Prebys Foundation

??? Trailblazing Change in Education! ??? Afira Arrastia-DeVries, President and CEO of the Monarch School Project, is redefining what’s possible for San Diego’s unhoused students. Under her visionary leadership, the Monarch School stands as the only K-12 public institution in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to educating youth experiencing homelessness. Her innovative approach is transforming how educators support vulnerable students, providing them with stability, opportunity, and hope for a brighter future. Learn more about Afira’s incredible impact at https://heyor.ca/jlrUJy #EducationForAll #Leadership #YouthEmpowerment #PrebysFoundation

Expanding San Diego’s arts community! ?? At Prebys Foundation, we know the arts are essential to fostering connection, opportunity, and belonging. That’s why we awarded $5 million in operating support to The Depot, UC San Diego’s new multidisciplinary arts incubator and cultural hub in Downtown San Diego. The Depot will provide students, artists, and nonprofits with space to create, collaborate, and sustain their work—offering studio space, nonprofit arts residencies, and a dynamic creative ecosystem. As the challenge of affordable arts spaces persists, The Depot will help ensure San Diego is a place where artists can thrive. We are proud to support this visionary resource for the arts community and asset for downtown. Learn more at: prebysfdn.org/grants/arts. #SanDiegoArts #TheDepot #PrebysFoundation #UCSD UC San Diego

“I first connected with the Playwrights Project while I was in prison. After I got involved, I really loved writing, and it just opened up a creative avenue to express anything you may be too embarrassed, shy or shameful about to express in a group setting. I am a drug and alcohol counselor right now at Tradition One, a residential rehabilitation home. And I thought writing could be another form of rehabilitation. These guys who've had a lot of past traumas could really learn to express themselves. Writing in a group setting and seeing your play on stage builds camaraderie, and if you're going through something, you're not going through it by yourself. It’s like carrying a weight and then suddenly you're not lifting it by yourself, the burden becomes lighter, you feel seen and understood and you realize that other people are going through similar things.” -James Phillip, Drug Counselor and SDSU Masters Student. Read James' full story at https://heyor.ca/A9yMo8 #PrebysFoundation #SanDiegoCounty #SDSU

The arts are vital for our community, culture, and sense of belonging. ???? Our latest grant will invest $3.75M in local San Diego arts and culture organizations to help give them greater access to quality venues and spaces. The application will be open from March 5th to April 30th. Learn more and apply now at prebysfdn.org/grants #SanDiegoArts #SanDiegoPhilanthropy #PrebysFoundation #ArtsAndCulture

Prebys Foundation invites you to nominate a leader or leadership pair doing innovative work that benefits the people of California for a 2026 The James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award. Nominations are open until March 12, 2025. irvine.ly/nominate

“When the war started in Ukraine, we lived there for about half a year and then decided that we needed to move because my son was not even a year old yet. When we saw that it was not ending, we tried to find where to move, and one of our friends told us to consider America. We tried California and moved to Los Angeles. We lived there for a month, but we decided that it wasn’t great to live there with a little child. That's why we moved to San Diego. And now, we have been here for two years. We love San Diego very much. It’s a beautiful place with a lot of beautiful nature. Nature is, I think, the most perfect thing here, and the weather as well. Connecting with the Slavic Refugee and Immigrant Services Organization was like magic. … And here, we have everything. We are surrounded by good people and nature that gives us fresh air. We get to see the green leaves and trees. And when we look at the ocean, it makes us calm and helps us return to ourselves, return to the most important things. After doing this, you feel full of good energy, full of peace and motivation to start your day and keep going.” -?????????Viktoriia Zimovchenko, Slavic Refugee and Immigrant Services volunteer. Read Viktoriia’s full story: https://lnkd.in/gxYe5amR

We couldn't agree more! A vibrant, revitalized downtown isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s the heartbeat of a thriving community. It fuels innovation, strengthens local businesses, and brings people together. Investing in our city’s core means investing in its future. Thank you, Betsy Brennan and Downtown San Diego Partnership, for your leadership in strengthening our city’s heartbeat. #CommunityGrowth #DowntownRevitalization

??? Stop & Talk podcast Season 3, Episode 2 is now out! Everyone deserves clean air, clean water, and a safe environment. In this episode we talk with members of the Transboundary Pollution Coalition for Advocacy and Healing about the movement to bring solutions to the Tijuana River Valley pollution crisis. Despite decades of neglect, resident leaders of San Diego County's South Bay and local organizations continue to build momentum to solve our region's worst environmental problem—an open sewer, its toxic runoff, and noxious particles in the air. "Millions of gallons of untreated sewage, industrial waste, and trash flowing through the Tijuana River every single day." Ramon Chairez, Director of Education and Environmental Advocacy, Un Mar De Colores Tune in and learn more about the movement for clean air and clean water for everyone in our region at https://lnkd.in/gibbbzRa #PrebysFoundation #Philanthropy #podcast #StopAndTalk

?? Exciting News! Prebys Foundation is launching the Prebys Ventures Impact Fund, a $50M venture fund dedicated to driving innovation and economic growth in San Diego. Focused on tech and life sciences, this fund will support high-potential startups and companies. #Innovation #SanDiego #VentureCapital

??Congratulations to the 2025 Prebys Leadership Award Winners! ? Prebys Foundation is proud to honor five exceptional leaders in San Diego who are making a profound impact in healthcare, arts and culture, medical research, and youth success. Each of these leaders represents the type of leadership our community and country need—grounded in purpose, belonging, and opportunity, with the skills to innovate, scale their work, and collaborate. ? This year's honorees: Dr. Paula Aristizabal – Advancing childhood cancer care in San Diego and beyond Afira Arrastia-DeVries – Transforming education for unhoused youth Andrew Carey – Visionary leadership bridging communities Ben McCue – Leading the way in outdoor equity and youth empowerment Chris Rubio – Opening arms and hearts through the power of theater Learn more about their inspiring work and how they are shaping the future of our community at prebysfdn.org