Del Mar Foundation provides community support in a variety of ways during coronavirus crisis

Since the shelter at home order, the Del Mar Foundation’s board of directors has focused on supporting Del Mar organizations and businesses, according to a news release.

The Del Mar Foundation (DMF) provided much-needed added financial aid to Del Mar Community Connections to enable its programs to adapt rapidly to this unique environment. With DMF’s support, the DMCC’s weekly grocery shopping trips for seniors has been has adapted to contract free grocery shopping and delivery by drivers not part of their vulnerable demographic. DMF has underwritten the cost of DMCC’s Tuesday Lunch Connection since its inception; from delivering seniors to the Del Mar Community Building twice a month for the luncheon-speaker series. This program has been adapted to drivers delivering meals to the homes of the participants, with socialization and a speaker “delivered” on a Zoom connection and all of the food is sourced from local Del Mar restaurants. Additionally, the DMF saw a need to provide Del Mar seniors who lack a computer with which to connect to their doctors, family and friends and partnered with DMCC to provide this service.

DMF is providing financial support to St. Peter’s Church’s Helping Hands program which feeds the homeless five days a week. In a cooperative effort between the DMF and Del Mar restaurants, the approximately 20 homeless participants are now receiving a hot meal once a week.

In partnership with the Del Mar Village Association, DMF has helped to fund the program Fuel the Frontline SD which provides meals, sourced locally from Del Mar restaurants, to hospital workers and fire personnel. With the support of these meal programs and take-out carry programs for residents, Del Mar restaurants are now providing 500 meals a week. This helps local restaurants retain key staff during this difficult time.

In working with Del Mar’s city government, the Foundation also supported the city’s project to remove Foxtail weeds which are hazardous to dogs from Shores Park, which is the only dog park open during the current restrictions.

Founded in 1982, the mission of the Del Mar Foundation is to promote civic pride and cohesiveness, acquire and preserve open space, improve beaches and parklands, raise and grant funds, and sponsor diverse cultural programs and community events in Del Mar.

For more information, visit www.delmarfoundation.org. — News release