2022-2023 Annual Report

DEAR FRIENDS,

At United Way of San Diego County (UWSD), our commitment to the success and well-being of our community runs deep. The importance of our work has never been clearer as we navigate San Diego County’s ongoing economic uncertainties exacerbated by the repercussions of the pandemic and the rising cost of living. We know we cannot simply react to crises as they arise; we must proactively invest in our community’s future resilience.

Reflecting on the last few years, we’ve doubled down on our efforts to address the root causes of inequity by embracing an upstream approach, particularly in education. We know that the people who struggled financially most during the pandemic had a high school diploma or less, so we must support our children and youth to succeed in school and beyond. We firmly believe that investing in early childhood literacy and high school career readiness is paramount to fostering a more resilient community, especially in the face of economic challenges.

Alarmingly, recent data has shown that over half of San Diego County’s third graders are not reading at grade level—a statistic that underscores the urgency of our mission. We recognize that inadequate access to books and literacy skills hinders academic success and perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality. Children must be able to read so they can learn, keep up with schoolwork, and graduate.

However, getting to graduation is only one part of the equation. Many young adults in our community don’t have exposure to good-paying career paths beyond what their parents and neighbors do for work. In addition, students’ educational and career needs are rapidly evolving to meet today’s workforce demands. That’s why we launched our high school STEAM-to-Careers after-school program, where students get hands-on access to STEAM fields, including field trips to some of San Diego County’s most prominent companies. Not only are we providing students in disinvested communities access to different career pathways, but we are also ensuring that our diverse population is represented in our region’s STEAM fields and laying the foundation for a more prosperous and equitable future.

By equipping children and young adults with the educational tools and resources they need to thrive, we are empowering them as individuals while building a stronger, more resilient community. In this annual report, we illuminate our work, our supporters, and the measures UWSD is taking to achieve our vision.

Together, we can ensure that every child, individual, and family, especially those most impacted by adversity, are provided with the opportunities to succeed and flourish. Your partnership is essential, and we are looking forward to transforming more lives in the coming year.

With warm regards,

Nancy L. Sasaki President & CEO

Jacob M. Richards Board Chair

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

BOARD CHAIR

Jacob M. Richards

Senior Vice-President

California Bank & Trust

CHAIR, FINANCE COMMITTEE

TREASURER

Paul Rash

Vice President & Head of Distribution Finance

Wells Fargo, Community Banking

PAST BOARD CHAIR

CHAIR, POLICY COMMITTEE

Tony R. Russell, CRM, MMC

VICE CHAIR

Leslie Oliver Director of Global Supply Chain Solar Turbines, Incorporated

CHAIR, GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

Derek Danziger, APR President OPR Communications

BOARD SECRETARY Eli Rinn Partner

Deloitte & Touche LLP

AT-LARGE MEMBER

Alexis S. Gutierrez, Esq. Partner

Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ryan Blalack

Sales Operations Manager

West Zone | UPS

Mark Corley

Chairman

Monticello Vineyards

Dr. Helen Griffith, Ed.D.

Executive Director

The Preuss School, UC San Diego

Javier Iglesias

Senior Vice President

Business Banking Market Leader

U.S. Bank

H. Gilbert Johnson

President

Procurement Concepts, Inc.

Amber Kramer

Chief Financial Officer

Guild Mortgage

Ricky Shabazz

President

San Diego City College

Gordon Wiens

Senior VP & Credit Products Manager Bank of America

Michael Woitkoski

Managing Partner, Personal CFO

The Wealth Consulting Group

LABOR REPRESENTATIVES

Crystal Irving

President

SEIU Local 221

Carol Kim

Director of Community Engagement; Political Director San Diego Building & Construction Trades Council

Director | Board Services/Authority Clerk

San Diego County Regional Airport Authority

IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS

44,135 LIVES impacted throughout San Diego County

392 PARTNERS united to close gaps in education and economic mobility

508 VOLUNTEERS lent their time, expertise, and resources to make an impact

ECONOMIC MOBILITY

SAN DIEGO COUNTY EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC) COALITION

46,835 RETURNS filed for San Diego County residents

$32.5+ million in federal and state refunds were brought back to San Diego County

29 TAX SITES operated countywide

$6.2 million SAVED in tax preparation fees for clients

LEVEL UP: EARLY LEARNERS

60+ STUDENTS

registered in K-2nd grade in the Level Up: Early Learners Summer Program

3,000+ TOTAL HOURS of interactive educational activities

$3,150 SAVED per family, per student in average childcare costs

STEAM-TO-CAREERS

EARLY LEARNERS LITERACY PROGRAM

65 STUDENTS enrolled in the Early Learners Literacy Program with Traveling Stories

84% OF STUDENTS at one partner school maintained or improved their English Language Arts (ELA) score from Fall 2022 to Spring 2023

180 STUDENTS from Lincoln and Escondido High Schools attended STEAM-to-Careers after-school programming over 20 weeks

32 STUDENTS from Lincoln and Escondido High Schools participated in the Dream with STEAM paid career exploration cohort, visiting local STEAM companies

47% INCREASE in students now interested in pursuing a STEAM career because of the after-school program

$41,600 DISTRIBUTED

($1,300 per student) via stipends to students for participating in Dream with STEAM

EDUCATION EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH

EDUCATION

At UWSD, we are proud of our unwavering commitment to education—a steadfast focus that has defined our mission for numerous years. The urgency of our work has never been more apparent as the educational achievement gaps within our community continue to widen. To bridge these gaps across the region, we strategically focus on key areas such as early childhood literacy support and career readiness.

EARLY LEARNERS

Early Learners Literacy Program, in partnership with Traveling Stories, enrolled 65 students at five elementary schools in City Heights, Lemon Grove, and Lincoln Hills to connect students to virtual 1-on-1 literacy mentoring. Through the program, students were able to build their literacy skills and improve their English Language Arts scores in school.

LEVEL UP

Early Learners program, free of charge to families within the San Diego Unified School District for K-2nd grade students, offered a dynamic seven-week program with curated STEAM and socioemotional learning activities. The program helped support the educational preparation of students and alleviated the financial burden of summer childcare costs and school supplies.

PARTNERS

San Diego Foundation, San Diego Unified School District, Dance to Evolve, UCSD Create, Mathnasium of Lemon Grove, Harmonium, Healthy Adventures, Words Alive

We really enjoyed the flexibility of the program and being able to see the schedule for the summer camp. Marco really enjoyed meeting new friends and talking to his new teachers.

Early Learners Program Participant Parent

STEAM-TO-CAREERS

This year, we launched our STEAM-to-Careers program with 180 Lincoln and Escondido High School students. This 20-week after-school initiative exposed students in historically disinvested communities to high-paying, in-demand careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). Recognizing the growing demand for STEAM talent in our region, the program provided valuable career exposure and guided students on curated tracks in computer sciences, healthcare, engineering, media arts production, and more, and saw a 47% increase in students now interested in pursuing a STEAM career.

During the summer, 32 STEAM-to-Careers students participated in our Dream with STEAM paid career exploration cohort. Students had the opportunity to visit a variety of companies throughout the county to learn about STEAMfocused career opportunities and received $1,300 for participating.

STEAM-TO-CAREERS AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM PARTNERS

Lincoln High School, Escondido High School, Fleet Science Center, Paving Great Futures, San Diego Workforce Partnership, Junior Achievement, ARC San Diego, Escondido Education COMPACT, SAY San Diego, San Diego Regional EDC, Girls Inc, San Marcos Promise

” “ “

I learned that there are so many more opportunities than I previously thought. I have learned how to search for careers that I would fit in through the program.

”

— Dream with STEAM Participant

I have really learned more about what I want as a career, and I am not as lost as I was when I started this program.

— Dream with STEAM Participant

DREAM WITH STEAM SUMMER PROGRAM PARTNERS

Illumina, Solar Turbines, Point Loma Nazarene University, PCL Construction, Booze Allen, SDGE, Kura Oncology, Taylor Guitars, Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego Safari Park

ECONOMIC MOBILITY CREATING PATHWAYS TO FINANCIAL

SECURITY

The escalating cost of living in San Diego County is a pressing issue, thrusting more individuals and families into financial uncertainty. In the face of the widening economic disparities in our region, UWSD is dedicated to providing essential financial resources and creating pathways for economic mobility that profoundly impact the lives of those struggling to make ends meet. As part of our efforts to enhance economic mobility, we actively lead initiatives such as the San Diego County Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Coalition and the Building Resilience Project.

THE BUILDING RESILIENCE PROJECT

We are proud to highlight the achievements of the Building Resilience Project, a strategic initiative aimed at measuring the mitigating effects that economic support systems have on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) among vulnerable working families. Through collaborative efforts with various sectors, the project focused on enhancing access to vital social services, particularly the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), to fortify family stability and resilience.

Under the coordination of UWSD, comprehensive Building Resilience training courses were conducted in partnership with five community organizations aimed at disseminating information about EITC services. In 2022-2023, 93,613 individuals were reached through education and outreach efforts. Building Resilience underscores our commitment to finding research-backed, collaborative, and innovative approaches to promoting healthy child development and fostering resilient communities.

PARTNERS

Harder + Company, 211 San Diego, Dreams for Change, International Rescue Committee, YMCA Childcare Resource Service

In 2022-2023, comprehensive Building Resilience training courses, in partnership with five community organizations, reached 93,613 individuals through education and outreach efforts.

THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC) COALITION

UWSD leads the San Diego County EITC Coalition, which is comprised of over 40 community partner organizations dedicated to assisting low- to moderate-income individuals and families with filing their taxes for free. The Coalition helps them maximize their tax refunds and access crucial tax credits, enabling them to put more money in their pockets for basic needs, such as food, rent and mortgage, utilities, transportation, and other unexpected costs. We are proud to say that all San Diego County EITC Coalition tax preparation partners returned to pre-pandemic in-person services this season. In total, the Coalition operated 29 tax sites, resulting in 46,835 federal and state returns. Over $32.5 million in federal and state refunds were brought back to San Diego County, and clients saved $6.2 million in tax preparation fees, an average of $250 per return.

Amid economic hardship, the extra funds from tax credits help families ease the burden of basic essentials and unexpected expenses. By broadening our network of local community partners, we continue to grow our reach and transform the lives of even more San Diegans.

PARTNERS

The San Diego County EITC Coalition, made up of over 40 community partner organizations, is anchored by a partnership among the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, the IRS, Dreams for Change, 211 San Diego, and UWSD.

“ I am now able to pay off some debt. Times are tough and any refund is appreciated. Carlos, Mission Valley ”

“ This service saves money and gives peace of mind knowing my taxes are filed correctly. It is truly so helpful for low-income families.

– Tague, Escondido ”

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

ENGAGING LOCAL COMPANIES

United Way of San Diego County partners with companies big and small throughout the region to integrate corporate social responsibility (CSR) into their organizations. We support companies in enhancing their brands’ social impact and cultivating a culture of engagement and retention through workplace campaigns, volunteerism, and nonprofit board service.

WORKPLACE CAMPAIGNS

Through our workplace campaigns, we align with companies to maximize their social impact, cultivating avenues that nurture employee engagement, retention, and satisfaction within their organizations. UWSD’s workplace campaigns empower employees to give to the causes and organizations closest to their hearts. Last year, UWSD collected and distributed those funds to the designated nonprofits representing different cause areas, including education, environment and animals, health, and human services. We take pride in providing corporate partners and their employees avenues to achieve their philanthropic goals and contribute to the betterment of San Diego County.

NONPROFIT BOARD CERTIFICATION AND MATCHING PROGRAM

Our Nonprofit Board Certification and Matching is a unique program designed to empower community leaders with the essential skills and assurance to serve on nonprofit boards effectively. Upon completion, attendees earn a Nonprofit Board Service Certificate from the University of San Diego and are matched with local nonprofit organizations seeking their expertise. Last year, we had our community training with 16 graduates and provided personalized board service training at companies engaging their employees with professional development opportunities.

CSR DRIVES

Last year, we hosted three CSR drives to engage local companies and address pressing needs in our community. Through these drives, we impacted the lives of thousands of children and families facing barriers to educational success, literacy, and food security, all thanks to our generous sponsors and donors.

VOLUNTEERISM

We offer one-time and ongoing dynamic volunteer opportunities for employees to get involved in the community and the causes they care about most. The diversity of projects, ranging from assembling school supplies kits to hygiene kits for individuals experiencing homelessness, demonstrates UWSD’s thoughtful approach to addressing different community needs. Volunteer opportunities include Day of Service projects, custom volunteer projects, and year-round engagement opportunities.

3,000

BOOKS

were distributed to students throughout the county to help build literacy skills and close inequities in early childhood literacy.

$12.5k+

IN SCHOOL SUPPLIES

were given to local students so they could start school with the tools they need to succeed while easing the financial burden of parents struggling to make ends meet.

were collected and distributed to families facing food insecurity during the holidays.

PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY

The ongoing support from our philanthropic community, including corporate partners, foundations, and local philanthropists, plays a pivotal role in supporting our education and economic mobility initiatives so every child, individual, and family can thrive. UWSD recognizes these generous donors for their steadfast dedication to our community and their role in fostering equity throughout San Diego County.

TOP TEN CORPORATE PARTNERS

CSR DRIVE SPONSORS

*Based on total donations directed to UWSD

Thank you to our generous corporate and philanthropic partners for sponsoring our Back to School, Crockpot, and Read Across America drives to support children and families.

GRANTS AND FOUNDATION SUPPORT

• 211 SD

• City of San Diego

• County of San Diego

• Department of the Treasury – Internal Revenue Service

• Dr. Seuss Foundation

• French Foundation

• Health & Human Services/OMH

• Nellie Thatcher Perkins Foundation

• PNC Foundation

• Samuel I & John Henry Fox Foundation

• San Diego Foundation

• The JEM Project

• U.S. Bank

• Wells Fargo Bank

AFFINITY NETWORKING GROUPS

At UWSD, we offer meaningful membership opportunities that create community change while fostering leadership, career growth, and connections with like-minded professionals. Affinity group members are San Diegans passionate about making a lasting impact in our region through exclusive volunteer, networking, special recognition, and leadership development events. Members make donations to UWSD to strengthen our community and transform lives in the region.

WOMEN UNITED

Women United is a collective of dynamic, influential women dedicated to connection, philanthropy, and community, supporting programs exclusively for women and children. Members commit to an annual $1,000 donation to the Women United Fund and collectively determine how the dollars will be allocated to produce the most significant impact. Last year alone, the group distributed $25,000 through scholarships to 10 graduating high school seniors. Members support our mission while enjoying exclusive events.

EMERGING LEADERS

Emerging Leaders is a diverse community of sociallyminded professionals interested in becoming stronger leaders by investing in themselves and the San Diego County community. The networking group fosters a vibrant community of local professionals passionate about growing personal and professional relationships. With an annual $500 unrestricted donation to UWSD, members support our mission while enjoying exclusive offerings and events.

DONORS

TOCQUEVILLE SOCIETY

Thank you to our generous Tocqueville Society members who give $10,000 or more annually to UWSD.

Andrew & Cindy Berman

Pedro & Carol Cuatrecasas

Ronald Currie

The Lawrence & Junko Cushman Foundation

John & Shari Erickson

Cordell Fleming

Kathleen Frankel

Wolfgang Glaesner

Steve Gmyr

Alan & Debbie Gold

Christopher Hansen

Kevin Harkenrider

Hunter Family Advised Fund at the San Diego Foundation

Bryan E. Jones

George & Carol Lattimer

Jane McCarthy

Maureen McDaid

Sara Moser

William Moses

Fred Odom

Jeroen Olthof

Julie & Dennis Richardson

LEADERSHIP SOCIETY

Leadership Society members, an exclusive group of 471 business and community leaders, contribute $1,000 or more annually to UWSD.

Jeanne Rosolino

Glenn & Lynne Rossman

Bruce Rucks

Michael & Sue Sauder

Paul & Teresa Schrader

Cecilia Scott-Stanfel

Greg Seelagy

Barry & Jan Sharpless

Justin Sherman

Sabi & Indira Singh

Elaine Galinson & Herbert Solomon

Stephanie Truhlar & Andrew Eaton

Bruce & Gayle Wheeler

Nick Wibbenmeyer

Gordon & Margie Wiens

Michael Wraith

REVENUE, GAINS & OTHER SUPPORT

55% Campaign results net of losses $3,810,031

27% Grants, contracts & contributions

12% Net investment income

6% Other

$1,885,463

$818,316

$404,678

Total Revenue $6,918,488

EXPENSES

63% Program services

16% Fundraising

$4,034,141

$1,022,157

21% Organizational administration $1,345,948

Total Expenses

Change in net assets

$6,402,246

$516,242

Net assets beginning of year $13,528,633

Net assets end of year $14,044,875

* UWSD’s financial records are audited annually by an independent CPA.

We create access to opportunities so that all San Diegans thrive at every stage of life.

MISSION

To spark breakthrough community action that elevates every child and family toward a brighter future.

VISION

United Way envisions a vibrant community built on opportunity for everyone.

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK facebook.com/unitedwaysd

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @unitedwaysd

FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK @unitedwaysd

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @unitedwaysd

FOLLOW US ON LINKEDIN linkedin.com/company/ united-way-of-san-diego-county