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.
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.
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’t risk eviction. Others are packing up their lives and moving just to stay off the streets.
The San Diego region is bracing for more than $300 million a year in 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.
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 are at risk of losing health care coverage due to Medi-Cal eligibility changes — 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 altogether due to federal rule changes.
Once again, San Diegans are being called to rally together — because what we do next will define us.
Prebys Foundation, Price Philanthropies and San Diego Foundation, together with the Price family, have come together to form United for San Diego — making a promise to our neighbors in need that no one will face this crisis alone.
Fulfilling this promise means increasing our annual giving by an additional $70 million to safeguard essentials for many San Diegans.
As three of San Diego’s 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.
This represents the largest philanthropic collaboration in our region since the COVID-19 pandemic — 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.
San Diego’s greatest strength has always been the way we unite to weather the storm — enduring challenges with resilience, generosity and hope.
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’s possible when we act together.
That spirit of unity and hope is still alive today, and once again, we — foundations, businesses and residents alike — must stand together.
That is why the San Diego Unity Fund was created at San Diego Foundation — 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.
Some of the dollars are already at work. United for San Diego partner funding has helped food pantries keep shelves stocked with a $3 million investment; a $1 million match challenge will increase housing opportunities for low-income San Diegans and immigrant communities; and a $250,000 grant will provide urgent health needs for school children. Additional rounds will follow in the coming months as we identify gaps and respond to evolving community needs.
Every dollar donated from individuals, families, foundations and businesses to this initiative goes directly to trusted local nonprofits — without administrative fees — ensuring resources reach families quickly and effectively.
San Diego nonprofits are on the ground every day, providing essential services where they are most needed — and they, too, are stretched thin. Contributions to the Unity Fund will support:
— Housing stability: Helping families avoid eviction and homelessness.
— Food security: Ensuring children, families and seniors don’t go hungry.
— Health care access: Connecting vulnerable neighbors to critical medical care.
We are inviting every San Diegan — individuals, businesses and community leaders — to join us in giving to help local nonprofits and the families they serve.
By giving to the Unity Fund at SDFoundation.org/Unity, you can make an immediate difference for families who need us right now.
This is a pivotal moment for San Diego. We can let thousands of families weather this storm alone — or unite to protect our most vulnerable.
Let’s choose unity. Let’s choose hope. Together.
Stuart is president and CEO of San Diego Foundation. Oliphant is president and CEO of the Prebys Foundation. Price is president and CEO of Price Philanthropies.