October 10, 2022
Strategic focus through partnerships shows progress
With summer over and fall in full swing, the events, announcements and news items are plentiful! In fact, there has been so much partner sharing this past month, that this particular newsletter is longer than usual. We have therefore organized the partner highlights we received by our three strategic focus areas:
Addressing Root Causes | Supporting the Safety Net | Advancing Sustainable Innovation
Addressing Root Causes
San Diego for Every Child – GBI
San Diego for Every Child’s Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) pilot is in its second quarter of operation, providing families with $500 per month in direct cash assistance over the course of two years. As a proven, powerful tool to combat poverty, especially for families with young children, over 400 GBI pilots are launching all over the country. Alliance Healthcare Foundation is proud to be a supporter of this effort.
Recently, Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties, in partnership with Income Movement held a day-long site visit and series of learning opportunities related to Guaranteed Basic Income. Khea Pollard, Director of Economic Mobility and Opportunity for Jewish Family Service, moderated a discussion about the Black Women’s Resiliency Project, at which AHF executive director, Sarah Lyman spoke in a panel session. Here are several stories appearing in local media.
Behavioral Health Workforce
There is a shortage of 8,100 addiction treatment and mental health workers to meet current demand in San Diego County and 18,500 more behavioral health workers are needed by 2027. A report published by San Diego Workforce Partnership with support from AHF offers information designed to inform decisions about how to build a worker pipeline. AHF participates on the San Diego Behavioral Health Workers steering committee and is currently in discussions with partners to identify the best way for us to engage moving forward. Access report here.
Community Health Worker/Promotor(a) technical assistance
The statewide Community Health Worker/Promotor(a) technical assistance collaborative has officially launched. AHF provided funding support in partnership with the California Healthcare Foundation to support the expansion and sustainability of the Community Health Worker workforce, in particular for grassroots, deeply trusted organizations serving populations that have been traditionally underserved by our current healthcare system. Locally, the San Diego Wellness Collaborative has convened several important workshops and meetings with partners and CBOs, many of which are AHF awardees.
San Diego’s new Medi-Cal plans
The California Department of Health Care Services announced on August 25, 2022 the statewide news regarding the procurement process for reducing the number of health plans per region. Health Net and Molina were the winning bids to retain San Diego’s Medi-Cal contracts along with Kaiser Permanente. Appeals processes are underway now, but the region should be prepared that more than 400,000 San Diegans with Medi-Cal may have to change health plans by 2024.
“Missing Middle” Housing
Hilltop Housing, an impact investment of AHF’s in partnership with Mission Driven Finance, continues to make progress on building 47 units of “missing middle” workforce housing for individuals and families living at 80-120% area median income (AMI). Photo shows first floor framing.
Supporting the Safety Net
San Diego Live Well Advance—Dec 7
Save the date! The Annual Live Well Advance is scheduled for Wednesday, December 7 at the San Diego Convention Center. General registration opens late October.
SD Gives’ Annual Day of Giving – Success!
San Diego Gives
’ annual day of giving on September 8th was a huge success for the 327 participating nonprofit agencies. If you donated, you are among 3,718 donors who collectively donated $1,077,326, with $114,100 of this amount being matched. In a recent podcast, Lauren Welch, Director of San Diego Gives, and AHF Program Officer Min Kim enjoyed a conversation about serving the community. Listen to the podcast here.
And now a word about COVID-19
COVID-19 may have waned in the infection rate, but without our vigilance it could easily increase this winter. Updated Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech boosters are available. Visit myturn.ca.gov to make your appointment today.
Grant results shared
- North County LGBTQ Resource Center shared that through AHF’s Mission Support grant, they hired a Director of Operations which allowed them to increase their services and outreach by 300%.
- Cesar Chavez Service Clubs was able to hire two new staff through AHF’s Mission Support grant (one of which has been a “Chavista” since fourth grade!).
- Paving Great Futures, a Mission Support awardee, found that combining two program curricula into one has made for greater engagement and savings, and they have restructured seven total programs. As a result, participation has doubled from 45 to 88 attendees.
AHF receives Spirit of Service Award
AHF was recently recognized with a “Spirit of Service” award by Interfaith Shelter Network (Mission Support awardee) at its annual Celestial Nights event and we’re so proud to be in partnership with them.
Annual State of Nonprofits – Oct 14
We are pleased to be a sponsor of the 10th Annual State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy Summit at University of San Diego Nonprofit Institute. It’s a wonderful opportunity to come together in person as a community to discuss the results of this year’s report and other important nonprofit trends as well as highlight case studies of local success. Register and learn more here.
Advancing Sustainable Innovation
Accessible healthy food
Project New Village
(PNV), one of AHF’s 2022 Innovation Initiative (i2) finalists, had a grand opening at end of September for their People’s Produce Mobile Farmers Market for Greater Southeastern San Diego. By using an equitable food system model, PNV is connecting communities to healthy food in accessible locations.
A home of their own!
Nile Sisters, an AHF Innovation Initiative (i2) Top 25 candidate, has completed the recent purchase of their own facility which AHF was able to support in partnership with San Diego Foundation and The Conrad Prebys Foundation. This new permanent building will allow for expanded programs and job training of BIPOC individuals in classifications including Certified Nurse Assistant, Home Health Aide, Basic Life Support and Caregiver. By making these programs affordable and culturally relevant, entire families and communities will be supported with pathways to social and economic self-reliance.
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