Increasingly, nonprofit organizations are rethinking their approach to fundraising. They’re using technology to help make charitable giving easier.
“Inefficiency is my pet peeve,” says Renee Zau, cofounder and CEO of DonationMatch, a San Diego company that connects organizations seeking auction items and businesses with items to donate.
“I like to say DonationMatch is like Match.com,” explains Zau, whose platform went live in 2010 after she experienced frustrations both as a volunteer fundraiser asking for in-kind donations and a business owner who frequently donated to events. “My first priority was to automate every task that was repetitive and done by hand.”
Some of her company’s features include vetting organizations and contacts, creating gift certificates, tracking where donations went, and the ability to download donation data provided by companies for auctions.
“This has significantly reduced the amount of time and effort spent on making more targeted connections,” she says. Information only needs to be entered once to request donations from DonationMatch’s network of 350 companies. DonationMatch has helped 26,000 organizations find the donations they need.
Scot Chisholm helps connect organizations and donors in a similar way as the CEO of Classy, but he mostly targets individual donors instead of businesses. He cofounded Classy, an online fundraising platform for nonprofits, in 2011 when he and his friends saw a need to improve the way nonprofits were raising money online. In the years since, Chisholm says, the world has become increasingly mobile and connected. And for nonprofits, that means they have to work harder to engage and retain their donors—because technology has shortened people’s attention spans and changed consumer expectations. “In a 2018 consumer survey we commissioned, we found that 41 percent of total respondents said that if they can’t easily donate to a nonprofit online or via a mobile device, they will have less trust in how an organization uses donated funds,” Chisholm says.
Donor experience is key, and Classy has raised $1 billion for the 4,000 nonprofits that use the platform.
Another local success story is GoFundMe, which was launched in San Diego in 2010. The for-profit is supposedly the world’s largest fundraising platform, with $5 billion raised so far. Most of its campaigns focus on medical and memorial fundraising—things like surgeries and accidents—but also charities and educational efforts.
Still, a completely digital world is dangerous for nonprofits, says Classy’s Chisholm, and makes it harder for nonprofits to stand out. But he remains optimistic about platforms like his own to “cut through the noise,” helping nonprofits engage with their supporters at a larger scale than ever before.
The cofounder of DonationMatch has a similar take on tech’s effect on philanthropy. “I think technology simplifies and enables better access to resources, but it does not replace close relationships,” Zau says. “We provide the ability for companies and causes to make a lot of beneficial connections. Whether they engage on a per-event level, or decide to do more, is up to them.”
A fourth San Diego–based digital business, Coin Up, almost completely does away with personal interaction. Users sign up their debit or credit card and designate a charity. Then while out shopping, each purchase they make is rounded up to the nearest dollar; those extra cents go to the charity of their choice. Coin Up vets the charities, issues a tax receipt, and, the Coin Up website points out, lets the charity spend more time doing good and less time fundraising. Here, the nonprofit is mostly invisible to the donor, however, it makes giving money easy, automatic, and frequent. Coin Up is a similar model to AmazonSmile in that, when you shop on the site, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5 percent of the purchase price (on eligible products) to your designated charity.
The digital world has touched everything and charitable giving is no exception. On average, nonprofits lose about 80 percent of their new donors each year, according to Classy. Therefore, the onus is on nonprofits to be in many places and reach different kinds of donors. And platforms like DonationMatch, Classy, GoFundMe, and Coin Up are eager to help.
High-Tech Fundraising
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Charitable SD
JUNE 24, 2026
Luma Initiative Creates Community Through Strength & Resilience
Inspired by her own experience, founder Elena Barbour has set out to help struggling women thrive
Divorce, adjusting to single motherhood or coparenting, and the unexpected adjustments that come with it can turn even the most put-together woman’s life upside down. For many, these shifts trigger a profound loss of identity as that chapter of life officially comes to an end.
While Elena Barbour was navigating a divorce and raising two young children, other women in her circle shared similar experiences—one, a high-powered attorney, said divorce was the hardest thing she’d ever gone through. Barbour realized that women like them who’d gone through divorce, separation, or trauma needed support, but unless they qualified for low-income assistance or could pay top dollar for private services, there weren’t a lot of options. That led to the creation of the Luma Initiative, a nonprofit organization that aims to connect women with the practical resources needed to rebuild after a major life transition. The organization is currently developing its programming and plans to open to its first (already full) three-month cohort of women this fall.
“I consider myself a very strong, competent woman, but what I went through shook me,” Barbour says. “[There were] all these things that I did not expect, and that a lot of people looking from the outside couldn’t see necessarily. It was hard to relate. And I found that after coming out of this divorce, I needed to reshift my community a little bit because the challenges and the life stage of where I was compared to where they were now was just so different—even though I was surrounded by people, I felt very alone.
Courtesy of Luma Initiative
“So [we’re] trying to create that sense of community in this place for women to be like, ‘All these women are going through something similar and when I talk with them, I don’t feel so alone and I can let go of some of the negative feelings I’m feeling, and I can […] start to rebuild.’”
Luma Initiative’s program will include licensed therapist-guided support groups, and support via financial literacy advisors, life coaches who specialize in career building, and family law attorneys, plus therapeutic yoga at sister business Luma Yoga. They’ll also work with other nonprofit organizations as needed to create a “one-stop, well-rounded, holistic approach to supporting women who are going through this really big transition of life,” Barbour explains.
Barbour says Luma Yoga Studio in Little Italy will serve as Luma Initiative’s physical base, transforming into a familiar community-centered home away from home where women can feel safe. She leaned into yoga and the breathwork, meditation, and mindfulness that often come with the practice to get through tough times, and carries those tools with her “off the mat.” She hopes that other women will find that same sense of nervous system regulation. She emphasizes that Luma Initiative and Luma Yoga work as an ecosystem that provides both wellness and tangible support.
“The goal with Luma Initiative will be to help these women come back to themselves and their identity through community, and use community as a platform to rebuild,” she says.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
How the Junior League of San Diego Is Helping Local Families in Need
Volunteer Meredith Wood shares how the organization distributes diapers, period products, and other essentials while building community across San Diego
Just shy of 100 years ago, a group of determined women came together to improve the community and help their fellow San Diegans. They formed the Junior League of San Diego, a local chapter of the nationwide cohort of women with a mission to create meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training.
Today, the Junior League of San Diego is one of 291 Junior Leagues in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Great Britain. Locally, the league works to collect essential items, such as period products, diapers, clothing, food, and school supplies to distribute to underserved communities, and pitching in to help other nonprofits fighting food insecurity.
Volunteer Meredith Wood has spent the last two years on the donations committee. Here, she details her experience.
How did you first get involved with the Junior League of San Diego?
I first joined the Junior League in 2024, after I moved to San Diego from the East Coast. I wanted to meet people, specifically more women, and get involved in the community. In my first year in the Junior League, I was placed on the donations committee. That was my first glimpse into the work, specifically with donations. After a year of doing that, I applied to be the chair, so I did that this past year. It was an awesome experience.
What do your volunteer duties entail?
So last year as the chair, I led a team that organized our donation drives, so that includes marketing the drives, managing the inventory, and then coordinating with community partners to distribute the donations.
What do you like best about volunteering at the Junior League of San Diego?
I love working with other women in the league. Everyone is so enthusiastic and brings such bright ideas to the table. Everyone I’ve worked with is so passionate and committed to bettering the community and doing what they can, and they have fun while doing it, which I think is so important because it makes it sustainable.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced?
So far, the biggest challenge as the donations chair has been seeing the huge need for specifically diapers and menstrual products in the community (JLSD operates a Diaper Bank & Period Pantry). It seems like no amount of supply we’ve ever had has been able to meet the demand, which can be a little disheartening at times. But to that, I try to remember that any difference that we make is valued and important. That’s what motivates me to keep going.
Courtesy of Junior League of San Diego
Can you describe your favorite or most memorable experience while volunteering?
That’s a tough one because every time I volunteer at the Junior League, it genuinely is such a fun time. I always really enjoy going to PATH and prepping and serving meals there. The staff and residents are all so awesome, and it’s always a really fun experience to cook with Junior League friends and serve that way.
Then another memorable one was when SNAP funding was on pause back in the fall this year. We mobilized pretty quickly within two weeks and got all our donations out the door, and were handing them out alongside a food pantry in San Diego. That was a really special moment to just connect with the community, see directly where donations were going, and ask people what they needed. We learned that some of the supply that we had didn’t align with the demand, so it was a really big learning experience, too.
Any advice for someone considering volunteering as a way to give back?
Sometimes I’ve struggled, wondering if my efforts have been enough, and I’m sure there’s someone else out there, too, who’s wondering the same thing. But there’s no effort that’s too small, and people really just appreciate anything you can do to better the community. So, find something that you care about and then figure out how you can add value to it. Bonus if you can invite a friend to join you and just make it that much more fun.
The Junior League has given so much to me in the two years that I’ve been a part of it. For starters, the learning experience of how do I even manage a committee and raise donations and get them out into the community has just been such a great opportunity. I highly recommend any woman who wants to get involved in San Diego to join the league. And if that’s not your cup of tea, we’re always taking donations, specifically menstrual products and diapers. We take them all year at 210 Maple St. in San Diego and try to get them out every couple weeks. We have Amazon links on our website as well.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
Enjoy tastings from more than 20 wineries and gourmet bites at the University of San Diego Wine Classic. The all-inclusive annual event benefits USD’s Alumni Endowed Scholarship Fund, and to date has raised more than $1 million.
July 18: The Pride 5K Run & Walk
Around 1,700 runners and walkers will hit the streets of Hillcrest for the The Pride 5K Run & Walk, before the Pride Parade. The long-running community favorite is a highlight of Pride Week and raises money for San Diego Pride and the LGBT Center’s Youth Housing Project.
July 20: Brendan Nordholm Make-a-Wish Golf Classic
The 37th annual Brendan Nordholm Make-A-Wish Golf Classic will tee off at The Crosby National Golf Club at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club. The 18-hole tournament, followed by a reception, will help the organization grant wishes for local families.
July 23: Foundation for Developmental Disabilities Christmas in July
Help the Foundation for Developmental Disabilities celebrate its 40th year at its Christmas in July fundraiser at Koi Zen Cellars. The festive evening marks the start of FDD’s annual Season of Sharing and guests are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate.
Operation For HOPE Foundation’s ninth annual Caring, Sharing & Champagning Fundraiser will kick off with a charity shopping spree for household essentials for survivors of domestic violence and their children. Guests will then be treated to champagne, espresso martinis, and light bites at a private residence in Rancho Santa Fe.
July 25: The Doan Foundation’s Fourth Annual Gala Fundraiser
The Doan Foundation will host a formal fundraising dinner to benefit underserved youth and emerging creatives. The organization’s fourth annual Gala Fundraiser will feature a live performance by R&B artist Amanda Perez, other performances, scholarship awards, and inspiring stories.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
Stake Chophouse & Bar isn’t your average steakhouse. Blue Bridge Hospitality’s Coronado outpost is a modern interpretation of a big-city steakhouse nestled in the heart of the small coastal community. The team at Stake has reimagined the whole steakhouse experience. By prioritizing a seasonal farm-to-table sourcing philosophy, a personalized guest experience, and unique service touches, like a formal steak presentation and a bespoke knife selection process, Stake distinguishes itself in a sea of steakhouses.
Exceptional steaks, including Wagyu from Japan, Australia, and the U.S., and fresh seafood flown in daily form the core of Stake’s culinary identity. The menu features a five-course omakase-style steak experience highlighting house favorites, plus an array of cuts, and classic steakhouse staples—think a wedge salad, baked potato, or pasta carbonara—refined for a contemporary palate without losing their traditional appeal. Stake focuses on seasonal sourcing from the region’s best family farms and specialty purveyors, and incorporates intentionally unexpected touches to create something truly unique.
“I challenge our chefs and myself to take it a step further in sourcing,” says Chef Ronnie Schwandt. “It’s important to us to highlight different farms, unique one-off farms—whether it’s cattle, strawberries, a local fisherman or from anywhere in the United States, we’re always trying to find that niche.”
Beyond the menu, Stake emphasizes outstanding service, says Vinny Spatafore, Director of Hospitality Operations. Staff maintains detailed notes, allowing them to remember guests by name, recall previous orders such as a favorite martini (also memorable for the customer since it’s served in an extra tall, distinctly-shaped glass), and celebrate special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.
“When you have those points of topic that you remember about a guest, they appreciate that,” he says. “Our servers are really good with that—we have a couple servers who have been here since the beginning and they’ll remember somebody from years ago, their name, their kids’ names, where they live. I’m really thankful to have a great front of house staff.”
Award-winning wines, rare whiskeys, special events, and a complementary black car service that provides transportation for guests throughout Coronado add to Stake’s appeal.
Schwandt stresses that Stake offers more than a meal; they aim to give patrons something unforgettable.
“It starts when you walk up the stairs and are greeted by the hostess—that sets the tone for the night. Then you’re greeted by a server, who may know you by name, and can guide you through the menu and curate as they get to know you,” says Schwandt. “Most people leave kind of blown away; they leave feeling like they just had an experience. That’s the goal, right? Whether you’re serving smash burgers or high-end steak, you want somebody to leave thinking, Wow, that was awesome.”
International Network of Hearts celebrated 15 years of helping survivors of human trafficking in the U.S. and Mexico recover and reintegrate at its “An Evening of Courage and Change” gala on June 6. During the formal event at the Sunset View Room overlooking Mission Bay, the organization received a proclamation from Mayor Todd Gloria’s office deeming June 6 as International Network of Hearts Day. Proceeds from the gala will support International Network of Hearts’ mission to rescue, restore, and reintegrate survivors via its Casa del Jardín care centers.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
Just south of Lake Hodges near 4S Ranch and Poway, Rancho Bernardo is a suburban community that blends residential neighborhoods with industrial pockets, elevated by a decidedly diverse food scene.
Over 60 years ago, this North County neighborhood was once part of a family ranch. Since that time, big tech companies have taken up residence here, including Amazon, Sony Electronics, Oura Ring, HP, Teradata, and ASML. Rancho Bernardo Inn serves as a community hub, with locals frequently meeting at the hotel’s restaurants, golf course, and spa.
Whether it’s work or a round of golf that brings you to Rancho Bernardo, we’ve taken care of the agenda planning with our guide to the area’s best restaurants, activities, and shops.
Courtesy of Avant Restaurant
Rancho Bernardo Restaurants, Bars, and Coffee Shops
Avant
Sample ingredients plucked straight from Rancho Bernardo Inn’s onsite garden and served at their signature restaurant Avant. One of the neighborhood’s most upscale dining options, they serve a French-inspired menu with nods to California, including many seafood options. Don’t miss their more casual sister restaurant Veranda for al fresco dining.
Wood-fired pizzas and handmade pastas are standouts at The Kitchen, Bernardo Winery’s counter-service restaurant specializing in Sicilian flavors. Charcuterie boards and bruschetta make for great starters or snacks while wine tasting.
13330 Paseo Del Verano Norte
Bushfire Kitchen
Fast-casual and family-owned eatery Bushfire Kitchen recently opened a location in Rancho Bernardo, serving sandwiches, bowls, salads, burgers, protein plates, and housemade empanadas. Bushfire prepares comfort food with healthy ingredients, and offers plenty of vegetarian and vegan options.
11962 Bernardo Plaza Drive, Suite 110
The Cork & Craft
Some might call The Cork & Craft an overachiever. This gastropub has an in-house craft brewery and winery: Abnormal Beer and Wine. The more, the merrier. Their sushi menu is definitely worth exploring, but don’t miss other specialties like garlic noodles, chicken wings, and pork belly.
16990 Via Tazon
Courtesy of Carvers Steaks & Chops
Carvers Steaks & Chops
You don’t have to leave Rancho Bernardo to get a white tablecloth steakhouse experience. Carvers Steaks & Chops has prime rib (their best seller), filet, ribeye, porterhouse, New York strip, and other cuts, served alongside crab-stuffed mushrooms, wedge salad, French onion soup, potato skins, and other steakhouse specialties.
1940 Bernardo Plaza Drive
Burma Place
This no-frills Burmese restaurant is known for its traditional tea leaf salad that’s topped with sesame and sunflower seeds, garlic chips, peanuts, tomatoes, jalapeños, fried yellow beans, and fermented green tea leaf dressing. Tucked into a nondescript strip mall, Burma Place is a great takeout option when you want to eat garlic noodles, fried rice, chicken curry, and samosas from the comfort of your couch.
16719 Bernardo Center Drive, Suite A
Phở Ca Dao
Find authentic Vietnamese cuisine at Phở Ca Dao, including favorites like phở noodle soup, vermicelli noodles, broken rice dishes, and spring rolls. One of eight locations throughout San Diego, this family-owned chain uses robot servers for food delivery.
11808 Rancho Bernardo Road, Suite 100
The Kebab Shop
It’s all about the sauce at fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant The Kebab Shop. Smothering your chicken shawarma, gyro, or falafels in garlic yogurt, cilantro jalapeno, fire chili, and dill yogurt sauce is practically a rite of passage. The hardest part is deciding whether to order a wrap, bowl, or salad.
11980 Bernardo Plaza Drive
Casa Lahori
Get a taste of South Asian flavors at Casa Lahori, a Pakistani restaurant noted for its grilled meat kabobs. Other best-selling dishes include beef nihari, chicken biryani, and shahi paneer— best enjoyed with naan bread.
11975 Bernardo Plaza Drive
Kangnam Korean BBQ
Grill your own meat on the tabletop at Kangnam Korean BBQ, an interactive, all-you-can-eat experience that’s well-suited for large groups. Marinated beef bulgogi, grilled galbi short ribs, and spicy pork are served alongside traditional banchan dishes like kimchi, japchae glass noodles, and flavorful stews. Weekday lunch specials provide a nice discount on these filling meals.
11828 Rancho Bernardo Road, Suite 117–119
Courtesy of Curry & More Indian Bistro
Curry & More Indian Bistro
Dig in to your favorite curries and kebabs at Curry & More Indian Bistro. Most entrees are served with a choice of two side dishes, including basmati rice, potatoes with cumin, daal, naan, or mixed greens. Help offset the spice with one of their sweet mango or strawberry lassi drinks.
Kai Oliver-Kurtin is a San Diego-based writer who covers travel, dining, events, and culture. Her writing has been published in USA Today, Condé Nast Traveler, Fodor's Travel, Marie Claire, and HuffPost, among others.
While glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agents have been used to treat Type 2 diabetes for more than 20 years, their recent emergence as weight-loss wonder drugs marked a new frontier in medicine. But their effectiveness has left some patients wondering what to do once they’ve reached their goal. Stopping the medication could mean regaining some, if not all, of the weight. A Scripps Clinic internal medicine physician recently conducted a small study of whether GLP-1 patients who had reached their goal weight could maintain that weight by taking their regularly prescribed injection every other week instead of weekly. Spoiler alert: 30 of 34 patients did. Read more about the study here and what that may mean as pharmaceutical companies roll out oral GLP-1s.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
