Neighboring
Creating pathways for individuals to experience impactful relationships.
The Neighboring Initiative exists to bring collaboration in the City of Costa Mesa to create pathways for individuals to experience impactful relationships with their neighbors, for every neighborhood to have an “Intentional Neighboring Network”, and for local organizations to work better together.
The heart behind this initiative is for individuals to begin experiencing more meaningful relationships with their neighbors and the fruit that comes from a more connected neighboring network. Our hope is every neighborhood in Costa Mesa would have a thriving network where individuals feel a sense of ownership and fulfillment knowing you are making a difference in your community.
The City of Costa Mesa has wonderful city initiatives, caring churches, engaging non-profits, and a thriving small business community. Under this initiative, we work with these organizations through Love Costa Mesa Serve Day and year-round serving opportunities for residents to give of their time, talent, and treasures.
Ways to
get involved
Have questions about getting involved? Contact Reina today.
Labors of Love
As a way to increase the value of neighboring in Costa Mesa, we seek to identify and serve a neighbor in need (widow, single parent, elderly, etc.) by supporting with a manual labor project such as painting, repairs, maintenance, etc. These projects happen every month on the first Saturday. We are currently looking for a passionate team of individuals who are willing to seek out neighboring needs, manage supplies & materials and possess maintenance/repair tools.
Initiative Leader
Reina utilizes her experience and connections with various cities, communities, and nonprofits to grow relationships throughout our community and beyond. Her heart for connecting neighbors and encouraging her community to love our neighbors as ourselves has propelled our Neighboring Initiative since she became the director in 2020. Reina heads Love Costa Mesa Day each year and helps execute other city’s City-Wide Serve Days. She has instilled rhythms in our Neighboring Initiative like the Neighboring Committee, the Labors of Love team (volunteers helping residents in need with home maintenance and repairs), and Westside Nights (neighbors in Westside Costa Mesa coming together for a monthly dinner party and fellowship).
Prior to Trellis, Reina studied at UCI, where she found her heart for working with the homeless. She became President of Helping Hearts for the Homeless at UCI, which allowed her to empower students to serve the local homeless community, as well as spread awareness and education on campus. Furthermore, she oversaw several community youth programs regarding leadership development, community service & mental health advocacy at Orange County Herald Center. Reina discovered her passion for community work while on staff at The Beacon Church in Orange, working alongside Love Orange & Love Irvine initiatives and directly witnessing how churches can strategically partner with cities to make a greater impact.
Reina is a proud resident of Costa Mesa, and loves pouring into the city she believes in. She was blessed to meet her husband, Chris, at our Homelessness Check-In Center, where they now serve as a family with their two children. Reina loves to thrift-shop and listen to indie-alternative music in her spare time.
Program Coordinator
Birdi leads a team of dedicated volunteers to identify Costa Mesa residents who struggle with the upkeep of their homes. She believes that we all have gifts to share and we all experience times of need; whether it’s tangible or intangible, each of us has something to contribute to make Costa Mesa a stronger community.
For 28 years now, she has continued her ministry with them, teaching and learning from their model - the value of an empowered community. She started serving in Costa Mesa a few years after moving here to attend Vanguard University when she worked as the Teen Center Director for Shalimar Learning Center. She then completed her degree with a semester in Costa Rica and was eager to translate what she learned into a relevant form for Westside Costa Mesa’s youth. Shalimar further convinced her that investing in our most vulnerable populations elevates the whole community. By releasing the talents and gifts of our young people from the limitations of poverty and lack of access to crucial resources, we ensure a beautiful, diverse, and loving future for our city. Labors of Love does this same work in seeing our neighbors’ needs as part of our own thriving.
Birdi grew up in a small town, loves trees and physical activity, and has been a follower of Jesus since age four. A full-time mother for the past 23 years, Birdi and her husband, a local high school teacher of 25 years, raised their two children in Costa Mesa. Birdi is an active part of her local church communities, volunteering and serving in roles ranging from Sunday School teacher and youth pastor to leading women’s groups and serving as the church secretary.
Love Costa Mesa Neighboring Allies
- Asriel Jaksa, Chaos & Function
- Avila’s El Ranchito
- Basketcase Gallery
- Canopy Church
- Chick-Fil-A
- Christ Lutheran Church
- City of Costa Mesa
- Costa Mesa Code Enforcement
- Costa Mesa Foundation
- Costa Mesa Sanitation District
- Costa Mesa Senior Center
- Descanso Restaurant
- Fryer Basketball Academy
- Genesis Collective
- Great Mex
- Harbor Trinity
- Hoag Faith Community Nursing
- Holy Smokers
- Hoover Printing
- Lighthouse Community Church
- Mesa Water
- Newport Rib Company
- Palm Harvest
- Redemption OC
- Rockharbor Church
- Rose Equities
- Senator Dave Min
- Shields Cattau Financial Group – Thrivent
- St. John the Divine Episcopal Church
- Stephens Friedland LLP
- The Camp Transformation
- The Crossing Church
- The Lost Bean
- Times Real Estate
- Trenta Pizza
- Vanguard University