Providence Mission Hospital Foundation board member Gloria Luna

When Gloria Luna immigrated to the United States from Lima, Peru, at the age of 22, she came with her education and an indomitable spirit to pursue not only her professional dreams but also her passion for helping others. Initially landing in Florida, Gloria soon found her way to California, where she met her husband, Alvaro, also a native of Peru.

Today, the couple have two adult children and a successful stone fabrication business they started from scratch. Gloria is the chief financial officer of the company, which today counts many major local builders as clients.

“Alvaro started the business from our apartment. As the company grew, I quit my job to join him,” she remembers. “We were fortunate to start with one big client, and it just took off from there.  When you work hard in this country, the ‘American Dream’ really does exist.”

Community champion

A committed volunteer, Gloria served on the board of her children’s school, where she coordinated major fundraising events, and then joined the parent board at her son’s college, where she experienced firsthand the impact and value not only of philanthropy, but advocacy.

A close friend, who served on the Providence Mission Hospital Foundation Board of Directors, took note of Gloria’s talent for fundraising and recruited her. She said, “Come and see what we’re doing.”

Gloria says, “I realized that, like most people, I didn’t know anything about our local hospital, the importance of its fundraising and what the Foundation is constantly doing to improve health care in our community. We will all need medical care at some point, and it’s important to make sure we all have quality care available when that time comes.”

Asking for others

A Providence Mission Hospital Foundation supporter since 2011, Gloria is continually finding ways to get people involved with supporting the hospital.

John Miller, the Foundation’s chief philanthropy officer, says, “As an avid traveler, Gloria is legendary for coming back from her own vacations with packages she has put together for live auctions — cooking in Italy with a renowned chef, diving in The Maldives, climbing Machu Picchu, surfing in Mexico. Gloria loves to ask people to help her hospital provide health care, and we have seen time and again that when Gloria smiles and asks, people are inspired to say ‘yes’!”

In 2016, Gloria joined the Providence Mission Hospital Foundation Board and is currently serving as treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee. “I call Providence Mission my little hospital with a heart,” she smiles. “I want to be remembered for loving my hospital and teaching everyone about it. Anyone can be a part of it — anyone with a voice.”