A revered and longtime North County neighbor, the Community Resource Center (CRC) provides meals and other services to senior citizens, low-income families, and others who need a helping hand. But its downtown Encinitas location has attracted critics recently because of expansion plans on the coveted real estate it occupies along 2nd Street between Hwy. 101 and the Pacific coastline. Tony and Juan sit down with CRC CEO John Van Cleef to unpack all of it. They also dig into who John is away from the office, what motivates him, and why he has devoted his life to helping others. Tune in now to check out this timely and  informative episode of Dear San Diego.

Don’t forget to follow and subscribe at olasmedia.com

Here are some notable moments from this episode:

00:00:00 – Catching Up: Weddings, Babies, and Family Milestones

00:08:45 – Meet John Van Cleef: CEO of the Community Resource Center

00:11:22 – CRC’s Mission & Evolution

00:15:30 – Who CRC Serves: Seniors, Families, and the Working Poor

00:21:45 – Homelessness Prevention vs. Intervention

00:25:10 – Local Criticism, Misinformation & Real Estate Pressures

00:32:30 – Homelessness Data: Facts vs. Fear

00:37:00 – Effective Encampment Resolution Work

00:40:10 – The Personal Side of Leadership

00:47:50 – A Swift Graduation Gift

00:51:00 – Rapid Fire: Chilaquiles, Walks, and Wisdom

00:56:00 – Final Thoughts: Vocation and Hope

 

A revered and longtime North County neighbor, the <a href="https://crcncc.org/">Community Resource Center</a> (CRC) provides meals and other services to senior citizens, low-income families, and others who need a helping hand. But its downtown Encinitas location has <a href="https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/04/21/social-media-targets-provider-as-homelessness-surges-in-encinitas/">attracted critics recently</a> because of expansion plans on the coveted real estate it occupies along 2nd Street between Hwy. 101 and the Pacific coastline. Tony and Juan sit down with CRC CEO John Van Cleef to unpack all of it. They also dig into who John is away from the office, what motivates him, and why he has devoted his life to helping others. Tune in now to check out this timely and&nbsp; informative episode of Dear San Diego.
Don&rsquo;t forget to follow and subscribe at <a href="https://olasmedia.com/shows/dear-san-diego">olasmedia.com</a>
Here are some notable moments from this episode:
00:00:00 &ndash; Catching Up: Weddings, Babies, and Family Milestones
00:08:45 &ndash; Meet John Van Cleef: CEO of the Community Resource Center
00:11:22 &ndash; CRC&rsquo;s Mission &amp; Evolution
00:15:30 &ndash; Who CRC Serves: Seniors, Families, and the Working Poor
00:21:45 &ndash; Homelessness Prevention vs. Intervention
00:25:10 &ndash; Local Criticism, Misinformation &amp; Real Estate Pressures
00:32:30 &ndash; Homelessness Data: Facts vs. Fear
00:37:00 &ndash; Effective Encampment Resolution Work
00:40:10 &ndash; The Personal Side of Leadership
00:47:50 &ndash; A Swift Graduation Gift
00:51:00 &ndash; Rapid Fire: Chilaquiles, Walks, and Wisdom
00:56:00 &ndash; Final Thoughts: Vocation and Hope
&nbsp;

Dear San Diego is a public affairs podcast with personality.

Hosted by veteran communication specialists Tony Manolatos and Juan Hernandez, Dear San Diego gives newsmakers and others a platform to discuss the big issues of the day, but that’s just the beginning. 

Tony and Juan’s guests share what’s not in their bios, who they are away from work, secrets to success, and more. Tony and Juan also discuss work, home, fatherhood, health and wellness, and youth sports – where the politics can be way more fierce than they are at city hall. 

Tony and Juan met a decade ago while working for dueling mayoral candidates in San Diego. Since then, the two friends have worked together on numerous public affairs, land-use, and issue campaigns. 

Dear San Diego is a public affairs podcast with personality.
Hosted by veteran communication specialists Tony Manolatos and Juan Hernandez, Dear San Diego gives newsmakers and others a platform to discuss the big issues of the day, but that’s just the beginning. 
Tony and Juan’s guests share what’s not in their bios, who they are away from work, secrets to success, and more. Tony and Juan also discuss work, home, fatherhood, health and wellness, and youth sports – where the politics can be way more fierce than they are at city hall. 
Tony and Juan met a decade ago while working for dueling mayoral candidates in San Diego. Since then, the two friends have worked together on numerous public affairs, land-use, and issue campaigns.

Dear San Diego

Hosted by veteran public relations specialists, Tony Manolatos and Juan Hernandez discuss the not so obvious talents, attributes, and behaviors of fellow colleagues. Learn what's not in the bios and CV's and what's be the secret to the sauce of their success.

Hosted by veteran public relations specialists, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonymanolatos">Tony Manolatos</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-m-hernandez-pisano-3166a275/">Juan Hernandez</a> discuss the not so obvious talents, attributes, and behaviors of fellow colleagues. Learn what's not in the bios and CV's and what's be the secret to the sauce of their success.

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