Early Impact from Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot

“An Invitation to Dream” mini-documentary highlights the experience

When families who are living below the poverty line experience an unexpected financial occurrence like their car breaking down or a healthcare crisis or childcare challenges that impact the parent’s ability to go to work, a safety net of guaranteed, predictable monthly income can make all the difference in the world.

We were proud to be an initial funding catalyst and partner in the San Diego for Every Child Guaranteed Income Project with backbone support provided by Jewish Family Service. The program provided $500 per month, without restrictions, to 150 San Diego families with children for 24 months post the Covid-19 pandemic. Families know best what they need. It might mean paying off all bills each month, getting necessary car repairs done, or finishing school. Please watch the video and learn what the money meant to these San Diego families.

The results of this local program add to the growing body of evidence from other guaranteed basic income pilots across the U.S. that demonstrate that direct cash assistance, without restrictions, improves peoples’ lives. With a vision toward policy change that would provide a federal “income floor” for families, pilot programs are being researched and their results are being documented and shared widely.  Watch videos from participants in other guaranteed income programs.

Enormous gratitude for partners: Partners Step Up for Migrants in Need:

Since mid-September, San Diego has experienced an influx of more than 13,000 migrants coming across the U.S.-Mexico border. A group of San Diego nonprofits stepped up and banded together to provide emergency aid, food, shelter and transportation to thousands of new migrants coming across the border daily. Immediately, Casa Familiar, Jewish Family Service San Diego, San Diego Rapid Response Network, and Interfaith Community Services and others recruited their staff and volunteers into service, exhausting their people and cash reserves of unrestricted income. Essentially going above and beyond for people in need. Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties and AHF alongside other funders provided emergency funding, and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors recently approved $3 million in support, with follow-on government support. Make no mistake, the need for funding this humanitarian effort continues.
(Photo: courtesy of ABC News)

More Updates from our Partners

BPP + Annual Binational Border Health Week: U.S. and Mexico Secretaries of Health meet

Dr. Jorge Carlos Alcocer Varela, Mexico’s Secretary of Health, and Hon. Xavier Becerra, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services visited San Diego earlier in October to officially launch Binational Border Health Week.  AHF joined these bi-national leaders for a visit with the Border Philanthropy Partnership to highlight the important work of the Ventanilla de Salud program at the Mexican Consulate in San Diego, of which AHF is a funding supporter. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Ventanilla de Salud program, which provides free preventative health services, screenings, vaccines, basic health supports and referrals to clients, regardless of immigration status.

Thank you U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership (BPP) for including AHF. See news here.

Pictured left to right:

• US Secretary of Health Xavier Becerra
• Sarah Lyman, Executive Director, AHF
• Andy Carey, Executive Director, Border Philanthropy Partnership
• Barbara Jimenez, Community Operations Officer, County of San Diego
• Ambassador Carlos Gonzalez Gutierrez, Consult General of Mexico in San Diego

 

Celebrating 50 years: Casa Familiar hosts Casa Fest

In the midst of a migrant border crisis, Casa Familiar took a short timeout to host Casa Fest and acknowledge its many accomplishments over 50 years of service in San Diego. Casa has grown and evolved since its beginnings in 1973 and expanded its efforts from solely serving Spanish-speaking clients in San Ysidro with their immigration needs to providing a variety of services, programs and advocacy initiatives to all South San Diego County residents. We were honored to help the agency celebrate its many accomplishments.

Pictured at the celebration (left to right):

• Veronica Dela Rosa, Executive Vice President of Operations, San Ysidro Health
• Alethea Arguilez, AHF Trustee and Executive Director, First 5 San Diego
• Melanie Mijares, Program Association, AHF
• Sarah Lyman, Executive Director, AHF
• Barbara Orozco-Valdivia, Vice President, AHF

 

Releasing Butterflies for Mental Health Awareness: Event brings communities of color together

We were delighted to join Urban Restoration Counseling Center (2022 i2 award recipient) at their annual community wellness fair. URCC is dedicated to mental health in communities of color.

Pictured left to right:

• Janel King, MFT, Co-founder, URCC
• Sarah Lyman, Executive Director, AHF
• Barbara Orozco-Valdivia, Vice President, AHF
• Shanelle Johnson, MFT, Co-founder, URCC

 

 

 

Funding Opportunity: Youth Mental Health Innovation & Scaling Initiative

The Conrad Prebys Foundation has announced a $10 million two-year grant in support of identifying or expanding promising efforts to address mental and behavioral health challenges to improve social, emotional wellbeing; and to find or expand effective treatments to prevent or reduce anxiety, depression, or substance abuse. One-year grants will cover funding ranging from $50,000-$150,000; multi-year grants will cover funding ranging from $100,000-$250,000 annually for two years. Click here.

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