Press ReleasesSAN DIEGO (April 6, 2021) – San Diego for Every Child – a nonprofit coalition housed under Jewish Family Service of San Diego – today announced its work to pilot the region’s first Guaranteed Income Project, “Resilient Communities for Every Child,” and has received commitments of support from Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and National City Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis. Mayors Gloria and Sotelo-Solis also announced their sign-on to Mayors for Guaranteed Income, a national network of mayors advocating for guaranteed income projects.
Participants in the project receive direct, unconditional monthly cash payments that can be spent on immediate needs such as food for their household, repairing a car to get to work, medicine to treat a loved one or housing expenses. The funds are meant to supplement, rather than replace, the existing social safety net and serve to achieve economic justice and help address the racial and gender inequities that impact the lives of children experiencing poverty.
Comprised of human service agencies and community leaders dedicated to eliminating the experience of childhood poverty in the county, San Diego for Every Child plans to pilot Resilient Communities for Every Child later this year, driven by the continued devastation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on children and families experiencing poverty.
“I’m so excited to be working with Jewish Family Service on this approach to support San Diego’s kids and families. The only way we will solve a problem as big as childhood poverty is with big, bold thinking, and not being beholden to the way things have always been done,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, Founding Chair of San Diego for Every Child. “I am proud to be working in Congress to get families across the country the support they need, and to build on that work locally through this innovative project.”
“I’m proud to join with mayors from across the country who are supporting guaranteed income, and I’m hopeful a pilot project here in San Diego can help uplift more local families and reduce child poverty,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “This kind of initiative will keep families financially secure and generate much-needed revenue to help drive our economic recovery.”
With an estimated 176,000 workers unemployed due to COVID-19 in the San Diego region, and while all communities in San Diego have been severely impacted by the pandemic and subsequent economic crisis, research has shown that communities of color have been disproportionally impacted. Because of this, San Diego for Every Child’s pilot Guaranteed Income Project will focus on low-income families under the age of 12 and living in zip codes in
San Diego and National City most affected economically by the COVID 19 pandemic – often the same areas with the highest rates of children experiencing poverty.
“We’ve learned the hard lesson this past year that financial security can evaporate in the face of an unpredictable world and an economy that is more unequal than ever,” said Mayor Sotelo-Solis. “Guaranteed income can provide financial stability to our community here in National City just as it can across the country, ensuring no one falls through the cracks.”
Jewish Family Service has tracked guaranteed income programs across the country, and Chief Operating Officer Dana Toppel recently authored an article about various solutions underway to help local families in an article in The San Diego Union-Tribune: http://bit.ly/BeyondARP.
More information about the program’s launch and participant eligibility will be announced in the coming months. To sign up to receive updates on the program as they become available, or to donate, visit sandiegoforeverychild.org.
About San Diego for Every Child
San Diego for Every Child is a coalition dedicated to cutting the experience of childhood poverty by 50% by 2030. Our mission is to create a San Diego County where every child has their basic needs met by ensuring all children in our region have nutritious food to eat, live in stable housing, receive adequate healthcare, and have access to quality childcare and education. For more information, visit sandiegoforeverychild.org. Updates can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
San Diego for Every Child is a nonprofit initiative housed under the 501(c)3 of Jewish Family Service of San Diego, one of San Diego’s oldest and most impactful nonprofit agencies.
About Jewish Family Service of San Diego – Moving Forward Together
Founded in 1918, Jewish Family Service (JFS) is one of San Diego’s most impactful nonprofit agencies – providing resources and support to over 34,000 San Diegans this past year. Through integrated services, the organization empowers people of all ages, faiths, and backgrounds to overcome challenges, set goals, and build more stable, secure, and connected lives. JFS is committed to helping individuals and families in crisis move forward, while developing innovative strategies to break cycles of poverty and strengthen our San Diego community.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency adapted, revised and expanded its services to focus on what was needed most, including critical food assistance through a no-touch drive-thru distribution, meal delivery and self-care support for seniors, safe spaces for people living out of their vehicles, and employment services and counseling. From response to recovery, JFS will be there for the community and offer much needed relief and vital necessities. Together, we will make it through this.
To get help, volunteer or support JFS, visit www.jfssd.org or call 858-637-3000.
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