Bret Schanzenbach
President & CEO
Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce
The Coronavirus impact on business has been staggering, as we all know. As I write this, the latest unemployment numbers have just been posted and they detail a five-week total of 26.4 million jobless claims. That is a number that no one could have predicted when 2020 opened with the economy clicking at unprecedented levels. And we haven’t seen the end yet. But the impact on our nonprofit businesses has been equally devastating. Most charitable organizations rely on events of some type to raise funds. As you can guess, many of those events have had to be postponed, cancelled or morphed. Much of the content that our phenomenal nonprofits put out has also morphed for their clients. But all of these great organizations still need support. Here’s an update:
The Mitchell Thorp Foundation was fortunate to host their Warrior Spirit 5k in early February, before COVID started forcing large scale event cancellations. These funds help them support families when their child has received a life-threatening diagnosis. But two other fundraising events for this summer have been cancelled. The American Heart Association was supposed to host a North County Hearth Walk at the Flower Fields in Carlsbad on March 7. It was probably the first Corona casualty (from an event standpoint). So they have reinvented their approach and have created a virtual campaign called “Move More in 2020”. This is a live dance party with tWitch & Allison (full disclosure, I didn’t know who tWitch & Allison were….before today, but they are a super cute married couple – I recommend their dance video on the Ellen Show with Allison 9 months pregnant – adorable). Kids for Peace had to cancel a charity golf tournament they had planned that Giancarlo Esposito was going to host (I’m not going to admit that I may have had to look that name up too). But that hasn’t dampened their message or their fundraising. They created a new program called “Kind, Creative and Connected in the Age of COVID.” The project gives youth the opportunity to thank our healthCARE providers, send loving cards to homebound seniors, make new friends through letter writing, all in an effort to take care of their physical health, and share messages of love and hope with the world. And they are asking for support for their mission on Tuesday May 5 as part of a #GivingTuesdayNOW campaign. The Boys and Girls Club of Carlsbad not only had to close both of its facilities when COVID hit, they also had to postpone/cancel several fundraising events. But their service hasn’t dimmed, just morphed. They have been providing hot daily meals to its members and their families since their doors were forced shut in March. They also partnered with Daybreak Church to get 4,000 pounds of groceries and toiletries to over 100 local families in need. The Body & Brain Wellness Foundation in Carlsbad had to suspend their community outreach yoga and tai chi classes. So they started giving free online classes and are providing daily YouTube live mini classes. New Village Arts had a fundraising gala scheduled at the Army and Navy Academy back in March. Rather than let the event get cancelled and lose the money they need to create adventurous artistic experiences, they morphed their event to an online auction. The week of my writing, they have a trip to Costa Rica, an original painting by Herbert Siguenza, a Persian rug and a wine, chocolate and art basket…something for everyone (newvillagearts.org). On their Facebook Page they have created “Virtual Arts” with many of their top-notch performers from the past sharing their talent during our COVID clampdown. Kathy’s Legacy Foundation is located here in Carlsbad, and serves children impacted by domestic violence homicide. They had to cancel their annual gala that provides a significant portion of their funds. They started a GoFundMe charity campaign and have been trying to stay very active and visible on social media and with their emails. They provide monthly financial support to their families for basic living essentials and with families being home all day now, needs are increasing. Pathway Health Clinic in Vista had to forego a “baby bottle” drive this month this is typically one of their largest fundraisers. But rather than let that stop their mission of providing medical services and education in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, they found a new way to collect your spare change digitally through GivApp and they created a “Digital Baby Bottle Drive.” GivApp allows you to “round up” when you make purchased with your credit card, and that little extra change goes to your charity. Brilliant.
I know there are many other organizations making an impact out there and they all need support right now. Let’s show them that we are #CarlsbadStrong!