Meet Partner, Louarn Sorkin!

By Paul Thiel

San Diego native Louarn Sorkin and her husband Alan, a transplant from Chicago, were very intrigued when they were first introduced to the concept of Social Venture Partners nearly a decade ago. She was frustrated with the level of philanthropy in San Diego and “SDSVP was a delightfully creative idea,” says Louarn. “Pooling money and giving expertise – it just sounded like a great concept.”

That was the beginning of San Diego Social Venture Partners, as the Sorkin’s helped to launch the group locally in 2001. Alan is now chairman of Social Venture Partners International, while both he and Louarn remain deeply involved in San Diego philanthropy.

“Much of the appeal of the Social Venture Partner model was the opportunity to play an ongoing role,” says Louarn, who spent most of her career as a corporate trainer in the real estate, securities and insurance businesses. “It wouldn’t be just writing a check to a nonprofit organization,” she says, “but writing a check and having a part in their growth and sustainability.”

That ongoing relationship is a key point of the value of SDSVP. Louarn says she is particularly impressed with the SDSVP Partners’ expertise and expanded services through the resource teams and their goal to help our nonprofits grow become sustainable and strategic.

Part of her role as a member of the Investment Working Group is helping determine which candidates are the best fits. “One of the most important things we need to know is if the nonprofit organization is coachable,” she says. “Do they only want our money or do they also want our expertise?”

Social Venture Partners has grown since it began, but is staying true to its mission, Louarn says. “It’s morphing a bit, however it is all about the same theme: making good choices about investing in the nonprofit organizations of San Diego County,” she says. “Because of our experience with SDSVP, Alan and I feel much better equipped to make wise choices as to whom we give our time and money.” Louarn served as the Social Chairman for five years, planning quarterly parties, and has served on the Investment Working Group, fund development, board development working groups and the nominating committee.

In addition to being one of the Founding Partners of SDSVP, Louarn also co-founded Just in Time For Foster Youth, a nonprofit organization that furnishes apartments and dorm rooms for young adults who are transitioning from foster care to independent life on their own. After serving on their board for four years and organizing their fundraising events, she transitioned off the board to serve as their advisor. Louarn served two terms as the board president of the La Jolla Guild for the San Diego Opera, and has been involved with many charitable organizations such as St. Germaine Children’s Charity, the Salvation Army Woman’s Auxiliary, Country Friends, San Diego Opera Counsel of Guilds, San Diego Grantmakers, the Single Professional Society for the Performing Arts, Friends of Children and several groups working with abused children.

In March, Louarn was honored by being named a “Woman of Distinction” at the 44th Annual Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary Luncheon. “I like to fly beneath the radar,” she says, “however this was a wonderful honor.” She also received the 10News Leadership Award for her charitable work in San Diego. “So much for flying under the radar!”

Louarn’s philanthropic activities were one of the things that led her to Alan, who was also deeply involved in San Diego’s philanthropic scene.

Alan and Louarn met on a blind date, to which both consented to only after the nagging of their friends. Neither liking the idea of a blind date, they agreed to meet once and talk business only, Louarn says. Turned out their friends were right about the match, and now the pair enjoy occasionally matchmaking for other friends – for romance and business. “We are connectors,” says Louarn”. “We love to connect people and resources.”

The pair stay connected to each other in part by extensive traveling, with a particular focus on river rafting around the world. Among their favorite venues: the Kicking Horse River in the Canadian Rockies.

They also love commuting to Boise to visit Louarn’s son, Craig, daughter-in-law, Wendy and granddaughters, Rileigh, 5-years old and Parker, 8 months old. Alan has two daughters, Jillian and Lainie, with a new granddaughter due in September.

Boise, Louarn says, reminds her of long ago San Diego. “It is just delightful up there,” she says, “it’s like San Diego in the ‘60s. Everyone knows each other, you can walk the streets safely at night and they still have a lot of street fairs and family activities.”

When back in San Diego, Louarn has two unusual hobbies: crocheting hats and scarves and rescuing rabbits.

From 2005 until 2007, Louarn crocheted more than 200 hats and scarves that were distributed through the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary for seniors, homeless and transitioning foster youth. In 2008, she institutionalized the practice by starting the “Creative Yarn Group” organization to crochet hats and scarves for the 2008 holiday season. She set a group goal of 300 and the group exceeded that their goal by creating 342 items. This year they have added children going through chemotherapy for cancer as recipients of the “wild colored” crocheted hats.

And the rabbits. “Yes, we have a house rabbit – she weighs less than three pounds, is litter box trained and eats food out of a little rabbit shaped bowl,” Louarn says of her eighth rescued bunny. “She is basic black with a tremendous amount of attitude, so we call her Coco Chanel.”