community and philanthropic leadership and regional innovation. It seeds innovative ideas
that have the potential to spark widespread change and focuses on issues and efforts
important to the community and aligned with SVCF's mission and values. Due to the severity
of the Great Recession, from 2008 to 2014 the community opportunity fund focused on
safety-net grants to support needs such as access to food, shelter and homelessness
prevention services.
time in five years, SVCF and the County of San Mateo partnered to make grants providing
vital services to low-income individuals and families in San Mateo County. The county
contributed $500,000 to the effort, which was matched by $500,000 from SVCF for
food- and shelter-serving organizations in San Mateo County. We also awarded grants
totaling $500,000 to such organizations in Santa Clara County.
For example, Second Harvest Food Bank distributed food to 300 partners across Santa
Clara and San Mateo counties and expanded their CalFresh (food stamps) outreach and
application assistance program. That helped more than 3,375 households gain access
to $9.9 million in benefits to purchase food. InnVision Shelter Network, another grantee,
helped 93 percent of the families and individuals using their transitional housing services to
move to permanent housing. Senior Coastsiders served 17,200 meals to seniors through
their dining room and home delivery system, and the Bill Wilson Center helped 88 percent
of the homeless youth they served reunite with their families.
stamp benefits to homeless youth.
$1.9 million
for safety-net
services in 2013