Airbnb has announced that five nonprofit organizations in San Diego will receive a total of $425,000 through the Airbnb Community Fund. The fund, launched in 2020 as a $100 million initiative, aims to support local communities worldwide.
The selected nonprofits include City Heights CDC, Jewish Family Service San Diego, San Diego Parks Foundation, San Diego River Park Foundation, and Sharia’s Closet. Each organization focuses on various community needs such as engagement programs, safe parking for people living in vehicles, recreational spaces for youth, outdoor learning experiences, and providing clothing and necessities to those facing hardship.
Janaye Ingram, Director of Community Partner Programs & Engagement at Airbnb said: “Airbnb hosts and guests in San Diego contribute greatly to the community. Now, through the Airbnb Community Fund, we’re proud to deepen that impact by supporting a range of nonprofit partners who tirelessly work to assist neighbors, create new opportunities for learning and recreation, safeguard the environment, and help ensure San Diego remains a strong and thriving place for generations to come.”
Alexis Villanueva, President & CEO of City Heights CDC commented: “We’re incredibly grateful to Airbnb for their support through the Community Fund. This donation helps us expand our work to create a more vibrant, inclusive, and connected City Heights. With this funding, we’re able to deepen our efforts around community engagement, support local leadership, and invest in programs that improve quality of life for our residents. Partnerships like this are essential to building a stronger, more resilient neighborhood for everyone who calls City Heights home.”
Dana Toppel from Jewish Family Service San Diego noted: “We’re deeply grateful to Airbnb for their support of our Safe Parking Program. Their partnership helps ensure that individuals and families living in their vehicles have a safe place to rest, connect with vital resources, and take the next step toward stability and housing. Thanks to Airbnb, we’re turning compassion into action and action into lasting change, helping people move forward with hope.”
Leona Subblet of the San Diego Parks Foundation stated: “This Encanto project is about more than a skateboard plaza—it’s about equity access and empowering the next generation. Thanks to Airbnb we are creating a space where Encanto youth can feel seen supported and inspired.”
Rob Hutsel from the San Diego River Park Foundation said: “Thanks to Airbnb’s generous support we’ll be able to provide meaningful outdoor learning experiences that will have a lasting impact on the lives of San Diego’s youth. Airbnb’s ‘belong anywhere’ motto truly comes to life through this partnership—because all youth belong outdoors discovering and connecting with nature.”
Shamine Linton from Sharia’s Closet added: “Through Sharia’s Closet’s Bag of Hope program this generous donation from Airbnb will empower our program to deliver clothing and basic necessities to individuals and families facing hardship.”
Airbnb emphasized that its host community plays an important role in selecting which nonprofits receive donations locally; in San Diego hosts were instrumental in choosing Sharia’s Closet as one recipient.
Guillermo an Airbnb Community Leader in San Diego remarked: “Being part of Airbnb’s Community Fund process is truly an honor. As a San Diegan it’s incredibly rewarding to help direct support to nonprofits like Sharia’s Closet knowing our choices are making a real difference for our neighbors and strengthening the community I call home.”
Further information about the initiative is available at www.airbnb.com/communityfund.
