Awards given to eight local nonprofits focusing on education, economic opportunity and basic needs

SAN DIEGO – September 14, 2022 – Life Science Cares San Diego today announced $370,000 in grants that will be awarded to eight nonprofit organizations in the San Diego area. This announcement brings Life Science Cares San Diego’s total giving to $650,000 across 17 organizations since its inception in 2020, addressing several important social change issues, including hunger, homelessness, and access to education and economic opportunity.

Life Science Cares San Diego, a nonprofit that unites the life sciences industry to collectively address the impacts of poverty in our communities through grantmaking and employee engagement, will look to strengthen its commitment to the San Diego community and build on the strong foundation it set in 2020. The eight organizations recently selected for funding address key issues in the community like access to education, basic needs and economic opportunity. They include Access Youth Academy, Feeding San Diego, Home Start, Just in Time, Links to STEM San Diego, The Monarch School, Reality Changes and SD2. Learn more about the nonprofit partners of LSC San Diego here.

“We received a number of incredible submissions this year and are extremely proud to share the eight organizations we’ve selected for funding,” said Leane Marchese, Executive Director, Life Science Cares San Diego. “These passionate organizations will provide transformative opportunities to youth and families who are impacted by poverty and have a substantial and measurable impact on our community.”

Life Science Cares San Diego conducted this round of grants through a competitive process using qualitative and quantitative criteria. After an initial 26 nominations from our Board of Advisors, 13 were invited to submit full applications, and out of nine organizations chosen for a site visit by Life Science Cares San Diego’s team, eight were chosen for funding. These grants are only possible thanks to the passionate and generous donations of employees, companies, and individuals from the Life Sciences community.

One of the grantee organizations in this grant round is Just in Time for Foster Youth, an organization focused on providing a caring community to help transition age foster youth to achieve self-sufficiency and well-being. Just in Time for Foster Youth will be partnering with Life Science Cares to connect young adults in learning more about life science careers and will engage life science employees in volunteering to help set up first apartments, provide supplies to youth experiencing financial hardship, hold resume workshops, networking events, and more.

“Youth impacted by foster care leave the system without connections, exposure to or even knowledge of career pathways that can help them lead their best lives,” says Don Wells, Just in Time CEO. “That’s why our partnership with Life Sciences Cares helps fulfill one of our highest priorities by providing access to powerful life changing opportunities for the young people we serve and connection to caring and passionate volunteers from local Life Science companies”

If you work in the San Diego life science industry and would like to join us in building and engaging with the community in a positive way, please connect with Life Science Cares to discuss how to get involved or to subscribe for updates and additional information. We also invite you to volunteer and learn more at www.lifesciencecares.org.