Written by Michelle Gilmore, CEO of the Coronado Community Foundation
What started as a “big idea” and turned into a six-week campaign culminated with giving across the community from donors, businesses, media partners, and matching funds, to the tune of $10,000.
The Coronado Gives campaign, a first-time effort co-sponsored by The Coronado Times and the Coronado Eagle & Journal, and hosted by the Coronado Community Foundation (CCF),
successfully raised funds for community causes.
The idea was to invite readers from both publications to donate in support of Coronado community members, neighbors and families by selecting a cause close to their heart upon making a donation. With nine causes to choose from, there was something for everyone to “give” behind, including military family support, education, mental health, senior support, music, the arts, environment, historic preservation, and animal welfare.
Each week in both the Coronado Eagle and Coronado Times, local non-profits shared stories of impact and “asks” that drove the campaign.
“I think there is a responsibility that a newspaper like ours has,” said Dean Eckenroth Jr., publisher of The Coronado Eagle & Journal, at the beginning of the campaign. “The first role is to be here talking about the institutions in town, keeping an eye on the community, and doing so publicly, where all of our citizens can be engaged. More importantly, I think we need to encourage the good things community members, and the community as a whole are doing. For 35 years personally, and for more than 120 years as a publication, we’ve worked to be a supporter and advocate for all that is uplifting in the Coronado community. Supporting this campaign is just another way that we can help these good things take flight in our home.”
The Coronado Eagle & Journal and Coronado Times sponsorship provided free advertising
space, articles written by their talented writers, and the full support of both publishers and their staff. Throughout the year, these two honorable publishers lean in to support the local non-profits with discounted advertising rates, in-kind donations, and sponsor support for events and programs.
The Coronado Gives campaign was an opportunity for them to collaborate on a
fundraising effort in support of the readers who support them. Megan Kitt, owner and publisher of the Coronado Times, wrote; “I became a journalist because I believe in the power of numbers. It’s one thing when one person cares; it’s another entirely when one story inspires many to care. In the same way, the goal of this campaign is for all of
Coronado – and our readers beyond – to come together to support the place we all love.”
Some gave to the arts or animal welfare, others supported mental health and military families through their Coronado Gives donations.
“Thank you to the Coronado Community Foundation, the Coronado Eagle & Journal, and the Coronado Times for coming together in such a meaningful way,” said Danielle Maske, the Executive Director from Safe Harbor Coronado, who champions mental wellness throughout Coronado. “Partnerships like this are exactly why living in Coronado is so special. When organizations unite, the entire community benefits. Your generous contribution will help support Safe Harbor’s youth programs, including ongoing offerings like anger management programs that build resilience and self-regulation skills for our second through fourth graders. Just as these three organizations support Coronado, Safe Harbor is here for all
community members, ages 5 to 85, providing programs and counseling that build connection, strengthen well-being, and help our community thrive.”
While community donations and sponsorships for the Coronado Gives campaign highlighted the generosity of our community and businesses, the Coronado Community Foundation Board of Directors voted to match funds raised, enabling them to pack twice the punch.
From funding scholarships for performing arts programs to funding mental health education initiatives to fueling wellness programs for military families, the Coronado Gives funds will have immediate and lasting impact across our community.
On behalf of the Coronado Community Foundation’s board of directors and the Coronado
Gives committee members, we are grateful to those who donated, to our sponsors, Nicolls
Design Build and Bo Blumenthal Insurance Agency, and to our media partners, the Coronado Times and Coronado Eagle & Journal. Coronado Gives is another example of how we are all better (and healthier and more connected) together.
For information about Coronado Gives or the Coronado Community Foundation, please visit www.coronadogives.com or send an email to [email protected].
