Annual Report
SAY San Diego partners with youth, adults, families, and communities to reach their full potential. Our enduring vision is to achieve opportunity, equity, and well-being for all San Diegans.
Message from the CEO and Board President
Dear SAY San Diego Friends and Supporters,
2024 was a banner year for Social Advocates for Youth (SAY San Diego). We built on strong fundamentals of durable community trust, strongly knit collaboration, and our everyday work to advance opportunity, equity and well-being. This past year, SAY San Diego broadened its impact, as a true social advocate for San Diegans!
Empowering individuals and communities: As social advocates amplifying the voices of those in need to ensure they are heard and protected.
Challenging inequalities: As social advocates working to dismantle systemic barriers and promote policies that uphold the dignity and welfare of all people.
Caring for our neighbors: As social advocates generating positive outcomes, bright futures, inclusion and representation, and wellness, across individuals, families and communities.
With the generous help of our funders and cross-sector partners, SAY San Diego’s team proudly accomplished great good across the County, as recounted on the following pages. While SAY San Diego is many things to many people – in fact, providing more than two dozen programs to more than 35,000 participants last year – our team members deeply connect with each child who is nurtured and enriched after school, each brand new parent we visit at home with their baby, each family that is spared an overdose death, each teenager who becomes a community leader, each person we help to find safe and affordable housing, and each community that reopens a neighborhood park, among many successes.
Together, our future is bright, our dreams big, and our resolve strong.
In gratitude and appreciation for all you make possible,
Theresa Carter
Board President
Nancy Gannon Hornberger
President and CEO
Looking ahead to 2025, SAY San Diego is welcoming a new President & CEO, Louie Nguyen.
“Arriving in the U.S. as a refugee at a young age shaped my passion for creating opportunity and impact. I am deeply honored and energized to lead this incredible organization, working alongside a passionate team, and I look forward to connecting with our supporters and partners as we build on a strong foundation to drive transformative change for the communities we serve.”
– Louie Nguyen
SAY SAN DIEGO'S VALUES
Celebrating and advancing equity, diversity and inclusion
Bridging gaps and creating opportunities
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder in partnership
Empowering youth-led, family-led, and community-led solutions
Believing in the integrity
of all
Leading with trust
and credibility
Social Advocates Moving Forward Together
SAY San Diego leverages its mission, vision and values to push the boundaries of traditional service provision, every year growing and striving to be a powerful social advocate that affirms: Your voice matters. You belong. You have power.
SAY San Diego continues as a recognized leader in the arc towards true equity that stands with communities, amplifies voices, and advocates alongside our allies for systemic change.
Moving forward together, SAY San Diego’s team does not just talk about social justice and equity—we live it. When people think of Social Advocates for Youth, San Diego, they know SAY San Diego is not just for YOU, but Social Advocates with YOU, every step of the way.
In 2024, SAY San Diego reached more than 35,000 diverse community members throughout the county, from infants to seniors, from students to policy makers. Similar to previous years, more than three-quarters (78%) of SAY San Diego participants identified as a race or ethnicity other than white and represented more than 30 different primary languages.
Your Voice Matters: Social Advocates with Community
SAY San Diego anchors social change in relationships. Lasting change is possible by building a durable community fabric of allies through inclusive and creative engagement strategies. In 2024, SAY San Diego programs reached over 28,000 residents with media, education, and/or direct opportunities for participatory action, mobilizing health and safety in under-resourced neighborhoods.
Innovative Highlights in 2024 Include:
2024 Youth Summit - Teens in Action
SAY San Diego convened 26 student leaders from across seven high schools and facilitated a region-wide, two-day summit. The teen retreat activities ranged from outdoor experiential team building to skill learning in advocacy, community-building, and public speaking. The retreat culminated in youth-driven action plans to mobilize their peers and change their campus and the region using new narratives to prevent use of alcohol and drugs.
Key Partners/Funders:
The Center at Sierra Health Foundation
County of San Diego, Behavioral Health Services, Health and Human Services Agency
San Diego Unified School District
Youth Leadership Summit 2024
“I really enjoyed the summit and its environment of leadership and positivity. I feel very empowered and inspired!”
– Youth Summit Participant
“We are excited to share our work with the community. It takes everyone to address the toxic legacy of commercial tobacco in indoor and outdoor environments.”
– Georg Matt, PhD, Director of the Policy Research Center for Tobacco and the Environment, SDSU
Changing Policy Changes Lives
Improving communities and creating healthy environments cannot happen without authentic resident engagement.
This year, SAY San Diego convened a new diverse group of unlikely partners, connecting more than 100 local community residents to actively engage government partners, policy makers, scientists and institutional agencies.
This innovative collaboration resulted in those with lived experience driving the research focus, priority setting and policy recommendations.
Culminating in the First Annual Tobacco and the Environment Symposium, this network is now well on its way towards the goal to create cleaner and healthier environments by addressing the continuing disproportionate negative impacts of tobacco products.
Key Partners/Funders:
San Diego State University Research Foundation, Center for Tobacco and the Environment
The Collective: Queering Up Harm Reduction
Staffed by SAY San Diego, a powerful LGBTQIA+ coalition, The Collective, offers young people safe spaces and social connections free of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. To champion the belief that reducing harm increases health, in 2024, The Collective expanded its reach to new audiences by launching a monthly podcast Queering Up Harm Reduction.
This builds on robust programming from hosting sober silent discos and a new series of workshops called Space & Grace focused on mindfulness to sober curiosity. Further, The Collective also developed and produced a short film, Pride Outside Tobacco: The Stories Behind the Statistics, featuring San Diego LGBTQIA+ community members sharing their experiences as tobacco users trying to quit.
Doubling engagement this past year, join the 2,400 folks following The Collective here.
Stash Your Stash
With a focus on preventing youth access, this was the second year Stash Your Stash educated legal cannabis retailers and consumers on the importance of storing and consuming cannabis safely, with a focus on preventing youth access. Youth leaders and adult allies, organized by SAY San Diego staff, produced various media and educational materials for the campaign including social media ads, stickers and billboards containing a QR code for recommendations and resources on how to safely store cannabis.
As a result, more than 11,000 stickers were distributed to consumers at cannabis retailer storefronts, and billboards in English and Spanish were placed in high-traffic areas.
Key Partners/Funders:
The Center at Sierra Health Foundation
County of San Diego, Behavioral Health Services, Health and Human Services Agency
March and Ash
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
“Stash Your Stash demonstrates what entrepreneurs and community health advocates can accomplish together when we put aside our differences and find common ground.”
– Bret Peace, March and Ash Co-Founder
You Belong: Social Advocates with Families
Whether providing quality childcare, parenting resources or child development education, SAY San Diego knows it takes a village. For more than 30 years, SAY San Diego has been devoted to this focus of belonging, connection, and resilience for caregivers. This past year, SAY San Diego partnered with over 5,000 families and engaged in innovative partnerships to help expand access to high quality affordable care, child development, peer support and enhanced employer benefits for working parents.
Innovative Highlights in 2024 Include:
Expanding Childcare Access
SAY San Diego served more than 4,000 youth in 2024, in before and after school programs, vacation programs, preschools and early childcare, an increase of 30% from the previous year!
As an established expert in developing and operating childcare facilities, SAY San Diego partnered with the University of California, San Diego, and the YMCA of San Diego County, to form the BEACON Project (Building Equity and Access to Childcare Now). BEACON aims to reimagine and grow the infrastructure and workforce needed to expand high-quality, affordable childcare in our region.
Due to the efficacy of this advocacy partnership, SAY consulted to develop a business case for the Center for Military Families projected to serve 100+ children in the Murphy Canyon Area of San Diego.
San Diego Armed Services-YMCA
San Diego Unified School District
University of California, San Diego
Division of Extended Studies, UCSD
Child Development Center, UCSD
YMCA of San Diego County
After participating in the literacy program, 77% of caregivers felt more confident in reading with their children. 88% of families increased the amount of time spent reading together.
Gifting An Early Love of Reading
This year, SAY San Diego built literacy, social skills, family bonds and a love of reading. More than 130 children and their families at three area elementary schools participated in a literacy program that included reading in a group setting, discussion of the reading materials, and an activity related to the reading, such as arts and crafts. Families were also provided resources and encouragement for continued learning at home.
Dr. Seuss Foundation at San Diego Foundation
San Diego Unified School District
Words Alive!
“It was really a great experience not only for my daughters, but for myself. I thoroughly enjoyed each session and learned some new tips to assist my girls and their love for reading. I appreciate all those involved.”
- Literacy Program Participant
Ensuring Child and Family Wellness
For over 10 years, SAY San Diego has offered the First 5 First Steps (F5FS) program, supporting expectant and new parents until their child turns three (3) years old.
Built on a decade of effectiveness, in 2024, SAY San Diego supported 117 families in F5FS, and had seventeen (17) graduates. This home-based service teaches positive parenting and safety practices, enhances parent knowledge of child development, nurtures healthy relationships and ensures every child and family is able to meet their own basic needs.
American Academy of Pediatrics, California, Chapter 3
CalWORKs Home Visiting Program
County of San Diego, First 5 Commission, Health and Human Services Agency
Healthy Families America
SUCCESS STORY
Maria began working with SAY San Diego’s F5FS Family Support Specialist in her fifth month of pregnancy. She did not wish to repeat the past. Her older daughter was primarily raised by her grandmother due to domestic violence in a prior relationship. Through encouragement and trusted support from SAY San Diego and therapeutic partner, HEY Clinic at San Diego State University, she gained the confidence to file for divorce, improve her relationship with her older daughter and build a strong bond with her new baby. She now realizes that she had normalized many unhealthy beliefs and behaviors. Proudly, Maria now feels empowered to break the cycle of generational trauma within her family.
“I have access to a wonderful family support specialist that I feel goes above and beyond to make sure I feel welcomed, heard, and is there for me. I would be lost right now without the whole team. I am truly appreciative of this program and for SAY’s team member being in my life, I can't thank her enough.”
– First 5 First Steps Program Participant
100% of Project KEEP retreat attendees reported enhanced connections with other foster parents and kinship caregivers.
Giving Care to Caregivers
Everyone benefits from connecting with others who have “been there” as peer and lived experience allies, especially parents! In 2024, SAY San Diego hosted several retreats to support parents including single fathers, foster parents, and kinship caregivers. Among other topics, participants learned new skills around emerging issues, such as mindfulness, self-care and internet safety. Whether grandparents raising grandchildren or dads looking to build confidence and co-parent more effectively, SAY San Diego retreats build resilience.
County of San Diego, Child and Family Well-Being, Health and Human Services Agency
San Diego Seniors Community Foundation
State of California, Office of Child Abuse Prevention, Department of Social Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families
You Have Power: Social Advocates with You
SAY San Diego proudly partners to activate resilience skills and self-efficacy in youth, teens, and adults through a variety of means, including one-on-one client-centered therapy, peer support groups, social-emotional learning and enhanced health services. In 2024, more than 2,300 individuals were assisted by SAY San Diego therapists/clinicians, case managers, and/or service navigators to improve physical and mental wellbeing.
Innovative Highlights in 2024 Include:
Improving Student Mental Health
Since 2022, SAY San Diego has expanded school-based mental health services from 7 to 26 school sites in the San Diego Unified School District. In 2024, approximately 300 students, ages 5 to 19, received therapeutic services to improve their mental and behavioral health. SAY San Diego clinicians helped youth and families receive wholistic care and navigate all service options available to them, including additional mental health services as needed.
Last year, over 60% of youth in SAY San Diego’s school-based mental health program successfully completed their goals, resulting in improved wellbeing, behaviors, and academic performance.
San Diego Unified School District
Success Story
Less than two months into the school year, Nico had already missed 12 days of school due to stomach aches. Nico’s family repeatedly took him to the emergency room, but medical personnel could not find any medical reason for Nico’s severe stomach pain.
SAY San Diego’s clinician provided education to Nico and his family on how anxiety often manifests physically. The clinician suggested to Nico’s mother that he bring a self-soothing kit to school and the clinician also provided his mother with grounding exercises to practice with Nico. Nico’s mother shared the very next day that drop off had been “super easy” and Nico had been “excited to go to school!”
In collaboration with ongoing support, Nico no longer complains of stomach aches, misses school, or has a difficult time separating from his parents on school days.
“I have found myself valuing all the time I have with my family and not taking it for granted. That is why I think and stop when making decisions because it will not only affect me but them too.”
- CBT Program Graduate
Boosting Reentry Success through Wraparound Support
For 10 years, SAY San Diego’s Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) program has worked with adults on probation to develop new ways of thinking and decision making that promote positive lifestyle changes and healthy futures. New supportive services were added this year to amazing success, including financial support to stabilize and meet urgent basic needs, legal help and career connections.
A recent CBT program graduate, Eric, with the help of SAY staff and a boost from SAY’s Bridges to Success cash assistance fund, transitioned from incarceration to job training, pursuing and fulfilling a dream to start his own business. He now operates a food vending company partnering with other local businesses to sell Mexican-inspired street food.
Key Partners/Funders:
County of San Diego, Probation Department
Building Social Emotional Skills through Youth Rapport
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is critical to the future wellbeing of youth and teens. This year, SAY San Diego implemented evidence-based group and one-on-one SEL programs at Field Elementary School and Lincoln High School. Participants built coping skills and increased awareness of the relationship between feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.
Approximately, 80 students participated, resulting in positive results for both elementary and high school-age groups and genders.
Key Partners/Funders:
Prebys Foundation
San Diego Unified School District
Success Story
At the start of the school year, a fourth-grade class had issues with bullying, name calling, teasing and, at times, physical aggression. In response, SAY San Diego provided lessons to the youth about conflict resolution and problem-solving skills. Students who needed additional support were enrolled in personalized one-on-one sessions.
An afterschool SEL group with a restorative focus, Boys Council, was formed and included students who were part of both the aggressor group and those who were being bullied. The restorative group allowed students to get to know each other outside of class. Teachers and counselors reported noticing positive changes and no subsequent bullying or aggressive incidents during the remainder of the school year!
The Military Family Resource Center Celebrates 30 Years!
This year marks the 30th anniversary of SAY San Diego’s Military Family Resource Center
Today, staying true to its founding mission, the Military Family Resource Center offers essential parenting programs like Dads Corps, First 5 First Steps, weekly playgroups and workshops to boost social-emotional learning and resilience. The Center also convenes service providers through the San Diego Military Family Collaborative to build comprehensive resources for local military families.
This partnership between SAY San Diego, the Department of the Navy, and the San Diego Unified School District, remains committed into the future, as an anchor of support and strength, alongside military families in San Diego, and looks forward to continuing to build a stronger, more connected community for years to come!
2022 – 2025 Strategic Plan Updates
EQUITY, DIVERSITY, and INCLUSION
We will ensure that equity, diversity and inclusion actions are visible and broadly inclusive, to produce structural, anti-racist changes within SAY San Diego, across our spheres of influence, and in the systems and communities where we work
- Purpose: Embed EDI principles throughout SAY San Diego work culture, programs and practices.
- Impact Highlight: Conducted all staff EDI Foundations Trainings engaging hundreds of SAY San Diego employees: 97% of participants agreed that they recognize how their social identities impact their personal and professional experiences.
COMMUNICATIONS
We will strengthen and support all staff, board members and partners to confidently talk about SAY San Diego’s overall results and mission.
- Purpose: Develop consistent messaging to promote SAY San Diego’s impact on social change and to reduce programmatic and functional silos, resulting in one team with one voice.
- Impact Highlight: Launched dynamic inclusive digital media strategy: 308% increase in impressions to 1.8 million. 4000% increase in website traffic.
SHARING EXPERTISE
We will actively share staff expertise in healthy living and healthy relationships across our communities, partners and workforce.
- Purpose: Provide a sustainable way to support the sharing of subject matter and lived experience expertise (among SAY staff, program participants and the larger community) to enhance SAY San Diego’s programs.
- Impact Highlight: Developed and piloted a custom Healthy Relationships curriculum for pre-teens and teens.
LEVERAGING RESOURCES
We will improve whole person / whole family care by implementing a SAY San Diego resource and referral hub.
- Purpose: Maintain an accessible and informative resource and referral hub for clients to facilitate an effective, supportive internal referral process.
- Impact Highlight: 407 calls/requests in one year resulting in successful connections more than 60% of the time. Connections included 54% to SAY San Diego programs and 46% to external partners.
In Memoriam - Honoring the Life of David Guerrero
In May 2024, David Guerrero, our beloved SAY San Diego team member, passed away unexpectedly. “Mr. David” was a kind, gentle person with lots of love to share with students and staff at Sherman Elementary School where he served for more than 12 years in the SAY San Diego PrimeTime program. He had a positive impact on the lives of a full generation of children there. He adored them and they adored him. David would say his job was perfect because he got to be “Grandpapa every day!” Although David’s journey may have ended, his uplifting, warm and generous spirit remains with us.
Financials
Funders & Donors
Thank you to all our partners.
$1 Million or More
County of San Diego
- Behavioral Health Services, Health and Human Services Agency
- Child and Family Well-Being, Health and Human Services Agency
- First 5 San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency
- Probation Department
- Public Health Services, Health and Human Services Agency
San Diego Unified School District
State of California
- Office of Child Abuse Prevention, Department of Social Services
- Office of Health Equity, Department of Public Health
- Tobacco Control Branch, Department of Public Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Administration for Children and Families
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
$250,000 – $999,999
The Center at Sierra Health Foundation
$100,000 – $249,999
City of San Diego, Office of Child and Youth Success
K. Andrew Achterkirchen
Prebys Foundation
Price Philanthropies Foundation
San Diego Foundation
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
$35,000 – $99,999
San Diego Women’s Foundation
Walter J. and Betty C. Zable Foundation
$10,000 – $34,999
Blue Shield of California
Guy Clum Foundation at San Diego Foundation
The Hervey Family Fund at San Diego Foundation
Karen Wahler and Michael Gay Fund at San Diego Foundation
Northup Grumman
Proceeds from Settlement by the City Attorney of San Diego on behalf of the People of the State of California
PwC Charitable Foundation
Rice Family Foundation
Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation
$1,000 – $9,999
Aetna Foundation
Aldrich CPAs and Advisors LLP
Alex Morgan Foundation
Alliant Educational Foundation
Andrew Puricelli
Ashley Rabun
The Berry Good Food Foundation
Beverly Drover
BIPOC Support Foundation
California Coast Credit Union
Callan Capital, LLC
City Heights Business Association
Dave Kern
David C. Copley Foundation
Eric & Susan Ehrenfeld
Hub International
Jane Drover & Thomas Gibson
Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego
Joan Margolius
Kate Broderick
Kevin O’Neill
Manpower San Diego
Marsh & McLennan Agency
The McCulloch Family
Nancy and Steve Hornberger
Pedal Ahead
The Rauch Family Foundation
San Diego Chinese Women’s Association
San Diego Gas & Electric
San Diego Seniors Community Foundation
Sara Hyzer
Sharp Health Plan
Sibus Law Group, APC
Symitar – A Division of Jack Henry
Tibyasa Matovu
Trisha Monteleon
Turk Family Philanthropic Fund
United Way of the Wine Country
WD-40 Company
Western Alliance Bank
Major Funded Collaborative Partnerships
California State University, San Marcos
City Heights Community Development Corporation
San Diego Harm Reduction Coalition
San Diego State University Research Foundation, Center for Tobacco and the Environment
San Diego Wellness Collaborative
SBCS
University of California, San Diego
Above is a partial list of contributors who supported SAY San Diego last year. It includes all who provided gifts, grants, contracts, and funded partnerships of $1,000 or more between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
“Being a board member of SAY San Diego is a deeply fulfilling experience for me. I am passionate about giving back to our community and helping families and individuals overcome challenges. SAY San Diego’s dedication to creating a supportive and inclusive environment resonates with my own values. I am proud to contribute to an organization that makes a tangible difference in people’s lives, and I am inspired every day by the resilience and strength of those we serve.”
- Sara Hyzer, WD-40 Company, SAY San Diego Board Member
Board of Directors
Theresa Carter, President
Community Member
Melanie Delgado, Immediate Past President
Children’s Advocacy Institute
Sara Hyzer, Vice President
WD-40 Company
David Kern, Treasurer
Community Member
Dhalia Balmir, Secretary
Balmir Inclusive
Omar Baza, Board Member
SEMI Foundation
Tibyasa Matovu, Board Member
Cetera Financial Group
Trisha Monteleon, Board Member
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Danielle Pena, Board Member
PHG Law Group
Barbara Ryan, Board Member
Rady Children’s Hospital of San Diego (Retired)
Janie Wardlow, Board Member
San Diego Unified School District, Elementary School Principal (Retired)
Nancy Gannon Hornberger, President & CEO
SAY San Diego
Ways to Support SAY San Diego
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PARTNERSHIPS
- Talk to your company’s CSR representative about aligning SAY San Diego with your professional community for service projects and giving.
- Generous corporate partners support SAY San Diego with grants, fundraising events, in-kind donation drives, and volunteering to share their time and talents.
GIVE!
- Every contribution enables SAY San Diego to positively impact the community through direct services, prevention, advocacy, and outreach.
- There are many ways to give, including grants, corporate and individual giving, employer match programs, and legacy gifts.
- Donate Now!
Raise Awareness & Advocate
*name changed to protect privacy
For more information, please email: development@saysandiego.org
