RANCHO SANTA FE — The Rancho Santa Fe Foundation recently announced its military grants initiative geared to help San Diego military families in need. Through The Patriots Connection, the RSFF aims to help active military members in a variety of ways.
Each year, the RSFF reviews grant requests through The Patriots Connection. When the call for grants nearly doubled this year, RSFF decided to turn to its community members to take part in the $40,000 Match Challenge.
“This is a compelling indicator of the consistent and ongoing needs of San Diego’s military families,” Christy Wilson, executive director of RSFF, said. “In response to this ongoing need, Rancho Santa Fe Foundation is excited to announce that we have received a $40,000 dollar-for-dollar challenge grant to support The Patriots Connection grant making this year. Every dollar donated will be matched, doubling your impact, and helping even more of our nation’s heroes.”
Wilson also wants everyone to know that all donations made between now and Sept. 15 that specify The Patriots Connection, totaling up to $40,000, will be matched and will support the 2017 grants.
RSFF established The Patriots Connection in 2008, formerly known as Armed Forces Interest Group. While Armed Forces Interest Group responded to the needs of junior enlisted military families shouldering multiple and lengthy deployments, RSFF reassessed its mission required branching out.
“Armed Forces Interest Group was renamed The Patriots Connection, and the focus was expanded to include those transitioning from active duty and veterans,” Wilson said.
Since its inception in 2008, the RSFF has awarded $1.3 million dollars in grants to nonprofits serving the military.
“In 2015, after the government ended funding of their drop-in childcare center, Camp Pendleton was looking for help,” Wilson said. “The Armed Services YMCA stepped in to take over the operations of the center and Rancho Santa Fe Foundation, through The Patriots Connection, was able to make a grant to support the hiring of the center’s staff. The center now serves more than 500 children each month.”
According to Wilson, the San Diego area has one of the largest concentrations of military presence in the world. San Diego is also listed having a sizeable population of veterans.
“We cannot ignore the needs of San Diego’s military servicemen and their families — not only during their service but as they transition to civilian life here in San Diego,” she said.
To learn more about The Patriots Connection and how all tax deductible contributions can help local military families and veterans, call RSFF at (858) 756-6557.
1 comment
The RSF continues to give its grants to huge, multi-million dollar NPOs, instead of local, grass roots organizations that need it. People Magazine spent 2 years counting how many local military and veterans we have helped in San Diego and came up with 50,000 in 2013. We have doubled that since. But every year we do not even make it to the final round. Instead the Goodwill and the YMCA receive a grant! We quit submitting after 5 years of trying.
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