Celebrate Giving Tuesday: Invest in The Power of Us
Dear SDHF Members, Partners, and Housing Champions,
As we wrap up our 35th year and step into our 36th, we’re guided by a theme that’s carried us through every challenge and success:
The Power of Us: 35 Years of Transforming Housing Through Collaboration.
Thirty five years ago, a small group of visionary leaders realized San Diego couldn’t tackle the housing crisis with fragmented efforts. From that truth, the Nonprofit Federation for Housing and Community Development—now the San Diego Housing Federation—was born. What started in 1990 as a modest collective has grown into a regional movement touching thousands of lives.
This year reminded us why we exist. Rising housing instability, attacks on proven solutions, and attempts to criminalize poverty made the work harder—but we saw our community shine.
We saw The Power of Us when housing, health, and service partners stood together to defend residents and advance solutions.
We saw it in the Basic Needs Coalition, bridging housing with food security and mental health.
We saw it in partnerships with USD, UC San Diego, MiraCosta College, and others building research and leadership pathways.
And we saw it when more than 500 champions joined us at our 35th Annual Conference.
Our Impact Report highlights how collective power grows:
RUN & HEAL Networks: Residents shaping policy and winning change.
AHM Academy: Building a diverse pipeline of skilled property managers.
SHRSA: Strengthening supportive housing and resident success.
Policy Leadership: Decades of wins anchored in organizing and lived experience.
The real story of 35 years isn’t what SDHF has done—it’s what we’ve done together.
As we enter year 36, the need remains great. Families are struggling, neighbors face displacement, and too many live unsheltered in a region of wealth. Our task isn’t to solve everything at once—it’s to mend the part of the world within our reach: strengthening policy, expanding resident power, growing a skilled workforce, and building coalitions for systemic change.
This Giving Tuesday, help fuel the work ahead. Your support strengthens:
Resident-led advocacy
Workforce development
Policy leadership
Cross-sector coalitions
Research and innovation
Why give today? Because the need is growing. Because year 36 begins with focus and determination. Because your gift helps us mend the world within our reach—and expands what we can mend together.
How you can help:
Make a Giving Tuesday contribution.
Invite others to invest in this work.
Share your support and amplify The Power of Us.
Every gift—large or small—directly supports programs, leaders, and systems-change efforts that move us toward a San Diego where everyone has a safe, stable home.
This movement is built by all of us. And it continues because of you.
With gratitude and determination,
The San Diego Housing Federation
Stephen Russell
President & CEO