4 million for the Pacoima-based nonprofit Meet Each Need With Dignity (MEND), which provides food, clothing and employment services to 38,500 people on average a month. Now, the Carl and Roberta Deutsch Foundation is presenting Tehar with the 2012 Halo Award for outstanding volunteerism.

She serves as co-chair on the organization's fundraising proposal committee, working 40-hour weeks preparing proposals.

Prior to her current job, she had years of experience in writing through her church. That's when someone saw something in Tehar and gave her a shot.

"I’ve been publishing a newsletter for 27 years for our church, Our Lady of Lourdes in Northridge,” she said in a press release. “A gentleman who was on the board of MEND had been reading it and ask me if I had ever thought of writing grants. I said, ‘No, but I’m willing to try.’ I knew about MEND and was inspired by what they do, and I think that’s important. You really have to know the organization you’re writing about.”

A $5,000 prize came along with the volunteer award, but Tehar gladly donated it to MEND.