The San Diego Seniors Community Foundation (SDSCF) awards $350,000 in grants and funding allocations to 11 local senior centers and nonprofit organizations as part of their Empower San Diego Senior Centers grant program. These grants represent a major milestone in the execution and implementation of the SDSCF’s San Diego Master Plan for Senior Centers, which is a comprehensive countywide plan aiming to establish state-of-the-art senior centers in every community across San Diego.
These grants would have never been possible without the partnership and collaboration from donors, especially The Sahm Family Foundation which supports the welfare of seniors through SDSCF’s effort to enhance and empower senior centers in San Diego County. The Sahm Family Foundation believes that supporting seniors is an urgent priority as our population ages.
Census data predicts that by the year 2030 there will be nearly 1 million people over the age of 60 living in San Diego, which is equivalent to the current population of Atlanta, Georgia! This is part of a national trend that marks one of the largest demographic shifts in U.S. history. Soon there will be more people over the age of 60 than there will be under the age of 18! With less than three percent of U.S. charitable dollars annually going towards senior issues, SDSCF’s mission is to change the hearts and minds of donors, and the community at large, to direct more charitable donations to benefit seniors before it becomes an even larger crisis.
The San Diego Master Plan for Senior Centers envisions a robust network of modern, innovative, well-funded, and fully staffed centers, requiring extensive collaboration and coordination among various stakeholders, such as government, nonprofits, businesses, healthcare, volunteers, and the community.
They create an inclusive space where seniors can age well and seek valuable answers about the aging process from a source they can confidently turn to and trust. By upgrading and building local community based senior centers we are fostering a supportive environment that empowers older adults and their loved ones to navigate the complexities of aging with confidence and peace of mind.
Empower San Diego Senior Center Grants [listed below] range from leadership infrastructure for the Ed Brown Senior Center, a grant to Neighborhood House for new fitness equipment and paid fitness instructors to ensure more healthier lives, Bayside’s new tech classes, which will allow more seniors to connect with loved ones around the country and the world, as well as learn how to hail a ride amongst other tech tips, and Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center’s new Older Adult Summer Camp which takes the same successful model they use for their kids and pivots it towards older adults. SDSCF is also currently planning additional major grant cycles.
“Equitable and healthy aging is what every San Diegan wants to achieve,” said Bob Kelly, founder of the San Diego Seniors Community Foundation. “It is crucial that we foster innovation and embrace new ideas to effectively address the challenges presented by a rapidly expanding senior population. Through strategic investments in these senior centers, we seize the opportunity to establish them as pivotal hubs for promoting physical, mental, social, and financial well-being.
“Our aim is to provide exceptional support, not only for today’s seniors, but also for the generations to come,” Kelly adds. “Just as San Diego accomplished with our innovative library system, we aspire to create a network of senior centers that enriches the lives of our seniors and their families.”
Presently, San Diego County has 28 senior centers in communities from San Ysidro and Coronado up to Oceanside and as far east as Borrego Springs. However, existing senior centers serve only about eight percent of the region’s total senior population – and many of these centers are underfunded, understaffed, and lack sufficient programming. In response to The California Master Plan for Aging and The County of San Diego Aging Roadmap, SDSCF wants to change the current model and the brand to increase philanthropy and government dollars towards senior centers. In a unanimous decision this February, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors wholeheartedly endorsed the Foundation’s ambitious proposal to enhance and broaden services dedicated to the well-being of senior citizens.
To date, SDSCF is approaching $1 million in grants and charitable expenditures, benefitting dozens of nonprofit organizations in San Diego and beyond.
SDSCF is currently seeking the San Diego community’s support to help raise additional contributions. Donations can be made at www.sdscf.org. SDSCF also invites San Diegans to volunteer at their local senior center and visit or introduce someone they know to their local senior center, or if you want to build a new center or build upon your existing senior center in your area, reach out to the staff at [email protected].
For more information on the campaign, visit www.sdscf.org. #NoSeniorAlone can be found on social media too.
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