San Ysidro Community Foundation Promotes Unity with $10,000 in Grants at First Annual Celebration

April 28, 2016 – San Diego, CA – The San Ysidro Community Foundation (SYCF), an affiliate of The San Diego Foundation, hosted its first annual grants celebration at Outlets at the Border to honor five organizations that are working to improve the quality of life in San Ysidro, Nestor and Otay Mesa communities.

The foundation awarded $10,000 in grants to support programs that bring individuals and families together to increase community unity.

The programs funded include: SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes ($3,000); Girl Scouts San Diego ($3,000); Living Coast Discovery Center ($2,000); San Diego County Bicycle Coalition ($1,000); I Love a Clean San Diego ($1,000).

“San Ysidro and the surrounding communities have a rich history and culture within San Diego,” emphasized Manuel Rubio, Board Chair of The San Ysidro Community Foundation. “The members of the San Ysidro Community Foundation are proud to play a central role in making our surrounding communities stronger by focusing on unity and growing the quality of life for all. We support community leaders and nonprofit organizations coming together to promote lasting change.”

SYCF is dedicated to improving the quality of life and meeting emerging needs in San Ysidro, Nestor and Otay Mesa by increasing responsible and effective philanthropy; building a community endowment for the benefit of the region; providing funds annually to community organizations and causes; and giving the community a vehicle for legacy planning and gifts that will benefit the area now and forever.

To become a member, contact Estela Mitrani at (619) 764-8602, or e-mail estelam@sdfoundation.org.

About the 2016 Grantees:

San Ysidro Encouragement Project
SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes
A grant of $3,000 will provide inclusive, family friendly sports and recreational opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities, their families and friends. The program will offer enhanced opportunities for San Ysidro residents with and without disabilities to interact and form lasting bonds of friendship through shared sports and recreational activities in their community.

Girl Scout Outreach – Community Presence Initiative
Girl Scouts San Diego
A grant of $3,000 will provide young girls in San Ysidro opportunities to develop self-esteem and social skills while learning about subjects such as STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), financial literacy, conflict resolution, career exploration, healthy behaviors, positive body image and cultural heritage. Girl Scout Outreach was formed to open doors and empower girls who often have fewer opportunities to participate in extracurricular learning experiences.

Coastal Connections in Your Community
Living Coast Discovery Center
A grant of $2,000 will provide San Ysidro youth with a special environmental education program at libraries and community centers. Students will learn about animals native to San Diego in an effort to promote environmental stewardship and coastal resource conservation. The education programs will inspire youth to pursue a career in STEM-related fields and will level the playing field for children who are not often afforded opportunities to receive enriching extracurricular education. 

¡Adelante San Ysidro!
San Diego County Bicycle Coalition
A grant of $1,000 will provide residents with bicycling education and group training to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety in San Ysidro. According to Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System data, in the past five years there have been 57 reported bicycle-automobile crashes in the San Ysidro, Nestor and Otay Mesa areas that received a “severe” rating. Through the grant program, San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, in partnership with Case Familiar, will convene community members to improve overall health and safety in the region.

Adopt-A-Beach and Canyon Program Expansion
I Love A Clean San Diego
A grant of $1,000 will help increase civic participation and beautify neighborhoods around San Ysidro, Nestor and Otay Mesa. The grant will enable I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) to host two large community cleanup events that will engage 350 volunteers as part of the annual Creek to Bay Cleanup and Coastal Cleanup Day events. ILACSD will also begin implementation of the Adopt-A-Canyon program at Otay Mesa Open Space and one additional location by recruiting and establishing six community groups to maintain the natural spaces on an ongoing basis.

About the San Ysidro Community Foundation & the Regional Affiliate Program

The Regional Affiliate program, including the San Ysidro Community 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, San Ysidro, and 4S Ranch-Del Sur. The Regional Affiliate program has exceeded 700 members, established endowments of more than $3.6 million overall, and granted more than $3.9 million in total to nonprofit organizations throughout the region. Become a member to build vibrant neighborhoods and mobilize resources for your community.

About The San Diego Foundation

The San Diego Foundation promotes and increases effective and responsible charitable giving to grow a more vibrant region. The Foundation manages more than $652 million in assets, more than half of which reside in permanent endowment funds that extend the impact of today’s gifts to future generations. Since its inception, The Foundation has granted more than $977 million to the nonprofit community. For more information, visit our website and consider a donation to the Fund for the Future Endowment which supports San Diego now and forever.

Contacts

Vince Heald, Beck Ellman Heald, 858-453-9600, vheald@behmedia.com
Justin Nunez, The San Diego Foundation, 619-235-2300, justin@sdfoundation.org