More than 1,500 youth are among the homeless in San Diego.
It Takes A Village SD is dedicated to supporting and empowering the homeless families of San Diego.
100% of every donation goes towards family housing for working parents of school-aged homeless children in San Diego County or working families that are at high risk of becoming homeless in the near future.
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Every student in our schools needs a safe and stable home and hope for their future. Together we can help.
Thank you for stopping by to learn about our cause. We hope with all our heart that you join our village.
Who We Are
It Takes a Village is led by Leanne Samek, a tenured teacher who serves as the Audubon homeless liaison for the San Diego Unified District. Leanne knows, teaches and personally vets every family that our organization assists.
These are families that work very hard to provide the essentials for their children so that their lives can be as enjoyable as possible. For some, this means working multiple jobs. For others, it means housing multiple families and/or generations under one roof. Others have been unlucky victims of fires or floods. Others are living completely unhoused and/or in unsafe and unsanitary conditions.
Whatever their individual circumstances may be, and despite the individual challenges they may face, they share common ground in their desire to give their children a better life, their continued work ethic, their value of education for their children, and their ultimate goal of being able to independently support their family.
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They are all wonderful, kind, and grateful human beings.
Who We Help
Homelessness is the number one cause of students not graduating and those without a high school degree are 346% more likely to experience homelessness in the future. The time to act is now.
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Emergency Families
Families who have suddenly become unhoused due to unforeseen circumstances, i.e. their home has burned down in a fire.
Unhoused Families
Families who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. These families are living in unsafe and unsanitary conditions, i.e. on the street or in a car.
Cusp Families
Families who are currently housed with zero margin for error. They are one flat tire away from homelessness.
“It took a village!
I am very grateful for this organization. My son and I were living in a very dangerous situation. I had to move out and giveaway or sell most of our bigger items and put everything else in storage. We then where forced to not be in the best living situation.​
As a solo parent, it gets hard to make so many challenging decisions with a little one to think of. So much doubt and hesitation was upon me. Thankfully once It Takes A Village found out about our situation they motivated and gave me the help and support I needed to start aggressively looking for a home.
Once I found an apartment to call home, I was left with the dilemma of replacing our belongings. It Takes a Village fundraised for us to get new beds and other necessities we so desperately needed to call our new place a home!
I have no words that can describe the feeling of appreciation I feel. I thank them for all that they did for me and still continue doing for my tiny little family.”
J. Mohr, Mom to Levi (age 7) & Member of Our Village
Ways To Help
Life is busy. We'll make this quick and easy.
SPONSOR A FAMILY
We seek to support and empower the homeless families of San Diego. Sometimes, a little help with groceries, back to school clothes, or a birthday gift for their child can go a very long way towards boosting morale and providing hope for tomorrow.
Please email us at leanne@ittakesavillagesd.org if you would like us to provide you with a wish list, or pair you with a family in need.
Have another way you'd like to help? We're all ears! Let's do it!
After all, IT TAKES A VILLAGE