In 2022 and 2023, fourteen local nonprofits supporting our military and veteran community were selected to receive unrestricted grants.
Nine of these organizations were awarded funding for two years. This multi-year support, combined with the freedom to allocate the funds as needed, reflects a shift in our grantmaking that embraces trust based philanthropy practices.
We are excited to share the inspiring stories of impact from our community grant partners.
Foundation for Women Warriors
Mission: Serves women veterans and their children so that their next mission is clear and continues to impact the world.
Impact: Linda* left active duty in the U.S. Army to become a full-time mom, but after a decade out of college and the workforce, she sought help from FFWW. Accepted into their 2022 Women Veteran Lead cohort, she gained valuable mentorship and support, which inspired her to return to college for a computer science degree and take a part-time job. However, managing childcare expenses became a challenge. Linda expressed deep gratitude for FFWW’s assistance with childcare, which has been crucial in allowing her to pursue her goals and connect with a supportive community.
“Their assistance with childcare has been a game-changer for me, allowing me to focus on my goals and achieve success. Beyond the practical help, I’ve also found an incredible community and made lifelong friends through their programs. The camaraderie and support from both the organization and the amazing individuals I’ve connected with have truly enriched my journey. Thank you for making a positive impact on my life!”
Armed Services YMCA San Diego
Mission: Enhances the lives of military members and their families in spirit, mind, and body through programs relevant to the unique challenges of military life.
Impact: The After-school Achievement Academy (AAA) provided 28 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) lessons, 972 hours of childcare, read 643 books collectively, and students completed 98% of their homework during program hours. One AAA staff member shared that a student was a grade level behind in reading. However, with the extra support after-school, they started the next school year successfully reading at grade level.
Another student was enrolled in a dual Spanish language immersion program and struggling in her second language. The bilingual staff were able to offer her additional support, and her Spanish improved greatly by the end of the school year. All the students in AAA held important classroom jobs for which they had to interview. The students took their roles seriously and stepped in to cover for their fellow students when needed.
Kids’ Turn San Diego
Mission: Promotes, supports and secures the well-being of children experiencing family separation.
Impact: Sam*, a 10-year-old military-connected child, was enrolled in the Kids Turn program. For graduation, they shared a poster they had made and it read, “I feel happy when you love me and take care of me. Please do not stop.” This child’s parent recently returned from a six-month deployment and the child shared that they were worried when their parent first got home. During the program, Sam talked a lot about being in a military family and was relieved to meet three other children in military families. He learned to express his feelings and found a place where he felt like he belonged. He was relieved. He found his happy place!
Alpha Project for the Homeless
Mission: Empowers individuals, families, and communities experiencing homelessness by providing work, recovery and support services to people who are motivated to change their lives and achieve self-sufficiency.
Impact: John*, a veteran, has been a resident of Alpha Lofts since March 2019. As an amputee, he uses a power wheelchair to get around. However, one of the front tires broke off his power wheelchair, which made it very dangerous for him to continue using his chair. John encountered issues with getting the chair repaired, so he continued using the wheelchair with the missing tire because he had no other chair to use. Concerned for John’s safety, the Alpha Lofts case management team stepped in to help.
The Alpha Project purchased a power wheelchair for John to use while his power wheelchair was being repaired. John expressed great gratitude for the assistance and joyfully rode around the property with a huge smile. John has received his repaired wheelchair, and the power wheelchair purchased is available as a loaner for any resident who finds themselves in a similar situation.
United Through Reading
Mission: Strengthens military families’ literacy, emotional bonds, and well-being through the power of reading together at every age, no matter the distance.
Impact: The Mobile Story Station is a van outfitted with a library and mobile video recording studio that allows military members to prerecord book readings for their loved ones. Stephanie discovered the Mobile Story Station via a friend’s social media post and saw an opportunity to connect her husband with their children before his deployment. She arranged for him to record himself reading seven books, turning these recordings into a comforting nightly ritual that bridged the distance between him and his family. This routine has become a source of joy and continuity for Stephanie and her children, with her son eagerly following along and her younger child enjoying the visual connection with their father.
The personal touches her husband added to the recordings, such as wearing funny hats and leaving heartfelt notes, brought immense joy to the children. It’s not just about the stories; it’s about maintaining that irreplaceable bond and creating a sense of normalcy and connection during a challenging time.
SAY San Diego
Mission: Partners with youth, adults, families, and communities to reach their full potential.
Impact: In February the San Diego Military Family Collaborative hosted an “Accessing Affordable Childcare” event. There, a military couple found valuable resources for their childcare needs. The convening provided them with insights into both the military childcare system and civilian options. They also connected directly with childcare providers and brainstormed solutions with other attendees empowering them to navigate their childcare options.
Support empowers SAY San Diego to partner with amazing organizations across San Diego, fostering strong communities and bright futures for military youth and their families. The Military Family Resource Center partnered with UC San Diego’s Rohner lab this year! Our young participants discovered the incredible role bugs play in our environment.
Thanks to grant support, we’ve also been able to provide valuable spaces for community building and networking, host important discussions on military family issues, and connect families with essential resources.
Zero8Hundred
Mission: Proactively links military service members, recent veterans, Reservists, National Guard and spouses (including Gold Star spouses) to the broad range of resources and opportunities in their local community dedicated to helping them transition to civilian life.
Impact: When Christina arrived at the Zero8Hundred office with her four-year-old child, they had been experiencing homelessness and had not eaten in a few days. Our team immediately invited them in and shared any food we had available. Meanwhile, Peer Navigators went to work on finding Christina and her daughter a safe place to sleep. We were able to connect them with a local shelter with availability that night, so they had a safe place to go directly from our office.
Once Christina was enrolled in the Zero8Hundred program, her Case Manager conducted a full needs assessment and worked with her to develop an action plan to reach her goals, including securing long-term housing, budgeting, and finding employment. Her Case Manager/Peer Navigator continues to follow up with her regularly as she works toward achieving her goals.
Biocom California Institute
Mission: Develops and promotes a skilled and diverse pipeline of talent to accelerate the growth of California’s life science ecosystem.
Impact: The Veterans in Life Sciences six-month program provides an opportunity for transitioning active duty and military veterans to explore and transition into careers in the life science industry via career symposiums, mock interviews, mentorship programs, access to relevant industry specific networking and relevant educational seminars, a life science-specific Biocom Institute career portal, training and more!
One participant of the Biocom fellowship, Tong Ma, was transitioning out of the Marine Corp after serving 10 years. Mr. Ma highlighted that the program offers a unique experience that provides fellows with insight into such an intricate industry. “The military is all about serving others, working in a team environment, and solving complex problems with high stakes and high rewards. I want to continue that after I leave active duty, and the fellowship showed me that the life science industry is just the place to do that.” said Mr. Ma.
Support the Enlisted Project (STEP)
Mission: Ending food insecurity, homelessness, suicide, mental health risk and other crises by improving financial wellness through counseling, education, and financial support for our service members, veterans and their families.
Impact: Curtis*, an E6 Sailor with a family of six, sought help from STEP’s Emergency Financial Assistance program for budgeting and food security after struggling with mounting debt and expenses. Despite their efforts to pay down debt, they were unable to make significant progress, and by the time they applied for support, their only food source was from STEP’s Thanksgiving distribution. Curtis felt they could never get ahead, and he was losing hope.
STEP’s social workers created a Personalized Financial Plan tailored to their needs, focusing on improving cash flow, eliminating remaining debt, and saving for retirement. Along with grocery gift cards and emergency food, the plan helped Curtis and his wife cut expenses, reduce debt, and manage their bills effectively. In their follow-up, Curtis expressed gratitude, noting that the support had turned their situation around and offered hope for the future. “Thank you so much for helping us and for shining a light through a very dark tunnel.”
Interfaith Community Services
Mission: Empowers people in need to stabilize and improve their lives through comprehensive programs, in partnership with diverse faith communities and people of compassion.
Impact: Mr. Hoskins* is a Vietnam veteran referred to Interfaith’s Turk Recuperative Care Center in January 2024 upon his discharge from the hospital following treatment for a serious medical diagnosis. While at the Turk Center, veterans experiencing homelessness receive care from a multidisciplinary team to help them stabilize their medical and mental health conditions and find permanent housing. Mr. Hoskins became known as, “The Encourager” at the Turk Center. He is always on a mission to lift the spirits of the other residents and is very grateful to his Case Manager and other Interfaith staff, who he refers to as “The Dream Team.”
In August 2024, the VA approved a Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Voucher for Mr. Hoskins and he will soon transition to a permanent home. This is a testament to Mr. Hoskin’s optimistic attitude, as well as the tireless local and national efforts to end veteran homelessness.
Armed Services YMCA Camp Pendleton
Mission: Armed Services YMCA Camp Pendleton enhances the lives of military members and their families in spirit, mind, and body through programs relevant to unique challenges of military life. Our programs strengthen military families who work or reside on Camp Pendleton, and focus on providing educational, emotional, and financial support.
Impact: Parents expressed their enthusiasm for our youth enrichment programming, highlighting several key aspects they appreciate. They have praised the opportunity for both children and parents to interact in a fun, safe environment, led by dedicated teachers who genuinely care about the social and emotional development of their children. One parent stated, “It was an environment that encouraged friendships to be made for both my daughter and me. The fellow classmates my daughter met last year became some of her best friends. The other moms I’ve met have become my support community.” Additionally, parents noticed improvements in their children’s social skills, such as enhanced sharing abilities, which have been positively influenced by the program’s environment.
One parent specifically expressed heartfelt gratitude for the Operation Little Learners program, noting how it has been a highlight for both her and her daughter throughout the school year and summer. She particularly admires Ms. Virginia, describing her as a thoughtful, engaging teacher who deeply cares about her students’ learning experiences. The program not only provided excellent educational experiences but also helped reduce feelings of isolation among military families by connecting them with others in similar stages of life.
Healing Wave Aquatics
Mission: Supports individual wellness and management of complex stress through aquatic therapy.
Impact: Juan* is an eleven-year Iraq War veteran with PTSD and TBI who wants to be a supportive father to his two young daughters and take them swimming this summer. However, he has a combat-induced fear of water that triggers his PTSD. “I love my girls. I want to be there for them,” Juan said. He reached out to Healing Wave Aquatics to face his fears in a safe and healing environment.
Reflecting on his sessions, Juan shared, “It’s hard to put into words. Despite everything going on in my mind, when I’m in the water, I find a sense of peace. My mind is usually in overdrive, but the time I spend there helps me feel more calm and relaxed. I didn’t think I could do this, but each session is incredibly rewarding.” Juan added, “I’ve tried various therapies, but Healing Wave Aquatics makes me feel like I’ve achieved something after every session.”
On behalf the entire team at Rancho Santa Fe Foundation, we sincerely thank our community grant partners for the services they provide and the impact they have on the service members, veterans, and their families who sacrifice so much for us all.
If you are interested in supporting our heroes, please contact our VP of Philanthropy and Impact, Amy Myers, at amy@rsffoundation.org or 858-914-3209.
