Emerging, Important Needs

On February 6, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake occurred in southern Turkey near the northern border of Syria. This quake was followed approximately nine hours later by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake located around 59 miles to the southwest. Hundreds of aftershocks have been reported since.

The earthquake was the most devastating to hit earthquake-prone Turkey in more than 20 years and was as strong as one in 1939, the most powerful recorded there. More than 5,000 people have been killed and thousands more injured.

Below is a list of organizations you can support for relief and recovery efforts.

• Center for Disaster Philanthropy – Turkey & Syria Earthquake Recovery Fund
• Charities Aid Foundation America – Earthquake Response: Türkiye & Syria
• Friends of Fondation de France – Solidarity with Turkey & Syria
• GlobalGiving – Turkey and Syria Earthquake Relief Fund
• Give2Asia – Turkey & Syria Earthquake Response Fund
• International Rescue Committee (IRC) – Emergency Response Fund
• King Baudouin Foundation United States – Turkey & Syria Earthquake Response Fund
• Turkish Philanthropy Funds – Donation Fund

SDF Fund Advisors: All of the recommended organizations are eligible for a grant from your donor-advised fund. Please contact your Donor Services Team with any questions at DonorServices@sdfoundation.org or (619) 814-1332.

This winter’s heavy rains have caused widespread destruction and hardship for many California residents and their families.

Below is a list of organizations you can support for relief and recovery efforts with a special focus on helping communities facing structural impediments.

• Community Foundation for Monterey County – Monterey County Storm Relief Fund: This winter’s heavy rains have caused widespread destruction and hardship for many Monterey County residents and their families. Multiple areas are under evacuation warnings or orders due to heavy rains, toppled trees, power outages and flooding along the Pajaro, Salinas and Carmel Rivers among others. People are in need of food, housing, and immediate assistance. Floodwaters will recede and residents will also need cleanup and recovery assistance. The CFMC has created the Monterey County Storm Relief Fund to raise funds to provide relief for affected individuals and families. Donations to the fund will provide emergency assistance and relief through local nonprofits for needs including food, emergency shelter, financial assistance to those evacuated, support for first responders, as well as recovery efforts.
• Community Foundation for San Benito County – Disaster Recovery Fund: In light of the current flooding disaster in the County, the Community Foundation for San Benito County has opened a Disaster Recovery Fund to aid community members experiencing hardships related to the storm conditions and flooding. This fund was established to help victims of flooding, and other natural disasters, in San Benito County.
• Community Foundation of San Luis Obispo – Disaster Support Fund: The Community Foundation has a Disaster Support Fund to assist communities affected by natural disasters or pandemics. Donations to the fund will provide both immediate relief and support rebuilding and recovery efforts in the aftermath of the recent devastation. Grants from the fund will be distributed to nonprofit agencies and organizations directly assisting individuals to meet needs as they arise and to deploy resources where they are most needed. The Community Foundation has waived all administrative fees so 100% of donations will be used for grantmaking.
• Community Foundation Santa Cruz County – Disaster Fund: The Santa Cruz County Disaster Fund is dedicated to supporting residents impacted by floods, wildfires, earthquakes and other local disasters. Contributions to this fund will be disbursed as grants to support trusted local nonprofit organizations working on the front lines of disaster response, recovery, and rebuilding efforts. Your support will help benefit those most affected and offer ready resources to organizations responding to local needs. This fund has been activated to respond to the flooding in the Pajaro Valley and San Lorenzo Valley in December 2022 and January 2023.
• Humboldt Area Foundation & Wild Rivers Community Foundation – Disaster Response & Resilience Fund: The Disaster Response & Resilience Fund supports residents of Humboldt, Trinity, Del Norte and Curry counties, as well as adjoining Tribal lands during current and future disasters, including fires, earthquakes, flooding, and other natural and man-made disasters. Grants are made to nonprofit agencies, public benefit organizations (schools, government agencies, federally recognized Tribes, etc.), charitable organizations and groups with a qualified fiscal sponsor.
• League of California Community Foundations – Disaster Relief, Recovery, and Resilience Fund: The League of California Community Foundations has established a fund to provide a centralized opportunity for funders to invest in disaster resilience and response through community foundations – trusted intermediaries who are deeply connected to affected communities. The Disaster Relief, Recovery, and Resilience Fund will support the response to, recovery from, and resilience to natural hazard events for communities across the state of California. A key focus area of the fund is supporting resilience through disaster prevention, mitigation, and preparedness, in addition to disaster relief and recovery.
• Sacramento Region Community Foundation – Sacramento Region Disaster Relief Fund: When local emergencies or crises occur, the Sacramento Region Community Foundation is equipped to respond. Paired with its team’s community knowledge and lasting relationships with the organizations that make an impact in the capital region, SRCF quickly activate gifts to the Sacramento Region Disaster Relief Fund to help during times of crisis — so its community can have a successful recovery. The fund is now activated to support area nonprofits responding to ongoing severe storms and flooding.
• Silicon Valley Community Foundation – SVCF Emergency and Disaster Relief Fund: This 10-county fund provides flexible resources and focuses on community relief and recovery needs for current and future disasters. Depending on the nature of the emergency or disaster, needs could include shelter, food, financial assistance and other services as they are needed. The fund is designed to provide a continued, flexible source of funding, so that SVCF may respond to its communities’ immediate needs in times of emergency, assist in building community resilience and be prepared to act quickly when future disasters occur. Grants disbursed by the fund will prioritize support for those most in need and facing the harshest circumstances.
• Central Valley – Disaster Relief, Recovery, Resiliency Fund: This fund supports the relief, recovery, and resilience for natural hazard events in communities across the state of California, specifically in the Central Valley. CVCF works closely with partners on the ground to ensure each dollar is used as effectively as possible.
• Santa Barbara Foundation – Community Disaster Relief Fund: Communities in Santa Barbara County have proven time and again to be resilient in times of disaster. The Community Disaster Relief Fund was created to support the county during times of crisis, and has previously been activated to respond to disasters such as the Thomas Fire and 1/9 Debris Flow and the COVID-19 Pandemic. To learn more about our COVID-19 response work, read our COVID-19 Impact Report.
• United Way of the Wine Country – Emergency Readiness Fund: An integral part of United Way of the Wine Country’s mission to help families and individuals improve financial stability, donations made to the Emergency Readiness Fund are distributed as strategic grants to emergency readiness and response efforts across Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. Grants are awarded primarily to nonprofits providing equitable access to information and resources including financial assistance before, during, or after an emergency. Emergencies range from fires, floods, wind events, power outages, and other natural and human-made disasters, including pandemics and industrial accidents along with associated economic impact.

SDF Fund Advisors: All of the recommended organizations are eligible for a grant from your donor-advised fund. Please contact your Donor Services Team with any questions at DonorServices@sdfoundation.org or (619) 814-1332.

After months of tension, Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, February 24. Attacks of war have put millions of civilians at risk. Many have volunteered to fight or been caught in the crossfire, with refugees escaping to neighboring countries. Ukrainians desperately need emergency aid.

Below is a list of organizations you can support that are providing aid from the U.S. and abroad. We will continue adding to this list in the coming days.

• King Baudouin Foundation Humanitarian Response Fund for Ukraine: Contribute directly to trusted organizations based in Ukraine. This fund is pooling contributions to be distributed to three local nonprofits working on the frontlines – Caritas Ukraine, People in Need Ukraine, and the Polish Red Cross. These three organizations provide food, shelter and medical assistance to vulnerable individuals across Ukraine and to the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who are seeking refuge across borders.
• International Rescue Committee: Mobilizing resources to aid Ukrainian refugees forced to flee their homes.
• CARE: International humanitarian organization providing immediate crisis response in Ukraine with the aim of reaching 4 million people with food, water and hygiene kits.
• Center for Disaster Philanthropy Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Recovery Fund: This Fund will focus on medium- and long-term recovery, ensuring access to basic services and including education, food, health, protection, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene.
• UNICEF: Response teams have been on the ground providing humanitarian relief in Eastern Ukraine since 2014, and UNICEF has launched an emergency appeal to raise funds to scale up relief efforts in the country and assist those fleeing to other countries. UNICEF is supporting health, nutrition, HIV prevention, education, access to safe drinking water, sanitation and protection for children and families caught in the conflict.
• Global Communities / Project Concern International: The Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund supports humanitarian assistance in impacted communities in Ukraine and surrounding regions where Ukrainian refugees have fled. Global Communities has worked in Ukraine for the past six years, forming deep relationships with local communities. With staff on the ground and established trust, they are well-positioned to assess needs and help Ukrainians address the current crisis.

SDF Fund Advisors: All of the recommended organizations are eligible for a grant from your donor-advised fund. Please contact your Donor Services Team with any questions at DonorServices@sdfoundation.org or (619) 814-1332.

COVID-19 deepened racial inequity in many aspects of society and the events of the recent past have shined a light on systemic racism, especially as it impacts Black communities.

For San Diegans who are looking for ways to make an impact, the Black Community Investment Fund provides an opportunity for you to help make San Diego County a better, stronger and more equitable region so every San Diegan can thrive, prosper and feel like they belong.