Hearts Behind Valley Oak

October 2025 marks Thu's 28th year as a member of the Valley Oak staff - something we are beyond grateful for and believe deserves celebrating!  In actuality, Thu has been part of the Valley Oak family for more than 30 years since she first started as an aid to one of the attending members back when Valley Oak was able to accommodate outside caregivers accompanying members.  Thu faithfully attended as a caregiver starting in 1993 and when caregiving duties ended, Thu stayed on, joining the staff in October 1997. She’s watched the program grow from a small group of 10 or 12 members enjoying trivia, puzzles, and coloring to a lively community filled with exercise, memory activities, art, live music and joyful connection.

Born in a small town in South Vietnam, Thu grew up in the Catholic Church with nuns, where she spent much of her childhood singing in the choir—a memory she holds especially close, and one that made her father proud.

Outside of Valley Oak, Thu is a devoted mother of five and grandmother of seven, all living in California, in the Bay Area and Los Angeles. She and her husband just celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary. She loves taking her grandchildren to the park, cooking them homemade meals, and tending to her garden full of fresh fruits and vegetables. She also cherishes California’s sunny weather, which matches her own warmth and energy that she brings to Valley Oak every day.  Please join us in congratulating Thu on 28 remarkable years.  She is a treasure to us all and we are incredibly thankful for the compassion and joy she shares with us everyday.  She is Valley Oak's shining example of what it means to serve with all your heart.

     Meet Our Founder: Linda Fodrini-Johnson

For Linda Fodrini-Johnson, the journey to founding Valley Oak began with a simple but powerful realization: families in the Tri-Valley needed support closer to home.

While working at the Diablo Valley Foundation for the Aging as a care manager, Linda regularly referred clients to respite care programs. But the nearest centers were in Walnut Creek — a difficult distance for many caregivers already carrying the emotional and physical demands of caring for a loved one with dementia. Linda knew there had to be a better solution for local families.

Determined to create something meaningful in the community, she began knocking on the doors of churches throughout the area, asking if they would consider housing a day respite program. At Danville Congregational Church, she met a pastor whose congregation deeply understood the challenges of caregiving. When Linda shared her vision, she remembered “their eyes grew bright.” That moment in 1987 marked the beginning of Valley Oak Respite Center (which Linda named) and the renting of the space we continue to use to this day.

In those early days, Valley Oak was small but filled with heart. Volunteers and members could all gather around one table together each morning for conversation and companionship. The program operated just two days a week, serving 12 to 15 participants daily. Retired teachers volunteered to lead brain teasers and word games, while local musicians and pianists brought joy through music and sing-alongs.

Linda herself often joined in the entertainment — even if singing was not her strength.

“I can’t sing,” Linda said with a laugh. “I had a member tell me once, ‘You’re a real nice lady, Linda, but you can’t sing.’”

Through it all, volunteers became the backbone of Valley Oak — something that remains true today.

Linda’s passion for caregiving and community service was shaped early in life. As the oldest child in her family, she witnessed her parents struggle to care for their own aging parents while also raising younger children. Those experiences stayed with her. After marrying and raising three children, Linda pursued higher education, initially planning to study social work. She later graduated from John F. Kennedy University with a degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Together with her husband and business partner, Linda built Valley Oak on the belief that giving back to the community matters.

“When you do good work,” she says, “you’re going to grow.”