Lifeline Community Services: Paving Pathways to Resilience Across San Diego County

 

As Lifeline Community Services prepares for its upcoming Viva La Vida fundraiser on September 27, 2024, the organization is reflecting on decades of service and embracing new leadership under CEO Lisette Islas. The event, to be held at the Intercontinental San Diego, will be an evening of celebration, honoring community champions and highlighting the transformative programs that have supported San Diego County’s most vulnerable populations for over 50 years.

 

With deep roots in North County, Lifeline has grown to serve all of San Diego County, empowering youth, adults, and families through critical services that foster self-reliance and personal growth. Each year, Lifeline reaches over 26,000 individuals through its wide range of programs, including behavioral health, youth development, housing support, and survivor services for victims of human trafficking. By addressing these essential needs, Lifeline continues to create a lasting positive impact throughout the region.

 

This year’s Viva La Vida is particularly meaningful as it marks a new chapter for the organization with the leadership of Lisette Islas, who became CEO in early 2024. Lisette has already made strides in advancing Lifeline’s mission of inclusive economic development, focusing on expanding opportunities for underserved communities and fostering strong, collaborative partnerships across San Diego County.

The event will also honor two remarkable leaders whose work has deeply impacted the community. District Attorney Summer Stephan will receive the Beacon of Hope Award for her relentless dedication to fighting human trafficking. Her collaboration with Lifeline’s Project LIFE program has been vital in providing survivors with crucial support. Additionally, Norma Diaz, CEO of Community Health Group, will be presented with the Spirit of Lifeline Award in recognition of her incredible journey from intern to CEO and her unwavering commitment to expanding healthcare access for underserved populations. Both leaders represent the resilience and hope that Lifeline seeks to inspire in every individual they serve.

 

U.S. Bank will serve as the title sponsor for Viva La Vida 2024, underscoring the importance of community partnerships in supporting Lifeline’s essential services. Their continued support ensures that Lifeline can keep making a difference in the lives of those who need it most throughout San Diego County.

 

As Lifeline looks to the future, its mission remains steadfast: building stronger communities by empowering individuals to achieve self-sufficiency and resilience. Viva La Vida 2024 will be a celebration of past achievements and a call to action for ongoing collaboration and community support to ensure a brighter future for all of San Diego County.

 

To purchase tickets or explore sponsorship opportunities for Viva La Vida, visit vivalavidalifeline.com.

 

United Way of San Diego County Presents ‘An Evening of Wonder’

 

United Way of San Diego County (UWSD) is hosting “An Evening of Wonder” on Wednesday, Oct. 30, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Farmer & The Seahorse in the Torrey Pines area. This special night will bring together community members, philanthropists, and local business leaders for an unforgettable evening dedicated to advancing UWSD’s education and economic mobility work in the region. The event promises delightful drinks, hors d’oeuvres, interactive activities, and a silent auction, all designed to spark moments of joy and imagination.

 

Prepare for an unforgettable evening! Click here to learn more.

 

About United Way of San Diego County:

For over 100 years, United Way of San Diego County has remained devoted to its mission of sparking breakthrough community action that elevates every child, individual, and family toward a brighter future. As a trusted community leader, UWSD works collaboratively with diverse communities across San Diego County, identifying areas of greatest need and working tirelessly to make a meaningful impact. Today, in partnership with schools, businesses, policymakers, nonprofits, and government agencies, United Way of San Diego County harnesses collective strengths to address long standing disparities so all San Diegans have the resources and support needed to achieve educational success and financial stability.

The nonprofit organization’s current initiatives focus on bridging gaps in the community through early childhood literacy support, high school career readiness programs, and free tax preparation and financial coaching for individuals and families. United Way of San Diego County believes that united with community partners, we can forge pathways to opportunity, ensuring that all San Diegans can thrive at every stage of life.

Learn more and get involved by visiting uwsd.org and following @unitedwaysd on Facebook, X, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

 

Coming up…SDBJ’s annual Giving Guide publishing on October 28^th!  This is San Diego’s BIGGEST Philanthropy section…don’t miss out!

The Giving Guide reaches the most affluent, powerful readers in San Diego!  Nothing in San Diego compares to the exposure each non-profit receives and to the most committed philanthropists in the San Diego area! With an average household net worth of $3.3 million and income of more than $250,000 per year, our weekly readership of C-Level, business owners, and top management executives are a prime target for your business.

As in the past, the North County Philanthropy Council will be handing out this annual supplement to all the attendees at this year’s Volunteer of the Year event.

The San Diego Business Journal prides itself on supporting and working with our nonprofit partners by reaching the most affluent business demographics in San Diego County. Our goal is to help organizations like yours succeed year over year!

For more information on the Giving Guide and how to participate, contact AnnMarie Gabaldon @ amgabaldon@sdbj.com or call (760) 271.1660

 

We appreciate being connected with other local non-profit professionals, philanthropists, business leaders, and other organizations to promote the advancement of philanthropic efforts, community collaboration, and the sharing of resources and strategies to improve our collective impact on the community.

Our mission is to prevent and alleviate the suffering of homelessness throughout San Diego County.

The Lucky Duck Foundation has purchased and installed industrial tent structures that shelter 450 individuals nightly; funded more than 20 different employment and job training programs benefiting more than 1,000 individuals; distributed more than 12,500 winter coats that transform into sleeping bags; distributed more than 1.75 million meals to homeless individuals through our Food & Water outreach initiative; removed more than 200 tons of trash through our “Cash for Trash” program that pays homeless individuals $2 per bag of trash removed; created “Shamrocks & Shipwrecks,” a public grading system to evaluate politician’s effectiveness in reducing homelessness; and much more.

 

In May 2023, we helped fund and launch Timmy’s Place, a pizzeria, cafe, and print shop that trains and employs youth facing homelessness. The goal of Timmy’s Place is to employ more than 50 shelter residents per year, while helping them build up the transferable skills of kitchen work, service work, barista work, and print shop work. The Lucky Duck Foundation and the Rolf Benirschke Legacy Foundation provided the capital to get the business off the ground, and the Lucky Duck Foundation is leveraging ongoing donor support to continue paying the young employee’s wages until Timmy’s Place becomes a self-sustaining business.

 

 

In September 2023, we invested $500,000 to launch a new program called “Seniors Safe at Home” to quickly stabilize housing for seniors who are at risk of homelessness. The program will be implemented by the San Diego Housing Commission and Serving Seniors and includes employment navigation to help seniors secure job opportunities to prevent homelessness from occurring. The program targets seniors experiencing a housing crisis, such as facing eviction, or situations where fixed incomes simply cannot keep up with sharp rises in inflation and housing costs. An investment as little as $250 per month, or $3,000 per year, can keep a senior safely housed, compared to an average cost of $35,000 per unsheltered person per year due to greater emergency room use, more frequent inpatient admissions, longer hospital stays, and many other reasons.

This year, our Food & Water outreach initiative eclipsed 1,800,000 meals distributed to individuals suffering from homelessness or on the brink. The program is largely driven by volunteers and maximizes its reach and impact by leveraging partnerships with many local outreach organizations.

Additionally, this year, our employment and job training program in collaboration with Feeding San Diego and the Salvation Army eclipsed 670,000 pounds of food rescued, which was then redistributed at the Salvation Army to individuals facing homelessness.

We hope you will consider joining us at our “Showcase Soirée” on September 12, 2024, an entertaining variety show meant to be unlike any other fundraising event. Last year’s event was held at The Sound in Del Mar and hosted by Peter Jacobsen, a professional golfer and commentator on Golf Channel and NBC. It also featured an LDF-themed game show hosted by Jacobsen; a comedy show by actor and comedian Steve Hytner, best known for his role as Kenny Bania on Seinfeld; a magic show by Derek Ostovani; a musical performance by the Dizzy Biz Band; and an appearance by former NFL and Chargers coach Norv Turner, along with dinner, a live auction, paddle raise, and more.

To learn more about the Lucky Duck Foundation, please visit our website: www.luckyduckfoundation.org

For the Showcase Soirée event: https://www.luckyduckfoundation.org/events

 

Impact Cubed stimulates philanthropy and social sector capacity, with a focus on San Diego and Israel, by providing guidance and education to philanthropists, facilitating funder consortiums, and consulting with vibrant nonprofits and social good initiatives. 

Impact Cubed spreads awareness about community needs and sparks more giving to respond to them. Our advisors offer the tools, resources, and services that community members need to magnify their impact, including:

• Relationships with local grassroots efforts and unique information about issues facing our community
• Workshops, group learning, coaching, and facilitation to support donors with their priorities
• Expertise to advise giving strategy coupled with deep, long-term, trusting relationships to partner, connect, and network
• Educational programs to build capacity of nonprofits and movements
• Fiscal sponsorship for new social change initiatives 

 

The Hive, a nonprofit retreat center, co-working space, and professional development hub, is an initiative of Impact Cubed. The Hive has over 30 Jewish, environmental, agricultural, and social justice nonprofits and social enterprises working together under one roof.

 

 

 

The Hive hosts monthly professional development workshops online and in-person. The Hive’s Fundraising Fridays offers an informal, virtual (and very popular!) hour for local colleagues in philanthropy to share advice on fundraising matters in partnership with NCPC and AFP San Diego. Find all upcoming events here.   

 

 

In October 2023, Impact Cubed launched the Israel Emergency Grassroots Response Initiative. Through networks and trust built with leaders on the ground, Impact Cubed has special expertise in making change happen and getting services to those who need it most in trusted, effective, culturally competent ways. On October 7th, grassroots changemakers of all sectors in Israel became first responders in the face of catastrophe and devastation. Because of our 10+ years of experience working in the field of bottom-up change, Leichtag Foundation and Impact Cubed can quickly leverage resources for trusted, on-the-ground first responders where it is needed the most, including bereavement support, efforts to release the hostages and support their families, evacuees support, medical relief, support for military families, civilian operations centers, post-trauma care, food rescue and distribution, support for farms and farmers, rehabilitation, first responder support, and more. Impact Cubed has provided regular updates on the shifting priority needs of leaders on the ground so that community members can stay informed and pivot their support through the Initiative accordingly.

Among the many rewards of NCPC membership, we appreciate the capacity building opportunities for our region’s social impact professionals and organizations that lead to a stronger field. We are also so grateful for the collaborations and partnerships that enhance all our work and reach.

Innovative Housing Opportunities (IHO) Announces the Grand Opening of Pacific Wind

IHO proudly announces the Grand Opening of Pacific Wind, an affordable housing community for low-income working families located in the Historic district of Carlsbad. 

We invite you to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremonies on Tuesday, July 16th, from 12:00 Noon to 2:00 pm. Click HERE to RSVP for the event. Or email Brenda Walters, Director of Community Engagement, at bwalters@innovativehousing.com. The event will be held at Pacific Wind, 3875 Sydney Way, in Carlsbad. Parking is available at Jefferson Elementary, across from the Pacific Wind Community Center. 

The new residential campus features garden-style walk-up buildings designed to minimize the appearance of the enhanced density. Close to a revitalized park and an active community center, the project has five, two, and three-story residential buildings, a clubhouse with leasing and resident services offices, a multi-purpose room with a teaching kitchen, and a child learning center.

True to IHO’s holistic focus on incorporating programs that equip residents for long-term success, Pacific Wind will provide adult education classes with a focus on financial empowerment as well as programs for children and teens. IHO is committed to assisting low-income working families in achieving economic mobility that will help them “Move in. Move Up. Move Ahead. Reach Back.” 

“The more than twelve-year timeframe to get Pacific Wind from acquisition to groundbreaking and then to opening is a testament to the commitment of IHO and the City of Carlsbad to deliver much needed high-quality, affordable housing amidst ever-changing public sentiment, as well as shifting political priorities and funding sources,” said IHO President & CEO Rochelle Mills. “We are grateful to have so many champions who supported the project and helped get it across the finish line.

About IHO: The mission of Innovative Housing Opportunities (IHO) is to enrich communities by providing high-quality, affordable housing and services. IHO’s vision is to ignite powerful change that increases economic resilience and improves the quality of life for the people and communities it serves. IHO’s California development portfolio provides housing to seniors, families, foster youth, veterans, those living with mental illness, formerly homeless, developmentally disabled, and other special needs and mixed populations. Formed in 1976 to help businesses and government address the lack of low- to moderate-income housing in the city of Irvine, IHO today works throughout California in strategic partnerships that creatively and effectively maximize efficiencies while achieving the most attractive and well-managed environments for residents and the surrounding communities. www.ihocommunities.org.

Innovation Day Returns September 24th!

Join Connect at Innovation Day 2024 in Petco Park and support our vibrant innovation ecosystem. This is where everyone, from VCs and Angel investors to CEOs, CTOs, DEI leaders, and National Security experts, comes together to shape the future of technology, life sciences, and more! Don’t just watch – contribute to the conversations and collaborations that drive real change. Deepen your industry knowledge, form impactful partnerships, and expand your network. Seize this exclusive opportunity to influence the future. Innovation Day 2024 – where your journey into the heart of the best innovation ecosystem begins. Sponsorship opportunities and exhibit booths are still available.

Learn More & Register: https://sandiegoisbetter.com

 

Connect is the premier nonprofit innovation leader for the San Diego region. As one of the nation’s first startup accelerators, we’ve catalyzed numerous life science and technology companies throughout their entire growth journey with our expertly curated programs and events. This is critical because our economic future depends on continuous cultivation of a strong and inclusive innovation ecosystem.

For over 100 years, Easterseals has been a powerful advocate and leading provider of Disability Services, providing essential services and on-the-ground supports to more than 19,000 individuals and families living with a disability here in Southern California — from early childhood programs for the critical first five years, to autism services, daily and independent living services for adults, customized employment services, and more. Our public education, policy and advocacy initiatives positively shape perceptions and address the urgent and evolving needs of the one in four Americans with disabilities today. Together, we’re empowering people with disabilities, families, and communities to be full and equal participants in society.  

Our Services

• Adult Day Services (ADS) provides individuals the opportunity to become active members of the community by learning daily living, social and work-related skills.    
• Autism Therapy Services (ATS) provides behavior services for individuals diagnosed on the autism spectrum as well as speech, physical and occupational therapy.
• Child Development Services (CDS) serves children from birth to five years of age by providing early education and daycare services.
• Easterseals Camp (EC) provides a week-long, fully accessible camp experience to engage with others.
• Employment Services (ES) offers one-on-one assistance to individuals to secure and maintain work.
• Living Options (LO) provides people with the help needed to live in their own homes, not institutions. Support, tailored to individuals need.
• Senior Day Services (SDS) offers support to seniors with memory impairment and physical disabilities to engage with others

Diversity and Inclusion 

Easterseals Southern California’s strength is in our diversity and inclusive culture. We are committed to making sure our leaders, staff, volunteers, and partnerships are as diverse as the communities we serve. Easterseals, in action and advocacy, prioritizes equity, respect and belonging.

In San Diego County

San Diego is home to many of our service lines throughout the county, including Child Development Services, Autism Services, Adult Day Programs & Employment Services. 

Our Values

Easterseals Southern California is proud to celebrate our shared values. Our values are intended to provide inspiration, and guide our decision making, goal setting and collaborations. Like our mission and vision, our values are an important expression of how our organization approaches our daily work; and it’s what sets us apart.

Shared PURPOSE

Passion to achieve our mission drives all that we do.

Strong RELATIONSHIPS

Build community through empathy, compassion, respect and trust.

Mutual LEARNING

Fostering a culture to learn from each other’s experiences and insights.

Social ACTIVISM

Creating positive change in the world to achieve full equity, inclusion and access for people with disabilities.

Innovative GROWTH

Leading the way with new and creative person-centered solutions that meet urgent community needs.

 

easterseals.com/southerncal   ∙ 714-834-1111

View our newest PSA “Disability is Not a Dirty Word”

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQfUvoCjmzg&authuser=0

 

Vista Community Clinic’s mission is Valuable Connected Care: Meeting the health and wellness needs of our community.

VCC offers a comprehensive array of health and wellness units to the North County San Diego, Riverside County, and Orange County communities. Services include adult and family medicine, women’s health, pediatrics, dental, behavioral health, cardiology, optometry, acupuncture, chiropractic care, senior care, cancer screenings, and many more. VCC also offers various community health education programs, which are free and open to all community residents. Beyond providing care to anyone who walks through its doors, VCC promotes accessibility to quality health and dental services through its Mobile Medical Unit.

VCC’s biggest accomplishment in the past year is achieving excellence in healthcare with the Gold Health Center Quality Leader badge, placing us in the top 10% nationwide for our exceptional achievements! We’re proud to be the sole clinic in San Diego to receive this prestigious award, a testament to our commitment to delivering outstanding healthcare to our community.

VCC is looking forward to hosting our annual gala “A Saturday Night Fever” on Saturday, September 7^th at Bluebird Canyon Ranch in Vista. All funds raised will go directly to expanding health and wellness services in the community and the Karen Black Memorial Scholarship Fund. For tickets or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Betsy Heightman at betsy@vcc.org.

VCC’s core values are the foundation of our organizational culture. Our goal is to be inclusive and treat everyone who walks through our clinic doors with respect. We honor the diverse backgrounds that make up our community and employees as we work together towards health equity.

 

 

San Diego North Economic Development Council (SDNEDC) is an economic development organization that is focused on helping North County grow toward a more inclusive, thriving, and prosperous economy.  We measure our success in how residents can connect with increased employment opportunities that provide good wages, benefits, and a pathway toward prosperity.  Operating in the communities located north of State Route 56, we attempt to accomplish our mission in three core ways:

 

• Marketing North County as an attractive place to invest and grow private sector employment.
• Retaining and expanding employment opportunities at existing companies – helping them overcome challenges so they can continue to grow in North County.
• Connecting employers and educators so they can better understand workforce needs and educational capabilities so residents can gain the skills they need to succeed and thrive.

One way we help North County companies retain and expand employment is through our economic research services.

This spring, we conducted an economic impact report for a collaboration of nonprofits in North County, helping them convey their impact to potential donors and investors. These reports measure an organization’s impact beyond the direct level, capturing the indirect and induced effects as well.

Imagine ripples in a pond:

• The first ripple represents direct impacts (hiring and firing employees, initial purchase of supplies and goods).
• The second ripple represents indirect impacts (the suppliers of suppliers, and so on).
• The third ripple represents induced impacts (spending of wages by workers impacted by direct and indirect changes).

This comprehensive view highlights the broader impact your organization makes in San Diego County and can help you tell your story in a compelling way. Our in-house design team can also work with you to present your story in a visually pleasing way.

If you would like to explore the research services SDNEDC offers to help tell your story as a non-profit, please reach out to SDNEDC’s CEO, Erik Bruvold, at ebruvold@sdnedc.org for more information.