Santa’s Silent Helpers Give $144,000 To Nonprofits

News Release:
December 22, 2004

Contact:
Laura Simanton, 619-814-1362
Laura@sdfoundation.org

T'was the night before Christmas
And all through the house
Not a creature was stirring
Not even a mouse…

Well, not quite. Santa had some very quiet helpers in San Diego.

On Christmas morning, 25 San Diego County nonprofit organizations will find a surprise waiting in their Christmas stockings. In the last few weeks before Christmas, the largest five grants from anonymous donors at The San Diego Foundation awarded more than $147,000 to nonprofits.

According to Bob Kelly, president and CEO of The San Diego Foundation, “There are some very generous yet quiet people in our community who care deeply about San Diego but don’t care to be recognized. We encourage and support all forms of giving, including anonymous grants.”

“During this holiday season, a handful of anonymous donors have awarded more than $147,000 to 25 different nonprofit organizations. The nonprofits themselves don’t know the name of their benefactors.”

One anonymous donor is granting $39,400 to 12 different charities. Three awards are going to the ANGELS Foster Family Agency, Girl Scouts – San Diego – Imperial Council and Monarch School Project.

Another donor granted $18,000 to six different charities in varying amounts. Grants were awarded to the Village Missions, the Alpha Ministries International and World Vision International.

Two donors together directed their grant of $80,000 to the San Diego Dieguito High School Foundation.

The fifth largest donor awarded $10,000 in grants to organizations that include the Casa De Amparo, the San Diego Food Bank and the Women’s Resource Center.

Kelly said, “There are many other anonymous donors who are granting much smaller amounts. But as usual in the giving season, it’s not the size of the gift; it’s the love in the gift.”