San Diego Foundation raises $32 million to offset federal cuts to social programs

Food distribution for refugees by the Karen Organization of San Diego one of the latest grant recipients Photo courtesy of the nonprofit The San Diego Foundation reported Wednesday that million has been raised for its San Diego Unity Fund and has been awarded in grants including earlier this week to five nonprofits helping families and senior citizens The foundation mentioned the up-to-date fundraising success comes as federal cuts push more seniors and families to the brink of homelessness The Unity Fund was launched on Sept as part of a rapid response by San Diego county s three largest foundations the Prebys Foundation Price Philanthropies and the San Diego Foundation in response to federal funding reductions in food housing and wellness care programs agents disclosed The three foundations committed million with the Unity Fund bringing in additional funding from other foundations and the general populace The million comes from million provided by the San Diego Foundation million from the San Diego County Partnership to Protect San Diegans and over in cash and online donations The nonprofits receiving the in grants are ElderHelp to help seniors in their homes and provide care coordination of services nutrition and transportation The Karen Organization of San Diego to provide medical care and wellness programs for refugee families through the San Diego Refugee Communities Coalition Urban League of San Diego County to help families at immediate exposure of homelessness with urgency payments to landlords UC San Diego Shiley EyeMobile for Children to provide vision screenings exams and glasses to schools supporting over students Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans to help families with emergency rent assistance food and situation management San Diego Rescue Mission that will pay for crisis shelter meals and trauma-informed care for homeless people and families More seniors and families are now one unexpected bill away from falling behind on their housing stated Mark Stuart president and CEO of San Diego Foundation As federal help is reduced local nonprofits are being requested to do more with less and our neighborhood is stepping up Stuart announced Thanks to generous Unity Fund donors we can move rapidly so a missed paycheck or surprise physiological expense does not turn into an eviction or a night sleeping in a car Deborah Martin CEO and executive director of ElderHelp stated the grant will help seniors stay in their homes a critical factor in reducing hospitalizations preventing falls and promoting overall strength and longevity Safe stable housing is not a luxury it s a fundamental need that enables seniors to maintain their dignity and connection to their communities she added Al Abdallah president and CEO of the Urban League of San Diego County mentioned his organization was deeply grateful for foundation s help By helping cover mortgage and rental payments we are not only stabilizing households but we are also preserving dignity safety and opportunity for our locality members Abdallah revealed Together we are ensuring that more San Diegans can remain housed and hopeful City News Function contributed to this article