On July 17, the San Diego Foundation announced the launch of the Community Impact Partners program, where local retirees leverage their expertise and experience to address significant local issues with non-profit organizations.
Funded by the Del Mar Healthcare Fund and inspired by the Del Mar Encores program at The Dayton Foundation (Ohio), the SDF Community Impact Partners program matches retired experts with high-impact community projects through the work of part-time Partners. Program outcomes, helping creative a positive impact on the San Diego community and foster new discussions on local issues.
“Retired professionals can positively impact our communities by sharing their experience, knowledge and expertise,” said Katie Rast, SDF Director of Community Impact. “The Community Impact Partner program will support workforce re-engagement for experts who leverage their unique skills to produce positive outcomes in our communities.”
The SDF Community Impact Partners Program supports the foundation’s mission to advance racial and social justice, with the first high-impact community project focusing on improving Black infant and maternal health outcomes in San Diego County. According to the San Diego Economic Equity Report, Black infants in San Diego County are twice as likely to be born at a low birth weight than White babies. The San Diego Foundation has granted over $250,000 in grants to non-profit organizations that advocate for racial equity efforts for newborn babies and infants.
The programs first two hires are Marty Adelman, Program Lead and a resident of Valley Center, will lead the Community Impact Partners program, for a one-year term, and Dale Fleming, a retired professional who worked for 30 years with the County of San Diego, the last 20 of which were in executive positions in the county’s Health & Human Services Agency, as well as Board Vice Chair for Alliance Healthcare Foundation. While Adelman’s role focuses on fulfilling the program’s mission of leveraging the skills of retired older adults and engaging them in addressing significant community issues, Fleming will be using her health and human services expertise to address Black infant and maternal health outcomes in the region with nonprofit partners.
