Nonprofit Friends of Balboa Park has received $128,000 in donations from almost 300 donors this summer to help the organization through challenging times.
“Like so many fellow nonprofits, Friends has felt a significant pinch in recent months and had to shutter a beloved community asset and important revenue source, the Balboa Park Carousel,” said Friends Executive Director John Bolthouse. “We have been so fortunate to have a robust membership program and generous donors who have continued to support our mission to enhance and preserve Balboa Park.”
The donations stemmed from numerous sources, including:
- Dorothea Laub $50,000 (Donation match challenger)
- Grants from the Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation Samuel I & John Henry Fox Foundation, Harbaugh Foundation, Bessemer Trust, and the George W. Cowan and Julie Cowan Novak Fund at the San Diego Foundation
- $28,000 in online donations from social media followers
- San Diego Gas & Electric
- Members of Friends’ Board of Directors
Like most other organizations, Friends staff has been working from home since March. Donated funds will benefit numerous ongoing maintenance and enhancement projects around Balboa Park, including the preservation of the historic 1910 Balboa Park Carousel. The Carousel is in the midst of a $3 million capital campaign and has currently raised about $2.3 million.
“For an organization, our size to raise such a significant amount in a couple of months is humbling, especially in these unprecedented times,” said Bolthouse. “It also demonstrates the generosity of San Diegans and the power of philanthropy to still come together in such uncertain times to support Balboa Park.”
For more information or to support, visit www.FriendsofBalboaPark.org or call 619-232-2282.
About Friends of Balboa Park
Friends of Balboa Park is a nonprofit that champions and enhances the park by connecting the philanthropic community to Balboa Park. The group has spearheaded major capital improvement initiatives throughout Balboa Park, including upgraded carillon speakers in the California Tower, restoration of the historic gatehouses and Lily Pond, Adopt-A-Plot program, dedicated benches and trees, operation of the historic Balboa Park Carousel, and other programs that facilitate the community’s involvement in the enhancement of Balboa Park.
