December 11, 2025 – San Diego, CA — San Diego Foundation today announced more than $2.5 million in San Diego Unity Fund grants to support a new wave of innovative community-led food programs that will help keep San Diegans fed and healthy amid ongoing federal benefit funding cutbacks.
The new round of grant funding will expand medically-tailored meals for people living with illness, weekend food kits for Head Start families and farmers markets on wheels that bring fairly-priced, locally grown produce to neighborhoods.
The announcement comes as San Diego County braces for the loss of more than $300 million a year in government funding that helps keep people fed, housed and healthy. More than 400,000 residents are at risk of losing access to basic support, including nearly 100,000 who may lose food assistance. With California now at risk of losing federal dollars to administer food benefits, local nonprofits are working to help fill the gap.
“Unity Fund grants support community organizations that know and are trusted by their neighbors and are already rethinking what food security looks like to keep San Diegans nourished with dignity,” said Mark Stuart, President & CEO of San Diego Foundation. “Thanks to the generosity of donors across San Diego, we are moving quickly to fuel that innovation and deploy funding where it’s needed most.”
$2,575,838 in grants from the Unity Fund will support a range of innovative approaches to food security, including:
- Mama’s Kitchen ($325,000) to expand medically tailored meal delivery for individuals living with serious illnesses.
- Neighborhood House Association ($250,000) to provide ready-to-eat weekend meals for families with children in Head Start programs.
- Project New Village ($250,000) to operate farmers markets on wheels that bring fairly-priced, locally grown produce into neighborhoods with limited access to fresh food.
- Food Shed Cooperative ($250,000) to connect people with diet-related health conditions to nutritious food through community-driven models.
- UC San Diego Center for Community Health ($250,000) to expand ¡Más Fresco! Plus, an innovative program delivering locally grown produce to families experiencing hunger.
“This transformational rapid-response grant from the Unity Fund comes at a critical time for our clients and the community as a whole. As nonprofit organizations like Mama’s Kitchen have faced funding cuts, and policy changes are impeding community members’ access to nutrition and healthcare, we are seeing the perfect storm of increased demand,” said Eva Matthews, CEO, Mama’s Kitchen. “Now more than ever our community is relying on nonprofits to fill gaps in even the most basic needs. This grant will allow Mama’s Kitchen to offer stable access to medically tailored meals for critically ill San Diegans, while expanding our ability to connect those in need to healthcare and other support services.”
“For Head Start families, food insecurity doesn’t take a break on weekends. This critical Unity Fund grant will ensure that children in our programs have nutritious meals when they’re away from our centers, supporting their health and development every day of the week,” said Rudolph A. Johnson, President and CEO, Neighborhood House Association. “At NHA, we believe in a continuum of care that wraps around families at every stage, and this grant strengthens our ability to serve the whole child and the whole family by providing nutritious meal kits they can prepare over the weekend.”
Additional Unity Fund grants will support Chicano Federation, Sherman Heights Community Center, Fallbrook Senior Citizens Service Club, Thrive Lemon Grove, Bayside Community Center, Bithiah’s Family Services, Coastal Roots Farm, Partnerships for a Better San Diego, Chaldean Community Council, Boys & Girls Clubs, Fallbrook Food Pantry, Slavic Refugee and Immigrant Services, North County LGBTQ Resource Center and the Karen Organization of San Diego, including everything from neighborhood meal programs and food transportation to baby formula, diapers and other essentials for children in foster care.
Created in response to federal funding reductions in food, housing and healthcare programs, San Diego Unity Fund is San Diego Foundation’s rapid response fund for local nonprofits. To date, Unity Fund has made grants to dozens of nonprofits and raised $32.3 million, including $12 million from the San Diego County Partnership to Protect San Diegans and $20 million from San Diego Foundation.
In addition to standing up the San Diego Unity Fund, San Diego Foundation joined United for San Diego — an unprecedented partnership among three of San Diego’s largest foundations: Prebys Foundation, Price Philanthropies, San Diego Foundation, and the Price Family. Formed in response to deep federal funding cuts, the partners are working together to protect access to food, housing, and healthcare for families in need.
San Diego Foundation created the Unity Fund to give everyone the opportunity to contribute directly to this vital community effort. Individuals, families, businesses and organizations can donate and find additional information about San Diego Unity Fund at SDFoundation.org/Unity. 100% of their donations fund local nonprofits.
For more information about the differences between San Diego Unity Fund and United for San Diego click here.
About San Diego Foundation
San Diego Foundation believes in just, equitable and resilient communities where every San Diegan can prosper, thrive and feel like they belong. We partner with donors, nonprofits and regional leaders to co-create solutions that respond to community needs and strengthen San Diego. Since our founding in 1975, our community foundation has granted $1.8 billion to nonprofits to improve quality of life in San Diego County and beyond. Join us in commemorating 50 years of impact — and looking toward the next 50 — by learning more at SDFoundation.org.
Contact: Nancy Ives Schroeder | 619-540-3751 | nancy@intesacom.com
