The Rancho Santa Fe Foundation has selected 14 San Diego area military and veteran support groups to receive grant funding.
A total of $350,300 was awarded to nonprofits with funding from the foundation’s Patriots Connection program. The grants will support a range of initiatives, including youth enrichment, emergency financial assistance, promoting financial literacy, housing aid and homeless intervention.
Since 2008, the program has invested more than $2.4 million in local grants for nonprofits focused on the military community.
“So many of us have the desire to lift up and support current and former military service members and their families, and the Patriots Connection grant recipients are trusted organizations providing this essential support in San Diego County,” ” said Chris Sichel, president and CEO of the foundation.
The county is home to the nation’s largest concentration of military personnel. In addition, more military veterans live in San Diego than active-duty personnel.
The foundation awarded nine multi-year grants and five single-year grants.
“We are extremely honored to be recipients of their grant funding and grateful for their partnership in working to make San Diego a better place for our service members, veterans, and their families to live, work and enjoy,” said Tony Teravainen, CEO and co-founder of Support the Enlisted Project, which offers aid for military families facing critical financial crises and received a $25,000 grant.
The multi-year winners:
- Alpha Project for the Homeless, $20,000 for the Alpha Lofts, permanent supportive housing for veterans.
- Armed Services YMCA San Diego, $25,000 for military youth development programs.
- Fisher House Southern California, Inc., $30,000, for family support services and equipment for San Diego Fisher Houses.
- Foundation for Women Warriors, $35,000 for general operating support.
- Kids’ Turn San Diego, $30,000 for the “Creating Brighter Futures for Children” Project for military-connected children experiencing family separations, divorce and military transitions.
- Social Advocates for Youth (SAY) San Diego, Inc., $20,300, for the Military Family Resource Center.
- United Through Reading, $20,000 for literacy development, including shared story time, of military-connected children.
- Wounded Warrior Homes, Inc., $30,000, for transitional housing, re-integrative services and a food pantry.
- Zero8Hundred, $20,000 for a veteran transition support program including one-on-one counseling and wraparound support from social workers.
In addition to Support the Enlisted Project, one-year grant awardees include the Biocom California Institute, Healing Wave Aquatics, Camp Pendleton ASYMCA and Interfaith Community Services.
The foundation offers multiple grant cycles each year across three main categories, education, health and military and veterans.
The organization’s next cycle, in the fall, will focus on improving K-6 academics following learning losses in underserved North County San Diego communities.
