In the face of unprecedented funding cuts to local social service programs, Life Science Cares San Diego launched an ambitious effort to rally the region’s life sciences industry to action. The Meet the Moment campaign was born from a simple but urgent question: What happens when the programs San Diego families rely on – food access, safe housing, educational support – suddenly hang in the balance?
Life Science Cares San Diego mobilizes the power of the life sciences industry to fight poverty and create opportunity across the region. By activating and amplifying human, financial, and social capital, the organization supports access to education and career pathways, building a foundation for upward mobility for under-resourced San Diegans and future generations.
As the crisis unfolded, Life Science Cares quickly initiated a listening tour with its nonprofit partners. The feedback was alarming. Seventy-five percent of organizations were reducing services. Half were facing layoffs. Programs supporting pregnant women, domestic violence survivors, and first-generation college students were among those at risk.
In response, Life Science Cares activated its powerful network of companies, employees, and community leaders. The Meet the Moment campaign engaged the industry in a region-wide giving effort that raised over $320,000 in emergency bridge funding – resources that helped nonprofit partners continue delivering essential services during a time of deep uncertainty.
The campaign did not stop at funding. It also contributed to the Life Science Cares Scholarship Fund, allocating $35,000 to students at risk of losing financial support to complete college. Many of these scholars are connected to Project Onramp San Diego, a Life Science Cares initiative that links underrepresented college students with internships at local biotech companies.
Meet the Moment also expanded the organization’s focus on basic needs. A summer food drive engaged life sciences companies across the county and culminated in a large-scale volunteer day at Feeding San Diego. Industry leaders and employees came together to pack food for 896 households, demonstrating how corporate social responsibility can extend beyond check-writing into direct community impact.
This campaign represents more than a one-time response – it reflects a shift in how the life sciences industry shows up for its community. By bridging the gap between industry resources and nonprofit needs, Life Science Cares is creating lasting infrastructure to support San Diegans experiencing poverty.
Meet the Moment is ongoing because the need is ongoing. While the funding may have sparked the campaign, it is the collective action – driven by generosity, empathy, and a deep sense of local responsibility – that defines its legacy. As Life Science Cares continues this work, one message remains clear: when an industry meets the moment, it changes lives.
www.lifesciencecares.org/san-diego
