The San Diego Foundation Grants Additional $550,000 to Nonprofits for COVID-19 Response

For Immediate Release

Halicioglu Family Foundation announces new $500,000 matching campaign Response Fund reaches $6.8 million in donations – Give at SDFoundation.org/COVID19

April 3, 2020 – San Diego, CA – The San Diego Foundation today announced local nonprofit organizations have received an additional $550,000 in rapid response grants from the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fundto support individuals, families and communities impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. To date, the Fund has granted $1.7 million to nonprofit organizations on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis.

Thanks to the generosity of more than 1,600 individuals, companies, foundations and donors at The San Diego Foundation, the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund has raised $6.8 million and earned a $500,000 matching gift from the Dr. Seuss Fund at The San Diego Foundation to support San Diegans in need.

Recent donations include $200,000 from The California Endowment and a new $500,000 matching campaign from the Halicioglu Family Foundation. The Halicioglu Family Foundation was founded by Taner Halicioglu, a leading tech investor in San Diego and one of the first employees at Facebook.

“These are unprecedented times and it is more important than ever that we come together as a community to help each other,” Taner Halicioglu shared.

Businesses, individuals and organizations can donate and find additional information about the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund at SDFoundation.org/COVID19 where nonprofit organizations can also find information about how to request grant funding or an interest-free loan.

“Government aid is providing some relief in this crisis but the needs of our communities are vast and nonprofit services are filling those gaps in support,” shared Mark Stuart, President & CEO of The San Diego Foundation. “The San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund provides nonprofits funding for needs like food assistance for seniors, children and families; housing assistance for low-income individuals; and emergency equipment for hospitals and first responders.”

To view a complete list of rapid response grants to date, visit SDFoundation.org/COVID19. The latest round of rapid response grants include:

Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego ($100,000)

Grant funding will provide food assistance for low-income families and homebound individuals who are going hungry because of loss of income and lack of access to food.

Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank ($200,000)

Grant funding will provide food security for San Diego Unified School District students who no longer have access to daily meals through their normal school programs. Funding will also support AFL-CIO food distribution efforts. 

Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation ($25,000)

Grant funding will be matched by an additional $25,000 from Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation to help nonprofit organizations in Southeastern San Diego that are receiving increased demand for their services without the immediate resources to meet the need.

Neighborhood House Association ($125,000)

Grant funding will provide food security for seniors and Head Start children served at Neighborhood House Association’s designated locations in underserved communities.

The Salvation Army ($100,000)

Grant funding will allow The Salvation Army to provide rent, utility and transportation assistance to economically vulnerable San Diegans in North County impacted by the coronavirus crisis. 

Grantmaking from the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund focuses on food security; other essential living expenses; emergent needs; and rent and utility payment support. The fund will also provide interest-free loans for nonprofit organizations to provide business continuity and employee stability.

The San Diego Foundation is part of a national movement of more than 270 community foundations that have mobilized over $353 million to aid in the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis through response funds. Individual donations are bolstered by San Diego corporations and numerous donor-advised funds at The San Diego Foundation that have contributed to the San Diego COVID-19 Response Fund.

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