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Community Partnerships Profile: Got Your Back San Diego (GYBSD)

Community Partnerships Profile: Got Your Back San Diego (GYBSD)

Fighting Childhood Hunger in Our Own Backyard

Tri-City Medical Center is privileged to highlight Got Your Back San Diego (GYBSD) as one of our 50+ COASTAL Commitment partners. Got Your Back San Diego is a weekend food assistance program founded in 2011 by local business owners, Bill & Sue McLeod who developed it specifically for children attending North County San Diego schools who have been identified as homeless and/or food insecure.

Tri-City Medical Center has partnered with GYBSD for many years but this year our partnership reached new heights as we saw the demand for food assistance rise in our community. Our partnership with Got Your Back San Diego is focused on supporting GYBSD’s mission to remain fully engaged in the fight against childhood hunger until every child in our local communities has a reliable source of nutritious food in their home, every weekend.

Got Your Back Curbside

When the pandemic hit, Tri-City Medical Center recognized the needs of North County and felt compelled to broaden our outreach. When schools were shutting down, Got Your Back San Diego didn’t stop for a moment. They worked with the school liaisons to develop Got Your Back Curbside – deliveries went to school parking lots and parents came to pick up every week during the school shut down.

Through this year’s partnership, Tri-City Medical Center impacted many children through the funding of 400 backpacks to elementary students in North County. These backpacks include enough food for 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners, and a few snacks. GYBSD also includes bilingual printouts with healthy eating information and nutrition games and puzzles. Occasionally they have donations of other items such as school supplies or blankets.

COASTAL – Community Outreach and Support Through Active Leadership

Tri-City Medical Center’s COASTAL Commitment is focused on addressing the needs of our community as outlined by the San Diego Community Health Needs Assessment. The Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties (HASDIC) found that “Key factors that individuals struggle with to prevent chronic diseases include access to fresh, healthy foods.” Hunger has also been associated with health problems that may hinder a child’s ability to function normally and participate fully in school and other activities. When children in our community have reliable access to nourishing food it makes lives better. Founder Sue Mcleod shared, “It has been reported to us that there is a demonstrable impact on the demeanor and behavior of students in our program.” Our partnership with Got Your Back San Diego is positively impacting some of the areas in greatest needs in North County.

By partnering with local schools, Got Your Back San Diego desires to level the playing field of opportunity for children who may be physically, mentally or emotionally disadvantaged due to not having a consistent, adequate source of good, healthy food. To donate, volunteer and/or host a food drive, please visit gotyourbacksandiego.org

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