Celebrating the Impact of San Diego Philanthropists

“There’s no shame in having more or having less, as long as you’re grateful for what you have, share it generously with others, and spend it wisely on the things that make you happiest.” – Ron Lieber, The Opposite of Spoiled

San Diegans are known for their generosity.

As highlighted in the Nonprofit Institute State of Nonprofits Report, half of all households in the region give to nonprofit organizations, and many of those individuals partner with The San Diego Foundation to accomplish their charitable goals and grow a more vibrant region.

Philanthropists with The Foundation belong to one of the largest networks of donors in the region and on April 30 we were honored to host nearly 200 of these generous San Diegans at our annual Donor & Legacy League Appreciation Luncheon.

The event served as an opportunity to thank our donors for their generosity and celebrate the longstanding impact philanthropy has had and continues to have in San Diego.

During the lunch, nationally-recognized speaker, best-selling author and New York Times columnist Ron Lieber shared his personal journey and spoke about the importance of inter-generational giving.

“By teaching our children about philanthropy early on and bringing it into the family dynamic, we are instilling lifelong values such as thrift, patience and perspective,” explained Ron.

These inspiring words served as both a guide for developing the next generation of philanthropists, as well as a reminder for why giving back is so important.

Everyone has a personal reason for giving and the event provided an opportunity to recognize the unique impacts of the philanthropists in the room, as well as those not able to join us for the celebration.

One such philanthropist who was highlighted at the Donor & Legacy League Appreciation Luncheon was Guy Clum, a long-time San Diego Foundation donor who cared more about helping others than himself. While Guy is no longer with us, his transformational gift is already changing the life trajectory of San Diego’s most vulnerable children.

Guy understood that a child’s first years are critical to the mental and social development that sets the stage for the rest of their life. Recognizing he had an opportunity to address this issue through his philanthropy, Guy contributed $13 million to establish the Guy Clum Early Education & Development Program at The San Diego Foundation.

Through his gift, children in San Diego, both now and in the future, will have access to the care and education they need to grow into happy, healthy members of our community.

We owe a great deal of gratitude to Guy and the many donors like him who work with The San Diego Foundation to bring positive change to our region. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we have been able to grant as much as $67 million annually to the nonprofit community, 94% of which is driven by the passions and interests of local philanthropists.

Celebrating Generosity and Impact

The Donor & Legacy League Luncheon is a meaningful way we recognize the important role each and every philanthropist plays in our community.

Join thousands of San Diego philanthropists who make a difference in the community by opening a fund at The San Diego Foundation.

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