San Diego Foundation Approves $750,000 In 'Unity Fund' Grants For Local Nonprofits

SAN DIEGO, CA — San Diego Foundation Monday approved $750,000 in new grants with the intention of helping more than 6,000 San Diegans gain access to housing stability, healthcare and mental health support.

The three grants are part of SDF's San Diego Unity Fund, created to help nonprofits provide services to county residents as federal funding is eliminated.

"Right now, San Diego families are making impossible choices between paying rent, buying groceries or getting mental health services for their children," said Mark Stuart, president and CEO of San Diego Foundation. "Thanks to the generous donations of San Diegans, these San Diego Unity Fund grants will support the people who need help most by funding nonprofit service providers who know and are trusted by their communities."

The grants are:

-- $350,000 to the Urban League of San Diego County to prevent homelessness for 50 households at imminent risk through direct payments to landlords. Recipients will also receive one-on-one financial counseling from a HUD-certified housing counselor;

-- $250,000 to Lifeline Community Services to provide Signs of Suicide presentations to 6,000 elementary, middle and high school students across San Diego County, along with parent and caregiver workshops; and

-- $150,000 to The San Diego LGBT Community Center to advance its Sexual Health & Wellness Program, expanding access to "affirming, community- based healthcare services" for 400 people, including HIV-positive people across the county.

"As the mental health crisis among youth continues to grow, children are increasingly carrying worries they should never have to hold -- often leading to anxiety, depression and thoughts of self-harm," said Lisette Islas, CEO of Lifeline Community Services. "The Unity Fund at San Diego Foundation comes at a critical time, helping us protect the well-being and future of our children as we navigate ongoing shifts in federal and state funding."

San Diego Foundation created the Unity Fund last September to help plug funding gaps for nonprofits, which "are facing rising demand and diminishing resources," a foundation statement reads.

More than $32 million has been raised to support more than 100 local nonprofits since the fund began.

— City News Service