SAN DIEGO (Press Release)– The Jewish Community Foundation San Diego (JCF) successfully completed the pilot year of its innovative “giv4 homelessness in san diego” initiative, generating over $1.4M in impact for 12 local homelessness nonprofits.
Launched in 2021 to educate and inspire San Diegans to get involved in the solutions to homelessness, JCF collaborated with homelessness philanthropy experts and individuals with lived experience of homelessness to curate a fund of impactful local nonprofits. The vetted nonprofits each work in three different areas of homelessness: prevention, immediate action, and systems change.
“I live downtown and see the homelessness crisis every day but felt overwhelmed and didn’t know where to begin helping,” said donor Alicia Meli. “I love being part of giv4 because I’ve been able to support, visit, and volunteer for some incredible nonprofits, and feel like I understand so much more about the systemic challenges around homelessness.”
The giv4 homelessness initiative collects donations and distributes 100% of the funds received to the nonprofits. Each month donors receive a one-minute video highlighting one of the 12 nonprofits and had the opportunity to go on site visits and to volunteer for the nonprofits.
“giv4 has brought new awareness that has allowed us to expand current programs and get more youth off the streets,” said Eric Lovett, Executive Director of giv4 grantee Urban Street Angels. Grant recipient City Heights CDC, in the “prevention” category, used every dollar received from giv4 to provide rental assistance to households on the edge of homelessness.
JCF reflected on the pilot year of giv4 as it announced some changes built on its initial success. “We were delighted at how people embraced the idea of a ‘curated philanthropy’ fund to help them navigate a complex issue like homelessness,” said Ollie Benn, Director of Philanthropy and Social Impact for JCF. “We are very excited to continue and grow this model for philanthropy.”
The Fund includes three new organizations: Jewish Family Service, PATH San Diego, and the Shared Housing Collaborative, adding to the existing organizations – Heal Network, Home Start, HousingHelpSD.org, Interfaith Community Services, Serving Seniors, Urban Street Angels, Voices of Our City Choir, YIGBY (Yes In God’s Back Yard), and Youth Assistance Coalition.
To learn more about giv4, please visit: giv4.org.
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Preceding provided by the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego