Ernest and Evelyn Rady Give $50 Million To Build Two Salvation Army Safe Havens
for Homeless in san diego
San Diego, CA (January 29, 2018) – Philanthropists Ernest and Evelyn Rady announced a
$50 million donation to The Salvation Army at a private event on Monday, January 29 at 11:00 a.m. at the Door of Hope, 2799 Health Center Drive.
The $50 million lead gift is part of an $80 million capital campaign to build and endow two new facilities with programs designed to bring men, women and families from homeless to home.
The project will be completed in two major phases. First, The Rady Residence at the Door of Hope will be built. The Rady Center will be built downtown after The Salvation Army raises the additional $30 million to complete the campaign.
The Salvation Army Rady Center will serve single men in downtown San Diego, and The Salvation Army Rady Residence at The Door of Hope will enable us to help two-parent families for the first time in addition to the single mothers and children, single women, and women in recovery who currently live and participate in programs at The Door of Hope.
“We have great confidence in this organization, so we are happy to put our resources in their hands, and we look forward to a successful conclusion,” says Mr. Ernest Rady. “I’m really proud of what we’re doing.”
The donation goes on record as one of the largest charitable gifts ever given to support homelessness and is the third largest donation in The Salvation Army’s 153-year history.
Civic and business leaders joined key Salvation Army volunteers and dignitaries at the project site to hear Mr. Rady’s good news and to share in a brief celebration of his gift. Commissioner Kenneth Hodder, the senior officer for The Salvation Army Western Territory, spoke at the ceremony, as did Jonathan Herrera, the City of San Diego Senior Advisor on Homelessness.
“The Salvation Army is deeply moved and inspired by Mr. and Mrs. Rady’s generosity and caring. Our vision for helping the homeless better their lives and find homes will now become a reality for our community,” says Major George Baker, Salvation Army Divisional Commander. “The center will serve as a new standard for effective programs and housing for homeless across the United States.”
Helping The Salvation Army develop the property are consulting firm Allegis Development Services and architect M. W. Steele Group.
San Diego County currently has the fourth largest homeless population in the country. In the 2017 WeALLCount survey, the total number of homeless individuals was 9,116 with 5,621 of those being unsheltered.
The Salvation Army’s holistic approach to helping clients enables them to identify, address and work to solve the issues that caused them to become homeless. By assisting with food, shelter, educational support, counseling services, rehabilitation programs and vocational direction, our unique group housing programs help residents learn the life skills needed to lead successful lives and live independently.
The Salvation Army has been in San Diego since 1887, providing services addressing many human needs in our community. The Salvation Army in San Diego County helps more than 267,000 of the community’s neediest individuals every year. At The Salvation Army’s current downtown program, 8 out of 10 individuals in our Centre City Transitional Housing program are successfully returning to permanent housing.
Website: rady.salvationarmy.org
Renderings & facts: http://salar.my/radygift (Dropbox)
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