The Oceanside Community Foundation, a regional affiliate of the San Diego Foundation, held its Annual Grant Awards Celebration on June 4 at the Veterans Association of North County in Oceanside and awarded $92,000 to five local nonprofits that provide suicide prevention programs and services.
“These five organizations will provide services for our active military and veterans, families and individuals, youth and adults in Oceanside, with a wide breadth of programs, including the creation of a documentary series to raise awareness, mentorships, comprehensive suicide and bullying prevention training, and connecting individuals at risk with vital services and resources,” said Beverly Holtz, 2023-24 foundation board chairwoman. “Our goal is to promote awareness, remove stigma and prevent unnecessary deaths in our community.”
With this year’s awards, the Oceanside Community Foundation has now granted more than $1 million to over 75 programs that help grow a more vibrant community for all who live in, work in, and enjoy the community of Oceanside.
“We are incredibly proud to celebrate this milestone and so grateful to members past and present for making it possible,” Holtz said.
The list of 2024-25 grantees include:
Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside — $25,000 for the Because You Matter Program, which will help build youths’ self-esteem and confidence through targeted program activities and caring, compassionate mentors. The goals of the program are to ensure that youth have the support, skills and resilience needed to safeguard their mental health and to provide youths, staff members and parents with the education needed to intervene with and support suicidal youths.
Lifeline Community Services — $15,000 for its Suicide Prevention Support Program. The HERE Now program will provide comprehensive suicide and bullying prevention services to students in grades 7-12. The program will work with students struggling emotionally by delivering evidence-based presentations about suicide prevention. The VIVA Counseling program, which will serve low-income youth under age 21, will offer mental health outpatient services provided primarily on school sites, or at one of Lifeline’s clinics.
KOCT: Oceanside Community Service Television — $23,000 for the “Suicide Prevention Series — A Strategy for Oceanside.” KOCT will produce, air and share three 60-minute programs to clearly define the risks and data concerning suicide in the Oceanside and greater North County community while exploring the emotional impact of suicide. KOCT will make the series widely available without charge to organizations, individuals, city partners and more.
San Diego Therapy Center — $19,000 for the Oceanside Suicide Prevention Initiative, which will aim to connect individuals at risk with vital resources. SDTC will empower community members to recognize, intervene and connect those at risk to appropriate services.
Zero8Hundred — $10,000 for the Veteran Transition Support Program, which will provide comprehensive 1:1 support for transitioning service members as they re-enter civilian life, including suicide prevention screening and mental health support, to support interrelated needs and improve wellness outcomes for veterans in San Diego County.
Additionally, at the event, the foundation hosted Mayor Esther Sanchez, who proclaimed June 4 Oceanside Community Foundation Day in the city of Oceanside in honor of its $1 million investment in the community. Proclamation representatives included Salome Tash, district representative for Rep. Mike Levin (D-49th District); Donna Cleary, chief of staff for California Assemblywoman Laurie Davies; and Kristal Jabara, director of community relations for San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond.
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