Sisters Julie Almquist and JoAnn Holbrook grew up believing that giving back was simply part of life. Their parents, Ted and Marie Fehring, modeled a deep commitment to family and community after settling in Carmel in 1945. Marie volunteered with Children’s Home Society and served as a Pink Lady at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, while Ted dedicated decades to community service through the Carmel Host Lions Club, local boards and commissions. Both were founding members and long-time supporters of the Community Church of the Monterey Peninsula.
The example our parents set was that you give back to your community," Julie says. "You do whatever you can and help where it's needed."
That example shaped both sisters’ lives. JoAnn spent nearly 30 years teaching kindergarten at the Waldorf School (now Monterey Bay Charter School), while Julie taught middle school in the San Lorenzo Valley. Today, they continue their family’s legacy through philanthropy in partnership with the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
Julie and JoAnn contribute to the Ted Fehring Family/Carmel Host Lions Club Fund, which their father founded in the 1990s. The Fund has granted more than $60,000 to local organizations including Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula, Alliance on Aging, Legal Services for Seniors and the Food Bank for Monterey County. They value seeing the direct impact their giving has in the community they call home.
In 2025, Julie expanded that legacy by establishing the Ted Fehring Family/Carmel Host Lions Club Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation for its professional investment management and scholarship administration expertise. The scholarship, originally created at Carmel High School, now benefits Carmel High students who demonstrate commitment to community service.
Julie also supports causes that matter most to her through IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions in partnership with the Community Foundation to make charitable gifts, including education, youth mentoring, workforce development and women’s health.
“I love to see people doing good work to make a difference in people’s lives,” she says. “The Community Foundation made it simple.”
Photo: JoAnn Holbrook (l) and Julie Almquist (r) with CFMC Director of Gift Planning, Anna Faith (center)
JoAnn contributes to the family funds and gives annually through the Monterey County Gives! campaign. She volunteers her time with the Big Sur International Marathon and the Community Church of the Monterey Peninsula.
For both sisters, philanthropy is about carrying forward the values they inherited and passing them to the next generation. “We hope that it will continue,” Julie says. “That our kids carry on with a grateful mindset and think about how they can pay it forward.” “We appreciate and trust the guidance of the Community Foundation,” she adds. “They are true partners.”
About giving back Julie says, “I would invite people to consider the luck and generosity they’ve experienced when someone made a difference to them. Whatever they can give, it doesn’t take much, can literally change a person’s life or create a new path. To be part of that is a great gift.”