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Announcements & News Stories |
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County Closes Three Parks in August to Protect Hikers from Heat
As summer temperatures rise, the County of San Diego has closed three parks that it shuts down every year for the month of August to protect residents during what is often the hottest time of the year.
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Scoop From You(th) Challenge – Piece of Mind
The County of San Diego HHSA invites youth and young adults (ages 12–25) to join the 2025 Scoop From You(th) Challenge: "Piece of Mind." Use art to express emotions, boost self-esteem, and support mental wellness. Submit art, poetry, music, film, photography, and more.
To learn more or access outreach materials, visit the Youth and Young Adult Video & Visual Art Challenge Website or contact Engage.BHS@sdcounty.ca.gov.
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Kids Helping Kids
Kids ages 18 and under can earn fun prizes by volunteering at Feeding San Diego. Find out how you can help by visiting their website!
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2025 COI Mini-Grant - The San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative (COI) is offering mini grants for local projects that promote healthy eating, active living, breastfeeding, and healthy environments. Funding is available for both small efforts and larger breastfeeding-focused initiatives. Applications are due Friday, August 22, 2025.
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NEW! The Refugee-led Innovation Fund - Offered by UNHCR’s Innovation Service, this fund supports organizations led by forcibly displaced or stateless people—those closest to the challenges and best equipped with the solutions. Whether registered or unregistered, eligible organizations can receive up to $45,000 USD, along with holistic, multi-year support focused on learning, sustainability, and innovation capacity-building. Applications are due Friday, August 22, 2025.
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NEW! Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day Mini-Grant - The Ruby Bridges Foundation and Safe Route Partnership are supporting local celebrations of the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. Funds must be used to support a Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day event on or around November 14, 2025 and the projects must align with the goals of Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. Applications are due Friday, August 22, 2025.
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Community Energy Reliability and Resilience Investment (CERRI) Program - The intent of this grant funding opportunity is to invest in projects that increase the electric reliability and resiliency of communities in California by reducing outage frequency, duration, magnitude, and associated community impacts, while bolstering California’s workforce. Applications are due Friday, August 29, 2025.
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NEW! The Grossmont Healthcare District 2025–26 Grant Program - Offered by the Grossmont Healthcare District, this funding opportunity supports local nonprofit organizations in East San Diego County working to meet unmet health and wellness needs for over 520,000 residents. For the 2025–26 grant year, the District has increased its total funding to $4 million, prioritizing projects that deliver direct, hands-on patient care and address aging concerns, behavioral health, chronic conditions, and the underlying factors contributing to these issues. Applications are due Saturday, August 31, 2025.
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NEW! Subgrant Proposals from CSPI- The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is now accepting Letters of Intent for three subgrant opportunities: Powerbuilding, State & Local Policy, and Industry Accountability. These grants support community power-building, policy advocacy, and corporate accountability efforts in the food system. Applications are due on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.
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NEW! CalCRG Program Grant Solicitation - The Grant Solicitation includes an overview of the program, eligibility criteria, application components and requirements, and the evaluation process and scoring criteria. Applications are due on Monday, September 8, 2025.
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UC San Diego Black Alumni Scholarship Fund - This scholarship offers eligible students a four-year $10,000 scholarship, renewable at $2,500 annually. It provides financial, academic, and personal support to over 200 students currently attending UCSD. Applications are due Sunday, November 30, 2025.
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Kitchens for Good Microenterprise (ME) Program - Kitchens for Good’s ME program accepts early-stage food entrepreneurs in San Diego, focusing on those who have experienced barriers to accessing the resources and support needed to start their small business. Applications are ongoing.
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Greenhouse Gas Reduction Loan Program - Funds available for new or expanded organics and recycling facilities, including composting, anaerobic digestion, and waste-to-product manufacturing. Applications are open year-round.
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Smart & Final Charitable Foundation - Committed to giving back, improving quality of life, and nourishing the communities we serve. We focus our giving on Health & Wellness, Education, Hunger Relief, Team Sports & Youth Development, and Disaster Relief. Applications are ongoing.
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Help Shape San Diego’s Emergency Preparedness
The County of San Diego’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) is seeking community input on its draft Community Outreach and Engagement Strategic Plan, which guides how OES connects with residents before, during, and after emergencies. Public feedback will help identify gaps, address needs, and strengthen local partnerships.
Comments are open August 8 – September 5, 2025.
Click here to view the Spanish flyer.
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New Way to Apply for WIC
Applying for WIC is now easier than ever! San Diego residents can complete the application online in just a few steps:
- Visit sdwic.com/apply
- Enter your address
- Select a nearby WIC office
- Fill out the form
A WIC staff member will contact you within 3 business days. Community organizations can also help clients submit the form.
Click here for more information.
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Medi-Cal Program Changes (2026-2027) What Medi-Cal Members Need to Know
Medi-Cal coverage will continue to include the care and services you need. This means you will still have access to:
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Medical care – doctor visits, hospital stays, emergency services, and prescription drugs
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Behavioral health & preventive care – mental health and substance use disorder treatment, screenings, and immunizations
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Additional support – dental and vision care, long-term care, transportation, and other essential health benefits
To review the resources, click here!
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Free Virtual Learning Series on the Virtual Connection Hub
The Virtual Learning Series is a curated collection of pre-recorded podcasts from Live Well San Diego recognized partners. This collective impact learning series includes health and wellness, community priorities, emergency information, and more!
To watch the Virtual Learning Series, click here or check out the Virtual Connection Hub.
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Baby Steps Caregiver Classes
Healthy Development Services (HDS) presents Baby Steps Caregiver classes that can be accessed virtually and offered at no charge. Baby Steps offers groups to help caregivers learn strategies and identify support such as understanding your baby's cues and how to respond to them, building a stronger bond with your baby, and much more!
To learn more and access the schedule of events, click here or call (619) 515-2463.
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Summer at Your Library
San Diego County Library's Summer Learning Program runs through August 31! Visit https://www.sdcl.org/summer/ to learn more and sign up.
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National Immunization Awareness Month
National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is observed every August to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages.
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211 Community Calendar
211 San Diego recently launched their updated Community Calendar! The 211 Community Calendar is a regional calendar of events including resource fairs, workshops, volunteer opportunities, screenings/health events, conferences, and more, all designed to provide community access to resources through one-time or recurring events. To submit events, please create an account. Learn more here.
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Thank you!
Please forward to colleagues, staff, partners, and community members as you see fit. New subscribers can sign up here. If you have any questions on the content of this newsletter or have a San Diego County community event you would like to share with us, please email HHSA.communities@sdcounty.ca.gov.
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