DMF: We Are Each Other’s Magnitude
- Betty Wheeler, President
we are each other’s harvest:
we are each other’s business:
we are each other’s magnitude and bond.
In this month of Thanksgiving, these words from Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem “Paul Robeson” are worth contemplating. To my ear, they are a profound expression of Del Mar Foundation’s mission to serve our community. Our 2020-21 grants are a reminder of what we Del Marians can accomplish for our community by recognizing our bond and pooling our resources.
Serving seniors and the unsheltered: DMF’s 2020-21 grants to DMCC totaling over $36,000 supported programs keeping Del Mar’s seniors connected during the pandemic: the driver program delivering groceries and supplies; the Tuesday Lunch Connection program that moved to Zoom and home delivery; and a Chromebook program that helped connect seniors to the Internet. DMF grants of $32,680 to Helping Hands (St. Peter’s) supported the neediest among us, who benefited from nutritious meals, key social services—and a 90% vaccination rate!
Open space: DMF’s $50,000 grant for the River Path Del Mar extension kept this important open space project on track, when the City’s financial downturn threatened a 2+ year delay in the work to extend the River Path to Crest Canyon. And $8,500 in 2020 grants supported Crest Canyon open space and downtown beautification work by the Del Mar Garden Club. Our most iconic open space—our beaches—benefited from $80,000 in grants for a custom-equipped Lifeguard vehicle and needed repairs to the Beach Safety Center.
Public art: DMF’s grant of $15,000 and management support enabled the City’s Arts Advisory Committee to implement its first major public arts program, bringing five sculptures to downtown Del Mar for a 23-month display.
These examples of DMF’s 2020-21 community grants, totaling over $240,000, represent the generosity of our donors and volunteers, and demonstrate that we are, indeed, each other’s magnitude and bond.