
A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM INTERFAITH LEADERSHIP

Rev. Meg Decker, Board Chair

Dr. Kadri J. Webb, Board Vice Chair

Greg Anglea, Chief Executive Officer, Cohn Family CEO Chair
Interfaith Community Services has always been a safe haven for those in need in our community.
When 2020 began we had just completed our 18-month campaign to end and prevent
homelessness for 2,019 people. Understanding homelessness to be the result of systemic poverty,
we had planned for a 2020 that would focus on lifting as many families as possible out of poverty
using our “Helping People Help Themselves” model. Then COVID-19 changed everything.
Our low-income neighbors and communities of color have been overwhelmingly and
disproportionately harmed by this pandemic. Since March 2020, more people in crisis have turned
to Interfaith for help than we have ever seen in any similar time period. With most of our thousands
of volunteers and many of our professional staff sheltering in place due to age or health
conditions,
we faced one of the most challenging periods in the history of our organization. Thankfully,
Interfaith Community Services is not your standard social services organization.
We are a membership organization with hundreds of diverse faith communities, thousands of
supporting local families, and deep community partnerships. Their support, your support, allowed
us to help our neighbors in their greatest time of need.
As you will see in this report, Interfaith Community Services did not close, did not miss a beat,
and in fact grew and evolved amidst the pandemic to even better connect community support to
neighbors in need.
When our country rose up against racial injustice, Interfaith stood proudly with Black, Indigenous,
and People of Color. Internally, we launched a Racial Justice Working Group. Through the
leadership of our Vice Chair, Dr. Kadri J. Webb, we launched a Multi-City Racial Reconciliation
Coalition. Racial injustices are at the heart of the deficits we work daily to address around
poverty,
housing, health, employment, and education. In order to fulfill our mission of bringing diverse
people together to address these challenges, we must also create positive systemic change, and
not just address the impacts of racism, but be actively and positively anti-racist in all ways.
Thanks to the outpouring of support, love "and partnership from our community" we have been able
to help thousands of neighbors with food, shelter, housing, employment, counseling, treatment,
healing, and overall support. Thanks to the commitment of our member faith communities and
supporting individuals "we will do even more together", in the years ahead.
Thank you for joining us on the frontlines: yesterday, today and tomorrow.
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS




OUR PROGRAMS

Beatriz and her children “We stayed in hotels until savings ran out. I was scared. I was so scared, for my kids’ future. At one point I even thought I might just give up and sign custody over to my mother-in-law. Then I came to Interfaith. For the first time, there was a glimpse of hope.”

Daniel and his dog, M.J. “The staff goes beyond time limits and appointments when you ask for the help. All the extra time and help means a lot to me. M.J. enjoys having the space to prowl around and play. Being able to take the burden away from worrying about where she was staying was amazing.”

Yadira and her daughter Vanellope After Yadira’s daughter Vanellope opened her gifts from Adopt-A- Family 2019, she gave a big smile when she saw her books for the first time. Her sweater says it best, “Together, change is possible."
works to improve the mental health and wellness of individuals and families. Licensed clinicians provide a variety of services including crisis intervention, anger management, counseling, and homeless outreach.
provides support to achieve financial independence and stability. Interfaith is able to help individuals get back on their feet and become self-sufficient by obtaining and retaining secure employment.
works to prevent and end homelessness for individuals and families. Working with each individual situation, Interfaith offers a wide range of services with the ultimate goal of accomplishing long-term housing success for our community.
provides a complete continuum of care for low-income persons struggling to overcome addiction including those experiencing homelessness, and those dealing with physical and mental health conditions.
provides access to comprehensive programs and vital resources to meet the basic needs of community members. Dedicated to Helping People Help Themselves , Interfaith works to engage with each individual and family to address their unique needs and empower them to achieve independent and thriving lives.
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS




MAKING A LASTING IMPACT


TIMELY INTERVENTIONS TO PREVENT INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FROM BECOMING HOMELESS IS EVIDENT BY THE FOLLOWING DATA:



Housing 2019
Poverty, homelessness, and a lack of affordable housing are among
the most challenging causes for Interfaith Community Services.
For individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at-risk of
becoming homeless, stable housing is critical for long-term success, yet
at times, seemingly impossible to achieve. Interfaith has shown the
effectiveness of prioritizing secure, long-term housing and appropriate
services to end homelessness. Just as importantly, timely interventions
to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless is evident
by the following data:
New Campus for Healing and Transformation
In 2019, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $6,000,000 capital grant to Interfaith to expand Recuperative Care for veterans and civilians discharging from local hospitals. Interfaith is leveraging this public investment with additional private donations and community support to purchase and transform a blighted motel into a place of healing and transformation. When complete in 2021, this new campus will provide 54 beds of Recuperative Care and an additional 60 beds of Interim Graduate Care for persons overcoming homelessness. One-time donations are needed to support this project, and naming opportunities are available in recognition of community supporters.
Using Research to Further Our Mission
This year, Interfaith began a robust research project in partnership with collaborative providers to more fully demonstrate short and long-term impacts of our housing interventions. This project is only made possible by the launch of a new agency-wide database within Interfaith, dramatically upgrading our ability to track performance across all of our programs, and allowing us to better connect the over 20,000 people we serve annually to available programs and services.
Interfaith Expands to Mission Valley
In 2019, Interfaith partnered with Affirmed Housing, a local affordable housing developer, on a new project to provide permanent supportive housing for individuals previously experiencing homelessness. Interfaith is now providing on-site supportive services and case management for the 61 individuals residing at Stella apartments, located in Grantville, near Mission Valley in San Diego.
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS



COVID-19: ON THE FRONTLINES

Volunteer, Dave Schmitt at Interfaith’s Morning Soup Kitchen.

Client being screened by Neighborhood Healthcare staff at Interfaith headquarters.

Warehouse Assistant, Emmy Wilson, organizing food donations.
Early on in the crisis, as schools closed and businesses shut down, Interfaith remained open to meet unprecedented emergency food and support needs. During April and May, Interfaith provided enough emergency food supplies for 11,635 children and adults, a 427% increase compared to the two months preceding COVID-19.

Our staff and volunteers on the frontlines offer aid to thousands of our most vulnerable community members. As an agency, we immediately began carefully monitoring COVID-19 and brought thoughtful, professional strategies to prioritize safety and continued service for our clients and the larger community. Across all locations, Interfaith quickly implemented best practices and safety measures while following all CDC health recommendations in order to continue to provide critical services:
-
Health screenings implemented at all Interfaith locations, monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms and connecting individuals to medical support as needed
-
Our medical center, in partnership with Neighborhood Healthcare, has provided necessary COVID-19 testing to all clients and staff, while providing critical medical and behavioral health services to those in need
-
The Carlsbad Service Center and Escondido Betty and Melvin Cohn Center remained open for basic needs services, food and emergency assistance, while connecting people in need to housing, employment, addiction treatment, and mental health services.
-
Food and hygiene packages delivered to low-income elders and individuals with chronic health conditions
-
Congregate morning meals modified to offer to-go meals and pre-packaged lunches
-
Showers and laundry services remained open, meeting a critical need for hygiene and cleanliness
-
Free Tax Assistance program operated by “drive-thru” services to reduce face-to-face interactions while maintaining important financial services for working families
-
Betty and Melvin Cohn Center continued to be a mailing address for those without a home, to ensure they receive medications and paychecks
-
Financial assistance expanded community-wide to address employment and housing needs
-
Job training programs offered remotely for at-risk youth, Veterans, and all Interfaith clients seeking employment
-
Case Management services modified both on-site and virtually for all clients, while providing socially distanced in-home visits for elders
-
Launched three hotel shelters for seniors and persons with health conditions who were experiencing homelessness when the crisis began
-
Continued to operate all residential programs
-
Expanded Haven House Year-Round Emergency Shelter to operate 24/7
-
Recovery & Wellness Center continued to provide full spectrum addiction recovery, from detox to residential treatment, outpatient services, and interim housing
-
Continued to operate our 32-bed Recuperative Care program to help people being discharged from hospitals without housing and in need of medical or mental health care
Now, as we help the many men, women, and children who have never turned to a place like Interfaith for assistance, we expect to continue to see the need for our services increase. Despite the uncertainty of what lays ahead, Interfaith is positioned to meet increased demand for basic needs of food and shelter, while also engaging those who come to us for an array of in-depth personalized planning and support.

Volunteer Services Associate, Laura Hernández, at Drive-Thru Food Drive.
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS




COVID-19: SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY
It is times like these that show us the true compassion of our community. From the beginning of our COVID-19 response efforts until today, the remarkable outpouring of support from the community is the reason Interfaith continues to be there for our neighbors in need.
At the beginning of the crisis, Interfaith launched an Emergency Fund to lift up our neighbors in need and address the unique challenges the pandemic created for those we serve.
The community immediately responded with incredible support! This enabled Interfaith to continue to operate existing programs, while also taking on the added costs and increase in people needing help as a result of the crisis.
Thank you to our generous donors, volunteers, faith communities and partners; it is because of you that we have been able to remain open to meet the needs of so many people in our shared community.

Volunteer Spotlight
For over forty years, volunteers at Interfaith have been essential in expanding services, goodwill, and hope to people in our community. That has never been more significant than in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic created an unforeseen absence of hundreds of familiar volunteer faces at Interfaith. But, it could not deter altruism!
With the crisis came an outpouring of helpers willing to wear a mask, stay six-feet apart, and do the work. They would ensure our neighbors, many never expecting their lives to be so cruelly disrupted, have food for their families along with essential items to stay safe, healthy, and strong.
The emergency volunteer team created an environment of collaboration and innovation, reminding us that together we confront and conquer unimaginable challenges and create a resounding force. Within the first few days, volunteers filled hundreds of emergency food pantry requests. In a matter of weeks, they repackaged thousands of essential products to reach as many people living without access to basic needs. For months they distributed tens of thousands of meals to alleviate unmeasurable hunger. Hope is tangible at Interfaith. It is apparent in each person, in our every day or amidst catastrophe, who rises up to help.
Want to get involved as a volunteer? Email: getinvolved@interfaithservices.org

Volunteer at North Coast Food Drive

In Kind Donations Program Coordinator, Manny Rodriguez, delivering food drive results

Yusef Miller volunteering at Interfaith’s Food Pantry.

Manager of Faith Relations, Ilona Beyer, at North Coast Food Drive.
Faith Communities Set a Food Drive Record When Needed Most
Interfaith saw the number of people seeking food assistance nearly quadruple in the first months of COVID-19. In just five days, our emergency food pantry served 1,258 adults and 770 children. Thankfully, we also saw an increase in food donations, including the biggest one-day food drive in Interfaith history – North Coast Church collected a record-breaking 100,000 lbs
Additionally, Emmanuel Faith Community Church collected 20,000 lbs. in their annual drive; Church of Rancho Bernardo continues their weekly food and sack lunch donations totaling 11,000 lbs.+ and more than 5,000 sack lunches; and our friends at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Poway have donated 3,900+ sack lunches. This is only a short list of the incredible support we received from our local faith community during this unprecedented time.
Launch of “On the Frontlines” Webinars!
Interfaith implemented a series of webinars during the early months of the crisis to demonstrate an in-depth look at services offered in response to the COVID-19 emergency and to offer the community an opportunity to meet people serving on the frontlines. Each webinar, hosted by CEO Greg Anglea and various frontline staff, features a virtual tour of our locations, highlights different programs and services and shares specific ways we help those in need.
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS



AN ANTI-RACIST MISSION

United in Diversity to Address Racial Injustices
In 1979, our founding faith leaders united to stop a local white supremacist march. Seeing the power of their diversity, they turned their focus to hunger and poverty, and created what is now Interfaith Community Services. Addressing racism and defeating hate with love is part of our DNA.
In 2020, Interfaith launched a series of initiatives to better address the inexorable link between racism, poverty, homelessness, and trauma. We invite you to join us in our efforts.
Multi-City Racial Reconciliation Coalition
The moral imperative of speaking out against racism and in support of the victims of racism is at the core of Interfaith’s founding and mission. Faith, business, and community leaders are working together accomplish the following:
-
Develop and launch Anti-Racism Faith Center Training: “Making our Faith Places Safe Places”
-
Budget advocacy to identify opportunities for local governments to fund services and programs to best support communities of color
Racial Justice Working Group
Interfaith employs a diverse staff of more than 200 professionals. 56% of staff identify as, people of color. 49% of management identify as, people of color. Each group includes 67% female and 33% male. Our employees have created a “Racial Justice Working Group” to further enhance diversity, internal promotion/training, and identify community engagement activities in support of communities and people of color.
Office of Membership Diversity
Interfaith has further strengthened the involvement of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in delivering our mission, suppor ting and recruiting BIPOC volunteers, donors, community partners, board members, and more. This position has been 100% underwritten by Interfaith Board Member, Carol Lazier.
Making our Faith Places Safe Places
Local faith leaders join our commitment to Anti-Racist Faith Center training - "Making our Faith Places Safe Places." This video features: Dr. Kadri J. Webb, St. Johns Missionary Baptist Church; Gordon Chavez, Baha’is of Oceanside; Nic Gilmour, North Coast Calvary Chapel; Rabbi David Castiglione, Temple Adat Shalom; Yusef Miller, Islamic Society of North County; Bishop Susan Brown Snook, Episcopal Diocese of San Diego.
KIMBERLY’S STORY: “I AM THE 8%”
On July 23rd, 2014, Kimberly arrived to Louisiana to celebrate her daughter’s birthday. When a group of police officers came to arrest Kimberly, it was to everyone’s surprise to learn that her arrest was prompted by allegations of a murder case from a decade prior.
Kimberly asked herself how it was that this happened and why she was now facing 26 years in prison, but she kept her faith. After years in court, Kimberly was in tears when she was exonerated. Finally, she was able to say that she was amongst the 8% of people who have won their court appeal.
Yet, the road ahead was not any easier. Unfortunately, at this point Kimberly was left without a home and, without any promising support in Louisiana, she had no choice but to move to California and stay with her elderly mother. When she arrived, Kimberly was not allowed to stay at her mother’s senior living home for long.
Soon Kimberly ended up at Interfaith, where she secured a temporary home at our Haven House Shelter. During that time, Interfaith Housing Specialist, Katie Bradberry, and Housing Stability Case Manager, Daniel Sturman, helped her find a job through a temp agency at a plant nursery.
At her new job, Kimberly found working with plants very peaceful, tranquil, and most importantly, healing. Kimberly found such passion at the nursery that her supervisors noticed and offered her a permanent full-time position.
Simultaneously, through Interfaith’s Rapid Rehousing program, Kimberly became eligible for short-term assistance to get back on her feet. Interfaith helped her connect with a property manager in Escondido where she was approved for a one-bedroom apartment.
Two weeks later, Interfaith was able to provide financial move-in assistance for Kimberly’s first month’s rent and security deposit. Interfaith also provided her furniture for her apartment through our Make It a Home program.
For a few months since then, Interfaith has continued to help Kimberly to ensure stability in her new home. Kimberly decorated her home with plants from the nursery where she works and is now learning about savings, budgeting, and further building on her self-sufficiency.

Kimberly with plants she nurtured from her new job.
“If Interfaith knows you are helping yourself, they will go the extra mile. If you want to help yourself, you can go all the way with Interfaith. You have to be strong, you have to want to pick yourself up and they are there. Interfaith made me a better person. They made me independent.”

Former Haven House resident Kimberly, at her new home.
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS


INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY

Statement of revenues & expenditures
Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2020 (UNAUDITED)
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS



BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Interfaith Board Member, Zeynep Ilgaz, and Kids4Community founder, Kenan Pala, volunteering at Interfaith
Rev. Meg Decker
Chair
Dr. Kadri J. Webb
Vice Chair
Silas Harrington
Treasurer
Lisa Brinig
Secretary & Investment
Committee Chair
Saima Akhter
Carol Brooks
Laurie Burt
Programs Committee Chair
John P. Byers
Quality Assurance & Compliance
Committee Chair
Christine Carrick
Rabbi David Castiglione
Membership Committee Chair
Robert Costantino
Mitchell B. Dubick
Development Committee Chair
Zeynep Ilgaz
Gagandeep Kaur
Carol Lazier
Paul Marx
Kate McKone-Sweet
Governance Committee Chair
Pastor Hector Morales
Vanessa Peters, MD
Paul Polito
Audit Committee Chair
Faye Rencher
Pastor Federico Salas
Darrell Shrader, MD
Diana Van Duzer
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS



WAYS TO GIVE
Donate by mail or online
Mail your donation to 550 W. Washington Avenue, Escondido, CA 92025. Donate online at www.interfaithservices.com/donate

Sustaining Supporter
Create a monthly or quarterly automatic donation from your credit card, debit card, or bank account – cancel at any time.

Donate A Car
Our Vehicle Donation Program allows you to liquidate a car to help our community. Call (877) 448-3123 for more information.

In-Kind Donation
Food, new household items, and lightly used furniture. Call or text (760) 215-9637. For additional information or to schedule a pick up or drop off, email donations@interfaithservices.org.

IRA
Give a charitable gift through your IRA today. If you are 70 1/2 or older, this gift can be made up to $100,000 avoiding federal taxes.

Stock
A stock gift often enables you to deduct the full fair market value of the appreciated stock without paying capital gains tax.

Donor Advised Fund (DAF)
Your DAF is a wonderful way to provide gifts of all sizes.

“Bunching”
A new way to look at contributions in order to save taxes; some supporters are finding it beneficial to combine multiple years of donations into one contribution.

Will or Living Trust
Work with your financial advisor to designate in your will or living trust, a gift of a specific dollar amount, percentage of your estate and/or specific asset.

Endowment
Designate your current or future gift to the Interfaith Community Services Endowment Fund. Your generosity will provide a stream of funding for needed programs for years into the future.

Legacy Fund
Designate your current or future gift to the Interfaith Community Services Legacy Fund, a flexible, long-term reserve fund that will provide annual operating support for our basic services.
Please consult with your personal financial advisor about all potential financial benefits of investment and charitable giving strategies.
Interfaith Community Services continues to be a staple of our
community because of people like you. Your generosity ensures
Interfaith is able to provide emergency food, basic hygiene needs,
employment help, mental and medical healthcare, substance use
services, and so much more.
Thank you for making a difference.

Children of clients receiving backpacks and school supplies.

Veteran, Fred Parks, receives a Thanksgiving gift basket.