SAN MARCOS — The David C. Copley Foundation on Sept. 1 awarded TERI Campus of Life, a nonprofit serving the special needs community since 1980, a $1 million grant to help finish construction of its campus in San Marcos.
“This generous gift signifies an incredible turning point for TERI,” said the nonprofit’s founder and CEO, Cheryl Kilmer. “It helps us get more than halfway to our $15 million fundraising goal and advances our plans to break ground on the next phase of construction. We’re grateful for this powerful vote of confidence not simply in the buildings we are creating, but in the people, programs and possibilities that will fill them.”
The $1 million Copley grant counts toward a 2:1 challenge grant from the Tomlinson Foundation, which matches every $2 TERI raises with $1 of its own, up to $3 million total. TERI had already unlocked the first $1 million of that match before Tuesday’s announcement.
“The Copley Foundation is proud to support TERI Campus of Life as it expands its campus, creating a centralized location where all participants can access the programs they need,” David C. Copley Foundation Chief Operating Officer Kimberly Koch said. “The Campus of Life is a beautiful, peaceful environment providing individuals with a greater opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. Like TERI, the Foundation believes every person deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential and is pleased to support programs that promote inclusion, foster independence, and enhance quality of life.”
TERI Campus of Life is located on 20 acres in San Marcos and provides “life-changing opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” including job opportunities, art programs, social clubs, therapies, residential care, life planning and specialized education, according to a statement from TERI.
“Our model encourages partnerships and sets the gold standard for inclusivity and belonging for all,” Kilmer said. “It’s a one-of-a-kind environment for learning, growth, achievement, joy and hope.”
The nonprofit is slated to begin its next phase of construction in 2027 on two new school buildings, allowing the organization to bring students currently housed in a leased building in Oceanside to its primary San Marcos campus.
