Promises2Kids credits its programs’ successes to its donors, the most recent being La Jolla Cosmetic, which gave $10,000 on top of its years of ongoing support.

“La Jolla Cosmetic was one of the main sponsors of our annual concert gala last year, and when the concert didn’t happen, they still stepped up,” said Tonya Torosian, CEO of Promises2Kids. “Marie Olesen, Dr. Hector Salazar and the La Jolla Cosmetic team know that the needs of foster youth don’t go away and have continued to show their support for youth in need.”

Alliance Healthcare Foundation has pledged $75,000 to support the San Diego Rescue Mission’s health and wellness initiatives for the region’s homeless. The grant will be split into three equal payments over three years.

Specifically, the funds will be used to develop a more comprehensive nutrition component that will add healthy options to its menus and accommodate emergency shelter guests’ dietary restrictions.

“When I joined the Mission in 2017, I knew a cultural shift was needed to address healthy living and holistic wellness to align with our core values,” said Donnie Dee, CEO of the San Diego Rescue Mission.

Promises2Kids receives $10,000 from La Jolla Cosmetic

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“Most school districts anticipate using a virtual or blended learning environment for the remainder of the school year, and unfortunately, those who are most adversely affected by this are students attending Title I schools,” said Director of Education Megan Malaska Medley. “Birch Aquarium believes that all students should have equitable access to STEM learning opportunities, and we are so thankful to have financial aid available to ensure that every student is able to connect to the wonders of the ocean, even during this significant learning shift.”

Scholarships for free virtual programs are available here. Schools in City Heights and surrounding areas are also eligible for funding through the Price Philanthropies Ocean Science Education Fund.

UC Health and UC San Diego’s milk bank is the first of its kind in the city.

UC San Diego and University of California Health have launched a nonprofit milk bank within the San Diego Blood Bank to serve Southern California families in need. When mothers of sick or premature babies can’t produce a sufficient milk supply for their baby’s nutritional needs, they turn to donated milk.

“A significant percentage of NICUs in our state are still not using donor milk despite more than a decade of scientific evidence regarding the important benefits to the smallest infants,” said Lisa Stellwagen, MD, executive director of the milk bank. “We aim to address these shortages and disparities in donor milk use in our region.”

The University of California Health Milk Bank is the first of its kind in San Diego and one of only 30 nonprofit milk banks in North America.

Those who have 100 ounces or more of extra frozen milk are welcome to contribute. Donors must complete a questionnaire and are tested before donation; the milk is also tested and processed.

The San Diego Rescue Mission plans to use a $100,000 grant from the Lucky Duck Foundation to launch a new homeless outreach initiative called Walk With Me. The effort entails leveraging partnerships with local churches, service providers, and volunteers to develop unique one-on-one relationships with individuals living on the streets, build trust, and connect them to available resources.

“Our hope is that all of our vulnerable friends experiencing homelessness can feel valued, loved, and seen just as God sees them,” said Donnie Dee, CEO of the San Diego Rescue Mission.

The Rescue Mission is currently recruiting volunteers, who will be provided training prior to starting their “Journey of Relationship.” Volunteers are required to commit five to seven hours a month for at least a year. The online training will be offered starting in January, with relationship pairings made shortly thereafter.

For more information and to sign up, visit sdrescue.org/walkwithme.

Home Start recently hosted a virtual version of its popular Hallo-Wine Fall Festival and raised more than $38,000. Guests were able to support Home Start’s mission of preventing child abuse while noshing on a to-go sampling from Burgeon Beer Company, Panini Kabob, Trevi Hills Winery, The University Club atop Symphony Towers, and more. They were also treated to an afternoon of learning about locally crafted cider, wine, beer, and specialty cocktails from Home Start’s vendor partners, and answered trivia questions for chances to win prizes.

“Now, more than ever, families are struggling and need additional resources to survive. Every dollar raised from our event will help Home Start serve victims of domestic violence and provide services to local families affected by COVID-19,” said Home Start CEO Laura Tancredi-Baese.

Kara Lu, Matt Arrollado, and Dave Tabor lead a virtual program. Photo courtesy of Birch Aquarium.

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