September 28, 2018 – San Diego, CA – Escondido Charitable Foundation (ECF), an affiliate of The San Diego Foundation, awarded $183,910 in funding at its 12th Annual Grants Celebration on September 27 to six nonprofit programs that will enhance Escondido through interactive, publicly-accessible arts and cultural experiences. ECF has granted more than $2.2 million and generated $4.5 million in impact to strengthen the community of Escondido since 2006.

“Since 2006, the Escondido Charitable Foundation has served as a catalyst of community impact for those who live, work and visit Escondido,” explained Jackie Skay, Board Chair for ECF. “With our 2018-2019 grantmaking, members chose to invest in arts and cultural experiences that increase civic pride, positively impact the image of Escondido and create meaningful experiences within our community.”

The six programs funded for the 2018-2019 grant cycle include: The Allegro Project with Civic Youth Orchestra, Inc.; Local Color Mural and Flag Project with Escondido Arts Partnership; The Wall Speaks with Escondido Community Child Development Center; Restoration of Historic Victorian with Escondido History Center; Excavating Escondido II: An Interactive Adventure in Discovery with La Jolla Playhouse; Ticitozaa Folklorico Dance Festival with Tierra Caliente Academy of Arts.

ECF was founded to provide community members a vehicle to increase effective and responsible philanthropy in Escondido. Through 12 years of grantmaking, ECF has addressed a wide range of community issues including health and human services; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education; access to the outdoors; advancing arts & culture and more.

“The purpose and vision of the Escondido Charitable Foundation is to advance the quality of life for all Escondido residents today, and into the future,” shared Jack Raymond, ECF Founding Board Chair. “Having residents engaged in the process is critical to appropriately identify the pressing needs of the community.”

To become a member, contact Trudy Armstrong at (619) 814-1312 or e-mail trudy@sdfoundation.org.

About the 2018 Grantees

Civic Youth Orchestra, Inc.
The Allegro Project
Civic Youth Orchestra enriches the lives of youth in the region through musical opportunities. The $50,000 grant will help support The Allegro Project, a community-based music education program through a new partnership with the Escondido Unified School District. The program aims to duplicate the success of the Opus program in the Chula Vista schools. This program has garnered national attention by better developing students while learning to play music.

Escondido Arts Partnership
Local Color Mural and Flag Project
Escondido Arts Partnership enhances quality of life in the region through offering diverse artistic, education, social and entertainment experiences. The $21,700 grant will help create a color mural and flag display in the City of Escondido. It will entice visitors to Grand Avenue with a visual exploration of the essence and culture of Escondido’s colorful agricultural history, growing art scene, and acres of open spaces. The mural will act as a catalyst for art projects that will involve all segments and age groups.

Escondido Community Child Development Center
The Wall Speaks
Located along 9th Avenue, the Escondido Community Child Development Center provides quality, early childhood education, development and health programs for children 4 months to 5 years of age. The $30,000 grant will allow the Center to build and create a 185-foot mosaic wall on site that will be on full display for all pedestrians and passersby. The Wall Speaks will aesthetically, historically and culturally enhance 819 West 9th Avenue, the owned site of the Escondido Community Child Development Center.

Escondido History Center
Restoration of Historic Victorian
The Escondido History Center collects, preserves and exhibits the history of the community to promote cultural and educational experiences among Escondido residents and visitors. The $16,778 grant will allow Escondido History Center to restore the interior of the Victorian House, which occupies a prominent position in Grape Day Park. By restoring the interior of the Victorian House, the History Center will be able to continue attracting visitors to the museum complex and furthering the mission of historical education.

La Jolla Playhouse
Excavating Escondido II: An Interactive Adventure in Discovery
The $50,000 grant will support Excavating Escondido II, a project that increases understanding of and appreciation for the history of Escondido. Over 80 students from Escondido, Orange Glen and San Pasqual High Schools and Del Lago Academy will participate in exploring Escondido history and developing artistic responses through Theatre, Dance, Music and Visual Arts.

Tierra Caliente Academy of Arts
Ticitozaa Folklorico Dance Festival
The Tierra Caliente Academy of Arts creates cultural awareness through comprehensive artistic education that fosters excellence in all forms of the visual and performing arts. The $15,432 grant will support the Ticitozaa Folklorico Dance Festival, a cultural production that features two performances at The California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

About the Escondido Charitable Foundation & the Regional Affiliate Program

The Regional Affiliate program, including the Escondido Charitable Foundation, was established by The San Diego Foundation to create a regional network of affiliate foundations by leveraging local leadership, building endowments, increasing impactful philanthropy, and promoting civic engagement. Affiliates reside in Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Escondido, La Jolla, Oceanside, Ramona, Rancho Bernardo, and 4S Ranch-Del Sur. The Regional Affiliate program has exceeded 1,000 members, established endowments of more than $4.6 million overall, and granted more than $5 million in total to nonprofit organizations throughout the region.

About The San Diego Foundation

The San Diego Foundation maximizes the impact of your charitable giving. We mobilize philanthropic resources to advance quality of life, increase social impact and champion civic engagement. For more than 40 years, The Foundation and our donors have granted more than $1.1 billion to grow a vibrant San Diego region. Learn more on our website, and consider a donation to the Fund for the Future Endowment which supports San Diego community needs now and forever.

Contacts

Vince Heald, Beck Ellman Heald, 858-453-9600, vheald@behmedia.com
Justin Nunez, The San Diego Foundation, 619-814-1365, justin@sdfoundation.org