A coalition of regional partners, including San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), The San Diego Foundation, United Way of San Diego County and San Diego and Imperial counties Labor Council, have joined together to create the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund.
As of the launch on March 16, the fund is seeded with $1.3 million, including $1 million from SDG&E and $300,000 from The San Diego Foundation. The fund will rapidly deploy flexible resources into the community to support programs and organizations addressing the effects of the coronavirus outbreak across San Diego County. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to donate via SDFoundation.org/COVID19.
Hosted and administered by The San Diego Foundation, the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund will receive donations and make emergency grants to nonprofit organizations supporting impacted communities, particularly those that are disproportionately affected by this global pandemic and its economic consequences.
Grant funding will focus on three critical areas: food security, rental and utility assistance, and income replacement or gap funding.
“In San Diego, we care about one another,” said Fletcher, co-chair of the County of San Diego’s COVID-19 Subcommittee and the Regional Task Force on the Homeless. “We stand together and step up to help in times of great need. The San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund will lend a helping hand to our friends and neighbors impacted by this ongoing health crisis.”
“The outbreak of COVID-19 is straining our local communities and concerning for San Diegans with serious health concerns, lack of access to basic resources, and long-term economic challenges,” shared Mark A. Stuart, president, and CEO of The San Diego Foundation. “The San Diego COVID-19 Response Fund will quickly distribute funds to critical needs in the region, especially for our most vulnerable residents.”
“As members of the community, all of us at SDG&E are privileged and proud to serve the residents of the San Diego region and help in any way we can during these challenging times,” said SDG&E president Scott Drury. “That’s why it’s so important to us that we contribute to the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund to support impacted workers and families who may face hardships because of this pandemic.”
The coalition is closely collaborating with local government, health agencies, nonprofits, businesses, and other community partners to identify regional needs and assess potential grant recipients. The San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund will complement the work of public health officials and expand nonprofit capacity as efficiently as possible.
One hundred percent of donations to the San Diego COVID-19 Response Fund will go toward 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.
To donate to the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund, visit SDFoundation.org/COVID19.
The San Diego Foundation mobilizes philanthropic resources to advance the quality of life, increase social impact and champion civic engagement. For more than 40 years, The foundation and its donors have granted more than $1.2 billion to grow the San Diego region. How to help?
Make donations to SDFoundation.org/COVID19.