When times get tough, San Diegans step up to help those in need. Even amid economic uncertainty, locals donate their time and money to nonprofit organizations and independent foundations. These stats from the University of San Diego’s 2025 State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy Report highlight the thriving giving environment in San Diego.
The Big Picture
13,261
Nonprofits/registered 501(c)(3) public charities in 2023
Home of Guiding Hands Legends Among Us: Rockin’ for a Cause Gala
May 2
Home of Guiding Hands will host its Legends Among Us: Rockin’ for a Cause Gala at the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego. Now in its 52nd year, the gala will honor San Diegans who have made a lasting impact for adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
San Diego Humane Society Walk for Animals
May 2
Thousands of animal lovers will help the San Diego Humane Society make a difference for more than 40,000 animals in need at the 32nd annual Walk for Animals. The family- and dog-friendly event at NTC Park in Liberty Station includes a pancake breakfast, live music, and a vendor village.
Father Joe’s Villages Children’s Champions Gala & Match Challenge
May 2
Father Joe’s Villages will host its 41st annual Children’s Champions Gala & Match Challenge at the US Grant. Supporters are invited to attend the gala or make a meaningful gift to the campaign, or both, to help San Diego families move from crisis toward self-sufficiency.
Junior League of San Diego Party for a Purpose: Jewels of the Cosmos
May 2
Junior League of San Diego will host its largest annual fundraiser Party for a Purpose: Jewels of the Cosmos at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The celestial-inspired evening will support Junior League of San Diego’s efforts to combat food insecurity across San Diego County.
St. Germaine Children’s Charity Cocktails & Conversation
May 7
St. Germaine Children’s Charity will highlight one of its grant recipients, The Chadwick Center for Children and Families at Rady Children’s Hospital, at its spring Cocktails & Conversation. The goal of the event at a private home in La Jolla is to help members better understand the impact of their donations.
ArtReach’s Golden Hour Fundraiser
May 7
ArtReach will debut a new event, Golden Hour, to showcase the talents of its young members and support its programs. The nonprofit’s Hillcrest studio will be transformed into a gallery filled with creativity, music, and community, all built around the theme Made in San Diego.
San Diego River Park Foundation River Days 5K Walk for Wildlife
May 9
Support wildlife conservation in the San Diego River Watershed at the San Diego River Park Foundation’s 2026 River Days 5K Walk for Wildlife. The walk and fun run at the Riverwalk Golf Club is family- and dog-friendly.
Arc of San Diego Annual Gala
May 16
Arc of San Diego will celebrate joie de vivre and the enchantment, wonder, and the spirit of giving that often comes with it at its 2026 Annual Gala. The elegant event at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina will benefit children and adults with disabilities served by the Arc of San Diego.
La Jolla Historical Society Secret Garden Tour
May 16
The La Jolla Historical Society will give guests exclusive access to six of La Jolla’s most extraordinary private gardens at its 27th annual Secret Garden Tour. This year, guests have the opportunity to add a “lunch and learn” experience which includes a buffet lunch at a historic site and a session with a master gardener.
St. Madeline Sophie’s Center 60th Anniversary Fundraiser
May 16
St. Madeline Sophie’s Center will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a California Dreamin’ themed fundraiser in its headquarters’ two-acre garden. Proceeds from the event will benefit the nonprofit’s gardening and aquatics programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
McAlister Institute Miracles of Recovery Luncheon
May 19
Community leaders, advocates, and people in recovery will gather for an inspiring afternoon hosted by nonprofit substance use disorder treatment provider, the McAlister Institute. At its ninth annual Miracles of Recovery Luncheon at Coasterra, the McAlister Institute will honor those who have made an impact for individuals and families affected by substance use disorders through service, philanthropy, and advocacy.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
Help give girls in underserved communities around the world access to education and mentorship at the local chapter of nonprofit U-GO’s U-GO San Diego Wine Dinner. The dinner party at Cucina 2051 in Carlsbad also includes a live auction and entertainment.
Shelter to Soldier Saving Lives, One Swing at a Time Golf Tournament
April 24
Golfers will tee off at the Singing Hills Golf Club to support Shelter to Soldier’s mission to train rescue dogs to be service dogs for local veterans. The seventh annual Saving Lives, One Swing at a Time Golf Tournament will be followed by a dinner reception and awards ceremony.
Girl Scouts San Diego will celebrate 25 years of female leadership at its annual Cool Women Celebration. The luncheon at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines will also highlight Emerging Leader Girl Scouts, teens who will have the opportunity to network with honored guests.
TERI Unplugged
April 25
Jason Mraz will headline a benefit concert to support the TERI Campus of Life and its programs and services for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. TERI Unplugged, at the San Marcos nonprofit’s Bornemann Theatre, will also feature Adin Boyer, Sara Jade, Matthew Phillips, and the TERI Band.
San Diego Nice Guys Charity Auction
April 25
Philanthropic organization San Diego Nice Guys will host its 44th annual charity auction to raise money for families in need. Items up for bid at the Mardi Gras-themed event to the Marriott Marquis San Diego may include sports memorabilia, jewelry, nights on the town, and vacation packages.
Breakthrough T1D Don’t Stop Believing Gala
April 25
The local chapter of Breakthrough T1D (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) will host its 80’s-themed “Don’t Stop Believing” Gala at the Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas. The gala will support Breakthrough T1D’s mission to fund research focused on curing, preventing, and treating Type 1 diabetes.
Child abuse prevention organization Home Start will host its annual Blue Ribbon Gala at the US Grant to raise awareness of and support for its programs. The event is held every April in recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Dinner on the Diamond
April 30
Guests at the fifth annual Dinner on the Diamond at Petco Park will share a meal with Padres ownership, current and former players, and coaches to benefit the Padres Foundation and its charitable partners. The exclusive dinner party will be followed by a performance by Lauryn Hill, with special guests YG Marley and Zion Marley, at Gallagher Square.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
Banding Community Together: Three Nonprofits, Three Bands, One Night of Unity and Hope
March 3
OUR Arts Foundation, Community Resource Center, and Just in Time for Foster Youth are joining forces to raise money to support the transformative work they’re doing in North County. Banding Community Together: Three Nonprofits, Three Bands, One Night of Unity and Hope at Belly Up Tavern will feature performances by The Buckleys, MRCH, and 4EachOther.
Mainly Mozart Gala
March 14
Enjoy the flavors of Italy while you support the arts at the Mainly Mozart Gala at the Westgate Hotel in Downtown San Diego. Guests will enjoy a tasting menu curated by some of California’s top chefs, plus chamber music performances.
Nonprofit organization ElderHelp will honor those who support its mission to help seniors live independently at its Essence of Life Awards. The ceremony at the Southwestern Yacht Club will recognize an exceptional volunteer, client, community partner, and more.
St. Germain Children’s Charity’s Third Annual Dinner Party
March 18
St. Germain Children’s Charity will celebrate the birthday of founder Barbara Christensen at its Third Annual Dinner Party. The St. Patrick’s Day-themed festivities at Sugar and Scribe in La Jolla are open to both members and guests.
San Diego Humane Society North County Walk for Animals
March 21
Help make a difference for more than 40,000 animals at San Diego Humane Society’s Walk for Animals North County . The annual event at Kit Carson Park in Escondido includes a pancake breakfast, vendor village, live music, dog-friendly activities, and adoptable pets.
WinterFest Gala
March 25
Classical pianist Lang Lang will bring his talents to the Baker-Baum Concert Hall for La Jolla Music Society’s WinterFest Gala 2026. The elegant event will also include a live auction, seated dinner, and an afterparty.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
Entrepreneurs typically launch businesses because they’re passionate about a product or service, not because they want to manage its finances. While working to carve out a niche in their respective industries and drive their companies forward, many business owners find themselves bogged down by day-to-day accounting. Their existing accounting tools don’t provide the necessary visibility or insight, and they don’t have the time or resources to hire additional staff or a chief financial officer. That’s where NOW CFO comes in.
For more than 20 years, NOW CFO has been pairing businesses across the country with experienced accounting and finance professionals. Its outsourced model allows clients to customize solutions that match their individual needs, size, and financial challenges, whether that’s fractional or interim support, project-based services, or full-time placement.
NOW CFO’s clients range from startups preparing for rapid growth to established companies that need additional financial leadership without the commitment or expense of building an in-house team. However, many of these companies don’t fully understand their needs until they experience a “trigger” event: preparing for an acquisition or capital raise, navigating a first-time audit, or another period of transition. With a team of over 300 consultants nationwide, NOW CFO can start quickly and match the right expert to the right business.
“It’s important for companies to have financial visibility, and we can help them avoid a lot of the potholes that companies often run into,” says Mariah Block, a partner at NOW CFO’s San Diego branch. “Roughly half of our clients have an in-house finance person or department, and we’re resourced for more bandwidth when they need an extra set of hands at the staff or senior accountant level, or the controller or CFO level. Some clients use this a few hours a month and others use multiple people close to full-time. Our model is solution-based and customizable. We’re like a faucet you can turn on and off.”
With NOW CFO, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Solutions are based on the client’s individual goals, challenges, needs, and budget, meaning a client never pays for more than they need. Whether it’s a few hours of executive-level guidance or a full accounting team to support daily operations, NOW CFO meets businesses where they are and grows alongside them.
“We pride ourselves on providing our clients with the right resources at the right rate and being able to evolve as their needs evolve,” says Block.
And clients appreciate on-demand access to cost-effective support designed to improve performance and profitability.
Luxury car storage service Auto Concierge has partnered with NOW CFO to support growth over the past year. The arrangement began with a staff accountant who covered a leave of absence, but as the client’s needs changed, they also added a controller role. This allowed Auto Concierge to put effective processes in place and navigate operational challenges. Lori Church, Auto Concierge’s chief operating officer, says NOW CFO has been an “outstanding resource” and a “true strategic partner.”
“From the controller to the bookkeeper, every professional they’ve placed has brought a high level of expertise, responsiveness, and professionalism to our organization. Their team took the time to understand our business of high-profile clients and needs, adapted quickly to our fast-paced environment, and became a trusted extension of our team,” she says. “As Auto Concierge continues to grow, having a reliable financial partner like NOW CFO has allowed us to strengthen our financial and business operations while remaining focused on delivering exceptional service to our clients.”
While canids like Arctic foxes, New Guinea singing dogs, and jackals aren’t native to San Diego County, a handful have made a permanent home in Santa Ysabel. The Judith A. Bassett Canid Education & Conservation Center (JABCECC) is a safe haven for these animals and others rescued from fur farms, the exotic pet trade, research facilities, and those that cannot be released back into the wild.
JABCECC aims to educate the public about the plight of these animals and offers a variety of encounters, where guests can get up-close-and-personal with some of the animals, including a few domesticated foxes. Volunteer trainer Anita Cheesman works with the foxes to ensure they’re on their best behavior when they have visitors.
Here she details her experiences at JABCECC.
What made you want to become a volunteer for JABCECC?
My husband found out about this organization. I believe he saw an article when it was brand new and he gifted me one of its encounter sessions, where you go out there and they tell you a little bit about its mission and introduce you to some of its animals. We first got a meet-and-greet with its New Guinea singing dogs, which was pretty cool because you don’t get to see those every day. Then, we were able to go inside one of the enclosures and pet, feed, and pick up foxes and learn more about them. They mentioned that they like volunteers, so I told them that I’m a dog trainer, and if they wanted any training help, I’d be more than willing to offer my time and they jumped on it.
Courtesy of Judith A. Bassett Canid Education & Conservation Center
What do your volunteer duties entail?
I work on good manners with the young foxes, so they learn not to jump up at people or to snatch food out of their hands. Basically, [I teach] skills so that if they are going to be one of our ambassadors, which means meet the public, that they know how to safely interact with the public and with our older foxes. And I’ll work on some other things, such as little tricks. I taught a few of our foxes how to shake. They picked it up in just under an hour. They’re very smart. Then we practice things that they’re going to do at their public encounters, like being picked up and held, so that they love it and aren’t squirmy and wanting to jump out of someone’s arms. It’s a variety of things.
What do you like best about volunteering at JABCECC?
What I like best is knowing that I’m helping these animals. They’re being given a forever home and some of them may have been put down if they didn’t come here. I like helping to enrich their lives. Obviously, they have to live in enclosures; none of them are able to be set free for various reasons. So, I want to make their life as interesting as possible, and hopefully educate the public that fur farming is still practiced here in the US—we hear a lot from people that come visit us that they had no idea. They thought it was completely outlawed here. So being able to educate people so that hopefully they will advocate for the foxes and other wild animals, like our coyotes, and not see them as pests, but realize they’re an important part of our ecosystem.
Courtesy of Judith A. Bassett Canid Education & Conservation Center
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while volunteering?
I think one of the biggest challenges for me in trying to coordinate a training program is keeping our volunteers. Everyone wants to come work with foxes, but the center is an hour from central San Diego, and you have to drive through windy mountain roads. After a while I think the novelty wears off and people just don’t want to make that drive anymore and they drop out. Another thing for me in particular that’s a challenge is that space is limited. We only have so many man hours to build new enclosures. I often will work with multiple foxes at a time, and for some of them, it’d be much better for their training to progress faster if we had individual areas. But that obviously means that we would have to build more enclosures, which means we need to find more generous donors because it’s quite expensive to build areas. We have the space for it. We just need the funding.
Can you describe your favorite or most memorable experience while volunteering?
One of my favorite things is whenever there’s an animal I haven’t seen in a while, like one of our jackals or our gray wolf, and because I bonded with them when they were babies, even if I hadn’t seen them in a year, they always remember me. And unlike being shy with new people, they’re ready to run right up to me to say hi. It’s just nice to see the bond that you can make with these animals, even though they’re wild animals. And sometimes they don’t even notice you until they catch a whiff of your smell. It’s your smell that they remember and then they totally change and become just little puddles of goo.
Any advice for someone considering volunteering as a way to give back?
For those considering the center, realize that we have a wide variety of areas where we need help. You don’t have to be an animal person. We need carpenters, grant writers, social media experts, event planners—if you have a skill, we could use it. We’re a very small organization, almost entirely volunteer run. It’s easy to get stretched and to not have enough hours in the day to try to expand the center because there’s always a new animal in need of a place to go. And unfortunately, not many places are certified and equipped to take in these animals. So, if we don’t do it, we’re always worried what’s going to happen to them. Anyone willing to volunteer, just reach out. And other organizations, I’m sure they would not turn you down. Just find what your passion is and there’s going to be a place somewhere out there that could desperately use your help.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
In 2016, a group of female surfers in Oahu came together with a shared belief: When women come together to support and uplift one another, they can change the world. The surfing sisterhood founded the Changing Tides Foundation, initially to provide aid in disaster-stricken coastal communities in Latin America, then shifting the focus to empowering those communities’ girls and young women after witnessing a common thread of gender disparities.
“Teen girls would be inside the homes while the men were playing at the beach or out surfing in the ocean,” says Carolyn Saunders, executive director of the Changing Tides Foundation. “[Changing Tides’ founders] knew what an incredibly transformative power the ocean had had in their own lives, and they really wanted to be able to share that special connection that they had with the ocean with other women and girls.”
Courtesy of Changing Tides Foundation
Founders Becky Mendoza, Anna Santoro, Leah Dawson, and Jianca Lazarus launched a mentorship program for teen girls that had a surfing component and rotating educational sessions on everything from environmental stewardship to better understanding their bodies. The group would meet weekly, then each girl would split off for one-on-one time with her mentor.
When the pandemic struck, the program was paused temporarily and the foundation uprooted and moved to San Diego, where some of the founders had family ties.
Courtesy of Changing Tides Foundation
Since 2022, the foundation has almost exclusively served girls in San Diego—more than 100 and counting. This past summer, Changing Tides paired up with the Monarch School to host a six-week mentoring program for its students.
“One of the things that was so special to see was [that despite] everything that those girls are dealing with in their lives, to notice the looks on their faces when they were at the beach, and especially when they were in the water learning to ride their very first waves,” says Saunders.
The school was so impressed, officials asked Changing Tides to be their surf partner and turn the program into an annual event.
Photo Credit: Jianca Lazarus
The nonprofit also recently returned to Latin America for the first time since the pandemic, this time broadening their reach by partnering with existing nonprofits already working with teen girls there and ensuring cultural representation by recruiting guest educators who are local to each respective area.
In the works for 2026 is a skateboarding mentorship program for San Diego girls who may not be as fond of the ocean but still could benefit from the mentoring and education components. The foundation also has an ambitious plan to double the number of teens it serves. And without a doubt, Changing Tides will continue to empower girls to find community and inspire change.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
If you’re anything like us, it can be easy to get so caught up in taking care of everyone else, that your own needs get lost in the ether. But while this may be a cliché, that doesn’t make it any less true: You can’t give your best self to other people unless you’re taking care of yourself.
Sometimes, that looks like stopping in for your regular acupuncture or chiropractic appointment. Other days, it means giving your body the fresh, organic fuel it needs to truly feel and function at its best. And some other times still, it involves leaving your responsibilities behind for a weekend to pamper yourself at an incredible resort and spa.
Only you can decide what your truly need. We’re just here to help you find the best ways to get it.
Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa
Island living meets desert luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells. When you step onto the 11-acre property, you’ll be surrounded by sweeping view of the Santa Rosa Mountains with olive trees and fragrant citrus groves decorating the grounds. In other words, everything about this relaxed but refined resort is primed to help you let go of the stress from home and enjoy easy sun-soaked days and gorgeous starry nights.
The rooms blend calming, woven textures with Tommy Bahama’s signature tropical prints and feature private lanais, making it easy unwind the moment you walk in the door. If you book one of the four Villa Suites, you’ll be treated to exclusive Tommy Bahama furniture and unique personal touches to further that feeling of instant ease.
At the award-winning Spa Rosa, the expert team will help reset and recharge your body and mind using methods and rituals inspired by the desert. The 12,000-square-foot retreat includes outdoor soaking pools, eucalyptus steam rooms, and outdoor cabanas, as well as massages, facials, and body masks—all aimed at creating a day dedicated to you. We’re particularly partial to the Day Long Escape, an indulgent all-day affair of CDBs soaks, renewing scrubs, life changing massages, and transformative facials.
Following your treatment, continue the experience with a meal on the patio at Grapefruit Basil. We love the Hamachi Crudo, a light, citrus-forward dish featuring premium yellowtail, house-made ponzu, creamy avocado, and fresh seasonal garnishes.
Whether you’re strolling the gardens, relaxing beside its saltwater pools, or indulging in a restorative treatment, you’ll be able to escape in style and relax in luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa.
Healcove Chiropractic
There’s no shortage of ways to stay active in San Diego—but if you really want to enjoy everything the city has to offer, you’ve got to make sure you’re giving your body its tune-ups. Enter: Healcove Chiropractic. The board-certified chiropractors and wellness professionals at Healcove are experts at addressing that stage where you’re not injured, exactly, but you’re not at 100%, either. Maybe you’re feeling a bit tense or stressed out. Or it could be that you’re not quite moving the way you want to. Sometimes, it’s just that the accumulation of days, weeks, or even years of daily strain is starting to take a toll. No matter what stage you find yourself at, the Healcove Chiropractic team can provide integrated, preventative care centered on long-term, science-backed approaches that ensure you can always stay active and live the life you want to live pain-free.
This starts by providing truly individualized care. Every patient can expect a thorough 60-minute consultation session that includes a posture and movement screening. This allows the team to develop a completely personalized plan. That plan might include chiropractic care, acupuncture, or massage therapy, as well as functional fitness training, vibration and sound therapy, and Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, a clinical rehabilitation method that retrains the body’s stabilization systems. Whatever the team recommends, you can be sure that it’s tailored to meeting your body’s needs today and the future.
There’s a reason that San Diego Magazine named Healcove the “Best Chiropractor in San Diego”—don’t wait until you’re struggling with an injury to find out why. Book an appointment today for holistic, integrated care that helps ground and heal your body before it reaches a crisis point.
Juice Holler
West Coast wellness culture meets the community feel of Southern Appalachia at Juice Holler. Juice Holler’s menu consists of made-to-order smoothies and smoothie bowls, as well as grab-and-go cold-pressed juices, wellness shots, salads, and more. It operates from the blissfully simple premise that fueling up with food and drink that’s guilt-free and good your body should be simple, accessible, and, above all else, delicious. And if you haven’t yet made it out to the Encinitas café, which opened just this year, let us be the first to tell you: Juice Holler delivers on each and every of these fronts.
We love the Supercharger smoothie, a mood-lifting and body-fueling option made with banana, almond butter, blue spirulina, maca, grass-fed whey protein, raw cacao nibs, medjool dates, and coconut milk. We’re also partial to the Thrive Alive smoothie bowl, where avocado, mango, sea moss, spirulina, mint, coconut milk, and agave are mixed and topped with coconut, chia seeds, strawberry, mango, and chocolate drizzle. The wellness shots include the Detoxifier, a cleansing blend of kale, cucumber, lemon and spirulina, plus a shot specially designed to fight inflammation (named, fittingly, Anti-Inflammation). Probiotic overnight oats, lemon turmeric bars, and strawberry shortcake chia pudding are other standouts on the grab-and-go menu.
Much of the vibe feels beachy North County chic—think green tile with orange and pink accents, grounded with greenery and natural wood—but Juice Holler founder Kelly Sergott, a longtime Encinitas local, has also enfused the space with her Kentucky roots. In Appalachia, a holler is small valley between hills and mountains, where nature reigns, community is king, and nourishment comes right from the land. At Juice Holler, Sergott has created a holler for the busy modern times, using local ingredients to create a spot for people to come together and enjoy fresh, fast, feel-good fuel for their day.
Everwell Acupuncture
We’ve all had that experience with a medical professional where we’ve felt rushed, ignored, or misunderstood—and ultimately, like we didn’t get the answers that we needed. But at Everwell, the holistic acupuncture practice located in Solana Beach, the care team wants to transform your understanding of what healthcare can look like.
Patients at Everwell experience care rooted in intentional listening and radical empathy—and trust us, those aren’t just corporate buzzwords. This place actually puts those ideas into practice. You will always be given the time you need to tell your story— initial in-take appointments are two hours long—and you can rest assured that your story will be believed. Every single question and concern will be addressed by a dedicated practitioner who wants to find the specific solutions that work best for you, and you’ll receive care that’s aimed at healing the body, mind, and spirit.
Everwell’s highly trained, doctorate-level practitioners blend evidence-based acupuncture with the practice of classical Chinese medicine. (If you’ve never tried acupuncture before or aren’t sure if the team will be a fit, we’d highly recommended Everwell’s complimentary 20-minute consultations.) Research shows that by stimulating specific points on the body, acupuncture activates a natural healing response in the body, helping to restore balance, regulate the nervous system, and improve overall wellbeing. This allows the practice to address an incredibly wide range of conditions from chronic pain and autoimmune disorders to digestive issues, from stress and burnout to headaches migraines, fertility and postpartum struggles, hormonal imbalances, sleep concerns and more.
At Everwell, you can expect to feel heard, trusted, respected, and cared for. This is a space that doesn’t want to be just another healthcare provider you visit; it wants to provide patients with dedicated partner who will be there for their entire health journey.
