Optivest Foundation on OCBJ’s Private Foundations List

September 2015

(As reported in the Orange County Business Journal, September 7, 2015): “…Dana Point-based Optivest Foundation is the only newcomer to the list. It made $604,058 in total contributions last year, with $302,497 of that given to Orange County charities. Optivest is ranked No. 25. It was founded in 2007 and is funded by 10% of the gross revenue of Optivest Inc., Optivest Properties LLC, and Optivest Investment Banking, according to the foundation’s website. It has invested more than $2.3 million in local and international areas since 2007.

Trish Van Mourick, who founded the Optivest Foundation with her husband, Mark, said the rise in contributions can be attributed to the Optivest companies’ increased profitability in recent years. The foundation donates mostly internationally, with some local giving, and to Christian-based causes.

‘We have multiyear projects in Rwanda, Zambia, and India, and focus on projects that will be sustainable in the future,’ Van Mourick said. ‘We are passionate about international projects because we really see our investment dollars go so much further.’ One of the current projects listed on the foundation’s website is the Freedom Climb, an annual event when women from around the world climb Mount Kilimanjaro to ‘raise global awareness, prayers, and funds for women and children who are oppressed, enslaved, exploited, and trafficked throughout the world.’ ” CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE