At Interfaith Community Services, we see the daily hardships many North County families are up against, and we meet them with compassion, understanding and a commitment to helping them move forward. Last month, at a series of food distributions held during delays to CalFresh benefits, those realities were impossible to ignore.
Across Escondido, Carlsbad, and Oceanside, families waited in long lines of cars, fearful this might be their only chance to secure groceries for the week. The uncertainty of a prolonged federal government shutdown and confusion over when CalFresh benefits would resume only deepened their worries.
These moments offer a glimpse into what far too many San Diegans are experiencing as they navigate wavering federal support, rising living costs, and economic pressures that have pushed people to the brink.
When social services are cut or delayed, the need for community giving surges, and organizations like Interfaith become lifelines for thousands. That is why this is a pivotal moment for our community to rally behind the People for People Fund, a local safety-net program we launched to support North County families and individuals.
Backed by a generous $1 million match from Price Philanthropies — part of their United for San Diego partnership with the Prebys Foundation, San Diego Foundation and the Price family — the fund provides direct, immediate support to residents most impacted by recent policy shifts, including many of our immigrant and low-income neighbors. The campaign runs through the end of the year, and every dollar given up to $1 million will be doubled.
Some of the people we serve skip meals so their children can eat. Others delay essential medical care to stay current on their rent. From childcare to utility bills, transportation, and food, the list of needs is almost never-ending, and the stakes have rarely been higher. For families already navigating life without stable housing, delays and cuts to social services make an already steep climb nearly impossible.
The People for People Fund helps fight back immediately against the cascading policy decisions. So far, $633,205.86 has been donated, but we have a long way to go if we are to continue standing alongside our neighbors through this hardship. While the match campaign concludes on December 31st, the fund will continue to support essential services and resources to our community well beyond the match.
Interfaith served more than 23,000 unique individuals last year, including ending homelessness for 1,401 San Diegans and preventing it for another 1,671. When we set aside political or religious differences and instead draw strength from our diversity, our entire community benefits, and we build a region where more people can secure the most fundamental of needs: a place to call home.
Supporting initiatives like the People for People Fund strengthens that work by helping families move from crisis to stability. This holiday season, I’m deeply grateful for how San Diegans have stepped up amid some of the most volatile economic conditions our country has faced in years.
Take Maribel Caudillo, for example. A single mother working tirelessly to support her two children — one recovering from significant trauma — Maribel lost income after needing time away from work. Soon, she fell behind on payments, and her family’s utilities were shut off. Thanks to the People for People Fund, Interfaith restored essential utilities, easing the financial burden and allowing her to focus on her work and her daughter’s healing with renewed stability and hope.
One of my favorite quotes comes from Dr. Steve Maraboli, an author, speaker and behavioral science academic: “A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.”
Your generosity is that gesture. And it’s the reason hope continues to take root, one family at a time.
Greg Anglea is the CEO of Interfaith Community Services.
