San Diego is facing a community crisis that rivals the hardships we faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is driven by historic federal cuts to the safety net that have threatened access to food, housing and health care for hundreds of thousands of our neighbors.<\/p>\n
Those cuts have been compounded by the recent federal shutdown. Even though the federal government has reopened, the disruption did real harm. Families saw benefits delayed; services interrupted, and uncertainty spread through households that were already stretched thin.<\/p>\n
You can see the consequences across the region. Food distribution lines have grown longer, as grocery budgets run out each week. Families are making impossible trade-offs: fill the gas tank or the fridge, pay the rent or keep the lights on. Parents are skipping meals so their kids can eat. People are delaying medical care so they don\u2019t risk eviction. Others are packing up their lives and moving just to stay off the streets.<\/p>\n
The San Diego region is bracing for more than $300 million a year<\/a>\u00a0in lost public funding under the sweeping federal reform bill passed last July. These cuts target programs that keep people housed, fed and healthy, and they will deepen hardship if we do not act together.<\/p>\n The numbers show the scale. One in eight San Diegans is already facing economic hardship because of the cuts to critical programs and services. More than 400,000<\/a> are at risk of losing health care coverage due to Medi-Cal eligibility changes \u2014 and thousands more will face unaffordable cost increases due to the elimination of premium subsidies for our Covered California health care exchange. Food assistance for nearly 400,000 CalFresh recipients in San Diego County has been disrupted and roughly 100,000 are at risk of losing food assistance<\/a>\u00a0altogether due to federal rule changes.<\/p>\n Once again, San Diegans are being called to rally together \u2014 because what we do next will define us.<\/p>\n Prebys Foundation, Price Philanthropies and San Diego Foundation, together with the Price family, have come together to form\u00a0<\/strong>United for San Diego<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 making a promise to our neighbors in need that no one will face this crisis alone.<\/p>\n Fulfilling this promise means increasing our\u00a0annual giving by an additional $70 million<\/a>\u00a0to safeguard essentials for many San Diegans.<\/p>\n As three of San Diego\u2019s largest foundations, we have all long supported local causes, but we have never before acted in unison at this level, underscoring the urgency of this moment.<\/p>\n This represents the largest philanthropic collaboration in our region since the COVID-19 pandemic \u2014 arriving at a time when our community needs us most. Because we know that working together is the only way we can ensure that no one falls through the cracks.<\/p>\n San Diego\u2019s greatest strength has always been the way we\u00a0unite to weather the storm \u2014 enduring challenges with resilience, generosity and hope.<\/p>\n During the pandemic, neighbors checked on neighbors, community organizations stepped up in extraordinary ways, and donors of every kind gave what they could. That collective generosity kept families afloat and showed us what\u2019s possible when we act together.<\/p>\n That spirit of unity and hope is still alive today, and once again, we \u2014 foundations, businesses and residents alike \u2014 must stand together.<\/p>\n That is why the San Diego Unity Fund\u00a0was created at San Diego Foundation \u2014 to give every San Diegan a way to be part of the solution. The fund makes it simple for anyone to help their neighbor in their time of greatest need, helping to keep them housed, fed and healthy.<\/p>\n Some of the dollars are already at work. United for San Diego partner funding has helped\u00a0food pantries keep shelves stocked with a $3 million investment<\/a>; a\u00a0$1 million match challenge<\/a>\u00a0will increase housing opportunities for low-income San Diegans and immigrant communities;\u00a0and a\u00a0$250,000 grant will provide urgent health needs<\/a> for school children. Additional rounds will follow in the coming months as we identify gaps and respond to evolving community needs.<\/p>\n Every dollar donated from individuals, families, foundations and businesses to this initiative goes directly to trusted local nonprofits \u2014 without administrative fees \u2014 ensuring resources reach families quickly and effectively.<\/p>\n San Diego nonprofits are on the ground every day, providing essential services where they are most needed \u2014 and they, too, are stretched thin. Contributions to the Unity Fund will support:<\/p>\n \u2014 Housing stability:\u00a0<\/strong>Helping families avoid eviction and homelessness.<\/p>\n \u2014 Food security: Ensuring children, families and seniors don\u2019t go hungry.<\/p>\n \u2014 Health care access: Connecting vulnerable neighbors to critical medical care.<\/p>\n We are inviting every San Diegan \u2014 individuals, businesses and community leaders \u2014 to join us in giving to help local nonprofits and the families they serve.<\/p>\n