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News Release

Urban Corps of San Diego County Receives
More than $700,000 for Wildfire Safety

Urban Corps of San Diego County receives more than $700,000 for wildfire safety

Grants enable young adults to earn income & gain job skills while protecting county from wildfires.

Location
San Diego, CA

Scope of Work
Fire fuel reduction activities

Media Inquiries
Teresa Leader-Anderson tleaderanderson@urbancorps.org

SAN DIEGO – September 2, 2021 – Urban Corps of San Diego County was awarded two grants from the California State Coastal Conservancy totaling more than $673,000 for fire fuel reduction activities in Chula Vista and seven San Diego County preserves. 

Additionally, Urban Corps was awarded $83,055 from the California Fire Safe Council to continue fire fuel reduction work near homes in Chula Vista. These grants will allow young adults from San Diego County to earn an income while studying for their high school diploma and protect areas of our county from wildfires.

“Our teams work across San Diego County, often under extremely difficult conditions, to keep homeowners, businesses and our communities safe from wildfires,” said Kyle Kennedy, CEO of Urban Corps. “With California’s fire seasons continuing to worsen, the focus will be on dangerous build-up of brush that put our community at risk. Our students and staff will do everything they can to improve wildfire safety and protect our county”

As a certified local conservation corps, Urban Corps’ mission is to provide historically underserved and disenfranchised young adults between the ages of 18 and 26 the opportunity to earn a high school diploma – as opposed to a GED or a certification – while offering them paid job training on a variety of projects that heavily benefit the community. The program provides access to education, paid skills training, case management support, career counseling and job placement opportunities.

The three grant projects awarded to Urban Corps represent a continuation of our ongoing fire safety programs. Last fiscal year, Urban Corps cleared over 1,000 acres of flammable overgrowth and since July has already removed a total of 45 acres worth of fire prone brush in Chula Vista, San Diego, Alpine, City Heights, Lakeside and Escondido.

To help with our fire safety grants and other community projects, Urban Corps is hiring new Corpsmembers between the ages of 18-26. Those interested in earning their high school diploma while receiving paid job training can go to urbancorpssd.org/join to apply.

San Diego Gives – September 9th
Urban Corps will be participating in San Diego Gives on Thursday, September 9. San Diego Gives is a 24-hour online fundraiser, focused on addressing the needs of non-profit organizations within the county. For every dollar donated, Urban Corps spends 90 cents on programs. To make a donation to Urban Corps please go to our donation page.

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Urban Corps of San Diego County Receives $100,000
Donation From Guild Giving Foundation

Money will be useds to help young adults with education and job training

Urban Corps of San Diego County received a $100,000 donation from the Guild Giving Foundation, a nonprofit organization created by Guild Mortgage to deliver on its commitment to building relationships and strengthening communities. The money will be used to help Urban Corps continue its mission to provide young adults ages 18-26 a second chance for a high school diploma while giving them the tools to expand their career opportunities through paid job training.

“The Guild Giving Foundation and Guild Mortgage are long-time supporters of Urban Corps and we can’t thank them enough for their support,” said Kyle Kennedy, CEO of Urban Corps of San Diego County. “This donation will help us continue to give our Corpsmembers the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and receive life skills and paid job training that will put them on the road to success. In our 2022 fiscal year, 66 Corpsmembers graduated with their high school diplomas, 20 percent are headed to college and 80 percent are employed.”

The donation was raised from Guild Giving Foundation’s annual Charity Golf Tournament and Dinner Social that included golf, dinner and a silent auction with items such as vacation packages, sports memorabilia and one-of-a-kind experiences.

“The Guild Giving Foundation is committed to giving back to communities where Guild Mortgage employees and customers live,” said Mary Ann McGarry, president and CEO of Guild Mortgage. “We encourage our employees to volunteer, support financial literacy and deliver on our commitment to provide shelter and inspire positive change. Urban Corps is an organization that provides a positive change in San Diego County and we are proud to donate and help them with their mission of education and paid job training.”

About the Urban Corps of San Diego County

Founded in 1989, Urban Corps of San Diego County is a certified local conservation corps and charter school whose mission is to provide young adults ages 18-26 the tools to expand their career opportunities through paid job training, support services and a second chance to earn a high school diploma.

For more information or to join Urban Corps, visit https://urbancorpssd.org/ and follow us on Twitter (@SDUrbanCorps), Facebook & Instagram (@sandiegourbancorps), TikTok (@urbancorps) and LinkedIn.

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