Foundation awards $250,000 to protect children’s vision Care and Refugee Health Services

With federal funding cuts straining essential services, San Diego Foundation (SDF) has awarded $250,000 in Unity Fund grants to help keep key healthcare programs running for thousands of local children and refugee families.

The announcement came as UC San Diego’s Shiley EyeMobile for Children offered free vision screenings recently at Spring Head Start.

The first wave of Unity Fund grants includes $100,000 for the Shiley EyeMobile, which brings screenings, exams, and prescription glasses directly to campuses across the region, eliminating barriers such as transportation, insurance, or time off work. The program is expected to support vision care for about 5,000 children this year.

“Vision health is essential to a child’s ability to learn,” said Iliana Molina, DHA, MBA, director of UC San Diego Shiley EyeMobile for Children.

“This support ensures every child, regardless of circumstance, has access to quality eye care and the chance to thrive in school.”

Another $150,000 will support the Karen Organization of San Diego through the San Diego Refugee Communities Coalition’s community health worker program. The funding strengthens one-on-one assistance, wellness education, and navigation help for refugee families who often face language barriers, transportation challenges, and unfamiliar healthcare systems.

“Community health workers are trusted guides who help refugee families understand their options, overcome barriers, and get the care they need,” said Nao Kabashima, executive director of the Karen Organization of San Diego.

“This is what happens when San Diegans come together to help one another in times of need,” said Mark Stuart, president and CEO of San Diego Foundation. “In times of great emergency, community foundations are uniquely positioned to put our philanthropic leadership and deep, cross-sector relationships to work for those who are impacted by assessing need quickly and nimbly granting out funding to those who need it.”

San Diego Unity Fund was created by San Diego Foundation to give everyone in our region a way to support neighbors affected by federal cutbacks to healthcare, housing, and food. It is part of the larger United for San Diego effort, a collaboration among Prebys Foundation, Price Philanthropies, San Diego Foundation, and the Price family to help communities navigate these reductions in public support.

San Diegans who want to help can donate at SDFoundation.org/Unity. Every gift goes directly to local nonprofits, with no administrative fees.