All donations matched up to $1.5 million

Lucky Duck Foundation

Updates for Our Donors

Recent investments and efforts made possible by Lucky Duck Foundation donors. These do not represent all LDF updates but rather some of the larger endeavors as of late.

Expanding and extending “Seniors Safe at Home”: $700,000

Thanks to the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation’s $100,000 contribution, which will be matched by the Lucky Duck Foundation, Seniors Safe at Home will expand meaningfully to allow more at-risk seniors across San Diego to remain housed
In addition to the $200,000 investment to expand the program, LDF is committing an additional $500,000 to extend the program
The program keeps at-risk seniors housed for as little as $250/month, compared to $40,000/year for unsheltered homelessness
Program also connects seniors to employment to help cover rising living costs

San Diego College of Continuing Education Employment and Job Training Program: $689,000 over the next two years (Jan 2025 – Dec 2026)

Employment and job training program offers 75+ certificate and job training programs, paid internships, case management, transportation, access to community college, and more, so that individuals suffering from homelessness can secure long-term, livable wage jobs
Serves any state of homelessness and partners with any social service provider
LDF has supported since 2020 and outcomes continue to be very strong
Program is very cost effective, serves any state of homelessness as well as any and all service providers, so they can help their clients access its many programs, certifications, etc.

22 New Detox Beds: $325,000

Provided a $1-for-$2 matching challenge to Genesis Recovery to activate 22 new detox beds
Genesis successfully raised an additional $675,000 for a total of $1 million in private philanthropic support to bring these beds online
It is expected the ongoing operating costs for the beds will be covered by Medi-Cal reimbursements
These 22 new beds in Dulzura are expected to be open in late April or early May
These beds, plus an additional 22 new detox beds in Escondido, will increase the total number of Medi-Cal detox beds in San Diego County from 79 to 123. Though still a meaningful shortage, this represents a 56% increase in detox beds

Sleeping Bag Coats: $675,000 deployed to distribute 4,500 coats for ‘24/’25 winter

Distributed 4,500 in the fall/winter of ‘24/’25 – this is more than LDF has ever distributed in one fall/winter season
LDF has distributed 17,000+ since 2020 and has become the largest purveyor of Empowerment Plan coats in the world
Several individuals who have benefited from the coats and gone on to end their homelessness have said the coats are life-saving

Food Rescue Employment Program: $242,000 committed to extend and potentially expand the program over the next 2 years

Program hires Salvation Army shelter residents as food rescue route drivers; Feeding San Diego provides vehicle and rescue routes and LDF provides funding to cover all wages, gas, maintenance, and insurance
An anticipated 24 Salvation Army shelter residents will be employed over the next 2 years to rescue ~200,000 pounds of food
720,000+ lbs. of food that would have otherwise ended up in the landfill has been rescued since May 2020 at an approximate cost of ~$.45 per pound; rescued food is given to those who are homeless or on the brink

Food & Water Outreach: $456,000 committed for another 12 months as of February 2025

Program provides food & water to unsheltered homeless San Diegans in partnership with 20+ organizations
Eclipsed 2,000,000 meals distributed as of March 7, 2025
Each meal costs $1.50 to $2 to purchase, pack and deliver
Program also employs homeless youth who help assemble meal kits

Inclement Weather Shelter for Youth and Seniors: $200,000

Given the shortage of inclement weather shelter beds and shelter beds in general, this new program helps seniors and youth move into a hotel room immediately and connects them to case management / supportive services
New program launched in mid-November 2024 has helped 30 youth and 51 seniors as of Mar. 1, 2025 thanks to a major donor who provided a six-figure donation to make this effort possible
Purpose is to provide an immediate reprieve from the streets, and help them move from a hotel room into a long-term program with housing

Promises 2 Kids “Fostering Futures”: $200,000

Pilot program will equip foster youth, one of the highest-risk groups prone to homelessness, with a multitude of support including case management, access to education and employment, financial literacy, and more
Done in partnership with Regional Task Force on Homelessness and Promises 2 Kids, with a modest amount of funding contributed by the City and County
When compared to the cost and traumas of unsheltered homelessness, this $1 million investment today could save as much as $80 million over the next 40 years while aiding 50 youth in their journey to self-sustainability

Humble Design: $100,000 matching challenge

Humble Design provides a fully-furnished apartment for individuals coming out of homelessness
UCSD’s Homelessness Hub conducted an extensive research study on their model and determined the individuals they assist are 10 to 12 times more likely to help families stay housed after two years than the County-wide average
Program is a meaningful way to break the cycle of homelessness for the parents and children who benefit, as 2/3 of the households Humble helps are families
Humble achieved LDF’s matching challenge to help them expand from two move-in’s per week to three with plans to continue their growth and reach

Teaching & Learning Collaborative: $25,000

New program pairs 10-12 high school youth who are homeless and/or unaccompanied with mentors who offer them regular meetings, mentorship, service and job training, assistance on college and scholarship applications, and a graduation stipend for end of year expenses and transition to college
Goal is $25,000 investment today will save $25 million over the next 60 years ($42,000/year per homeless person x 60 years x 10 students = $25 million in potential savings)

Shared Housing: $75,000

An anonymous donor covered the lion’s share of the cost to purchase a single-family home so that at least two homeless individuals would have a permanent and affordable place to live
LDF’s contribution helped cover the remaining gap after the anonymous donor’s major contribution
This “shared housing” model (think roommates) makes it much more affordable for individuals working to overcome homelessness to cover their rent
“Day of Joy” event, led by Humble Design and Townspeople, created a safe, affirming home and sense of community for the new roommates

Be A Friend – ongoing Lucky Duck Foundation program

Studies show one of the best ways for our neighbors on the streets to connect to services and move forward in life is through developing healthy relationships
Be A Friend is a step by step program designed to train and activate volunteers through service organizations to positively impact the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness through the power of friendship
Here are a few testimonials of some Be A Friend pairs:

There are many ways to Share Your Luck

Donate by Mailing a Check

Personal or corporate checks can be made out to:

The Lucky Duck Foundation
5675 Ruffin Road, Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92123

Donate via Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)

These funds are highly popular among individual donors because of the ease of administration and potential tax savings from donating via a DAF.

Tax-Saving Tips

Strategies to save big on taxes, such as Charitable Remainder Trusts, bundled donations, and donations of appreciated stock, IRA, real estate, and estates.

Legacy Society

Leave a lasting legacy by including the Lucky Duck Foundation in your estate planning.

Start a Fundraising Page

We offer turnkey peer-to-peer fundraising so you can create your own fundraising page and invite your friends and family to support the Lucky Duck Foundation and its programs.

Corporate Giving

There are many ways your organization can get involved and support community giving and volunteering.

Donate Clothes

We’ve partnered with LNDRY, a premier laundry service in San Diego, to pick up your gently used clothes donation (for free!) to help homeless employment and education-seekers look and feel their best!

Join the Lucky Duck Coffee Club

Enjoy premium craft coffee with a purpose. Our coffee partner, Tower Roasting Co., provides 100% organic fair trade coffee while helping to prevent and reduce homelessness in San Diego by donating 30% of every sale.

Join our newsletter to stay informed about the Lucky Duck Foundation’s programs and to see how your donations are making a difference.

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5675 Ruffin Road, Suite 100,

San Diego, CA 92123

The Lucky Duck Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID: 20-3324885