San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund Reaches $6.2 Million

For Immediate Release

David C. Copley Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation Contribute a Combined $350,000, Respond to Dr. Seuss Match Challenge

March 24, 2020 – San Diego, CA – The San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund at The San Diego Foundation has received $6.2 million in donations, thanks to new contributions from individuals and organizations, including $250,000 from the David C. Copley Foundation and $100,000 from The California Wellness Foundation.

Thanks to a matching campaign through the Dr. Seuss Fund at The San Diego Foundation, the donations from the David C. Copley Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation are amplified with an additional $175,000 in matching support.

“The David C. Copley Foundation is grateful for The San Diego Foundation and for all the individuals and corporations in our community who have stepped in to support those affected by this crisis,” shared Kimberly Koch, Chief Operating Officer at the David C. Copley Foundation. “This is unfamiliar territory for all of us and it’s heartwarming to see the community pull together and collaborate as one.”

Businesses, organizations and individuals can donate and find additional information about the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund at SDFoundation.org/COVID19.

Grant funding from the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund focuses on three critical areas: food security; rental and utility assistance; and income replacement or gap funding. The fund will also provide no-interest loans for nonprofit organizations to provide business and community service continuity.

To date, The Foundation’s Board of Governors has approved a total of $750,000 in grants to local nonprofits on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, including rapid response grants of $250,000 to United Way of San Diego County to provide safety net funding for rent, mortgage and utilities payments for low-wage individuals and families; as well as $500,000 in immediate food assistance to the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank.

One hundred percent of donations to the San Diego COVID-19 Response Fund will be provided to nonprofits helping San Diegans impacted by the coronavirus. Funds will be released on a rolling basis as fundraising continues throughout the coronavirus outbreak and its recovery phases.

The San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund at The San Diego Foundation was created in partnership with San Diego County Supervisor and Co-Chair of the COVID-19 Subcommittee Nathan Fletcher, San Diego Gas & Electric, United Way of San Diego County, San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council, NEWS 8 and Alliance Healthcare Foundation.

Learn more at SDFoundation.org/COVID19.

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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 $1.2 billion to grow a vibrant San Diego region. Learn more on our website, and consider a donation to the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund.

Contact

Justin Nunez, The San Diego Foundation, 336-254-7056, justin@sdfoundation.org